Dear Bob,

I’ve been keeping you updated on the ACLJ’s work to stop a new law that would effectively shut down pro-life pregnancy centers in New York City – a law that abortion advocates are using as a model for effectively shutting down pro-life pregnancy centers across the country.

Yesterday, a federal judge responded to our lawsuit and stopped this anti-life law from going into effect by issuing a preliminary injunction. This is a major victory for life and for our free speech rights.

This law – that would have gone into effect today – would have required pro-life pregnancy centers to either express views about abortion that go against the very fiber of what these organizations believe or face government fines and lawsuits that would have shut these life-saving centers down.

With this important victory, we now move on to making sure this law NEVER takes effect. We MUST make this preliminary injunction permanent.

This victory comes at an important moment for the ACLJ, as we are in a Matching Challenge by a group of our donors. Every dollar you give to support our pro-life efforts will be matched when you give online today. Will you help provide the resources we need to make this pro-life victory permanent with a tax-deductible contribution today?

We represent a majority of the pro-life pregnancy centers in New York City. We filed our lawsuit in federal court arguing that this law violated our pro-life clients’ First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. The trial court agreed with us, saying that this law “eviscerate(s) the First Amendment's protections."

In a scathing rebuke of New York City’s argument, the court said this law is “particularly offensive to free speech principles." The court directly rejected the idea that pro-life pregnancy centers’ speech advocating the sanctity of human life was somehow a less-protected form of speech.

This decision and these strong words from the court are just the first step as this case goes to trial. Pro-abortion forces have been using this New York City law as their springboard to implement similar laws in cities across the United States and to shut down pro-life pregnancy centers around the country -- effectively eliminating the competition for Planned Parenthood and other abortion businesses.

A permanent defeat of this pro-abortion law and the abortion industry in New York City would send a powerful message to every city in the nation that the free speech rights of pro-life advocates cannot be trampled. We are working on similar cases in multiple cities, and this New York case could set the precedent that stops other cities from shutting down their pro-life pregnancy centers.

Please make sure we have the resources to keep this pro-life battle going with your tax-deductible gift today. During this unique Matching Challenge period, it will be matched dollar-for-dollar.

I appreciate your continued support as we stand together in defense of free speech and the lives of unborn babies. The life-saving work of crisis pregnancy centers in what is called “the abortion capital of America” continues today because you stood on the side of life when you stood with the ACLJ. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jay Sekulow
ACLJ Chief Counsel

P.S. Please share this important victory with your friends and family by forwarding this email or by simply pushing the Facebook “Like” buttons in this email.