At least 1,000 Kentuckians protested Saturday in Frankfort against Gov. Andy Beshear’s decision to allow abortions to continue while restricting church gatherings and small businesses.
Kentucky Today reports protesters urged the governor to reopen the state and allow people to return to church and work.
Like many Democrat governors, Beshear restricted church gatherings, small businesses, non-essential medical care and more to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus and preserve medical supplies for life-saving medical care.
However, the governor allowed an exception for elective abortions – after the state’s only abortion clinic donated to his campaign, something state Rep. Stan Lee, R-Fayette, brought up during the protest Saturday, according to the report.
“We see what is going on all around us in our country,” Lee said. “We the people do not get our rights, freedoms and liberty from the government. We get them from God almighty. Which is why it is so disturbing we have a governor who will shut down the state to save lives and then veto the born alive bill. The hypocrisy is stunning. This is the same governor who made abortion clinic essential, but not churches.”
Lee said Kentucky health officials reported 240 deaths related to COVID-19 as of Saturday, meanwhile approximately 746 unborn babies were killed in elective abortions since March 1 in the state.
“All the while we have a governor taking down license plates of church-goers while at the same time letting prisoners go. Enough is enough. Wake up Kentucky!” he said.
A number of protesters carried pro-life signs, including one that read “Killing babies is not essential,” according to WLKY News.
Protester Perry Brewster questioned the governor’s priorities in an interview with the news outlet.
“If every life is precious, why are we leaving abortion clinics open while barber shops have to be closed, while restaurants have to be closed, while schools have to be closed?” Brewster asked.
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Fellow protester Carol Miller, of Wilmore, said she also was upset with Beshear for allowing the “intentional deaths” of unborn babies to continue even while claiming he wants to save lives.
“There’s no law that says we can’t assemble. There’s no law that says we can’t open businesses. I don’t like Gov. Beshear telling us what we can and cannot do,” she told the local news.
During the protest, state Rep. David Hale, R-Wellington, led the crowd in a moment of silence for those who died to COVID-19 and then a second moment of silence for unborn babies who have been killed in abortions, Kentucky Today reports.
“How can an individual say he respects lives, and then allow over 700 children to be aborted in a clinic a few miles down the road?” Hale asked. “Let’s stand for freedom. Let’s stand for righteousness. Let’s stand on the Word of God.”
Beshear also has been facing an intense backlash for vetoing a bill to protect newborns from infanticide. State Senate Bill 9 would have required “reasonable life-saving and life-sustaining” medical care to be provided to infants who are born alive after failed abortions. Medical professionals who violated the measure could have faced criminal penalties and had their licenses revoked.
In his veto statement, Beshear claimed the bill was unnecessary and “divisive.”
But state Attorney General Daniel Cameron responded that Beshear’s veto is what is truly “divisive” because he rejected a bipartisan bill that “protects our most vulnerable,” Forward Kentucky reports.
“The governor, who claims to have everyday family values, vetoed a bill that would require babies born after failed abortions to receive live-saving medical care,” Cameron said.
Earlier in April, Kentuckians also protested the governor’s actions. “Abortion is not essential!” was among the protesters’ calls as they stood outside the Capitol, Kentucky Today reports. At several points, their shouts could be heard as Beshear was giving his daily briefing inside.
WSAZ estimated that there were hundreds of protesters April 15 in Frankfort. Most practiced social distancing by staying at least 6 feet apart, wearing masks and/or staying in their vehicles.
The only abortion facility in the state, EMW Women’s Surgical Center in Louisville, is still aborting unborn babies. Planned Parenthood currently is working with Beshear to obtain a license to do abortions in the state as well.
Recently, medical groups representing more than 30,000 doctors in America emphasized that abortions are not “essential” or “urgent,” and abortion facilities that continue to operate during the pandemic are being “medically irresponsible.”
