Chicago Mayor Daley to Censor Pro-Life Speech through 'Bubble Zone' Ordinance

Mayor Daley, who says he is Catholic, explained that he separates his religion from his politics.

Chicago, Il (LifeSiteNews.com) - Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago has said he will sign a new ordinance passed by the City Council at the behest of Planned Parenthood.

The ordinance prevents pro-lifers from coming within 8 feet of a woman entering an abortion facility without her permission, for an area extending fifty feet around the building.

Mayor Daley said that the ordinance would "try to make sure nobody is harassed." He said that he did not want people to "harass and scream and yell" at those entering abortion facilities. "There has to be some civility left in our society," he explained.

Mayor Daley, who says he is Catholic, explained that he separates his religion from his politics: "My religion is very personal. ... Religion does not play a part when I make a decision on behalf of the people of Chicago. It is a decision I have to make as a mayor, not as a Catholic. ... That is separate for me."

If Mayor Daley signs this ordinance, he will be reversing a position that he explicitly affirmed years ago. In 1996, Daley ridiculed a proposal that also would have given women entering abortion mills an 8-foot buffer zone between them and anyone attempting to counsel them. He said that it would require "measuring tapes ... You'd get into arguments."

Critics of the ordinance say that it unduly restricts the constitutional right to freedom of speech. "You know a law is an improper intrusion on First Amendment rights when even the American Civil Liberties Union sides with pro-life interests in opposing certain aspects of a legislative action," said David Bereit, national director of 40 Days for Life.

The ACLU has issued a statement which, while approving aspects of the bill, opposes the 8-foot buffer zone on the grounds that "our society should tolerate the widest amount of free speech in public ways." The buffer zone, the statement says, substantially burdens "leafleting, a time honored and unintrusive form of speech."

In addition to saying that he will sign the ordinance, Mayor Daley's office has halted a telephone survey it was conducting on the measure. An automated polling system had previously been set up to register people's approval or disapproval of the ordinance. Daley spokeswoman Jacquelyn Heard said an aide had set up the survey without permission, as a way of handling the massive volume of calls Daley's office is receiving on the issue. "It was not sanctioned," Heard said. "We did not task someone with doing this. We are pulling the plug."

Eric Scheidler of the Pro-Life Action League has said that the proposed ordinance will have a huge impact on efforts to protest outside of abortion mills. Sidewalks are so narrow, he said, that it will become impossible to counsel someone without violating their 8-foot bubble. Others argue that the law is not meant to protect the safety of women but simply to hamper pro-life efforts, as there are already laws against violence and harassment.

Mayor Daley may be reached for respectful comment at 312-744-3300 and members of the city council at http://www.cityofchicago.org/CityCouncil.

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