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Written by Cynthia Soohoo for RHRealityCheck.org – News, commentary and community for reproductive health and justice.
If there are any lingering doubts about the danger anti-choice activists’ recent in-your-face tactics (from slashing funding for federal family planning programs to legalizing the killing of abortion providers) really pose to women’s access to reproductive health services, those doubts should evaporate after a close look at the latest developments in Wichita, Kansas. Recently, Dr. Mila Means, a Wichita family practitioner agreed not to offer abortion services at the office building she leases after her landlord filed a lawsuit against her to block her from providing abortion. The agreement delays any further proceedings on the lawsuit, but will resume should she change her mind. When the suit was filed the landlord argued that anti-choice protest activities would create “a clear nuisance” and disturb the “peaceful possession” of other tenants. A judge subsequently blocked Dr. Means from providing abortion or making any changes to the facility that would allow her to do so. Given the extreme and sometimes violent nature of anti-abortion activism, it’s hard to argue that the landlord shouldn’t have been concerned, but deferring to the folks employing threatening and intimidating tactics is a lot like telling a child he can’t go to school because a bully might beat him up.
And in this instance, the bullies are winning. … Read more
2 Comments
Okay, if that is how its going to play, then this is what we can do…
IN the same jurisdiction where this ruling happened, we find out which office buildings are places of business for the anti-choice movement. Protest outside those until it becomes a “clear nuisance” and then see if we can get the landlord of that space to do the same thing to them. Get an injunction against the tenant from operating an anti-choice operation. On the same basis. Just a thought…
Not bad, marsdragon!