A week from tomorrow folks will be lining up at the polls across the country. I know that I will be there, standing in line next to my fellow Americans (and Oklahomans) to cast my vote. Will you?
Over the last six months many organizations and groups have spent tireless hours registering people to vote. Voter registration drives make it easy for folks to register, in that they only have to fill out a form, someone even sends it in for you. But when it comes down to it, only you can go to the polls for yourself. Will you?
I've heard that people don't want to be late for work, or they have carpool duty that night. The kids were hungry after they've been picked up, so they need to get home. There were a lot of cars in the polling place parking lot, and they didn't want to wait. Johnny has a soccer game or Patty has band practice. People make a lot of excuses for not voting. Will you?
November 4th is an important day. I will be taking the time to go to the polls. If the line is really long, I'll call work and let them know I'm running late. Will you? If the parking lot is full, I'll find a place to park, any place, and stand in line proudly waiting to cast my vote, even if I am hungry. Will you?
I'll make sure I vote this year. No excuses. Will you?
Monday, October 27, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Harmful Ultrasound Law Challenged in OK
Tulsa abortion provider, Reproductive Services, is suing the state of Oklahoma, asking the state to throw out the law, and seeking an injunction to prevent the onerous and harmful Senate Bill 1878 from taking effect November 1st.
SB 1878 was passed in April after the legislature overrode a Governor’s veto. The bill requires women to view an ultrasound one hour prior to an abortion procedure. This includes listening to a detailed description of the ultrasound image. Additionally, the bill includes a refusal clause which shatters the balance between the conscience of the health care provider and the needs of the patient and legislates additional guidelines in administering the medication abortion pill. For a comprehensive look at the law, you can view SB 1878 here.
The Center for Reproductive Rights is representing the reproductive Services. They state that the law intrudes on a patients privacy, endangers her health and assaults her dignity. The law also prevents a woman's doctor from using his or her medical judgment for treatment. "Governments should stop playing doctor and leave medical determinations to physicians and health decisions to individuals," said Stephanie Toti, a staff attorney for the U.S. Legal Program, a division of the Center for Reproductive Rights. Read more about this locally at the Tulsa World, nationally at the New York Times, and at the blog Truthout.org.
Linda Meek, executive administrator of Reproductive Services in Tulsa, said if the law takes effect, it will be very difficult for her nonprofit clinic to survive. She said the law is an effort to throw up barriers to women who want an abortion. The law will make it more difficult for doctors at the clinic and will be very costly.
Oklahoma already has some of the worst abortion access in the nation, with 96 percent of counties having no abortion provider. Reducing access to safe abortion services can only lead to unsafe and maybe illegal abortions in our state. Frightening!
SB 1878 was passed in April after the legislature overrode a Governor’s veto. The bill requires women to view an ultrasound one hour prior to an abortion procedure. This includes listening to a detailed description of the ultrasound image. Additionally, the bill includes a refusal clause which shatters the balance between the conscience of the health care provider and the needs of the patient and legislates additional guidelines in administering the medication abortion pill. For a comprehensive look at the law, you can view SB 1878 here.
The Center for Reproductive Rights is representing the reproductive Services. They state that the law intrudes on a patients privacy, endangers her health and assaults her dignity. The law also prevents a woman's doctor from using his or her medical judgment for treatment. "Governments should stop playing doctor and leave medical determinations to physicians and health decisions to individuals," said Stephanie Toti, a staff attorney for the U.S. Legal Program, a division of the Center for Reproductive Rights. Read more about this locally at the Tulsa World, nationally at the New York Times, and at the blog Truthout.org.
Linda Meek, executive administrator of Reproductive Services in Tulsa, said if the law takes effect, it will be very difficult for her nonprofit clinic to survive. She said the law is an effort to throw up barriers to women who want an abortion. The law will make it more difficult for doctors at the clinic and will be very costly.
Oklahoma already has some of the worst abortion access in the nation, with 96 percent of counties having no abortion provider. Reducing access to safe abortion services can only lead to unsafe and maybe illegal abortions in our state. Frightening!
Friday, October 10, 2008
40 long days...
The anti-choice group "40 Days for Life" is almost half way through their national protest, where they are spending 40 days, around the clock, protesting and having a presence (or being a nuisance) at abortion clinics around the country.
They are in Oklahoma and being disruptive in Tulsa, making people uncomfortable with their harassing, in your face message that is misleading and not factual.
I imagine most people who drive by and see the spectacle are upset or angered. But can you imagine being a staff member who has to deal with this everyday? If you would like to understand more what employees experience, visit the blog I am Emily X. Emily X is the true-life diary of a front line Planned Parenthood worker and activists.
Check it out!
They are in Oklahoma and being disruptive in Tulsa, making people uncomfortable with their harassing, in your face message that is misleading and not factual.
I imagine most people who drive by and see the spectacle are upset or angered. But can you imagine being a staff member who has to deal with this everyday? If you would like to understand more what employees experience, visit the blog I am Emily X. Emily X is the true-life diary of a front line Planned Parenthood worker and activists.
Check it out!
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