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Published: March 13, 2009
“Political retribution”
College backs down on order banning two pro-life students from campus after outcry from students, faculty and alumni
CLAREMONT /Christian Newswire/ -- Pomona College banned two pro-life students from campus last week after they videotaped the question-and-answer session during a Planned Parenthood representative's talk and asked the representative tough questions about recent Planned Parenthood scandals. Pomona rescinded its ban this week after facing strong opposition from students, faculty, and alumni.
The pro-life students, David Daleiden, 20, and Kyle Kinneberg, 21, are members of the youth-led right-to-life advocacy group Live Action.
 Daleiden and Kinneberg both attend Claremont McKenna College, part of the Claremont College Consortium together with Pomona and three other undergraduate institutions. A hand-delivered letter from Pomona's Dean of Women Marcelle Holmes notified the students of the ban, claiming their videotaping had been "against college policy."
But Daleiden, president of Live Action's Claremont chapter and director of research for the national organization, said Pomona never produced the specific policy they said his group had violated, and that he and Kinneberg were denied their due process rights under the Claremont Colleges' Policy on Demonstrations.
"When alumni found out about this Orwellian situation, they were outraged," explained Daleiden. "Pomona accused us of conspiring to 'disrupt the proceedings, intimidate participants, and chill the free exchange of ideas,'" Daleiden said. "But nothing could be farther from the truth. We were entirely respectful when we asked our questions -- as our video shows."
The videotaping in question took place on February 19, during a presentation by Serena Josel, public affairs manager for Planned Parenthood of Los Angeles. Administrators told Daleiden that after the event, PPLA contacted Pomona College about his conduct. Daleiden notes that PPLA has extensive ties to Pomona, which regularly promotes internships and raises money for the abortion provider.
"It's understandable that Planned Parenthood's Serena Josel was angry at us for our recording -- she made several spurious and even contradictory arguments defending Planned Parenthood's lack of accountability for mandatory child abuse reporting," Daleiden continued. "But campus disciplinary procedures should never be used as a tool for political retribution."
"We are grateful to the Claremont McKenna alumni and administration who reacted quickly to correct this abuse," Kinneberg added. "This is not the first time pro-lifers have been persecuted for questioning Planned Parenthood, but victories like this should inspire us never to be afraid to stand up for the truth."
To view Part 1 of the “tough questions” video, Click Here.
To view Part 2 of the “tough questions” video, Click Here.
Posted Friday, March 13, 2009 8:49 AM By KansasGirl
This is great to hear. Never give up.
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Posted Friday, March 13, 2009 10:13 AM By garvan
It's time for Claremont McKenna alumni to shut down ALL contributions to that institution until Dean of Women Marcelle Holmes is fired. Her antithesis to students' 1st Amendment rights is disgraceful. (My uncle's family was the principal contributor to the initial funding of Claremont McKenna.)
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Posted Friday, March 13, 2009 1:00 PM By Harry
May I commend David and Kyle and all the other young people who, in the face of great hostility, stand for human life on our college campuses. They give us all hope that one day truth will triumph over falsehood. Keep up God's work.
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Posted Friday, March 13, 2009 3:17 PM By Pax Christi
What's the matter, Marcelle Holmes and Planned Parenthood? Can't handle the truth?
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Posted Friday, March 13, 2009 3:54 PM By Rhonda
Great job, David and Kyle! You asked great questions and were quite respectful. It is with these type of sting operations that we see the way PP sugar-coats its message of death and destruction and how it misleads young men and women. God bless you at Live Action!
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Posted Friday, March 13, 2009 5:17 PM By sophia
Watching the two videos, I marveled at David Daleiden's
calm and dauntless poise. It truly is a joy to see such courage and dedication in these students. Let's all pray for them, that their Guardian Angels may guide and protect them always.
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Posted Friday, March 13, 2009 9:53 PM By Kenneth M. Fisher
Garvan,
Have you asked you uncle's family to stop all contributions?
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher, Founder & Chairman
Concerned Roman Catholics of America, Inc.
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Posted Friday, March 13, 2009 10:58 PM By Anne T.
Another victory for life. My is it not wonderful how representatives of Planned Parenthood and their sympathizers believe in freedom of speech and exchange of ideas unless it is the other side's? That was said "tongue in cheek" of course.
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Posted Saturday, March 14, 2009 7:02 AM By Mark Davenport
Good for those students. I don't think our tax dollars should go to support Planned Parenthood and their agenda. These students have a right to ask these questions. Lets face it, Planned Parenthood is in business to make money, if women and girls are abused they aren't really concerned about that. They don't want to get involved with law enforcement.
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Posted Sunday, March 15, 2009 8:29 PM By Clara
Videotaping the truth and horror of abortion is way too much even for this college to handle. After all the truth hurts doesn't it. These students for life should be applauded for their courage in defending the right to life of the unborn.
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Posted Monday, March 16, 2009 8:34 AM By Johanna
I attended one of the Claremont Colleges for my graduate degree. I am outraged by this, although not surprised. I am originally from Texas and even pro-life groups there get hassled, and let me tell you, coming to CA was quite a culture shock! Thanks be to God that truth prevailed. To Kenneth Fisher: I googled your group as I am interested in learning more about it and also saw that you are HQ'd in Anaheim; however, I could not find a functioning webpage. Could you kindly provide us with your website? I think others here might be interested in joining forces. I graduated from Claremont but am still in the SoCal area. God bless.
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Posted Tuesday, March 17, 2009 9:53 PM By Kenneth M. Fisher
Johanna,
God bless you for your willingness to help. Unfortunately our long time volunteer Web Master had to resign because of work requirements, and we are now looking for another such volunteer to handle our Website and it is temporarily, we hope, down.
I am prohibited from giving you any contact information on this site, but you can contact us through the Telephone Company's Information for "Concerned Roman Catholics of America, Inc." Anaheim, CA, or perhaps the Webmasters here would give you the information if you asked. You can also contact us through the "Wanderer" and the "Catholic Family News" where we often advertise.
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher, Founder & Chairman
Concerned Roman Catholics of America, Inc.
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Posted Wednesday, March 18, 2009 2:42 PM By Fr. M.P.
Notice how these so-called tolerant and "enlightened" organizations are never tolerant of any truth in which evil is exposed.
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Posted Friday, March 20, 2009 4:50 PM By Talithia Kumi
Father M P, so noted. Kansas Girl; I too am pleased and thanks for the battle cry 'Never Give Up.' Every account of courage or victory is as balm. Praise be to God.
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