St Louis pregnancy center, Thrive, ‘honored’ to be protested by NARAL, ACLU, pro-abortion activists
Pro-life Thrive president Bridget VanMeans spoke out about the recent demonstration at their St. Louis facility, targeted by NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri, the ACLU and the gathering’s organizer, Reproaction.
“It’s actually quite an honor that they would select a pregnancy resource center to launch a statewide political attack,” VanMeans said of the pro-abortion activists, motivated by the U.S. Supreme Court striking down the Texas abortion law and not hearing the Washington state pharmacists’ case.
“They know we are worthy and significant enough to be the launch for that—that is huge. Up until now, they’ve basically seen PRCs as just ridiculous old ladies with Bibles, but they chose Thrive because they know the spiritual epicenter is right here.”
VanMeans says the rally drew 23 campaigners, predominantly paid staff or summer interns, calling for “changes in everything from racial injustice in policing to equal rights for transgendered individuals…”
Thrive provided 8,445 points of free service for community members in 2015. With the aid of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberties Committee, Thrive is one of the recent recipients of an ultrasound machines, increasing its fleet of mobile ultrasound units to four, plus three brick-and-mortar locations.
Thrive is a medical clinic offering free ultrasound testing, pregnancy testing, STD/STI testing, parenting classes and help with making an adoption plan. They have an active volunteer force of 200, plus 30 paid staff.
Cicely Paine mocked Coalition for Life St. Louis’ staff via Instagram for bringing her and other campaigners cookies and water. She’s on the board for Community Birth and Wellness Center in St. Louis, according to her profile at CoreAlign.org, where she self-describes as a “sexuality educator and abortion doula.”
“That says a lot about our statewide unity,” VanMeans said. “We have a totally unified effort. Our mobile units work with their sidewalk counselors. We couldn’t do what we do without them and they couldn’t do what they do without us. They just called and they said, ‘We’re coming down.’”