Serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis. © James Conner.
Anti-abortion organizations and individual still want Roe v. Wade overturned, and abortion made illegal, and never will concede the issue, but they’re not waiting for a day that may never come. While the crusade against Roe continues, another crusade works to make abortion impossible by changing medical laws to price abortion clinics out of their practices. In Texas, for example, clinics that perform abortions now must meet medical standards that are intended to be prohibitively costly.
In addition, private anti-abortion individuals and organizations are taking steps to deny abortion providers a place to practice. A good example comes from Kalispell, reported the Montana Human Rights Network on 21 March:
MHRN has learned the Michelle Reimer, director at Hope Pregnancy Ministries/Clear Choice Clinic, purchased All Families Clinic’s former building location and kicked Susan out!
A reprehensible tactic? Yes. But also perfectly legal and very effective. And it goes to the heart of the problem of serving pro-choice women in Kalispell after Cahill, who is at or near retirement age, concludes her long career: the cost of a replacement clinic may become prohibitive.
Cahill rented. That may no longer be a viable option. Even pro-choice landlords may conclude they cannot risk another firebombing or bout of vandalism. And insurance may become unaffordable even if it’s available.
That leaves abortion providers with the option of building their own clinic, and building it to the standard of both an outpatient surgical facility and a physically secure building in a hostile community. That means a concrete and steel building in the middle of a large lot, with chain link and razor wire security fences, powerful floodlights, steel doors and bulletproof windows, files and pharmaceuticals in safes, security guards, and so forth. Not exactly the friendly ambience Cahill provided.
Who would move to Kalispell to operate a women’s clinic in such an environment? Who could afford to.