The article below was written by Chelsea Schilling.Just 17 days before Election Day, American voters of all faiths will take to the streets in the name of religious freedom and in protest of the Obamacare contraception mandate – with one of the major protests unfolding on President Obama’s doorstep.On Oct. 20 at 12 noon, more than 100 “Stand Up for Religious Freedom” rallies sponsored by the Stand Up for Religious Freedom Coalition will take place in cities coast to coast, including Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Minneapolis and others.The White House protest, which is sponsored by the Christian Defense Coalition and Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust, is scheduled for Sept. 30 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
“I think the Obama administration really awakened a sleeping giant with this thing,” said Eric Scheidler, executive director of the Pro-Life Action League and co-director of the Stand Up for Religious Freedom rallies.
According to the group, tens of thousands of citizens are expected to rally in peaceful, non-partisan demonstrations at local federal buildings, court houses, congressional offices, city parks and churches. The organization notes that at least 300 “Stand Up for Religious Freedom” rallies took place in March and June, drawing more than 125,000 participants.
“People have been feeling like their faith is being treated shoddily by the government, by much of the culture and by the mainstream media,” Scheidler told WND. “They’ve been feeling it for years, in terms of being marginalized and being made to feel their faith is unwelcome in the public square.”
Under Obamacare’s contraception mandate, all employers – even religious institutions – must offer contraceptives, sterilizations and abortion-inducing drugs to employees.
According to the Congressional Research Service, companies that do not comply may be hit with a federal tax of $100 per day for each employee.
Just three months ago, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Obama’s massive health reform law in a 5-4 decision.
“Many people were counting on the Supreme Court to solve this problem by striking down the law,” Scheidler explained. “But that’s not what happened, so it’s really up to us now to get out on Election Day and make a difference. That’s why we decided to hold this rally 17 days before the election – to expose the injustice of the HHS mandate right in the heart of the election season and to rally the troops.”
“Also, we want to put all those running for office on notice that this issue matters to us and it’s not going to go away.”
Meanwhile, American courtrooms are bursting with lawsuits brought by businesses and religious groups. As WND reported, the American Center for Law and Justice is representing 79 members of Congress with friend-of-the-court briefs filed in 12 separate lawsuits brought by more than 40 Catholic organizations suing over the requirement.
But Scheidler warned citizens that the battle must be fought outside the courts as well.
“The lawsuits are proceeding and many institutions are fighting the HHS mandate, but it’s going to take years for that process to complete,” he said. “And you never know which way a court ruling is going to go.”
He added, “But if we can change the leadership or we can convince our elected officials to take action, that will be a much faster way to solve this problem and prevent the mayhem of religious institutions and business owners having to face massive penalties or be shut down over this issue of conscience. It’s really our most direct route. It’s time for people of faith to wake up.”
Eric Scheidler, executive director of the Pro-Life Action League and co-director of the Stand Up for Religious Freedom rallies
Scheidler said people from all walks of life, from all faiths, from all races – men and women – have been turning out in droves to protest the mandate.
“The mainstream media and the Obama administration and Planned Parenthood were trying to make this thing out to be a battle between crusty, old Catholic bishops and a bunch of bold, young women trying to live out their lives in freedom,” he said. “One of the big successes of the June and March rallies was that they really put a face on the movement against the HHS mandate that is pretty compelling. I think we’ve really shown the power of grassroots activism to reset the agenda.”
As for Americans who would prefer to stay home on Oct. 20, Scheidler urges them to think twice about that decision.
He said, “Whether we achieve a tremendous victory or this is the beginning of the end of freedom in America, you don’t want to look back in 10 or 20 years and try to explain to your grandchildren or your great-grandchildren why you were sitting down when other people were standing up for religious freedom.”
The following is a list of scheduled rallies at the time of this report. A complete list is available at StandUpRally.com. All rallies begin at noon local time on Oct. 20 unless otherwise noted.
StandUpRally.com does not require RSVP and will provide signs. To sign up to be a rally captain in another city, individuals may fill out this form.
Alabama
- Huntsville (Sponsored by Huntsville Right to Life): Site to be determined.
- Email the Huntsville Rally Captain
- Mobile: Site to be determined.
- Email the Mobile Rally Captain
Alaska
- Kenai: Site to be determined.
- Email the Kenai Rally Captain
Arizona
- Phoenix: Site to be determined.
- Email the Phoenix Rally Captain
- Tucson: Site to be determined.
- Email the Tucson Rally Captain
California
- Los Angeles (Sponsored by Survivors): Site to be determined.
- Email the Los Angeles Rally Captain
- Madera: St. Joachim Church, 401 W. 5th Street (map)
- Email the Madera Rally Captain
- Orange County: Site to be determined.
- Email the Orange County Rally Captain
- Redding: City Hall, 777 Cypress Avenue (map)
- Email the Redding Rally Captain
- San Diego: NOTE: The San Diego Rally takes place on Oct. 20 at 10 a.m.
