In recent years, Republican lawmakers who tightly control the state have refused to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, a key reason critics say the state’s health outcomes are poor. so mediocre. In April, however, Governor Tate Reeves signed legislation giving tax credits to supporters of “pregnancy resource centers,” which are generally aligned with faith groups and advise women against having abortions. Terri Herring, president of the Choose Life Mississippi group, was optimistic that the strengthened centers would help poor women understand their options in the post-Roe landscape.
“These pregnancy resource centers are going to provide that compassionate person to guide these people through their pregnancy,” she said. “A lot of women just need to know how to access what’s already available to them.”
As the temperature headed towards 100 degrees on Saturday, the frustration of the clinic escorts was palpable. The street was narrow and escorts were trying to protect patients from protesters as much as possible and to ensure that no pedestrians were harmed.
At one point, Dale Gibson, 53, a merchant seaman who volunteered as an escort, began yelling and swearing at a protester named Zach Boyd, who was holding a small rubber fetus doll aloft every time a patient came in and then yelled at the patients. through the fence, begging them to repent and keep their baby.