Disturbing Images on the Move Meant to Share Pro-Life Message

Truth Trucks are rolling into Oklahoma, and they're turning heads and stomachs.

Tuesday, January 19th 2010, 5:43 pm

By: News 9


By Rusty Surette, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Truth Trucks are rolling into Oklahoma, and they're turning heads and stomachs.

The Kansas-based group, Operation Rescue, along with the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform, is currently recruiting Oklahoma drivers for their controversial Truth Trucks. The rolling billboards are extremely graphic and often contain photos of discarded fetuses and baby body parts.

Some of the images are so disturbing, NEWS 9 and News9.com have to censor the footage, but pro-life supporters said the images are meant to be an eye-opener.

"When we show the aftermath of abortion to people, often times, people's hearts and minds change on the subject," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. "It's no longer an abstract idea or the lesser of two evils."

Newman's group is based in Wichita, Kansas, but he said his organization is expanding and recruiting new drivers in Oklahoma. The California-native said politics is why his group and others have their sights set on Oklahoma.

"We can't take any chances in the final passage of 'ObamaCare,' particularly as it pertains to abortion funding," Newman said.

That's why the Truth Trucks are making a trek across Oklahoma Congressman Dan Boren's district. Although the democratic lawmaker is pro-life and opposes public funding for abortions, Newman said he hopes Boren's constituents will keep him from changing his mind and vote.

"We're focusing in on the blue dog democrats," said Newman. "The ones that claim to be pro-life and may have a hard time bucking their party as this train is trying to ram down this pro-abortion funding, ObamaCare, right down the throats of Americans."

On Tuesday afternoon, Congressman Dan Boren reiterated to NEWS 9 that he will not support a bill that would fund abortions with tax dollars.

Still, one of the 20 Truth Trucks roaming America made its way through Oklahoma City Tuesday and will be in Muskogee on Wednesday.

"Abortion is graphic. We didn't make it more graphic and more disturbing," said Bill Calvin, who is a member of the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform.

Calvin is driving the truck in Oklahoma. He's been doing this for nine years and said the "disgusting and disturbing" tactics work.

"Lives are saved. We know it works," Calvin said. "Most people just have an appropriate look of dismay. It's the same look we have when we see the tragedies in Haiti on television."

Calvin said he and others will drive the trucks to populated events like parades, concerts, sporting events and downtown areas. He said he's never been physically harmed nor has his truck ever been vandalized, but he said he gets a good beating of verbal abuse.

"Sometimes, especially in a more conservative area like Oklahoma, we get lots of smiles and thumbs up and waves," said Calvin said. "However, some people are very unhappy we're doing this, and we get obscene gestures and yelling and screaming."

Operation Rescue said it gets daily complaints from people who are offended by the images on the trucks, and in some cities, police have impounded them, but they're eventually released because the group says it's free speech.

Pro-choice activist and former executive director of Pro-Choice Oklahoma, Barbara Santee, e-mailed NEWS 9 the following statement regarding the trucks:

"These trucks show pictures of dismembered fetuses, completely ignoring why women must get late-term abortions. No woman gets a late-term abortion on a whim or because she's had a bad hair day. There is nothing more tragic or heartbreaking than a family that is expecting a normal pregnancy to find out late on that something has gone terribly wrong. These families have bought baby furniture, and clothes, painted the nursery, and usually picked out a name. Now they are faced with the cruelest decision they will ever have to make. And these so-called "Truth Trucks" are exploiting these tragic situations for political gain. It is appalling. People must know the whole truth and the true stories of why late-term abortion must remain an option." 

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