I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
The controversial anti-abortion group Operation Rescue has announced it is sending two “missionaries” to set up a satellite office in Albuquerque. One of them, Henry “Bud” Shaver, was arrested in 2007 after entering Dr. George Tiller’s church and attempting to preach against him from the podium.
Scott Roeder, who was convicted on Jan. 29 of murdering Dr. Tiller, posted several times to an Operation Rescue blog before shooting Tiller in the lobby of his church.
Photo from an Operation Rescue blog post.
Operation Rescue is an anti-abortion group that has been accused of encouraging violence against Tiller. The group located its headquarters in Wichita specifically so that it could focus its opposition on him, targeting the doctor, his employees and their families at their homes and churches.
After his death, two doctors who worked with Dr. Tiller began working in Albuquerque, spending alternating weeks at a downtown clinic.
While in Albuquerque recently, Shaver met with Father Stephen Imbarrato of Project Defending Life. Imbarrato was ordained for the Archdiocese in 2005, shortly before forming his pro-life ministry, according to his website.
Last week, pro-choice religious advocates in New Mexico called on Archbishop Michael Sheehan to disassociate the church from Operation Rescue.
The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice notified its members that Operation Rescue had been meeting with pro-life Catholic groups in New Mexico, and it is collecting signatures for a petition asking the Archbishop to “issue a written statement directing all of your religious leaders and laity to avoid all association, and cooperation and collaboration with Operation Rescue, Operation Save America and all other ‘pro-life’ hate groups.”
