The 20 week abortion ban in Albuquerque, New Mexico was voted down this past Tuesday in a significant victory for women's health and the continuing fight for reproductive freedom. The proposed ban was the first of its kind to challenge abortion laws on a municipal level rather than on the typical state level. Operation Rescue, an extremely well known and radical anti-choice organization is said to have spent millions of dollars on this new tactic to prevent women from seeking late-term abortions. Albuquerque is home to one of the only abortion clinics in the country that provides abortion services throughout the third trimester and it is frequently women from other states that have to travel to New Mexico in order to utilize this otherwise inaccessible procedure.
The voting results were 45 percent in support of and 55 percent against, the participation rate in the vote was approximately 25% of all registered voters.
The proposed ban was led by Bud and Tara Shaver, Christian missionaries and extreme antiabortion activists. This couple moved from Kansas to New Mexico to try and shut down the Southwestern Women’s Options clinic, one of two late-term abortion providers in the region. Tara Shaver stated: "When we moved here three years ago, our goal was just to bring awareness to what was happening here. This is a little deviation from that. We're going to move forward and keep focusing on that and keep strengthening our effort in the streets." LA TIMES
The ordinance did not include an exception in the case of rape or incest; only in the case of preserving the mothers life. It was in part due to the extreme nature of the bill that many people ending up voting against it.
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Real Art Ways: AFTER TILLER
I was finally able to view the much anticipated documentary by Martha Shane and Lana Wilson, After Tiller. The documentary was released September 20th, but with limited showings in limited cities. I hoped that the film would come close enough to Western Ma. for me to make the trip. Luckily REAL ART WAYS CINEMA in Hartford, CT will be showing After Tiller until Thursday, Nov.14th. I strongly encourage everyone to to go and view this film.
The premise behind After Tiller is a behind the scenes look centering around the four remaining late-term abortion doctors left in the United States after George Tiller was murdered. Dr. Tiller was targeted by anti-abortion zealots, specifically the nationally known organization Operation Rescue for much of his career.He was shot five times in 1993 by an anti-abortion extremist and was murdered with a single gun shot to the forehead while serving as an usher in church in 2009 in Wichita, Kansas. All four doctors, Susan Robinson, Shelly Sella, Leroy Carhart and Warren Hern knew Tiller as a colleague, mentor and friend.
While all of the Doctors are well spoken and compelling, Susan Robinson comes across as especially poignant and relatable. When she speaks to her motivation for providing late-term abortions she says, "What really got me interested was when they started shooting doctors." She goes on to say that there are two possible reactions when dealing with bullies, shying away and becoming quiet or sticking your neck out and fighting back, she aligns herself with the latter option. It is Dr. Robinson who utters some of the films simplest and most memorable quotes such as, "Of course you don't want an abortion, nobody wants an abortion" and my personal favorite, "You have choices, they all suck."
The documentary aims to make no other point than to demonstrate the complex reality behind third trimester abortions. The women are not monsters who were too lazy to obtain a first or second trimester abortion. There are very real variables which come in to play with third trimester abortions such as fetal anomalies, economic and or geographic factors and the mental and physical well being of the mother. The film drives home the point that these Doctors are all people, each patient has different circumstance and no single law or judge can determine what "should" happen to women, their offspring and their families. While the documentary is certainly not opposed to anyone changing their mind on the subject matter- that clearly isn't the goal of the film. Is it unbiased? No, it isn't. The film asks at a base level that you hold your judgement and condemnation at bay, view women as the most important human beings first and look at each circumstance on an individual level- in return After Tiller presents you with real women and real stories that are both complex and heart breaking.
One women in just such a situation offers this sentiment: "It's guilt no matter which way you go. Guilt if you go ahead and do what we're doing or if you bring them into this world and then he doesn't have any quality of life." After Tiller asks that you let the women and the doctors decide the impossible and hope you aren't ever put in the same situation. After Tiller demonstrates the reality that there are those who are put in that situation every day. Unfortunately, there are and will continue to be women who find out that a very wanted pregnancy is going to end in a death and I think they should have the respect and dignity afforded to them to dictate the circumstance of that death. Will there always be a doctor to safely and legally guide them through the process? There are many who hope not but as Dr. Leroy Carhart states in the film, "If I just give up and stop doing anything after twenty weeks some women may get desperate and do things on their own, this is something that needs to be done."
After Tiller will be playing in Hartford CT. until Nov.14th and general admission is $10. For more information and screenings at other locations visit After Tiller
The premise behind After Tiller is a behind the scenes look centering around the four remaining late-term abortion doctors left in the United States after George Tiller was murdered. Dr. Tiller was targeted by anti-abortion zealots, specifically the nationally known organization Operation Rescue for much of his career.He was shot five times in 1993 by an anti-abortion extremist and was murdered with a single gun shot to the forehead while serving as an usher in church in 2009 in Wichita, Kansas. All four doctors, Susan Robinson, Shelly Sella, Leroy Carhart and Warren Hern knew Tiller as a colleague, mentor and friend.
While all of the Doctors are well spoken and compelling, Susan Robinson comes across as especially poignant and relatable. When she speaks to her motivation for providing late-term abortions she says, "What really got me interested was when they started shooting doctors." She goes on to say that there are two possible reactions when dealing with bullies, shying away and becoming quiet or sticking your neck out and fighting back, she aligns herself with the latter option. It is Dr. Robinson who utters some of the films simplest and most memorable quotes such as, "Of course you don't want an abortion, nobody wants an abortion" and my personal favorite, "You have choices, they all suck."
