In the Balance: Big Spring in the Midst of Outlawing Abortion
Courtesy of Wikipedia
This report is part of a series. To read the first report on the fight in Big Spring, click here.
The city of Big Spring, Texas has recently been at the center of a stir amidst the fiery debate over abortion. As we speak, Big Spring is mid-way through a city council vote on whether to outlaw abortion within its city limits. If passed, the city of about thirty-thousand would be the largest city, by far, to defy outdated, standing abortion legislation. Because of Big Spring’s size, it has attracted the attention of local democratic power-players like the ACLU, Howard County Democrats, and the Palo Pinto Democrats from Mineral Wells—all trying to stop it from becoming the next Sanctuary City for the Unborn.
However, these groups do not run the city of Big Spring. In the 2016 election, Howard county (in which Big Spring resides), was reported to be 86% Republican. According to the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn website, during the 2018 Republican primary, the majority of Howard county Republicans voted in favor of the idea of abolishing abortion in the state of Texas.
The city council has voiced its desire to make decisions in line with the wishes of the residents of Big Spring. Perhaps this is why, on Tuesday, January 14th, the city council voted by majority decision (three in favor, two against, one abstaining, and one absent) to move forward with the outlawing of abortion: it is what the people wanted. The three council members who voted in a way that favors the abolition of abortion were Mayor Shannon Thomason, Councilwoman Gloria McDonald, and Councilman Jim DePauw.
Due to the fact that the city charter of Big Spring requires a second vote on all ordinances, the city council will have to vote again on January 28th in order for the ordinance to go into effect. Right now the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn website lists Big Spring as a “pending” city.
Wavering only slightly from previous cities’ decisions, Big Spring decided to make a few changes to the proposed ordinance’s language. The council chose to replace the word “criminal” with “unlawful” with respect to abortion clinics, removed the list of pro-abortion organizations prohibited within the city, and added a line that clarifies the ordinance does not ban emergency contraception.
According to Mark Lee Dickson, the director of Right to Life of East Texas and one of the minds behind the legislation, “It always makes my heart skip a beat when city council members speak of wanting to change something in the ordinance. Especially because everything that is in the ordinance is there for a reason. Thankfully, the changes that the city council wished to make do not lessen the effectiveness of the ordinance and still allow for the ordinance to function in the way that it is meant to function—by outlawing abortion immediately, establishing penalties for future public enforcement, and putting into play immediate private enforcement.”
Dickson went on to note, “Our major concern with Big Spring was Planned Parenthood moving into the city to perform surgical and medical abortions. The ordinance that the council voted to move forward with will effectively keep Planned Parenthood from expanding their services into [this] city.”
Chance Nichols, a local pastor and resident of Big Spring, shared his thoughts about the council’s first vote: “I’m thrilled that the ordinance passed, but saddened that it was so close. It continues to surprise me when people in our city speak against an ordinance that would prohibit abortion facilities from opening in our city. It’s even more surprising when it comes from those who profess to be pro-life. However, God has been kind to us and with the affirmative vote… [and] we are one step closer to making sure that babies will not be murdered here. One final vote remains for this ordinance to be adopted by our city and my prayer is that those who love life will not be intimidated by the small, but loud opposition.”
This movement for life and love is continuing to build steam across the state of Texas. On January 28th, the city will have its second and final vote to outlaw abortion. If the ordinance is not struck down in the second reading, Big Spring will truly become a “sanctuary for the unborn.”
When asked how Big Spring’s vote has impacted the movement in West Texas, Dickson responded, “Since the successful vote in Big Spring, we have seen a lot more interest from the residents of Lamesa, Morton, Levelland, Cisco, and Abilene. It is obvious that cities all across West Texas want their leaders to pass an ordinance that protects their cities from people who want to make money off of the death of innocent children.”
For more information about the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn Initiative visit the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn website at www.sanctuarycitiesfortheunborn.com.
Continue to follow the Texas pro-life fight in our CRIT-LARGE series, Texas: Sanctuary for the Unborn.