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an open letter to the Mayor of Twin Falls, ID
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Dear Mr. Mayor,
It was a humble kindness from God to participate in a blessed experience as a tax paying citizen of the City of Twin Falls, Idaho, my home for the past 18 years (and counting) where this past Monday (Aug. 1, 2019) I was given a generous spot on the agenda of a very busy city council meeting.
That moment when I was introduced by you to address the council with my proposed ordinance to speak for the unborn in the city of Twin Falls, was among the most humble moments I have ever experienced in this temporal day.
- The day of my salvation, when I was shown I was deserving of the wrath of God but given mercy and grace, what a day.
- The day I vowed “I do” on December 20, 1986, what a day.
- The births of my sons, their wedding days, and the news of grandchildren, o what days.
- The day I stood before the Twin Falls City Council to appeal for the consideration of adopting city code that would forbid any person or organization from murdering our neighbors, what a day.
This was not a religion trying to impose a practice or system upon another, this was a day that this citizen stood before you, with over 250 neighbors, to interpose for other neighbors at risk, at risk of murder. As you know, statistically speaking, 5 of our neighbors are murdered every week in the city limits of Twin Falls. That puts the city of Twin Falls, Idaho among the most deadly cities to live in in all of Idaho. Not deadly because of natural causes or accidental death, this is the kind of premeditated murder that is given a legal permission to not properly prosecute the perpetrator, making this even more severe.
Where I was given a generous time to introduce my draft ordinance to the council, I was surprised that you overlooked my attempt to speak after several false claims were made by some of the council members. I have found you to lead fairly and patiently enduring disruptive citizens from time to time. But this conclusion was not at all like those previously witnessed. This was a quick and speedy conclusion to vote. I respect that this was a majority vote 4 to 3 to not consider further dialog on my appeal and not a decision of one single person. Any one of the four who voted not to discuss this further could have voted differently.
- Councilman Talkington, could have been consistent with his earlier statement to give longer consideration with legal council on the ordinance.
- Councilman Lanting, could have shown compassion to the citizens while still expressing concern about tax payer money to have a longer conversation about the life of babies who will never be able to pay taxes. The discussion of money really showed to be more important than the concern of neighbors at risk of murder.
- Councilwoman Pierce could have acted on her “pro-life” position when given the moment to actually consider the plight of our neighbor.
- You, Mr. Mayor, could have voted to give further discussion to investigate the appeal of a citizen without compromising your own values.
I’ve witnessed my city give long and slow consideration to far less important matters. We accommodated several public meetings to talk about smoking in the city. We’ve heard talk about butterflies and honey bees for months. We form citizen committees to be a voice for “under represented” citizens. Apparently, our neighbor in the womb will continue to be an altogether un-represented neighbor.
I am thankful for the intention of Councilwoman Hawkins’ motion with intent to give serious consideration with the aid of legal council and go down the normal slow path with care and interest to the request and the protection of the city while expressing serious concern for the murderous activity happening in the city. Her motion was crafted with humanitarian interest and fiduciary responsibility to the city. Consistent with Councilwoman Hawkins’ tenure.
The other two, Councilman Reid and Councilwoman Boyd, voting in favor of her motion were willing to consider the plight of the innocent in light of the threat of legal lawsuit showed their concern of life over money. This doesn’t mean we ignore the possibility, it means we take time to weigh out if it is indeed a real possibility, not just an empty threat.
But not even one moment to take a deep breath to think about what a city can do for preserving lives of all its citizens? Not even a moment of silence to acknowledge one of the more than 2,000 neighbors murdered in our city by a tyrant company who has no interest in innocent lives of babies.
You, Mr. Mayor, actually made my point better than I did when you brought up the other laws in Title 6 – Public Safety of our city code. When the city of Twin Falls introduced an ordinance in 1958 forbidding prostitution or homes of “ill fame” was it legal in the state? If so, and it was, then why could the city of Twin Falls forbid it from happening when it was not illegal at the state level?
It wasn’t that long ago that the city of Twin Falls voted to change the law of how long a bar can be open in the city. The state of Idaho regulates it at 2 a.m. Until the city of Twin Falls decided to change it’s code, a bar had to close at 1 a.m. Cities can have laws that are more strict than the state and federal.
These are only a few of many reasons I think a longer discussion would have been a fair discussion for the city to have. Not to mention Idaho code gives local municipalities the authority to govern their cities and counties.
The action of the majority has communicated to the public that the City of Twin Falls is willing to live in fear of the ones holding our children hostage and demanding we obey their every demand while they slowly kill off our neighbor.
The city of Twin Falls will be written about some day. You see, by the grace of God, a day will come when the nation will wake up from this drunk stupor and be shown the brutality of allowing the murdering of babies in the womb. The city of Twin Falls will be on the list of the equivalence of a concentration camp in Nazi Germany and its horrific gas chambers and mass graves of innocent neighbors.
May the kindness of God lead the city council of Twin Falls to repentance.
Until Christs’ return, my death, or justice is given to my unborn neighbor, I will not be silent.
Paul Thompson
A tax paying, property owning citizen, of the City of Twin Falls, ID
—— edited for misspelling and grammar 4:38 p.m. on August 9, 2019 ——
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