The documentary aims to make no other point than to demonstrate the complex reality behind third trimester abortions. The women are not monsters who were too lazy to obtain a first or second trimester abortion. There are very real variables which come in to play with third trimester abortions such as fetal anomalies, economic and or geographic factors and the mental and physical well being of the mother. The film drives home the point that these Doctors are all people, each patient has different circumstance and no single law or judge can determine what "should" happen to women, their offspring and their families. While the documentary is certainly not opposed to anyone changing their mind on the subject matter- that clearly isn't the goal of the film. Is it unbiased? No, it isn't. The film asks at a base level that you hold your judgement and condemnation at bay, view women as the most important human beings first and look at each circumstance on an individual level- in return After Tiller presents you with real women and real stories that are both complex and heart breaking.
One women in just such a situation offers this sentiment: "It's guilt no matter which way you go. Guilt if you go ahead and do what we're doing or if you bring them into this world and then he doesn't have any quality of life." After Tiller asks that you let the women and the doctors decide the impossible and hope you aren't ever put in the same situation. After Tiller demonstrates the reality that there are those who are put in that situation every day. Unfortunately, there are and will continue to be women who find out that a very wanted pregnancy is going to end in a death and I think they should have the respect and dignity afforded to them to dictate the circumstance of that death. Will there always be a doctor to safely and legally guide them through the process? There are many who hope not but as Dr. Leroy Carhart states in the film, "If I just give up and stop doing anything after twenty weeks some women may get desperate and do things on their own, this is something that needs to be done."
After Tiller will be playing in Hartford CT. until Nov.14th and general admission is $10. For more information and screenings at other locations visit After Tiller
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Where You Live=How Many Rights You Have
The Texas legislature wasted no time in overturning a Federal Judges decision to rule an unnecessary requirement of all abortion Doctors being granted admitting privileges to a hospital within 30 miles unconstitutional.
On Monday, Oct. 28th, U.S. Judge Lee Yeakel issued a ruling that requiring Doctors to hold admitting privileges at a hospital no less than 30 miles from each clinic "places a substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion of a nonviable fetus and is thus an undue burden to her." Hospitals are not required to grant any Doctors admitting privileges and many have requirements attached that prevent abortion doctors from qualifying. Many Doctors who perform abortions in Texas fly in from out of state and seldom admit patients to local hospitals because it is rarely necessary to do so. In the initial decision, Judge Yeakel noted that requiring admitting privileges had no bearing on safety because in the rare event of an emergency, patients will be rushed to the nearest hospital and treated the same way regardless.
The three judge circuit court in New Orleans, cited a Supreme Court statement in an earlier abortion case that if a regulation serves a valid purpose, the fact that it has “the incidental effect of making it more difficult or more expensive to procure an abortion cannot be enough to invalidate it.
But seeing as though the regulation itself does nothing BUT cause undue burden on women seeking abortion services the very core of Roe. V. Wade is being challenged. If Doctors cannot receive admitting privileges because hospitals can deny them without any legitimate reason but at the same time those hospitals must admit any patients that need emergency services due to an abortion complication it's pretty obvious that the regulation is only in place to force abortion clinics to close their doors. How can an entirely needless regulation that in essences slams the door to an accessible abortion for many women NOT create undue burden?
President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America Cecile Richards stated: "This fight is far from over. This restriction clearly violates Texas women's constitutional rights by drastically reducing access to safe and legal abortion statewide."
The admitting privileges law can take full effect "temporarily" until a complete hearing can be held, likely to occur in early January 2014. In the meantime as usual, the effects will be felt by the women- all who deserve the privacy and dignity of making their own decisions about their own bodies and their own lives.
On Monday, Oct. 28th, U.S. Judge Lee Yeakel issued a ruling that requiring Doctors to hold admitting privileges at a hospital no less than 30 miles from each clinic "places a substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion of a nonviable fetus and is thus an undue burden to her." Hospitals are not required to grant any Doctors admitting privileges and many have requirements attached that prevent abortion doctors from qualifying. Many Doctors who perform abortions in Texas fly in from out of state and seldom admit patients to local hospitals because it is rarely necessary to do so. In the initial decision, Judge Yeakel noted that requiring admitting privileges had no bearing on safety because in the rare event of an emergency, patients will be rushed to the nearest hospital and treated the same way regardless.
The three judge circuit court in New Orleans, cited a Supreme Court statement in an earlier abortion case that if a regulation serves a valid purpose, the fact that it has “the incidental effect of making it more difficult or more expensive to procure an abortion cannot be enough to invalidate it.
But seeing as though the regulation itself does nothing BUT cause undue burden on women seeking abortion services the very core of Roe. V. Wade is being challenged. If Doctors cannot receive admitting privileges because hospitals can deny them without any legitimate reason but at the same time those hospitals must admit any patients that need emergency services due to an abortion complication it's pretty obvious that the regulation is only in place to force abortion clinics to close their doors. How can an entirely needless regulation that in essences slams the door to an accessible abortion for many women NOT create undue burden?
President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America Cecile Richards stated: "This fight is far from over. This restriction clearly violates Texas women's constitutional rights by drastically reducing access to safe and legal abortion statewide."
The admitting privileges law can take full effect "temporarily" until a complete hearing can be held, likely to occur in early January 2014. In the meantime as usual, the effects will be felt by the women- all who deserve the privacy and dignity of making their own decisions about their own bodies and their own lives.
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