San Francisco launches new ordinance attacking pregnancy centers

Now pro aborts are attacking the free speech rights of Pregnancy Help Clinics.  They are demanding that the clinics post large signs that they do not offer abortions or abortion referrals, and change their google advertising links that compete with abortion mills.  Refusing to do this would result in misdemeanor charges, fines and contempt of court.  Conversely, no abortion mills are told to post signs that they do not offer alternatives to abortion or refer for pregnancy or adoption support.

I have actually visited a faith-based anti-abortion clinic and met the staff.  There was nothing deceptive about what they did.  It was common knowledge that they offered counseling and pregnancy support.  Through donations they offered free medical care and helped in many other areas too, such as maternity clothes and baby gear.  I donated all of my maternity clothes to one of these clinics.

San Francisco pro-life advocate Steven Ertelt (one of my Twitter buddies) writes:

Officials in San Francisco are launching a new campaign to target pregnancy centers in the city that help women find abortion alternatives with a new law similar to ones passed in Baltimore and New York.

Supervisor Malia Cohen and City Attorney Dennis Herrera have spent months on an ordinance that would, if passed, require the pro-woman centers to disclose whether they are abortion alternatives agencies that, supposedly, don’t provide comprehensive health care. The pair have made erroneous claims that the centers are engaging in misleading counseling and advertising.

The two announced the new initiative at a press conference — where pro-life advocates participated and asked them questions challenging their assumptions. They say the legislation came about because of complaints about First Resort, a pregnancy centers that operates locations in San Francisco, Oakland and surrounding areas. The San Francisco Chronicle indicates Herrera sent a letter to First Resort claiming that its advertising methods are misleading by making women believe it does abortions, because they try to compete with abortion centers in purchase links at Google for searches on abortion.

He claimed the centers are “right-wing, politically motivated centers” engaging in conduct that is “nothing short of egregious.” Beyond the legislation, he said that if First Resort doesn’t change its advertising practices by August 31 he will file suit on behalf of the city.

ACTION: Contact the San Francisco Board of Supervisors at http://www.sfbos.org and urge opposition to the proposal to target pregnancy centers. Contact Hererra at http://www.sfcityattorney.org/index.aspx?page=9