December to Remember: Protest Bank of America and a Whole lot More

From John Pisciotta (The Protest Retireee)

Director of Pro-Life Waco

1. Momentum growing for Protest Bank of America

Well it’s not quite December and Pro-Life Waco is already starting to get news coverage for #ProtestBOA. Just this morning American Family Radio started running a news story on our protest movement which now includes Waco, Austin, and Albuquerque. Weekly protests in Dallas begin Wednesday. Please contact me if you want to start #ProtestBOA in your hometown—big or small.

Here’s a link to the AFR story.

Throughout December, we will continue in Waco to protest each Tuesday at Bank of America downtown on Austin Avenue from 8:30 to 10:30 and then Bank of America branch at the corner of Lake Air and Valley Mills Drive (1100 Valley Mills Dr.) from 11 to 1 PM. This is where #ProtestBOA started way back on September 1. This movement needs to end with the decision of Bank of America in Charlotte, NC to sever all financial ties with Planned Parenthood.

       

This Wednesday Waco pro-lifers will vanpool to Dallas for the first ever protest Bank of America in Dallas at 901 Main St. This tower is the tallest skyscraper in Dallas. It is even taller than the Alico building in Waco.

Do you want to join the vanpool for this great adventure? Respond to let me know if you do. This will be an experience you’ll never forget. The vanpool will depart at 8:30 AM from St. Mary’s parish parking lot. We will return by about 4:30 after having a time for lunch and fellowship after the protest. I can’t wait to find out what good surprises are in store for us in Dallas. Wacoan will go to Dallas in a group for protest only this one time.

2. Life Chain outreach December 6

Rain or shine, we will have our Life Chain outreach this Sunday, December 6. I know we have done this for many years. But each time we step out in the public square, we have the opportunity to change and save lives. Come out with the family this Sunday from 2 to 3 PM at the intersection of Valley Mills Drive and Waco Drive. Just look for the billboard truck near Pei Wei restaurant. We will have signs for you to hold. We will also have yard signs and t-shirts to give as an expression of gratitude for your discipleship. Participation in Life Chain was down in November. Let’s not slide back in any way.

3. Second Sunday December 13 features prominent speaker, Juda Myers

Pro-Life Waco’s Second Sunday luncheon/meeting on December 13 may be our biggest gathering of the year. The location is parish hall of St. Mary’s Church in Waco—15th & Columbus. An Italian luncheon will be served throughout the noon hour—adults $3. Free for children, pregnant moms, and first-time attendees. For the meeting from 1-2 p.m., the featured speaker for the first half hour will be Juda Myers of Houston. Juda is an international speaker, singer, and author. Her CHOICES4LIFE ministry assists women pregnant after rape. Juda Myers will present her pro-life testimony and encouragement under the title of “Hostile Conception, Living with Purpose.” Yard signs and good fellowship are available free of charge to you.

4. Letter to the editor attack on Pro-Life Waco backfires on abortion supporter.

Rebuttals continue for the slanderous letter from Cheryl Foster intended to diminish the pro-life movement of Waco. Her letter, printed in the Waco Trib on November 15, was directed to me, but was intended for harm and falsely characterize the outreach of Pro-Life Waco. What was intended to undercut our efforts to build a Culture of Life has turned into our victory.

Use this link to read letters in support of John and Pro-Life Waco.  

I know several pro-lifers from Waco and Facebook sent letters which have not yet been printed. I want to thank Kristen Cook, Doel Garcia, Ann Garrison, and Anne Myers for their strong letters of support that were printed. When the pro-abortion folks throw a curveball at us, we can knock it out of the park. The other side is playing hardball. I believe we must remain in control AND continue to respond strongly and boldly.

In spite of negative news coverage from Colorado, I intend to focus on local action, where together we can have a big impact.

Pro-Life Waco November Updates

from John Pisciotta (The Protest Retireee)
Director of Pro-Life Waco

1. Pedestrian Overpass Outreach on the day of BU/OU football game.
        

The plan to have an Interstate 35 pedestrian overpass outreach the day of the Baylor football game really worked out well. The traffic was huge and brought in some people who were not typically in our fair city. We even had one couple of University of Oklahoma fans come up and join us for a brief period of time. We had 10 of our faithful up on the overpass with the experience of seeing a whole lot of traffic and a whole lot of affirmative honking. Those with very good eyesight could occasionally see a passenger offering a negative hand sign.

