Operation Rescue, the extremist anti-choice organization whose modus operandi traditionally includes harassing patients at abortion clinics, also enjoys harassing abortion clinic staff in their private homes. Their tactics include parading a panel truck with the usual inflammatory images of aborted fetuses in front of the homes of clinic staff and their neighbors, and engaging in loud haranguing and religious songs or prayers. But their tactics go beyond just harassment; they also make it clear they are monitoring clinic workers’ whereabouts and their private lives.

The first stop was the neighborhood of Edna Roach. As neighbors returned home for the day, nine rescuers sang traditional Christmas hymns near Roach’s residence. It appeared that no one was at home and that Roach’s car had not been moved for several days. . . .

Next, the carolers spread Christmas cheer to the neighborhood of Sara Phares Brown, the clinic worker who drove [Dr. George] Tiller to the Emergency Room the day [a patient] died from abortion complications. Rescuers offered prayers of Brown’s repentance and salvation. “Sara has recently filed for divorce and is probably going through a difficult time in her life,” said OR spokesperson Cheryl Sullenger. . . .

The final destination on OR’s Christmas caroling tour was the neighborhood of Marguerite Reed . . . As carolers sung, Reed returned home from work and OR President Troy Newman spoke to her of [the patient’s] death and her need for repentance and forgiveness thought Jesus Christ.

This is more than offensive, it’s creepy and not a little scary. Given that 7 abortion workers have been murdered in North America by anti-choice extremists, and several more severely injured, and that some of these killings have taken place in the workers’ private homes by extremists who stalked them there, these monitoring and harassing tactics have a distinctly intimidating air. At the very least they betray an intrusive and offensive obsession with the private lives of people they disagree with. Privacy has never been strongly valued by the anti-choice crowd, and harassment and personal vilification have always been high on their agenda, but that hardly excuses this behavior.

More and more the anti-choice contingent proves that its values and its standards must never be allowed to define policy for the rest of society.