FāVS News News and Commentary about Religion and Ethics in Eastern Washington and North Idaho
It’s looking to be another agonistic Spokane City Council meeting tonight as pro-lifers and pro-choicers gear up to talk about the protestors that frequent the local Planned Parenthood.
In Spokane it’s illegal to block sidewalks and obstruct vehicular traffic, but it’s currently OK to block driveways. Anti-abortion demonstrators commonly block the driveway at Planned Parenthood and surround the area with megaphones and signs, according to witnesses.
At 6 p.m. tonight the council will deliberate an ordinance sponsored by Council Member Candace Mumm, which would prohibit protestors from blocking business driveways. Mumm explained that the ordinance applies to all business driveways, not just Planned Parenthood’s, though that’s a specific location frequented by protestors.
Conservative Council Member Mike Fagan said in The Inlander that he expects those opposing the ordinance to show up at tonight’s meeting, and Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho is calling for those who support the ordinance to come and show support.
Are you in favor of the ordinance? Why or why not?
Tracy Simmons is an award-winning journalist specializing in religion reporting and digital entrepreneurship. In her approximate 20 years on the religion beat, Simmons has tucked a notepad in her pocket and found some of her favorite stories aboard cargo ships in New Jersey, on a police chase in Albuquerque, in dusty Texas church bell towers, on the streets of New York and in tent cities in Haiti. Simmons has worked as a multimedia journalist for newspapers across New Mexico, Texas, Connecticut and Washington. She is the executive director of SpokaneFāVS.com, a digital journalism start-up covering religion news and commentary in Spokane, Washington. She also writes for The Spokesman-Review and national publications. She is a Scholarly Assistant Professor of Journalism at Washington State University.
Tracy this is a complete misrepresentation of The Spokane Street Preachers….WE DO NOT BLOCK THEIR DRIVEWAY….Cmon get real … The security Guards would not allow that… When We show up… Planned Parenthood call the Police… and the POLICE by Law have to show up.. and they watch us very closely….The Police would arrest us if we did such things…. WHERE ARE YOU GETTING YOUR INFO BECAUSE ITS NOT TRUE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds1BEHXVCcY
You’re right guys. I should have added, “according to …” in that article. I apologize. But sidenote – you do know it’s illegal in Washington to record people without their knowledge, right?
Tracy we are on a public sidewalk in a public place…The Law is very clear that there is no expectation of privacy in the state of Washington in a public place…. already dealt with this issue 2 years ago and Won…. By the way Planned Parenthood recorded You with their cameras right on that sign above Your head… Police are recording everyone with their body Cams…… My Sunglasses are my camera and I record every time I go out for MY PROTECTION….I have had people tell the Police that I assaulted them or I threatened them…… I put this recording out there because I felt that You were bearing false witness against us and wanted to show people that We were not standing in the Drive Way
OK, and I’ve offered my apologies and fixed what was upsetting you in the article. I’ve treated you well in previous stories and don’t think there’s need to argue further.
Thank You and I wasn’t arguing with You Tracy…. I care for You and have been praying for You and that You will accept Jesus Chriist as Your Lord and Savior.. and that You will trust Jesus and obey Jesus