(Great BOR reader diary about family planning. It's clear that these cuts aren't about saving money, but rather harming women and families. - promoted by Katherine Haenschen)
While Texas has some of the nation's toughest restrictions on reproductive health care, it has also drastically cut funding to family planning centers. At the same time the state has increased funding to so-called crisis pregnancy centers (CPC), which has decreased the access women have to reproductive health care in the state. In Rick Perry's Texas, women are not trusted to make their own reproductive health care decisions.
What with the Dan Patrick's sonogram bill probably hitting the Senate floor tomorrow and Texas women taking yet another step back towards the bad old days, some Dem. State Senators are certainly playing it coy with their constituents and their colleagues.
Sen. Carlos Uresti's office got upwards to 150 calls from constituents yesterday urging him to stand with his colleagues against SB 16. He's received calls from Dem. leaders from all over the state. Sen. Mario Gallegos asked him personally to block SB 16 this week so he could be at the hospital when his daughter gave birth to a new grandbaby.
Uresti sought out the support of the Planned Parenthood's C4 Action Fund in his district. He's indicated he was extremely uncomfortable with the gross over-reaching by Sen. Patrick in SB 16.
Is he standing with his constituents? Is he keeping his word? Looks like no.
Redistricting is coming around and he's up in 2012. I don't think you even need to live in the district to run in the primary the first election after redistricting. Nonetheless the good people of Sen. Dist. 19 deserve better than this weasel posing as a Dem. State Sen. There are women in this state that will work for a real Democrat in the primary.
The culture wars have been largely absent from the national debate over the last few years. However, over the course of the last several months the culture wars have begun to heat up over the debates over immigration, religion, and gay rights. Among the issues that has been absent from the national debate has been reproductive rights, although abortion has been a secondary issue in some of the debates. In the campaign for Congressional District 17 there are several differences between the candidates, and the differences between the candidates on reproductive rights might be the most stark.
While Congressman Chet Edwards has a moderate voting record on several issues, Edwards has been reliably progressive in supporting reproductive rights and protecting a woman's right to choose. According to Project Vote Smart, Edwards has received high marks on legislative report cards released by pro-choice organizations for his voting record on reproductive rights. NARAL Pro-Choice America resented rated Edwards' voting record as supporting reproductive rights 100% in 2009, and Edwards supported the interests of Planned Parenthood 85% of the time in 2008. From 2007-2008 the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association rated Edwards has supporting reproductive rights 100%. Edwards has vote for protecting women's reproductive rights on several key pieces of legislation.
Edwards voted against the so-called Stupak Amendment (H.AMDT.509) in the health care reform legislation that not only prevents federal fund from being used to provide women with reproductive health care through federally funded programs, but also prevented women from receiving reproductive health care in private insurance plans if they used tax credits or federal subsidies. In 2006 Edwards vote against the so called "Abortion Pain Bill" (HR 6099) which would have mandated that a physician provide a woman seeking to terminate a pregnancy medically questionable and medically inaccurate information. In 2005 Edwards vote for an amendment (H.AMDT.209) that would have lifted the ban on privately funded abortions at US military facilities overseas, a ban that prevents women from having the choice to terminate a pregnancy who are serving their country in uniform.
This Thursday, the Austin City Council will take up an item that will ensure that women of Central Texas are no longer taken advantage of by so-called "Crisis Pregnancy Centers" when they try to seek information and health care. Council Member Bill Spelman has sponsored an ordinance that will require these CPC's to disclose on their windows that they do not actually offer women the full range of their reproductive rights, from abortion to birth control.
Importantly, Austin will become only the second city in America to require this important disclosure, and enable our women to make informed decisions about their reproductive rights. From Council Member Spelman's Office, emphasis mine:
Limited service pregnancy centers are also known as crisis pregnancy centers. Most centers' clients are young, low-income women seeking urgent information about their unintended pregnancy or about birth control options. Limited service pregnancy centers most commonly provide free or low-cost pregnancy testing, adoptions counseling, and short-term material assistance for women with an unplanned pregnancy.
However, these facilities do not offer or refer for abortion or comprehensive birth control services and frequently fail to advise their clients of these important options.
