Twisting the language cities have used to offer shelter to undocumented immigrants from authorities, this is the latest extreme tactic that fringe conservatives have taken up in an attempt to outlaw abortion—and the movement appears to be growing
Photo: Getty Images In the past six months, ten small towns in Texas have declared themselves “sanctuary cities for the unborn.” Twisting the language cities have used to offer shelter to undocumented immigrants from federal immigration authorities, these ordinances claim to offer protection to fetuses from the moment of conception — as if they are a protected class of people, persecuted by women who seek abortions and those who provide them.
The first anti-abortion “sanctuary city” declaration, passed last summer by the all-male council of Waksom, Texas, was derided as a political sideshow at the time, a meaningless stunt led by anti-choice activist Mark Lee Dickson, who has compared abortion to the Holocaust. The ordinance and those it inspired face extremely dubious enforceability and legality: Most of the provisions are clearly unconstitutional, and would take effect only if Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court.
Like the network of right-wing funded, anti-choice “pregnancy crisis centers,” which masquerade as legitimate health-care providers while handing out anti-choice propaganda, the “sanctuary” movement is a surreptitious work-around intended to hamper the constitutional right to abortion, fueled by disinformation tactics and intimidation.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Storms cut power in Washington state mountain towns for daysThe problem that crews are facing is that as soon as one downed power line is repaired, “another tree comes down and takes it out again because of the heavy snow,” Puget Sound Energy spokesman Andrew Padula said.
Read more »
India’s ‘Ghost Towns’ Saddle Middle Class With Debt—and Broken DreamsHalf a million unfinished apartments are stuck in financial limbo in India, dashing the dreams and the spending of a middle class that was supposed to be spearheading India’s economic rise.
Read more »
Texas student who fatally shot classmate did not intend to kill him, DA saysThe 16-year-old is being charged with manslaughter in the on-campus death at the Houston-area school, District Attorney Kim Ogg said.
Read more »
Prosecutor: Texas teen mistakenly killed friend in schoolBELLAIRE, Texas (AP) — A 16-year-old student mistakenly shot his friend in their Houston-area high school’s ROTC room before fleeing and being arrested several hours later, a prosecutor said...
Read more »
Texas Man Executed After Killing Wife In 2005John Gardner is the first inmate put to death this year in Texas, the nation’s busiest capital punishment state.
Read more »