* Background is here if you need it. Illinois Public Media is reporting that the site of an as-yet-unopened Danville abortion clinic has been vandalized a second time. You’ll recall that a man was arrested last month after he repeatedly slammed his car into the building that will eventually house the clinic. According to the police affidavit, the man brought several containers filled with gasoline with him.
Recently, “a new vandal tore down the temporary repairs from the last attack,” reports Farrah Anderson.
* Meanwhile, from a press release…
Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) has experienced a 54% increase in abortion patients, both medication and procedural, since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022. PPIL data also show that more patients than ever are coming to one of our health centers at a higher gestational age that requires a procedural abortion. Abortions over 16 weeks gestational age now makes up 13% of all procedural abortions, compared to 8% pre-Dobbs decision. The number of patients needing financial assistance or travel support to get care at PPIL has more than doubled in the year since Dobbs. These trends demonstrate how bans and restrictions force patients to delay and travel farther for care. […]
PPIL data also indicates since the Dobbs decision:
• Over the course of the year, nearly a quarter (25%) of PPIL patients traveled from another state compared to 7% before Dobbs.
• Patients traveled from 34 different states.
• The number of patients needing financial assistance or travel support for care more than doubled, and the average amount increased from $250 to almost $500 because of expanded distances, time delays, and costs of travel.
• PPIL provided over $1.5 million in financial support to abortion patients through a combination of sources over the last year.
PPIL anticipated the surge in patients seeking abortion and gender-affirming care and took many steps to expand access. In July 2022, PPIL announced a partnership with Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin (PPWI) for abortion care providers from PPWI to travel to Illinois several days a week, expanding access to care at our Waukegan Health Center and across the state. In September 2022, PPIL unveiled the expansion of the Champaign Health Center to offer procedural abortion services to meet the demand of patients in central Illinois and Indiana. Since June 2022, PPIL grew its abortion navigation team from one to four with the sole purpose of helping out-of-state patients overcome barriers in traveling to Illinois for care. The team is now expanding services to help out-of-state gender-affirming care patients.
PPIL’s volunteer base also grew by 700 new people. PPIL volunteers provided over 6,200 hours of assistance, compared to 2,000 hours the year prior. PPIL also has 300 volunteer escorts, who put in over 3,500 hours at health centers, more than double the hours from the previous year.
- TheInvisibleMan - Monday, Jun 12, 23 @ 11:48 am:
Nothing will destroy a community faster than religious fundamentalism.
Figuratively, and literally.
- Roadrager - Monday, Jun 12, 23 @ 11:48 am:
Going to need the mayor’s whereabouts with receipts in regard to this latest attack.
- Excitable Boy - Monday, Jun 12, 23 @ 11:54 am:
The city council and mayor have created an atmosphere that is going to get someone hurt. The police need to dedicate more resources to monitoring this site, but I doubt they will. JB should consider using state police.
- Google Is Your Friend - Monday, Jun 12, 23 @ 11:56 am:
Here’s a new slogan for Danville for free:
Danville, the home of domestic terrorism
- Flyin'Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Monday, Jun 12, 23 @ 12:31 pm:
Prosecute them. Prosecute them good. Prosecute the h*** outta them.
- Dotnonymous x - Monday, Jun 12, 23 @ 12:49 pm:
Danville can’t afford security cameras?
- Candy Dogood - Monday, Jun 12, 23 @ 12:53 pm:
Charge terrorists with terrorism.
Treat their property and assets the same way we treat the property and assets of other terrorists. Investigate their networks the same way we investigate other terrorist networks.
Do it before they start killing doctors again.
- Sir Reel - Monday, Jun 12, 23 @ 1:04 pm:
Probably a law and order type.
- 40,000 ft - Monday, Jun 12, 23 @ 2:34 pm:
Is it unfathomable that non/less/a-religious secular types can be opposed to abortion culture?
Or, is it always only religiously fundamental types that oppose it?
The above comments make it sound like this is solely a religious issue and I don’t think that is accurate.
(nws the obvious criminal doofs that are committing property crimes and should be prosecuted.)
- hisgirlfriday - Monday, Jun 12, 23 @ 2:44 pm:
Some vandals want to live in Talibanville, not Danville.
- ArchPundit - Monday, Jun 12, 23 @ 3:16 pm:
===Is it unfathomable that non/less/a-religious secular types can be opposed to abortion culture?
In a general sense no, but all of the cases of attacks on abortion providers have been committed by those who are religious and that religion is a motivating factor. If there are exceptions, I’d be interested in knowing more about that.
- Jocko - Monday, Jun 12, 23 @ 3:30 pm:
==Or, is it always only religiously fundamental types that oppose it?==
Name another organization that finds it acceptable to restrict a woman’s right to make medical decisions.
- yinn - Monday, Jun 12, 23 @ 3:49 pm:
–Name another organization that finds it acceptable to restrict a woman’s right to make medical decisions.–
KKK and other white supremacist hate groups.
- Pundent - Monday, Jun 12, 23 @ 4:43 pm:
=Or, is it always only religiously fundamental types that oppose it?=
I have a relative that lives around the block from a women’s’ health care facility that has had daily protesters for years. They proudly incorporate their religious beliefs into their protests. Their objection seems entirely rooted in a biblical view of the issue. Based on what I’ve seen, the two are deeply inter-twined.
- Pot calling kettle - Monday, Jun 12, 23 @ 5:24 pm:
==The above comments make it sound like this is solely a religious issue and I don’t think that is accurate.==
Although it is not possible to prove a negative, the anti-abortion folks seem to base their position on the assertion that life begins at conception, which is a belief rather than something definitively supported by science. I’m not aware of areligious anti-abortion advocates or arguments.
A useful list of biologically-based possible “life starts here” points - https://dnascience.plos.org/2013/10/03/when-does-a-human-life-begin-17-timepoints/
A deep dive into the “viability” line used in Roe v Wade can be found in the most recent episode of the “More Perfect” podcast: https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolabmoreperfect/episodes/part-1-viability-line
- Arguenda - Monday, Jun 12, 23 @ 5:49 pm:
It’s time for abortion clinic watch, just like neighborhood watch.
- Yooper in Diaspora - Monday, Jun 12, 23 @ 11:41 pm:
Historically and today, there is not a monolithic religious view on abortion. See Rebecca Todd Peter’s book Trust Women - A Progressive Christian Argument for Reproductive Justice, and books by Margaret Kamitsuka. Also the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.