Spelman's proposed ordinance would ensure that women are informed about the range of services offered by an Austin limited service pregnancy center by requiring the centers to post a sign disclosing that the facility does not offer or refer for abortion or comprehensive birth control services.
As proposed, the ordinance does not compel a limited service pregnancy center to say anything that its operators do not believe in or to provide services to which they object. "This is a consumer awareness measure," Spelman stated, "that helps women make safe, healthy, informed, and responsible decisions."
Frankly, these so-called "Crisis Pregnancy Centers" are an affront to a woman's right to choose. Imagine a woman seeking honest information about her reproductive and health options--and instead being fed a bunch of erroneous, intentionally misleading information. NARAL has great research on how harmful these CPC's are to the health and reproductive freedom of women:
CPCs in Texas and nationwide have a history of misleading pregnant women and teens by using inaccurate medical information and religious literature. Because these programs are funded by taxpayer dollars, the programs are controversial at best, and at worst endanger women's health and violate the Federal Charitable Choice Act.
These CPC's tell women they'll get breast cancer if they have an abortion. The workers describe a bogus "post-abortion stress syndrome." They ask women to imagine a vacuum in their uterus and how it might feel. NARAL's compilation of details about visits to these snake-oil salesmen are horrifying. These CPC's prey on women during some of the most difficult, challenging times in their lives.
And while the City of Austin cannot shut them down, at least the city can require a full disclosure of what services are and are not offered, and help women who want to exercise their right to choose seek out a provider who recognizes the validity of not only Roe v Wade but Griswold v Connecticut.
Want to weigh in? NARAL Pro-Choice Texas has two ways for you to show support for the women of Central Texas:
Email the Austin City Council members today and let them know that you support this important ordinance which will protect Austin women. It's quick and easy. Click here to be redirected to NARAL's site.
Join NARAL in support of this ordinance at the City Council meeting being held at City Hall tomorrow, April 8, 2010 at 10:00 a.m.
Thanks to the staff in Council Member Bill Spelman's office for providing this information to Burnt Orange Report, and a hearty thank you to Council Member Spelman for introducing this ordinance that will help protect the rights of women seeking reproductive care here in Austin.
The anti-choice protest 40 Days for Life began yesterday, and for the next forty days clients of Planned Parenthood will be subjected to harassment from protesters. The protest, which takes place during the forty days of Lent and forty days in the fall, focuses on reproductive health care facilities and specifically on Planned Parenthood. This protest has been happening for several years and each year they have expanded the protest to more locations around the country. However, locally the protest has received less media coverage and the amount of protesters who have continued the vigil throughout the protest has also diminished. But, something is different this time.
What makes this 40 Days for Life different is that it is the first protest since the former director of Planned Parenthood Abby Johnson resigned, and joined the organizer of the protest the Coalition for Life. When Johnson first resigned I was among the first to question the validity of the claims that she made against Planned Parenthood. Recently investigations by Texas Monthly, and the Texas Observer also raised questions about the legitimacy her conversion. Fellow KEOS radio show host and blogger, Shelly Blair, was interview for both of those stories, and appeared on Biased Transmission last night and gave more insight into those events.
The Coalition for Life holds an annual fundraiser to finance its anti-choice agenda, and each year the even usually attracts about 1,500 people to hear a pro-life speaker. Last year former Arkansas governor and 2008 Republican primary presidential candidate Mike Huckabee spoke at the event. This year it is expected that former Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson will speak at the event, but it was announced that the keynote speaker will be former Florida governor Jeb Bush.
According to the Coalition for Life's web site the reason that they have invited the former governor to speak at the event is because "Jeb Bush has been very consistent in keeping a pro-life record." Among the reasons that the Coalition cited for this invitation was also the former governor's "attempted to have the unborn child of a severely disabled woman be appointed a court guardian."
