A rippling undercurrent in our culture began when Roe v. Wade was overturned last summer. Vicious attacks against pro-life pregnancy centers have occurred as over one hundred of them and some churches have been vandalized and/or fire-bombed, and blue state legislatures have proposed or adopted unconstitutional laws to shut down pro-life pregnancy centers.
Why? Because these life-affirming agencies do not provide or refer for abortions. Illinois was one of these states. Now, however, it has been humiliated by a major defeat in federal court.
The Illinois law, SB1909, was aimed at fining pro-life centers up to $50,000 for what the state, through its woke pro-abortion Attorney General Kwame Raoul, deems to be false and deceptive advertising. In truth, the state wanted to stop any speech that did not promote abortion. To not do so, according to the state. is deceptive.
The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) represented by the Thomas More Society, filed suit on behalf of its 81 pregnancy center members in Illinois alleging the law to be a violation of the free speech rights of its members.
Legal opinions aren’t usually beach reads, but this decision is truly a gem. In granting a preliminary injunction, Judge Iain David Johnston wrote: “SB 1909 is both stupid and very likely unconstitutional. It is stupid because its own supporter admitted it was unneeded and was unsupported by evidence when challenged.”
With such a humiliating defeat Illinois has now backed down and agreed to a permanent injunction along with an order to pay attorney fees. This is quite a turn around considering that immediately after the bill was signed, the governor and attorney general held a press conference at the offices of Planned Parenthood touting the virtues of the law and vowing to close down pro-life pregnancy centers.
Is there not a better use of tax dollars than paying for woke liberal elected officials to go after thousands of pregnancy centers that save taxpayers money through free, life-affirming services? The government is absolutely abusing its power when they spend precious resources and time on outrageous laws that seek to shut down ministries that are actively helping women.
Can we just start calling these laws for what they really are like this judge? Stupid and unconstitutional.
Governor Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Raoul should be embarrassed and ashamed. They are not. The legislature that passed this law should be humiliated. They are not. The taxpayers of Illinois should be outraged.
Other blue states with liberal “woke” elected officials are also pursuing a similar course against the compassionate work of pro-life pregnancy centers. For example, recently a New Jersey congressman had the gall to stand outside a pregnancy center and call them “brainwashing cults”. Why? Because they don’t refer for or perform abortions and they tell women that they can help them throughout their pregnancies with tangible goods and emotional support.
By attacking pro-life pregnancy centers, these states and elected officials are directly attacking the mothers who come to them every day searching for any semblance of support. It’s truly a cruel and heartless road to take. Such is the agenda of the “enlightened” and “woke” elite.
NIFLA and the lawyers at Thomas More have heroically stood in the gap for life, the work of pro-life pregnancy centers and a culture of life. Hats off to them.
Thomas Glessner is president and founder of National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA).
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