A Matter of Public Safety

Pittsburgh Councilman Doug Shields and Councilman Bill Peduto proposed an ordinance to create a "bubble zone" near clinics, hospitals and other medical facilities so that protesters can't stand directly in front of the doors. This ordinance would create a 100 foot area in which protesters would have to back away when asked, and a small 15 foot zone right in front of the clinic where protesters cannot congregate at all.

A similar ordinance in Colorado has already been found to be constitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 6 to 3 decision in 2000.

The creators of the ordinance have said the following about it:

Mr. Shields said protesters sometimes cross the line, getting in women's faces or trying to shove literature in their purses or jackets. Mr. Dick countered that anti-abortion counselors are sometimes pushed by "escorts" deployed by the clinics, or occasionally punched by mothers of clinic patients.

And:

Peduto said a woman's right to have an abortion was settled by the U.S. Supreme Court. "We are just trying to provide public safety," he said.

And, if you believe that only the Left favors this bill, the Progress Pittsburgh blog reports the following:

Those of you who saw WQED's "On Q" last night will note that even resident Rushwannabes Ruth Ann Dailey and Fred Honsberger agreed that this ordinance was extremely fair and reasonable.

Any of you out there familiar with Dailey or Honsberger know that both of them would consider themselves "pro-life."

Of course not all are in favor of the proposed legislation. It does not appear to be well loved by Operation Rescue for example:

"We will be in court," said Keith Tucci, pastor of Living Hope Church in Latrobe, as he ripped up a copy of the proposal.

"Our behavior is not going to change. ... We will not abide by it." Mr. Tucci was director of the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue from 1990 to 1994.

The Post-Gazette also reports today:

Some 20 protesters held graphic signs near the entrance to the Hilton Pittsburgh hotel, Downtown. They said they chose the location because itis 100 feet from American Women's Services, an abortion provider in GatewayTowers at 320 Fort Duquesne Blvd.

If the ordinance passes, "we're going to have to [protest near] places like this," said Helen Cindrich, executive director of People Concerned for the Unborn Child, as she gestured toward the hotel.

Of course, the ordinance says nothing of the sort. Protesters do not have to be 100 feet away, but that is the kind of lie that is being told about this legislation.

So is it needed? An article on Saturday in the Post-Gazette noted some recent violence outside a clinic in East Liberty and went on to say:

Abortion providers describe the East Liberty incident as the most vivid example yet of what they have been seeing on sidewalks outside their clinics since last spring, when the cash-strapped city of Pittsburgh withdrew regular police patrols that had been stationed Downtown and in East Liberty to stop confrontations before they escalated. With police gone, said Kim Evert, chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania, protesters became more forceful and patients and families responded in kind.

If you believe that the buffer zone is a good idea you can call your council member (or call ALL of them):

District 1 - Luke Ravenstahl - 412-255-2135
District 2 - Dan Deasy - 412-255-8963
District 3 - Gene Ricciardi - 412-255-2130
District 4 - James Motznik - 412-255-2131
District 5 - Doug Shields - 412-255-8965
District 6 - Sala Udin - 412-255-2134
District 7 - Len Bodack - 412-255-2140
District 8 - Bill Peduto - 412-255-2133
District 9 - Twanda Carlisle - 412-255-2137

You can also attend tomorrow's City Council Meeting and give brief public testimony in support of the ordinance (Please contact jhirsh@ppwp.org ):

Wednesday, December 7, 2005
10:00 A.M.
Standing Committees Meeting, commencing with the public comment followed by the Committee on Finance and Budget.
Pittsburgh City Council
510 City - County Building
414 Grant St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Telephone:
(412) 255-2138

A vote is expected to occur on this ordinance tomorrow.