In 2003 22-year-old woman living in a group home in Florida was raped, the woman was mentally disabled and had the cognitive and emotional capacity of a 1-year-old child. In addition to this she also suffered from cerebral palsy, autism and was prone to violent seizures. These conditions would make it very difficult for a woman to carry a pregnancy to term, in fact death is a real possibility if a woman with these conditions where to attempt to deliver the baby. Despite these facts then Governor Bush decided that it was more important to ensure that the pregnancy was carried to term, and that the abortion that could save the mother's life should be prevented from happening. Because of the ensuing legal battle the woman was forced to carry the pregnancy to term despite the risk, but a Florida appeals court panel later ruled that the action could not be taken by the state.
For over a year and a half I have been a volunteer escort at the Planned Parenthood reproductive health care facility in Bryan, Texas; this particular facility is located in a town home to arguably the most conservative public university, Texas A&M, and is known as one of the most anti-choice areas in the country. Located just steps from Planned Parenthood is an organization that opposes reproductive rights, the Coalition for Life. The fence that surrounds Planned Parenthood serves as the frontline between those that support reproductive rights and those that opposed reproductive rights. This week someone crossed from one side of the fence to the other: the director of the Planned Parenthood joined the Coalition for Life. How could something like this happen? The story is more complicated than the mainstream media is reporting.
Early on Saturday mornings, the days during which surgical abortions are performed; I arrive at Planned Parenthood and walk through the double doors and sign-in on the volunteer check-in sheet. I put on the yellow and orange volunteer vest, and check out a security badge. Over the next several hours I spend my morning escorting clients into the facility. Volunteer escorts meet clients at their cars and welcome them to Planned Parenthood, and as soon as the clients open their car doors the protesters being shouting through the fence. Escorts simply walk clients from their automobiles to the front door of the facility, and this demonstrates to the clients that we are there to support them. After clients leave the facility escorts walk the clients back to their automobiles, and then ensure that they have a clear path out of the driveway.
The protesters outside of the facility will shout through the fence at the clients the entire time they are arriving and leaving. Also, the protesters will stand along the driveway holding brochures and pamphlets while attempting to get the clients attention. The brochures and pamphlets include factually inaccurate information and intellectually dishonest claims. Often the false link between abortion and breast cancer is claimed in the literature, despite the fact that according to the American Cancer Society "the scientific evidence does not support the notion that abortion of any kind raises the risk of breast cancer." Also, the claim is made that women who have abortions will suffer "post-abortion syndrome," however, "post-abortion syndrome" is not recognized as a legitimate medical condition by either the American Psychological Association (APA) or the American Psychiatric Association.
It was during these mornings that I met Abby Johnson, the director of the Planned Parenthood in Bryan. Johnson was always open to talk about the issues dealing with reproductive rights, and I have always known her to be an outspoken and an opinionated advocate of reproductive rights. Sometimes Johnson would visit with the volunteer escorts in front of the facility, and complaints about the protesters seemed to always be one of the topics of conversation. When it comes to the protesters Abby had plenty to complain about. As a volunteer and then later as an employ of Planned Parenthood, she had seen times when the protesters were much more aggressive and much more hostile towards the clients, volunteers, and employees. In fact Johnson herself has been the victim of harassment, and even death threats. While Coalition for Life does not claim responsibility for the actions of all of the protesters, the Coalition for Life facilitates an atmosphere that contributes to those actions.
Every day during 40 Days for Life protesters stand in front of the fence at the Planned Parenthood in Bryan, and every day they spread misinformation and lies to the patients that utilize the clinic for reproductive health care. The protesters regularly attempt to pass information to the clients of Planned Parenthood both verbally and in written form. However, much of the information that the protesters try and give the clients is both intellectually dishonest and factually incorrect. Often false information is given about the services provided at Planned Parenthood and the facts about abortion and reproductive health care.
One of the pamphlets that are often given to clients, titled "10 Reasons to Avoid Planned Parenthood," includes several factual inaccuracies and misrepresentations. The first claim listed is that the services at Planned Parenthood focus only abortion, and that while over 6,000 abortions were performed less than 300 women received prenatal care. The truth is that according to annual reports abortion only makes up 7% of the total services provided at Planned Parenthood. Also Planned Parenthood does provide both prenatal care and adoption refers for women that chose not to terminate a pregnancy.