We did have one setback--the arrival of a Texas hi-way patrolman and a Waco a police officer. They claimed we could not legally attach our signs to the wire mesh surrounding the overpass. After a long discussion we eventually relented and held the signs. Unfortunately we did not have enough people there to hold all of the signs we had displayed. So this brings an important change for future overpass outreach. We’re going to have to have larger numbers participating to display all our important signs. As with everything in Pro-Life Waco, we need y-o-u!

2. Protest Bank of American in Month #3

         

#ProtestBOA is led by Pro-Life Waco for Waco and the capital city of Texas. ProtestABQ is now delivering weekly BOA protests in Albuquerque. #ProtestBOA coming to two even larger cities in and out of Texas in the very near future. Do you live in a city with the Bank of America branch? If yes, could you join this nationwide protest? If you are willing to join, Pro-Life Waco will send you two large signs printed with messages front and back. We will guide you to do the rest. The signs will be nicely printed and free. What do you think? Could you join the campaign?

On November 17th we delivered #ProtestBOA on Valley Mills Drive from 11 to 1 p.m Did we win? We win every time we show up to respect and honor of babies killed and desecrated by Planned Parenthood. Two examples from today: A gentleman took our flyer before he went in to Bank of America for business. When he came out, he asked for another flyer since he had given his to a bank manager. A lady came out and visited with me ask extensively. She thanked us for taking a stand in the public square. She said she would close out her accounts at Bank of America within the coming week. She complimented us on our lifesaver T-shirts. We always carry extra T-shirts with us and she was very happy to take one home and said she would definitely wear it.

                   

Thursday is #ProtestBOA in busy downtown Austin. The location for #ProtestBOA in Austin at the Bank of America is 515 Congress Ave. If you live near Austin just come on down to join in for an experience of a lifetime. I know that in my 20 years of pro-life, I have never been in a situation of mingling with throngs of pedestrians--some who love you and some not so much. We will again vanpool from the St. Mary’s parking lot at 15th and Columbus Avenue departing at 9 AM for the protest. We will stop in Georgetown for lunch and be back in Waco by about 4 p.m. Let’ me know if you will join the gang. Planned Parenthood has committed unspeakable atrocities. Our defense of the babies in the womb threatened by Planned Parenthood must be unprecedented. I hope you will not let these opportunities to be a part of #ProtestBOA pass you by.  More now and more updates on #ProtestBOA by using this link. 

Just minutes ago, I learned about this national online article about #ProtestBOA. The writer is against us. However, the article is still a plus for our campaign.  You can read it by clicking on this link.

3. Letter to the Waco Tribune-Herald blasts PLW Director

         

Wow, I was greeted on Sunday morning with huge criticism from a local abortion supporter in the Waco newspaper. A malicious letter like this from Cheryl Foster provides an OPPORTUNITY. I ask you to send a letter of response to the Waco Tribune-Herald. You can send to letters@wacotrib.com include your address and phone number in the letter you send. 

The Waco Trib likes to print letters from out of town folks. A letter of 100 to 250 words is most likely to be printed. Let’s overload the Waco Trib in-box.

Of course, I am not a hater. If I have a name other that what my mother and father gave me, I prefer “The Protest Retiree.”  Father Stephen Imbarrato, founder of ProtestABQ, is called The Protest Priest. I lifted my name from his. Let’s all have a great and loving week in the battle for the Gospel of Life.

Action Items from Pro-Life Waco: Dynamic outreach this week

John Pisciotta, Director of Pro-Life Waco

1. Protest Bank of America on Tuesday in Waco
2. Protest Bank of America in Austin on Thursday
3. Interstate-35 Pedestrian Overpass Outreach in Waco on Saturday--the day of the Baylor/OU football game.

I begin with #3. Our pedestrian overpass outreach in October was rained out. We are back this Saturday on a day that will bring a lot of new and traffic to the interstate because of the Baylor/Oklahoma Big 12 game. Parenthetically, this is the top college football game of the weekend. The time for the overpass outreach will be noon to 2 PM. We will start setting up the display at 11:30. So you’re welcome to come out early and help. Don’t let 2015 go by without participating for at least 30 minutes in this powerful public outreach event. Thousands of passengers will see our pro-life signs. There’s no need to be out the whole time. All the signs are G rated. This is a fine opportunity to bring out the whole family or a church group. You may park your vehicle on South 8th street where this street approaches I-35.

