Easthampton Residents,
We encourage you to EMAIL OR CALL THE MAYOR this afternoon and use our talking points below to continue the fight to protect Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRCs) like the Bethlehem House in Easthampton!
Another significant crowd assembled last night at the Easthampton City Council meeting where an ordinance attacking the charitable work of PRCs was on the agenda. Between remote and in-person, well over 100 people attended. Most of the crowd was there to protect PRCs from the unethical and unnecessary ordinance that was passed 7 – 2. Pro-abortion voices at the meeting included a local chapter from the Communist Party. Reproductive Equity Now, a pro-abortion organization that has been working closely with City Councilor Zaret in the formation of the ordinance that passed, was also in attendance. A pro-life and pro-free speech attorney pointed out that Reproductive Equity Now has material posted on their website that defames PRCs like the Bethlehem House in Easthampton. The current director of the Bethlehem House mentioned in her comments the incredible difficulty she has had getting in touch with the City Council to discuss this ordinance; however, organizations like Reproductive Equity Now, who clearly defame and despise PRCs, have the ear of city leadership. The bias of the City Council is obvious.
But don’t give up hope! Mayor LaChapelle has publicly stated that she has reservations about this ordinance, and she still has the authority to VETO it. We encourage you to call or email her this afternoon and use the talking points below to continue to make our case.
Please respectfully ask Mayor LaChapelle to veto Ordinance 6-23 that the City Council passed Wednesday, July 6, 2023. You can do this by sending her an email at [email protected] or by calling her at 413-529-1400, ext. 470. Use the suggested email or phone script below.
Suggested email text:
Dear Mayor LaChapelle,
My name is [your name]. I write to ask that you veto Ordinance 6-23, “Safe and fair access to legally protected reproductive and gender-affirming health care services,” particularly as it relates to pregnancy resource centers.
This ordinance is unnecessary, since state law already provides all of the protections that it includes. In addition, the city may not have even had the authority to pass it. And by targeting pro-life pregnancy resource centers, it could expose the City to costly lawsuits and waste City resources.
I stand with Bethlehem House and the great charitable work that they do for the women in our community. They do not deserve to be disparaged by consumer advisories and complaints.
Therefore, I respectfully request that you veto this ordinance, at least to the extent that it regulates pregnancy resource centers in sections 6-23.4 and 6-23.5.
Sincerely,
Your name,
Street address
Easthampton
Suggested phone script:
Mayor LaChapelle,
My name is [state your name] and live at [state your address in Easthampton]. I am calling to ask that you veto Ordinance 6-23, “Safe and fair access to legally protected reproductive and gender-affirming health care services,” particularly as it relates to pregnancy resource centers.
This ordinance is unnecessary, since state law already provides all of the protections that it includes. In addition, the city may not have even had the authority to pass it. And by targeting pro-life pregnancy resource centers, it could expose the City to costly lawsuits and waste City resources.
I stand with Bethlehem House and the great charitable work that they do for the women in our community. They do not deserve to be disparaged by consumer advisories and complaints.
Therefore, I respectfully request that you veto this ordinance, at least to the extent that it regulates pregnancy resource centers in sections 6-23.4 and 6-23.5.
