Tomorrow is the 34th Anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. Feminist Women's Health Center has a lot of great links- many related to education and action, and one for you to read the complete text of the court's decision.
With the attempt to ban abortion in South Dakota, and other attempts to ban abortion or restrict access to safe and legal abortions around the country, we clearly need to remain vigilant in our efforts to protect a woman's right to choose. Of course, I don't need to tell you what you already know. What I would like to do is provide you with some links so that you can take action during the week of this important Anniversary to protect women everywhere. So please, read on and do what you can.
National Abortion Federation has an activist page where you'll find 31 ways to get involved, how to be a 5 minute activist (if you're short on time), and lots of other really helpful information on what to say when you contact your Representatives. The most important thing you can do is tell your story. 43% of American women will have an abortion before they are 45 years old. We need to tell our stories so that we can help make sure abortion remains safe and legal.
Center for Reproductive Rights provides a Toolkit for Action. (Multiple PDF's there, just so you know) Use the information in the toolkit as you write your letters to the editor and to your Representatives.
Here's what they have to say about the Toolkit:
"Despite wide international legal support for a woman’s right to access safe and legal abortion, the procedure still remains unsafe and out of reach for many women around the globe. The Center’s publication Making Abortion Safe, Legal and Accessible: A Toolkit for Action is a valuable resource for abortion rights advocates and policymakers who are working to reform abortion laws in restrictive settings.
The toolkit packages together the most compelling arguments for liberalizing laws regulating abortion. It consists of eight briefing papers on abortion, which cover human rights, public health, global laws, adolescents, and religious perspectives."
I obviously have problems with some of the decisions made by NARAL during election years, but I think their research and action items are still helpful. Who Decides is a page that provides information on State and Federal laws, as well as maps so that you can compare, and a "Key Issues" page that gives you a sense of the more recent debates taking place around the country.
Please visit their action page and do what you can. If you're prioritizing because you're short on time, these two are both really important:
-- Ask pharmacies to stock and fill Plan B prescriptions.
-- Help secure accurate Sex-Ed in our schools.
There was some good and some bad news for Choice in 2006 according to NARAL's report (link above).
Here's a summary:
- The number of states with fully anti-choice governments decreased from 19 to 14.
- States considered 470 pro-choice measures in 2006; 187 of these were Prevention First measures.
- Every state with a regular legislative session considered pro-choice legislation in 2006, except for the District of Columbia, Idaho, and Mississippi.
- States considered 650 anti-choice measures in 2006, a six-percent increase from 2005.
- 17 states enacted 45 anti-choice measures in 2006, a 22-percent decrease from 2005.
- Every state with a regular legislative session considered anti-choice legislation in 2006, except for Connecticut and the District of Columbia.
- 13 states received grades of A+, A, or A-; four states received grades of B+, B, or B-; six states received grades of C+, C, or C-; nine states received grades of D+, D-, or D; and 19 states received a failing grade of F.
Planned Parenthood has tons of educational information as well as some action for you. One action highlight:
Click here to oppose Eric Keroack, a Bush appointee who has been put in charge of Family Planning. According to PP, "Eric Keroack was the medical director of five so-called "crisis pregnancy centers" that oppose contraception and do not distribute information promoting birth control."
For more information and action items from PP, click here.
If you're in the DC area you can join NOW to Commemorate 34 Years of Reproductive Freedom tomorrow on the steps of the Supreme Court at 5pm. Bring signs, they'll bring the candles for the candlelight vigil. For more action items from NOW, click here.
Are you from Washington State? The Health Freedom Foundation has an action item for you, send a letter to your Rep to support of SB 5509.
Here are more details on the bill (or click here for the PDF link so you can read it in its entirety):
"American Association for Health Freedom (AAHF) and our Washington state chapter, WA CHOICE are pleased to announce that a groundbreaking nonpartisan bill for integrative practitioners has been introduced in Washington state. Senate Bill 5509, "Concerning disciplinary actions for health care providers regulated under chapter 18.130 RCW". This is NEW health freedom legislation that addresses the unfair attacks on health care providers simply because they are using a procedure (treatment, diagnostic, philosophy) that someone disagrees with (most cases involve no patient harm or even patient complaint)."
Some other important action items on other topics for today:
-- Ask Your Representative to Support 'Iran War Powers' Resolutions. This would require Bush to get Congressional Approval before attacking Iran.
-- Ask Congress to investigate violence against the Mexican Grey Wolf.
-- Ask Congress to Impeach Alberto Gonzalez.
-- Say no to an open-pit coal mine in the Flathead River. Seriously, what the hell is WRONG with these people that they see nothing at all wrong with destroying the remainder of our natural wonders?
-- Tell the Bush Administration to protect Polar Bears from Global Warming.