Before I get to the details of #ProtestBOA, I have some big news. #ProtestBOA is about to burst onto the scene in larger cities and in different states. These include Charlotte, Dallas, and Albuquerque. All of us can participate in challenging Bank of America for their matching grant donations to Planned Parenthood. Go to this website, and you can read all about #ProtestBOA, see the 5 ways that you can participate, such as calling national headquarters and visiting with a bank officer in your hometown.

The #ProtestBOA game plan in Waco is the same as it has been for two months. While this outreach repeat each week, the responses are new and positive. We have customers complaining to Bank of America managers about their alliance with Planned Parenthood or simply closing out their accounts. On Tuesday November 10, we deliver #ProtestBOA at 1100 N. Valley Mills Dr. in Waco from 11 to 1 p.m. Park in the Kentucky Fried Chicken lot directly across the street from Bank of America or use street parking of Emerson Drive which is right off of Lake Air Drive (with Harold Waite Restaurant on your right and Uncle Dan’s BBQ Restaurant on your left). Bank of America management hopes we fade away. We will not. I am hoping and praying from 25 instead of 10 pro-lifers participating in #ProtestBOAon Tuesday. The event will be a blessing to those who step forward.

The game plan is going to change for Austin. Instead of Wednesday, for the foreseeable future #ProtestBOA in Austin will be on THURSDAYS. I’ve been told this will be more convenient for several people. Also, the change of pace will give us an opportunity to sidestep the small number of counter protesters. The location for #ProtestBOA in Austin at the Bank of America is 515 Congress Ave. This is the famous/infamous corner of 6th Street and Congress Avenue. We will again vanpool from the St. Mary’s parking lot at 15thand Columbus Avenue departing at 9 AM for the protest. We will stop in Georgetown for lunch and be back in Waco by about 4 p.m. Let’ me know if you can and will join the gang. If you have not been along for the ride, you will experience a day you will never forget. I hope we can fill the 12-passenger van. Planned Parenthood has committed unspeakable atrocities. Our defense of the babies in the womb threatened by Planned Parenthood must be unprecedented.

I recently read a short essay on how to teach your children to be courageous in public Christian witness. The article left out what I think is the strongest way to teach a child Christian witness. This is let your child catch you in acts of Christian public witness with your child on your shoulders or at your side.

#ProtestBOA (Bank of America) expands to Austin. And beyond?

Campaign to encourage Bank of America to stop funding Planned Parenthood expands to Austin. Check out new Pro-Life Waco website page

From John Pisciotta, Director
Pro-Life Waco

Bank of America outreach escalates to the capital of Texas and under the banner of ‪#‎ProtestBOA. 

‬Please use #ProtestBOA on Facebook, Twitter and whatever to post about pressuring Bank of America to stop funding Planned Parenthood. To avoid explaining so much here, I have created a new page on the Pro-Life Waco website which you can access using this link. 

The crucial Austin outreach of #ProtestBOA starts Tuesday, the 29th and through the end of October!

 Thanks to Lynn Williams and Elizabeth Jimenez for leading this from down Austin way. This will be at the downtown BOA branch at 515 Congress Avenue from 11 to 1 p.m. on Tuesday the 29th. Huge pedestrian and auto traffic by BOA’s 20 story building. We (desperately) need 10-15 foot soldiers. Please do not leave this to the "other guy or lady." Do you live within an hour of Austin? Can you be there for at least part of the timenext Tuesday? I believe we have a good shot at compelling a policy change from BOA to stop making donations to PP. Child-friendly signs provided. The legality of our presence on the sidewalk was affirmed last Wednesday. We are not only putting the pressure on Bank of America, we are educating folks in the capitol of Texas on ‪#‎PPSellsBabyParts‬. 

This is a very gratifying outreach. Much positive response—and some negative. You can look back one day soon and recall that you and your family stepped out with #ProtestBOA to proclaim to BOA and the Austin community that #PPSellsBabyParts. We will have one-page flyers to pass out to pedestrians. #ProtestBOA continues in Waco also on Tuesday the 29th from 11 to 1 pm. at 1100 Valley Mills Drive.

We live in uncharted times requiring dyanamic, outside the box, discipleship. #ProtestBOA continues through October. Are in coalition of the willing? I end with some photos of #ProtestPP. Remember to check out the web page.

Note: This is something we can all do no matter where we live as Bank of America is located throughout the USA.   Use this link  to find the phone number and more information.