Your government is moving to deny women here, and all over the world, the right to birth control and abortion.
2006
has banned abortion, and other states are gearing up to do the same.
The South Dakota
law only makes an exception in cases where a woman’s life is at risk (not
for rape or incest), prohibits the sale of emergency contraception, and claims
that life begins at fertilization. Doctors who perform abortion would be
charged with a crime.
This is truly a state of emergency for the lives and rights of women. If this law is upheld, it will consign many
women to dangerous back-alley abortions.
This nightmare is not a future we can accept. Now is the time to act.
Anti-abortion groups and politicians see an opportunity to overturn Roe v. Wade
now with the federal courts (including the Supreme Court) increasingly stacked
with far-Right fundamentalist Bush appointees and are viciously seizing it. Disgusting as it is, this opportunity is real.
South Dakota State
Rep. Roger Hunt:
“I’m convinced that the timing is right for this. The strong possibility of a third appointee
sometime soon makes this all very real and very viable. I think it will all
culminate at the right time.”
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts:
“We continue to believe that Roe was wrongly decided and should be
overruled.”
Justice Samuel A. Alito:
“The Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion”
President Bush in telephoned message to
anti-choice rally on roe v. wade anniversary:
“One of my first acts as the President was to ban the use of
taxpayer money on programs that promote abortion overseas. I want to thank you all for getting that ban
on partial-birth abortion to my desk, a bill I was proud to sign) By changing
laws we can change our culture.”
This abortion ban in South Dakota
is one more leap on a deadly trajectory towards banning abortion (and birth
control), and imposing a narrow and hateful brand of Christian fundamentalism
on society. And this is part of the Bush
regime’s whole program of unjust imperial wars on the world, torture, and a
fascist remaking of society.
But this cannot be allowed to go any further. As the Call from World Can’t Wait puts it, “silence and paralysis are NOT acceptable.
That which you will not resist and
mobilize to stop, you will learn ( or be forced ( to accept. There is no
escaping it: the whole disastrous course of this Bush regime must be STOPPED.
And we must take the responsibility to do it.”
The refusal of the Democrats to oppose these moves to ban
abortion is all the more reason for millions of people to take independent
political action to stop these attacks on the right to choose, and reverse the
whole direction of society these attacks are a part of. When leading Democrats like Sen. Hillary Clinton call abortion a “sad,
even tragic choice” and urge “common ground” with fascists and
religious fanatics, it is up to us to defend women’s right to choose. Face it: the Bush regime and its
fundamentalist supporters are setting the agenda on abortion and everything
else right now, and the Democrats are falling in line. We need to get our own dynamic going,
mobilizing resistance to each new outrage and building a movement to drive out
the Bush regime.
The World Can’t Wait ( Drive Out the Bush Regime is
mobilizing public protests ( rallies, marches, street theater, forums, banner
drops, etc. ( all this week to repudiate this ban on abortion and the whole
trajectory it is a part of. Contact a
local chapter near you, or print out copies of this flyer and hold your own actions.
www.worldcantwait.org 866-973-4463
Download this flyer and distribute it along with the Call to drive out the Bush regime.
Here are some ideas about what you can do:
-
Join in the “Stand Up for Sout Dakota” rallies organized by Planned Parenthood all across the country on Thursday, March 9 (click here).
Organize
demonstrations repudiating the law in South Dakota & the whole Bush program. -
Take
part in International Women’s Day, March 8th events. -
Make
banners & posters that say “Your government is moving to deny women
here and all over the world access to birth control and abortion. The World Can’t Wait! Drive Out the Bush Regime!” Get them out everywhere. -
Get
thousands of people in your town to wear red cloth on their lapel. -
Write
letters to the editor of your local newspaper about how criminal and
immoral this law is. Also post
statements on your Myspace or blog. -
Put
out a call to all prominent people in your area to speak out against this
law, attacks on reproductive rights, and the Bush Regime. -
Have a
screening of a Handmaids Tale followed by a discussion on how the Bush
regime is moving things in a fascistic direction. -
Partake
in National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers on March 10th
for what to do visit http://www.refuseandresist.org/ab/march10/2005/index.html -
Send
e-mails to everyone who told you when they outlaw abortion they’ll act.