Washington, DC — The American nation stands in a state of shock after
several apparently terrorist attacks rocked the nation Tuesday, including plane crashes that toppled the World Trade Center, a plane crash at the Pentagon, bombing at the State Department and a plane crash outside Pittsburgh.
Numerous pro-life organizations have headquarters in both New York City and
Washington, DC and staff from most were confirmed safe Tuesday afternoon.
Jacki Ragan, an official at National Right to Life, whose office is located a few blocks from the Capitol, said staff there are okay. Ragan's first concern was for the victims of the attacks and she expressed what millions of Americans are thinking. “All I can think of are the countless lives lost this morning because of senseless acts of terrorism,” Ragan said.
She indicated NRLC Executive Director David O'Steen closed their office Tuesday and all office buildings in Washington, DC had been asked to evacuate.
However, leaving the office was impossible.
“The city is totally gridlocked,” Ragan explained. “We couldn't leave it if we
wanted to unless we walked.”
Because of the high volume of phone traffic into Washington and New York Tuesday, many phone calls could not be completed, although the phones at the Right to Life office were ringing off the hook. In order to allow for families to reach relatives and emergency calls to be made, Ragan said the best thing people can do to help is to pray for the victims and their families.
The pro-life group maintains a satellite office in downtown Manhattan for media interviews with one staff member, Jeanne Head. Head, a nurse
practitioner, frequently lobbies the United Nations with other pro-life
leaders. Fortunately, she was in Scotland Tuesday morning during the time of the plane crashes into the World Trade Center.
Jerry Horn, who serves on staff with the Staten Island, NY-based Priests for
Life reported that the organization and its staff are safe. Horn said he could see the smoke from the plane crashes at the World Trade Center from the Priests for Life office.
One of the tragedies includes the crash of a 757 airliner outside Pittsburgh.
Georgette Fourney, the director of the National Organization of Episcopalians
for Life works there.
Fourney reported Tuesday that the crash happened on the opposite side of
the city from her and that she and those involved with the post-abortion
organization Project Rachel, are also safe.
“The only thing we can do right now is pray,” Fourney said. She explained
“all life is precious” and encouraged everyone to pray fervently for the
families of those affected by today's tragedies as she headed off to a local
chapel to pray.
Staff at the Family Research Council, which also maintains a Washington
office, huddled together for prayer shortly after the attacks. Like most
Americans, they are grouped together around television sets and radios
listening to news reports about what's happened.
As with staff at National Right to Life and, likely, many other offices, FRC
staff remain in their office because of the impossibility of driving to their
homes or other locations.
A message on the answering system of Feminists for Life indicated the office would be closed Tuesday because of the tragedies. Calls to numerous other Washington, DC pro-life organizations could not be completed.
(This article courtesy of the Pro-Life Infonet email newsletter. For more information or to subscribe go to www.prolifeinfo.org or email infonet@prolifeinfo.org.)
