Franklin D. Roosevelt had a “Good Neighbor Policy” toward Latin America in the 1930s. One insurer’s jingle is “Like a Good Neighbor State Farm is there.” Luke 10:29 records a lawyer asking Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
And instead of giving a direct answer, Jesus responded with what is one of the best-known stories not only in the Bible but in world literature: The Good Samaritan.
So it’s ironic that Neighbors Electric Co. of Roanoke is apparently setting up the highly-controversial abortion chamber in Vinton despite strong community opposition to its placement. On Thursday, August 22 at least two work vans bearing the Neighbors logo were observed in the parking lot next to the building in question.
Offering Neighbors Electric Co. an opportunity to make a statement and verify or deny their involvement in the project, The Roanoke Star reached out to them twice, by phone and email, but no response has been received.
The questions:
A curious Roanoke County resident of the Vinton District visited the site on Thursday, August 22. He explained his interest came from this news report and said the article left some uncertainty in his mind as to what the place would be, so as an engaged citizen, he decided to go see for himself.
He recounted his experience, paraphrased: “I drove by and saw two vans and another work truck, and curious, I walked inside to see what was going on and to get some information on what this place was going to be. So I saw a young man who was wiring something. He appeared to be in his early twenties and looked like an electrician.
“I asked him what this was going to be. He told me it was going to be an OBGYN, and I said, ‘Is that an abortion clinic?'”
“It’s their choice,” the electrician responded.
The visitor asked, “Are you from Vinton?”
“Yeah,” the electrician answered.
The visitor told him, “‘This is something we really don’t want in our town. This isn’t good.’ Then I left.”
As reported here, the company seeking to open the abortion chamber in Vinton is Summit Medical Center; their Vinton zoning request listed a Connecticut address.
Summit has placed this euphemistically-laden job ad for Vinton, claiming they will do “first and second trimester surgical procedures.” The end of the second trimester of a pregnancy involves an unborn child approximately 24 weeks (6 months) old. Many use the term “fetus” in an attempt to dehumanize the unborn, but “fetus” is actually the Latin term for “baby.”
The John Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore makes these statements on their website about the second trimester on their “What You Need to Know” page.
- During your second trimester prenatal visits, your health care provider will continue to check on your and your baby’s health, including monitoring the fetal heartbeat.
- The second trimester is the most physically enjoyable for most women. Morning sickness usually lessens by this time, and the extreme tiredness and breast tenderness usually ease up.
- Your fetus has now developed all its organs and systems and will now begin to grow in length and weight.
- You may be able to feel the movement of the fetus for the first time at around 20 weeks. This phenomenon is called quickening.
- A fetus born at the end of 24 weeks may survive in a neonatal intensive care unit.
WebMD says this about a baby after six months:
“By the end of the sixth month, your baby is about 12 inches long and weighs about 2 pounds. their skin is reddish in color, wrinkled, and veins are visible through the baby’s translucent skin. Baby’s finger and toe prints are visible. The eyelids begin to part and the eyes open.
“Your baby may respond to sounds by moving or increasing the pulse, and you may notice jerking motions if baby hiccups.”
The Sixth Commandment is “Do not murder” (Ex. 20:13).
I respectfully call on Neighbors Electric Co. to do the right thing, protect life, respect their community’s values, and stop all work on the abortion chamber in Vinton.
–Scott Dreyer
