On May 17, 1993, Chattanooga’s last abortion clinic was closed. The pro-life community in the city raised $210,000 in three days and more than $300,000 in a week to purchase the abortion clinic building in a bankruptcy sale. The building was converted into a pro-life pregnancy center.
“Scores and scores of people prayed, worked and gave to end abortion in Chattanooga," said Thomas Snowden. "We thanked God when the last abortion clinic closed, and we continue to thank Him that Chattanooga has been the largest city in the country without an abortion clinic for 28 years."
Local pro-life activist Charles Wysong pioneered the Abortion Malpractice Effort. “I’ve been helping women sue abortion clinics for malpractice for 35 years now,” he said. He and his organization have offered medical, legal and emotional help to girls and women suffering physical and emotional injuries from abortion. “In cases of malpractice we assist them in finding attorneys. Abortion may be legal, but malpractice is not.”
Mr. Wysong and 11 other high-profile pro-lifers across the country were sued by Planned Parenthood in 1999 for $1 billion. Referring to the lawsuit, Mr. Wysong said, “We were sued in Federal Court in Portland, Or. in the 9th Circuit. It was a failed attempt to scare us out of the fight. Planned Parenthood saw large numbers of abortion clinics closing and doctors quitting. They had to do something. But clinics have continued to close going from 2,200 to about 550 nationwide.”
Regarding the hiring of two Planned Parenthood workers here is Chattanooga, he said, “In recent years I have been engaged in activities outside of the abortion fight, however, because of these hirings, I am in the process of opening another pro-life office that will play offense against Planned Parenthood and the rest of the abortion industry. So, we will see what happens.”
Mr. Wysong went on to say, “From the scriptures we know that a corrupt tree can only produce bad fruit. We know that there will always be legal actions against abortion clinics because they are engaged in that which is against God’s law. Today, social media makes it much easier to find women who are having problems after an abortion.”
“Abortion has two victims: one dead, one wounded,” said Eddie Killian, pastor of Believers’ Baptist Church in Ringgold. “We’re doing what we can to remember the dead and help the wounded.”