Democratic Mayor Justin Wilson in Alexandria, Virginia nixed a plan to honor the city’s abortion providers following backlash from religious leaders and conservative media outlets.
According to The Washington Post, pro-abortion advocates have pushed for years to make March 10 a day to recognize abortion providers. On this day in 1993, an OB/GYN was murdered outside his abortion clinic in Florida during a protest. The Post noted that “the day has been recognized in recent years with proclamations in Atlanta, Minneapolis and St. Louis, as well as in Washington state.”
The Post explained that Whole Woman’s Health, one of the abortion clinics in northern Virginia, asked a city lawmaker for an in-person proclamation from Wilson declaring March 10 as “Abortion Provider Appreciation Day” in Alexandria. However, pushback from “Roman Catholic leaders and some residents, including at least one former Trump House official,” prompted city officials to reverse course.
“It was more controversial than a proclamation should be,” Wilson told The Post in an interview. “We appreciated those providers for doing the work that they do, and doing it under adverse conditions at times. But, ultimately, it didn’t need to be on our council docket.”
According to conservative media outlet The Daily Wire, an email sent by Wilson last week said “this proclamation has now been pulled from the agenda on Tuesday at my request.”
Wilson told The Post that although he does turn down “some” requests for proclamations from the public, it would be “rare” for him to turn down a request from another city lawmaker, “all of whom are Democrats.”
“The council has previously shied away from large national or state issues that don’t have direct community interest,” Wilson said in the interview. “In this case, we do have two [abortion] providers in our city, and this was aimed at showing our appreciation for what they do.”
In an interview with The Daily Wire last week, Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said that he was “saddened and disappointed” that the proclamation was considered.
“The far left liberals continue to dominate the Democrat party and remind everyone that they are completely out of touch with Virginia values,” the pro-life Governor said.
Wilson told The Daily Wire that the proclamation was “part of a national effort, timed to occur 29 years after the date of the murder of an OB-GYN in Florida,” who was “providing legal and safe healthcare services.”
Arlington Bishop Michael Burbidge told The Daily Wire in a statement that “abortion is a direct, violent attack on human life” and that “proposing a celebration of abortion and an ‘appreciation day’ for those who destroy lives defies comprehension.”
“The City of Alexandria should instead do the opposite,” he continued in the statement. “It should celebrate all those who save, protect and care for human life.”