The adoption of the measure makes Whiteface the thirteenth town to pass such an ordinance, and the first town to pass the ordinance since the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit against seven of the towns.
According to KLTV News, 10 people spoke before the city council concerning the ordinance, with only one resident opposing it, who said that there “are real needs in the community” and the ordinance “is solving a problem that does not exist.”
As with the other towns to pass the ordinance, while there are no abortion facilities within Whiteface, pro-life residents wanted to ensure that none are established.
The opposing resident also cited concern about lawsuits, but as Right to Life of East Texas director Mark Lee Dickson pointed out, the cities involved in the ACLU lawsuit are being represented at no cost to the cities by Jonathan Mitchell, the former solicitor general for the state of Texas.
The ACLU lawsuit did not deter residents’ resolve either, with one supporter of the ordinance saying, “God is bigger than the ACLU.”
Several citizens supported the ordinance at the meeting, sharing personal experiences that have strengthened their support for the life of the unborn.
One resident of Whiteface sent an anonymous letter to the council, which described how she became pregnant after being drugged at a party and raped.
With some pregnancy complications, doctors encouraged her to abort her child, but she refused.
When she thought her unborn child had died, one nurse bypassed a doctor’s order and performed an ultrasound to find a heartbeat.
“Every time I look at her, I’m reminded of God’s grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness for being in a place that I never should have been,” read the letter.
“This little girl has made me more than a mother. She’s made me stronger in my walk with God. She’s in the top of her class. Soon, she’ll graduate with honors. She’s my beauty from ashes, and forever grateful for my choices to not choose abortion.”
See the full letter being read below:
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Daniel Friend
Daniel Friend is the Marketing and Media Manager for The Texan. After graduating with a double-major in Political Science and Humanities, he wrote for The Texan as a reporter through June 2022. In his spare time, you're likely to find him working on The Testimony of Calvin Lewis, an Abolition of Man-inspired novel and theatrical podcast.