A Christian attorney in
California is hoping court precedent will help halt a new law he believes
unfairly regulates pro-life pregnancy centers.
Pacific Justice
Institute (PJI) president Brad Dacus has filed suit in federal court to block
implementation of the law, which is set to go into effect January 1, 2016. That law, he explains, in a very real sense
forces pregnancy centers to promote abortion.
“[AB 775] mandates them
to have a large sign or a handout stating clearly where women can get an
abortion at low cost or for free,” Dacus laments. “This is clear government-compelled speech on
a private religious institution – and if they get away with this, it will open
up a hornets’ nest with regards to violations of other free speech.”
The attorney argues that
the law is blatantly unfair. “This law
has no mandates at all requiring abortion clinics to say where women can save
their baby and have adoptions,” Dacus states. “No – this is a one-way, unilateral effort by
a very radical state government to force pro-life clinics to become the
advertising agent for pro-abortion institutions like Planned Parenthood.”
On behalf of three
California pregnancy centers, PJI is asking for a preliminary injunction to
halt implementation of the law. Dacus’
hopeful federal court decisions in San Antonio, Baltimore, and New York City … that
ruled those laws unconstitutional … will sway the California courts.
Warning: If private, non-government funded, religious pro-life
pregnancy centers can be mandated by state government to advertise (low cost or
free) abortion clinics at their pro-life sites; then what is to stop the government
from compelling churches to give equal bulletin board space or print space or
pulpit time to stances contrary to the values of the congregation?
NOW is the time to stop
this threat to free speech before we travel any further down this slippery PC
slope.
Rev.
Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain
(Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor,
Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel
Have we actually gotten to the point of a state compelling a private business to advertise reduced or free murder? It would be interesting, on the other hand, if the court required PP to post where one could go for free or reduced life saving options.
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