Anti-abortion group to pay Planned Parenthood nearly $1m over protest at clinic

[ShazzieB]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/06/anti-abortion-group-pay-planned-parenthood-nearly-1m

An anti-abortion group has been ordered to pay almost $1m in fines to Planned Parenthood, over demonstrations outside a clinic in Spokane, Washington state.

According to its website, the group, Church at Planned Parenthood, was formed to stage “worship service at the gates of Hell.” It also calls itself a “gathering of Christians for the worship of God and the corporate prayer for repentance for this nation, repentance for the apathetic church and repentance of our blood guiltiness in this abortion Holocaust.”

*snip*

The judge, Timothy Fennessy, wrote: “Reasonable minds can only reach one conclusion, that Covenant Church [which founded the Church at Planned Parenthood group] intends to interfere with access to or safe and effective delivery of healthcare services” the Spokesman-Review reported. Fennessy said the demonstrations created increased increased pain and other psychiatric symptoms for patients receiving care inside the clinic, KXLY, a Spokane TV station, reported.

Last month, a Spokane county judge ordered Church at Planned Parenthood to pay approximately $960,000 to Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho, for violating state law by noisily demonstrating and interfering with patient care.

My first reaction to this can be summed up in 3 words: High. Damned. Time. As in, it's high damned time that at least one group of these holier-than-thou hypocrites has to answer for their obnoxious behavior. As far as I'm concerned, people who protest outside abortion clinics are the scum of the earth and the lowest of the low. I don't know what else to call a bunch of jackholes who think serving their God requires them to persecute people at a time when they are most in need of privacy and consideration. You'll never convince me that at least some of them don't get off on the self-righteous feeling they get from preaching to the "evil sinners" who are going into that "den of iniquity" to commit unspeakable acts.

Personally, I have never understood why the right to free speech has to extend to causing public disturbances and harassing people who are seeking health care. There are plenty of freely available and effective ways to express one's personal views that don't involve infringing on the rights of others. Anti-choicers are welcome to use those!

I imagine this confederation of cretins will appeal this all the way to SCOTUS, and I'm not optimistic about how the 6 extremes will respond. But for now, this is a noteworthy victory, and I will celebrate it accordingly.

[RKP5637]

1. K&R !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! n/t