- San Diego County Administration Building, 1600 Pacific Highway
- Email the San Diego Rally Captain
- San Francisco (Sponsored by Black Pro-Life Coalition): NOTE: The San Francisco rally takes place on Oct. 20 at 1 p.m., site to be determined.
- Email the San Francisco Rally Captain
- Santa Maria: Site to be determined.
- Email the Santa Maria Rally Captain
- Temecula: Site to be determined.
- Email the Temecula Rally Captain
- Ventura: Site to be determined.
- Email the Ventura Rally Captain
Colorado
- Colorado Springs: Site to be determined.
- Email the Colorado Springs Rally Captain
Connecticut
- New Haven: Site to be determined.
- Email the New Haven Rally Captain
District of Columbia
- Washington, D.C. (Sponsored by Christian Defense Coalition and Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust)
- NOTE: The Washington, D.C., rally takes place Sept. 30 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
- The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (map)
- Email the Washington, D.C. Rally Captain
Florida
- Daytona Beach: Site to be determined.
- Email the Daytona Beach Rally Captain
- Fort Lauderdale: Site to be determined.
- Email the Fort Lauderdale Rally Captain
- Fort Pierce: Federal Courthouse, 101 South U.S. Highway 1 (map)
- Email the Fort Pierce Rally Captain
- Miami: Site to be determined.
- Email the Miami Rally Captain
- Orlando (Sponsored by Pro-Life Action Ministries): Site to be determined.
- Email the Orlando Rally Captain
- Pensacola: Site to be determined.
- Email the Pensacola Rally Captain
- Sarasota:
- NOTE: The Sarasota Rally takes place Oct. 27 at 10 a.m., site to be determined.
- Email the Sarasota Rally Captain
- St. Petersburg:
- NOTE: The St. Petersburg Rally takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 20
- Founders’ Corner, 62nd Avenue N. and 4th Street N. (map)
- Email the St. Petersburg Rally Captain
Georgia
- Athens: Site to be determined.
- Email the Athens Rally Captain
Hawaii
- Honolulu: Site to be determined.
- Email the Honolulu Rally Captain
Idaho
- Boise: NOTE: The Boise rally will be held from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m.
- Capitol Park, 601 W. Jefferson Street
- Email the Boise Rally Captain
Illinois
- Chicago (Sponsored by Pro-Life Action League): Site to be determined.
- Email the Chicago Rally Captain
- Peoria: Site to be determined.
- Email the Peoria Rally Captain
- Woodstock: Site to be determined.
- Email the Woodstock Rally Captain
Indiana
- Bloomington: Site to be determined.
- Email the Bloomington Rally Captain
- Evansville (Sponsored by Right to Life of Southwest Indiana): Site to be determined.
- Email the Evansville Rally Captain
- Indianapolis (Sponsored by Right to Life of Indianapolis): Site to be determined.
- Email the Indianapolis Rally Captain
- La Porte: Site to be determined.
- Email the La Porte Rally Captain
- Merrillville: Site to be determined.
- Email the Merrillville Rally Captain
- South Bend: NOTE: The South Bend Rally takes place Oct. 27, site to be determined.
- Email the South Bend Rally Captain
Iowa
- Davenport: Site to be determined.
- Email the Davenport Rally Captain
- Des Moines (Sponsored by Iowa Right to Life): Site to be determined.
- Email the Des Moines Rally Captain
- Fairfield: Site to be determined.
- Email the Fairfield Rally Captain
Kentucky
- Louisville: Site to be determined.
- Email the Louisville Rally Captain
- Owensboro: Site to be determined.
- Email the Owensboro Rally Captain
Louisiana
- Metairie: Site to be determined.
- Email the Metairie Rally Captain
- New Orleans: Site to be determined.
- Email the New Orleans Rally Captain
- Baton Rouge: Site to be determined.
- Email the Baton Rouge Rally Captain
Massachusetts
- Boston (West Roxbury): Site to be determined.
- Email the Boston (West Roxbury) Rally Captain
Michigan
- Detroit (Sponsored by Citizens for a Pro-Life Society): Site to be determined.
- Email the Detroit Rally Captain
- Flint: Site to be determined.
- Email the Flint Rally Captain
- Gaylord: Site to be determined.
- Email the Gaylord Rally Captain
- Kalamazoo: Site to be determined.
- Email the Kalamazoo Rally Captain
- Livonia: St. Aidan Church, 17500 Farmington Road (map)
- Email the Livonia Rally Captain
- Ontonagon: Site to be determined.
- Email the Ontonagon Rally Captain
Minnesota
- Minneapolis (Sponsored by Pro-Life Action Ministries): Site to be determined.
- Email the Minneapolis Rally Captain
Mississippi
- Carrollton: Site to be determined.
- Email the Carrollton Rally Captain
Missouri
- Jefferson City: Site to be determined.
- Email the Jefferson City Rally Captain
- St. Louis (Sponsored by Defenders of the Unborn): Site to be determined.
- Email the St. Louis Rally Captain
Montana
- Billings: Site to be determined.
