Local group reaches out to ACLU

A local group is scheduled to have a consultation this week with the American Civil Liberties Union regarding the “sanctuary city for the unborn” ordinance that was introduced Thursday for consideration of adoption by the city of Clovis.

“Eastern New Mexico Rising” is a group that describes itself as “a non-political, non-partisan group who care about progressive issues and social justice.”

Clovis resident Laura Wight, in speaking for the group “and citizens of Clovis,” said group members were scheduled for a Tuesday evening Zoom meeting with New Mexico ACLU representatives regarding the measure moving through the ordinance adoption process.

“The primary problem is (the proposed ordinance) violates the right of New Mexico citizens to have access to certain health care services,” Wight said.

Wight said the measure also violates the rights of doctors and health care workers who want to practice medicine in the city of Clovis.

The ACLU is now looking at what’s going on with the ordinance, which city commissioners are scheduled to vote on Nov. 3.

“I am a member of the ACLU and I contacted them because this is the exact thing that the ACLU is for,” Wight said.

Wight said when a citizen or group of citizens realize their rights are in jeopardy the ACLU is there “to become involved and protect our rights as citizens.”

Wight said there’s a two-fold purpose to the Zoom meeting with the ACLU representatives.

“We’re going to talk with them about our plan of action, our next step,” Wight said.

Wight said the ACLU has given the Clovis group training materials, tips on getting involved in local government along with instruction on how local citizens may advocate for their rights.

She said the ACLU advised the Clovis group to contact city commissioners and tell the commissioners of their concerns about the proposed ordinance.

Wight said many in “Eastern New Mexico Rising” have contacted Clovis city commissioners and expressed their concerns.

“Many in our group have filled out the form requesting help from the ACLU,” Wight said.

Wight said Clovis is not the first New Mexico city to have dealt with an anti-abortion ordinance. She said the ACLU was involved in a similar case in Alamagordo.

Wight said she has addressed some other concerns she has about business surrounding Thursday’s city commission meeting.

“The city has still not published the text of the ordinance online according to city code. I have filed a request for that,” Wight said. “I also requested the attendance record, the sign-in sheet for the meeting, to see how many people were from Clovis and how many actually weren’t because we suspect many attending were from out of town.”

Wight said at the next session of the city commission her group will request commissioners only allow public comments from citizens of Clovis.

“We believe out of town comments are clouding up the meeting’s communications,” Wight said. “It’s also taking away time from people in Clovis who want to speak.”

One of the people spearheading the drive for the “sanctuary city for unborn” ordinance to become law in Clovis is the pastor of the Grace Covenant Reformed Church on North Thornton Street, Ryan Denton.

Denton is not surprised by the ACLU’s interest in what’s happening in Clovis.

“We anticipated push-back, we are poking ‘The Golden Cow,’ Denton said. “The ACLU is notorious for trying to bully people around.”

Denton said he and those who want adoption of the ordinance are confident “everything is going to go as planned as far as the ordinance goes.”

Denton believes the ordinance is what the people of Clovis want.

“We’ve seen this by the turnouts and the support the city has given the mayor and commissioners,” Denton said.