As many of you may know, massive anti-choice efforts are currently aiming to strip away our reproductive rights. The latest of these, a bill just introduced in South Dakota, goes beyond heights of immorality in this war against women:
It would literally legalize the murder of abortion providers.
House bill 1171 would expand the definition of “justifiable homicide” when the murder is intended to prevent harm to a fetus. This would be mean that it would be open season in South Dakota for doctors who perform abortions — and their killers would get away with it. The bill’s language could potentially even go as far to include the murder of pregnant women.
The bill is co-sponsored by 22 other state representatives, and has passed out of committee on a nine-to-three party-line vote. Next up, it comes to a floor vote in the GOP-controlled House of Representatives.
There are no words for the heinousness of this proposed legislation. And this is just one of a slew of other dangerous bills we’re up against:
HR3, or “The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act,” would codify the Hyde Amendment into law, restricting abortion access to millions of low-income women
HR358, or “The Protect Life Act,” would allow doctors to refuse abortion care to a pregnant woman whose life was in jeopardy – allowing women to die in the name of “protecting life”
The FY11 Continuing Resolution is seeking to eliminate Title X funding, which would effectively defund Planned Parenthood, the largest reproductive health and family planning provider in the nation
A Call to Action: Rally for Women’s Health on February 26th
It’s about time we hit the streets and fight back. Pro-choice organizations, leaders and activists are joining forces to rally for women’s health while congressmembers are in New York this month, and we need you to be there to stand with us.
Stand Up For Women’s Health!
Saturday, February 26th
Foley Square, Across from the Court House in Lower Manhattan
New York City
1-3pm
RSVP to the Facebook event here and let’s fight back against some of the most monstrous attacks on our reproductive freedom we’ve seen.
Can’t make the rally? Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for updates and other ways to take action.
From the Café: Disappearing the Word “Rape”
By Stephanie Gilmore
The Super Bowl is over, and although the Pittsburgh Steelers lost a record-setting seventh victory, star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is still grabbing a lot of media space with little chance of disappearing.
While sportswriters debated his performance in the big game, that he got there at all was deemed to be “the road to redemption,” according to several sportswriters. Just before the season began, Roethlisberger was accused of raping a 20-year-old woman, an accusation that landed him on the sidelines for the first four (originally six) games of the season. Once branded a sexual predator, suspended, and dissed in public, Roethlisberger is now revered as a football hero who may soon become a Hall of Famer.
Sportswriter Charean Williams noted that although off-the-field escapades nearly derailed Roethlisberger’s season “winning cures a lot of things. A lot of sins are forgiven.”
Even when that sin is rape.
Mostly when you read about Roethlisberger, you read that he “had sex with” a woman who accused him. What is in real danger of disappearing is not the quarterback, but any discussion of the reality of rape.
Continue reading, “Disappearing the Word “Rape” and contribute to the discussion.