Spokane, Wash. Passes New Noise Ordinance Specifically Targeting Pro-Lifers
In a clear effort to silence the thriving pro-life movement outside of a local Planned Parenthood, the Spokane, Washington, city council voted in a 6-1 decision to strengthen existing noise ordinances.
Councilwoman Lori Kinnear introduced the measure ostensibly to augment existing laws barring “interruption and interference for health care facilities,” The Spokesman-Review reported.
Councilman Michael Cathcart, the lone vote against the ordinance, worried that it would hinder “private right to action” and that fair enforcement of the ordinance would be difficult as “it’s too hard to interpret who’s causing the noise.”
The real agenda for the measure is an effort to stop the Church at Planned Parenthood, a pro-life group that regularly assembles in front of the Spokane abortion facility to sing and pray. The group’s “About” page on its website explicitly describes the Church at Planned Parenthood as “NOT a protest. It’s a worship service at the gates of Hell.”
Although Ken Peters, a pastor associated with the group, knew the vote was lost, he took the long view in what support from his flock meant for the fight:
We knew we were going to lose the vote. Victory for us was the church of Jesus Christ showing up. They showed up. #TCAPP
— Pastor Ken Peters – TCAPP (@PastorKenTCAPP) March 3, 2020
On the other side of the issue, Paul Dillon, a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho, called the vote a “major victory” in an interview with KREM.
It’s worth noting that Dillon made his remarks in front of a stone facade building, making Planned Parenthood’s claim about noise disturbance even more dubious.
“After watching body cam footage of police officers assigned to watch over the facility and pro-lifers, Kinnear argued that the police officers should be using current noise ordinance laws. The officers are heard pointing out that at nearby Gonzaga University, there are probably 25 or 30 noise ordinance violations at any time and they don’t try to enforce all of those violations,” Matt Lamb, the director of strategic engagement and outreach at Students for Life of America, pointed out in a blog post.
At this time there is no evidence that a similar noise ordinance is being proposed to “protect” university students from noise.
There is something profoundly telling about the fact that lawmakers and abortion providers alike are so frightened by the sight and sound of prayerful worship outside the walls of the building where babies are killed.
It seems that anything that might dissuade a mother from choosing abortion works like kryptonite to the pro-abortion advocates.
In a take of a popular TikTok theme, Live Action created an ad in which a girl chooses a candy labeled “pro-life” followed by videos of adorable babies and screen shots of notes to Live Action from mothers who chose life.
The organization was temporarily banned by the platform for “violating community guidelines.”
What is it that abortion activists are really so afraid of with all the noise? Are they afraid that the throngs praying at the abortion mill will make the walls fall like they did at Jericho?
One would think a little noise would be welcomed to drown out out the sounds of the suctioning machine as it twists and pulverizes the remains of each child who is a victim of this “health care.”
Instead, the government of Spokane specifically targets one group of Christians who simply congregate to pray for the unborn. The activists can’t silence free speech, so instead they wield the power of government with subjective laws against how much “noise” is appropriate.
In the end, perhaps it isn’t so much about the noise outside they’re trying to silence, but rather their consciences within that are making them all so uneasy.
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