- Email the Billings Rally Captain
Nebraska
- Lincoln (Sponsored by Lincoln Right to Life): NOTE: The Lincoln Rally will be held Oct. 7 at 2 p.m.
- Antelope Park, 33rd and A Street
- Email the Lincoln Rally Captain
- Omaha (Sponsored by Nebraskans United for Life): Site to be determined.
- Email the Omaha Rally Captain
Nevada
- Las Vegas: Lloyd D. George Federal Courthouse, 333 Las Vegas Boulevard (map)
- Email the Las Vegas Rally Captain
New Jersey
- Cape May: Site to be determined.
- Email the Cape May Rally Captain
- Trenton: State Capitol, 125 W. State Street (map)
- Email the Trenton Rally Captain
New York
- Buffalo: Site to be determined.
- Email the Buffalo Rally Captain
- Goshen: Site to be determined.
- Email the Goshen Rally Captain
- Norwich: East Park, N. Broad Street and Main Street (map)
- Email the Norwich Rally Captain
- Rochester: Washington Square Park, 181 S. Clinton Ave.
- Email the Rochester Rally Captain
- Syracuse: Site to be determined.
- Email the Syracuse Rally Captain
North Carolina
- Raleigh: Site to be determined.
- Email the Raleigh Rally Captain
- Winston-Salem: Site to be determined.
- Email the Winston-Salem Rally Captain
Ohio
- Cincinnati: Site to be determined.
- Email the Cincinnati Rally Captain
- Columbus (Sponsored by Greater Columbus Right to Life): Site to be determined.
- Email the Columbus Rally Captain
- Dayton: Court House Square, 3rd and Main Street
- Email the Dayton Rally Captain
- Steubenville (Sponsored by Knights of Columbus Council 11828): NOTE: The Steubenville Rally takes place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Holy Name Cathedral parking lot, 411 South 5th Street
- Email the Steubenville Rally Captain
- Toledo: Site to be determined.
- Email the Toledo Rally Captain
Oregon
- Eugene: Site to be determined.
- Email the Eugene Rally Captain
- Salem: Oregon State Capitol, 900 Court St. NE
- Email the Salem Rally Captain
Pennsylvania
- Greensburg: Site to be determined.
- Email the Greensburg Rally Captain
- Philadelphia: Site to be determined.
- Email the Philadelphia Rally Captain
- Pittsburgh (Sponsored by Two Hearts Two Treasures): NOTE: The Pittsburgh rally will begin with a prayer walk starting at 9 a.m. More information is available here.
- Phil’s Place, 917 Liberty Avenue
- Email the Pittsburgh Rally Captain
- Pottstown: Riverfront Park Area, Hanover Street & Industrial Highway (map)
- Email the Pottstown Rally Captain
- Reading: Penn Street Bridge
Email the Reading Rally Captain - Scranton: Wiliam J. Nealon Federal Building, 235 N. Washington Avenue (map)
- Email the Scranton Rally Captain
- Williamsport: Site to be determined.
- Email the Williamsport Rally Captain
South Carolina
- Charleston: U.S. Custom House, 200 East Bay Street (map)
- Email the Charleston Rally Captain
South Dakota
- Pierre: Site to be determined.
- Email the Pierre Rally Captain
- Rapid City: Site to be determined.
- Email the Rapid City Rally Captain
Texas
- Corpus Christi: Site to be determined.
- Email the Corpus Christi Rally Captain
- Del Rio: Site to be determined.
- Email the Del Rio Rally Captain
- San Antonio (Sponsored by Texas Leadership Coalition): Site to be determined.
- Email the San Antonio Rally Captain
Virginia
- Charlottesville: Site to be determined.
- Email the Charlottesville Rally Captain
- Lexington (Sponsored by Knights of Columbus Council 11557): Site to be determined.
- Email the Lexington Rally Captain
- Virginia Beach: Site to be determined.
- Email the Virginia Beach Rally Captain
Washington
- Richland (Tri-Cities): Site to be determined.
- Email the Richland (Tri-Cities) Rally Captain
- Seattle: U.S. District Courthouse, 700 Stewart Street (map)
- Email the Seattle Rally Captain
- Wenatchee: Site to be determined.
- Email the Wenatchee Rally Captain
Wisconsin
- Eau Claire: Site to be determined.
- Email the Eau Claire Rally Captain
- Green Bay: Site to be determined.
- Email the Green Bay Rally Captain
- La Crosse: Site to be determined.
- Email the La Crosse Rally Captain
- Madison: State Capitol, State Street steps, Washington Street and Wisconsin Avenue (map)
- Email the Madison Rally Captain
- Milwaukee: Site to be determined.
- Email the Milwaukee Rally Captain
- Stevens Point: Site to be determined.
- Email the Stevens Point Rally Captain
- A complete list of rallies is available at StandUpRally.com. All rallies begin at noon local time on Oct. 20 unless otherwise noted.
StandUpRally.com does not require RSVP and will provide signs. To sign up to be a rally captain in another city, individuals may fill out this form.
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