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HOUSTON ? A diverse group of Houston-area pastors gathered Thursday ? the 36th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade ? to condemn construction of what they said will be “the largest abortion clinic in the world.”
Sonny Foraker, spokesman for the Greater Houston Area Pastor Council, told the group of supporters and journalists, “We are standing here because [abortion] is a moral evil that destroys human life.” Referring to the skeletal frame of the building behind him, Foraker added, “We stand together as pastors to say this is not something we want in our community.”
Stripped of its walls, the former Sterling Bank building at 4600 Gulf Freeway loomed behind the pastors as they took turns speaking out against the construction of the new Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas clinic. Representatives of Planned Parenthood could not be reached Thursday to respond to the pastors’ comments.
“This building is an invitation that gives everyone the message that it is OK to take life away,” said Pastor Hernan Castano of Iglesia Rios de Aceite in Houston. He said abortion destroys the life of the baby and its mother.
“This cannot be the answer to the world. We must respect life.”
Melvin Johnson, pastor of Heart of Christ Community Church in Brazoria, pulled no punches as he called the planned facility an “abomination” and referenced the racist leanings of Planned Parenthood’s founder Margaret Sanger.
Johnson, who is black, held up pictures of the famed women’s reproductive rights leader at a Ku Klux Klan rally in the early 20th century. He said Planned Parenthood has not removed itself from the “genocidal actions” of its founding. African-American women have a disproportionately higher number of abortions compared to the general population of women.
“As Jesus died on the cross he proclaimed life,” declared Carlos Martins, a Roman Catholic. “Any Christian should see the evil of this.”
Martins quoted Mother Teresa’s famous chastisement of America when she spoke at the 1994 National Prayer Breakfast in Washington. She called abortion the greatest destroyer of peace in the world.
Martins made clear the ire of the community of faith is not toward the women who seek and follow through with abortions but with the organizations which promote and conduct them, namely Planned Parenthood.
He concluded, “There is a caring community that is willing to stand with and next to pregnant women. You do not go through this alone.”
Pastor James Clark of Park Place Baptist Church accused Planned Parenthood of targeting the college students.
Foraker concurred, adding, “This building is not by chance located here.”
Just a few blocks from the facility is the University of Houston and just beyond that campus is the historically African-American Texas Southern University. Surrounding those campuses are predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods.
“I assure you they are targeting our young people, African-Americans, and Hispanics,” Foraker said.
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