Anti-abortion groups, almost entirely made up of right-wing religious cult members that want to control the city, have used every dirty trick they can to try and shut down the South Wind Women’s Center, which is presently one of the few abortion providing clinics here in Wichita, KS. Their latest tactic is to use zoning laws to shut the clinic down. These groups have tried both legal and illegal tactics to shut down SWWC. Recently a minister was threatening to have Julie Burkhart, head of SWWC, shot in her church as Dr. George Tiller, the former abortion provider was.
-Otto
Here is a report from Burkhart:
On Tuesday, the Wichita City Council heard, for the 2nd time this year, from members of four anti-choice groups from Kansas. Their goal was to re-zone the area where South Wind Women’s Center is located. The land has been zoned for medical uses since 1937. Anti-choice bullies want the area rezoned as a residential area.
The antis spoke about:
The dangers of school children in a residential area seeing graphic images displayed in front of the clinic
--The signs are the very ones that their anti-choice groups insist on displaying daily in front of SWWC.
--The signs are the very ones that their anti-choice groups insist on displaying daily in front of SWWC.
The antagonizing of anti-choice protesters by clinic escorts and staff, although they could provide no evidence of these allegations.
--SWWC does not have clinic escorts. SWWC employees and patients both report regular intimidation by the antis. SWWC employees do not interact with the antis presence outside the clinic.
--SWWC does not have clinic escorts. SWWC employees and patients both report regular intimidation by the antis. SWWC employees do not interact with the antis presence outside the clinic.
Near gun violence and antagonism has increased since SWWC opened.
--All the incidents of "near gun violence" were from 2004-2009. None reported since SWWC opened in 2013.
--All the incidents of "near gun violence" were from 2004-2009. None reported since SWWC opened in 2013.
--Mark Gietzen (anti-choice extremist) made threats of violence before the City Council and to the press. -To the Council members, he said "This is a warning that if you don't do this [rezone the clinic], there is likely going to be a problem."
-To MSNBC, he said “Even a well-meaning dog will bite at some point in time if you keep antagonizing it.”
--Gietzen's veiled threats are the real cause of disruption and violence in this community.
--Disruptions to the residential area surrounding the clinic --None of the people who spoke to the Council live near the clinic.
Odd how the very things they complained about are the same problems that they create. You and I both know their desperate tactics to close SWWC will end in defeat. Thanks to your commitment to women's access to health care, we have already helped hundreds of women. These complaints are nothing more than a grasping at straws attempt to end access for women in Kansas.
Read more about the City Council meeting:
Huffington Post- Kansas Anti-Abortion Activist Says George Tiller's Former Clinic Is 'Trying To Provoke' Gun Violence
Think Progress- Kansas’ Anti-Abortion Activists are Citing Their Own Disruptive Protests to Justify Closing a Clinic
Wichita Eagle- Anti-Abortion Groups to Again Ask Wichita City Council to Rezone Area Near Women’s Clinic
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