Face-to-face with the truth; in the street,
             on campus and in the public square.

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The letter below was sent to about 25 pastors around the Portage area. With the letter I included a transcript of my phone conversation with Dennis Dorn, and a draft letter to Dennis Dorn. You can read the final letter to Dennis Dorn here.

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TO: Portage Area Pastors and Elders August 13, 2008

RE: Boycott of Portage Lumber

Dear Pastors and Elders:

I assume you are all aware that Planned Parenthood (PP) is America’s #1 provider of birth control and abortion, and that you also understand that certain birth control methods cause abortions. This is why I am writing to you. It’s time to take action and get PP out of Portage. Many people have picketed the Portage PP for years, and yet they still remain at 204 East Edgewater.

About two or three years ago it came to my attention that the Portage PP was renting their Edgewater office space from the owners of Portage Lumber. I should have followed my heart earlier. The owner of that Edgewater property is listed at the Columbia County courthouse as Dorn Properties, giving the address of Portage Lumber. I had a phone conversation with Dennis Dorn on July 14, and he openly admitted that he rents to PP, that he approves of birth control, and that he was not going to break his lease with PP. I told him that I understood he was Catholic, and that the Catholic Church condemns abortion and those who formally cooperate in abortions. Please read the transcript of the phone conversation I have enclosed.

I told Dennis that I would probably end up picketing and encouraging a boycott of his business, and he stated that he did not own the business, but he did admit to being an officer of the corporation. I told him that then maybe a boycott would hurt other officers as well.

Either you believe that the unborn have a right to live, or you don’t. It’s not enough to merely say you are personally opposed to abortion, but then stand mute when a member of the community is helping preborn children be murdered. Dennis Dorn is complicit in the murder of the unborn. This is not a political issue. We can’t stand by any longer. What if you had lived in Germany during the late 30’s and a local man had been renting office space to Nazis who were “merely” taking down names of Jews who would later be taken to death camps? Would it be fine just because no Jews were being killed at that location? No!

My intention and goal is to pressure and shame Dennis Dorn into breaking his lease with Planned Parenthood. If PP then rents another place, I will then do the same with the new landlord.

I have contacted pastor Jim Murphy of St. Mary’s and Steve Corbett of Grace Bible church, as well as another local pastor. These three have agreed to look over a draft letter to Mr. Dorn, and to sign on if it is appropriate. Jim Murphy said he would sign on if two or three other pastors will, but it would be great to have a dozen or more!
Please email, mail or phone any suggestions for changes to the letter. If Mr. Dorn does not end the lease with Planned Parenthood, I will be mobilizing pickets of his business, and printing and distributing thousands of fliers in order to inform good people of the evil he is doing in the Portage area.

Remember, this is not about business or politics, it is about protecting innocent lives! If I don’t hear from you by August 22, 2008, I will assume that you have no righteous regard for the unborn, or that you prefer to avoid “controversy.”

Sincerely,

Charles Charpentier

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