Texas governor Rick Perry has signed a bill that imposes restrictions on abortions during advanced pregnancies and seeks a signed consent of parents for abortions involving minors.
“It has been a tragedy of unspeakable consequences that for decades activist courts denied many Texas parents their right to be involved in one of the most important decisions their young daughter could ever make – whether to end the life that was growing inside her. For too long, a blind eye has been turned to the rights of our most vulnerable human beings – that’s the unborn in our society,” Perry said at the Calvary Christian Academy.
He added that a ‘nurturing home with a loving mother and loving father is the best way to guide our children down the proper path’. The new abortion bill is aimed at making further amendments to a previous parental consent bill of 1999 and to tighten abortions on women who are 26 weeks into pregnancy.
At the occasion, Perry also signed a resolution banning homosexual marriages. His approval of the two bills, however, did not go down too well with certain sections. Around 350 people were seen protesting outside the Fort Worth church school.
While some protested his stance on abortion, others were offended by the fact that he signed the bills on church property. Placards against the Texas governor included slogans like ‘Hate Is Not A Family Value’, ‘God Values All Families’, ‘Jesus Was a Liberal’, and ‘The Soul Has No Gender’, among others.
The use of church property for signing the bill irked many factions. “It hurts that he can cheapen politics and religion by this kind of manoeuvre and people can think it’s okay,” said 45-year-old Karin Cagle who sported a placard saying ‘Separate Church And State - Keep America Great’.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State’s Barry Lynn called the event a ‘grotesque misuse of religion for a clear partisan political advantage’. Methodist minister Robin Lovin said, “There are lots of reasons to go to church on Sunday, but making laws isn’t one of them.”
However, certain religious leaders supported the event. Larry White, pastor of Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Houston, said the bill was about family, life and marriage. “There are those that would drive people of faith from the public square if they could,” he said.
FRC president Tony Perkins said, “I am also pleased governor Rick Perry chose Calvary Christian Academy to sign this important piece of legislation. He recognizes that people of faith are not excluded from participating in the political and civic process. There is nothing wrong with signing legislation at a Christian school. People of faith are not backing up, we are not giving up. We are here to stay.”
Perry remained unfazed with the protests. “We may be on the grounds of a Christian church, but we all believe in standing up for the unborn,” he said. His spokesperson Kathy Walt said, “It’s not a separation of church and state issue. It’s not limited to people of one faith.” She added that Perry was ‘signing a piece of legislation that reflects the values and interests of the majority of Texans’.
