New York Pregnancy Centers Still Battle Anti-Free Speech Law

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Dec 29, 2010   |   5:45PM   |   New York, NY

Pregnancy centers helping women find abortion alternatives in New York City continue to battle the city council and its attempt to limits its free speech.

The city council is considering a measure that would place stringent limits on the advertising pregnancy centers use and require them to post signs designed to dissuade women from seeking their abortion alternatives services.

Christine Quinn, the City Council speaker, and Councilwoman Jessica Lappin are behind the proposed ordinance. Should the measure be approved, one pro-life legal group is planning to sue the city over the law.

But Christopher Slattery of Expectant Mother Care-EMC FrontLine Pregnancy Centers is hoping the efforts his group of pregnancy centers are launching will help stop the bill in its tracks.

“We’re in the middle of a major battle with the New York City Council over their proposed free-speech-muzzle Bill #371 and tomorrow we kick off a five week ad campaign featuring Dr. Alveda King, Martin Luther King, Jr’s niece to defeat the bill,” he explained an email LifeNews.com received.

“We will air two different spots:  a 60 second spot on WMCA-570AM, and 970 AM-The Apple, and a 30 second ad on WCBS-880AM, WINS-News 1010AM,” Slattery added. “We are spending over $12,000 on our initial four New York radio station buy to drive folks to our new petition and informational website.”

Slattery says the record of success at the centers proves how much they are needed in America’s largest city. They provide free services inside 12 centers and clinics in five counties and on the streets of the South Bronx with their mobile clinics including free ultrasounds, subsidized pre-natal care, supplies for moms and kids, ongoing care and love, adoption aid and spiritual guidance..

“EMC FrontLine Pregnancy Centers in New York City were able to Save close to 3,000 moms and their babies from a certain abortion in the abortion capital of America in 2010,” he said. [related]

He estimates anywhere from 8,000 to 10,000 women will be helped at the centers in 2011 “who would otherwise fall prey to the largest concentration of abortion centers in the United States.”

“Without any changes in law we have been able to save over 38,000 children from abortion. EMC’s effective life-saving system is the best possible way to save the tens of thousands of children at great risk here,” he concluded.