According to the Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas 2006 annual report, 87% of the patients visited Planned Parenthood for family planning: 89,611 out of the 103,004 patients. Also, 4,969 people were tested for HIV and counseled on prevention. Only 6,811 patients who visited all of the area Planned Parenthoods, including the Houston metropolitan area and Bryan-College Station, terminated pregnancies.
Another distortion of the facts include implying that surgical abortions are dangerous, even though less than 0.3% of abortion patients experience a complication that requires hospitalization.
The anti-choice movement is not about abortion, but then again, the pro-choice movement is not about abortion either.
Today marks the first day of 40 Days for Life, an anti-choice movement that began in College Station, Texas. In 2004 the Coalition for Life began protesting outside of the Planned Parenthood in Bryan, Texas for the forty days of Lent. Protest of Planned Parenthood is nothing new, however, this protest was held for twenty-four hours a day for forty straight days. Throughout the day and night protesters stood in front of the fence with their heads bowed, or stood on the sidewalk holding up protest signs. Over the last several years the 40 Days for Life protest have expanded to twice a year, and according to the web site has spread 212 cities throughout the United States and in two other countries. Word has spread through social networking sites, and also through church communities.
The Coalition for Life likes to characterize the protest as peaceful, and emphasizes the prayer and display of protest signs. However, protesters regularly verbally target patients, volunteer escorts, and Planned Parenthood employees. The medical staff that works at Planned Parenthood has regularly been targets of verbal abuse, and some of the staff has received death threats. The volunteer escorts, who walk patients from their cars and are there as a welcoming presence, are also targeted by the protesters. The moment that a patient opens their car door the protesters begin shouting through the fence, and giving false information about reproductive health care and Planned Parenthood. In the past the Coalition for Life has distanced themselves from actions taken by protesters at Planned Parenthood, and does not take responsibility for the actions of the protesters.
Since the Supreme Court issued its decision on Roe v. Wade there has been a struggle in the United States over reproductive rights, and that struggle has included violence. This year for the first time since 1998 an abortion provider was murdered, and the rhetoric of the anti-choice movement has become increasingly vicious. After the murder of George Tiller in his church earlier this year, there is only one doctor in the country that specializes in late term abortions; Doctor Warren Hern is now the only place for women in the most difficult of circumstances to go if they need a late term abortion.
One of the most tragic things in the reproductive rights protest is the stories of women who have been actively involved in the anti-choice movement who then either desire or need an abortion. Those in the reproductive health care field have told me stories of patients that consider themselves pro-life but felt that their situation was justified. A doctor that performs abortion in Arkansas has told me stories of anti-choice protesters who would bring in their crying daughters to have an abortion at the very facility that they protested with the parents. In an article in Esquire magazine, Doctor Hern described one incident with a teenage patient:
"What brings you here? he asked. I have to have an abortion. Why? I'm not old enough to have a baby. But you told the counselor we should all be killed? Yes, you should all be killed. Why? Because you do abortions. Me too? Yes, you should be killed too. Do you want me killed before or after I do your abortion? Before."
There has been a discussion in the last few months of the extremism that has been surfacing in the public discourse over several issues and the most prominent of the issues is currently health care. The rhetoric from conservative lawmakers, commentators, and the blogosphere has been increasingly severe, although they have repeatedly denounced violence while invoking increasing vicious rhetoric. Across the country townhall meetings have erupted with constituents, who may have legitimate concerns, shouting down lawmakers and invoking violent and distasteful images; North Carolina Congressman Brad Miller received a death threat because of his support for the health care reform proposed by Congress.
However, this situation has been present in the reproductive rights debate for decades, and now that the relative calm of the Bush Administration is over another wave of violence may be around the corner. The murder of Doctor Tiller is not an isolated incident, nor was it perpetrated by a "lone wolf." Scott Roeder, the man accused of murdering Doctor Tiller, is involved in a fanatical network of anti-choice activist. According to a report by the Kansas City Star, since Roeder's arrest he has been visited in jail by the man behind the Army of God web site, two convicted clinic bombers, and several other radical anti-choice activists. One of the activists that visit Roeder said that they "support the shooting of George Tiller as justifiable homicide." This also comes after Roeder made a threat after Doctor Tiller's murder that there are "many other similar events planned around the country as long as abortion remains legal."
