In the coming weeks, a city council in Orange County, California will consider a resolution that would outlaw abortions and make the community a “sanctuary for life.”
Steve Knoblock, a councilman in San Clemente, California, authored and submitted the resolution that acknowledges life begins at conception and “unequivocally opposes” abortion clinics and Planned Parenthood having a presence in the city of almost 65,000 people. The resolution will be discussed by the council at its next meeting on August 16.
“The City Council from San Clemente, California, hereby recognizes and proclaims the full humanity of a preborn child through every state of life until natural death and declares San Clemente to be a sanctuary for all life where the dignity of each and every human being will be protected from conception to natural death,” a draft of the resolution states.
In the two-page resolution, Knoblock alludes to the recent Supreme Court reversal of Roe v. Wade and states that it is the council’s duty to “honor and respect God” when it comes to outlawing abortion.
“We think that life is written by God and that he is the director and finalizer of each life. No matter where you are on the timeline, you deserve to live a healthy, happy existence. As a city council, we will safeguard and sustain life at all stages. We must first glorify and respect God before asking him to bless America,” the resolution reads.
The city’s proposed resolution has sparked controversy, as predicted. According to the Los Angeles Times, at least 15 individuals have been scheduled to speak at the next city council meeting, which is expected to be a contentious debate.
Andrea Schmidt, a Planned Parenthood public affairs project manager, said the proposal was “extremely dangerous.” In addition, she labeled the pro-life measure “politically focused and scientifically incorrect.”
After reading the resolution, Mayor James of San Clemente came out against it. “It seems to me to be a resolution that could’ve been written by some Taliban tribunal, and I will say that as a pro-life, conservative Republican,” he added.
The mayor contacted the city manager, city clerk, and city attorney after he read the resolution and requested that he may retake his seconding the motion and “just kill” the proposal, but he was informed that this was not an option.
As for the resolution’s creator, this serves as an opportunity to raise public awareness about abortion. “There’s probably no family in America that hasn’t been touched by abortion,” Knoblock added. “The resolution will get people to consider what society has done for the last 50 years.”
