Rev. Franklin Graham Condemns San Francisco Ban on Travel to Pro-Life States

Christian evangelist Rev. Franklin Graham said progressive leaders in San Francisco who have banned travel for city employees to states that have enacted abortion restrictions “want everyone to swallow the lie that abortion is a woman’s right.”

As CNSNews.com observed, Graham posted to Facebook on Tuesday:

Can you believe this? San Francisco is “blacklisting” states with pro-life laws. City employees in San Francisco are forbidden to take work trips or do business with companies in 22 states that have what they interpret as “restrictive abortion laws” in the new year. Mayor London Breed and Supervisor Vallie Brown announced the measure last week. Mayor Breed said, “By limiting travel and contracting with certain states, we are sending a clear message to states that disregard the right to abortion.” Progressive socialist leaders like Mayor Breed want everyone to swallow the lie that abortion is a woman’s right—even something to celebrate. But it’s not. Abortion is murdering a child in its mother’s womb. The Bible says, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil …” (Isaiah 5:20). I’m thankful to God for the many states and individuals across this great land that are standing for life.

According to a press release from the office of Mayor London Breed last week, effective January 1, 2020, San Francisco will end “city-funded travel” to and “contracting” with 22 states that have enacted abortion restrictions.

As a result of an ordinance authored by Supervisor Vallie Brown, the city will not do business with those states “because of their severe anti-choice policies.”

“Every day in this country, women’s reproductive rights are threatened, and we have to fight back,” Breed said in a statement. “Just as we restricted spending with states that have laws that discriminate against LGBTQ people, we are standing up against states that put women’s health at risk and that are actively working to limit reproductive freedoms.”

“By limiting travel and contracting with certain states, we are sending a clear message to states that disregard the right to abortion,” she added.

Breed’s office said the city’s Department on the Status of Women decided the list of banned states based on a review of their abortion laws. The states are: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

According to the press statement, nine of the states have already been on the “banned” list because their LGBTQ laws appeared to be discriminatory in the eyes of San Francisco officials.

“Thanks to the leadership of Mayor Breed and Supervisor Brown, San Francisco is showing other cities and states how to stand up against dangerous laws that restrict a woman’s right to control her own body,” said Gilda Gonzales, CEO of Planned Parenthood Northern California, in the mayor’s press statement. “Now, more than ever, we must work to expand, not ban, reproductive rights for all.”