Dr. Tiller faces more anti-choice attacks

Dr. George Tiller has pleaded not guilty to 19 misdemeanor charges brought up on him from the state of Kansas. These charges against Dr. Tiller revolve around a (ridiculous) Kansas law which requires that two legally and financially uninvolved physicians sign off on any late-term abortion procedure. The charges against Dr. Tiller allege that he has an improper financial relationship with one of the doctors from whom he regularly receives authorization. As a result, he faces up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine for each charge.

In my opinion (which has no legal background to it) it seems like the legal/financial relationship he is being alleged with having with another doctor could probably be construed by anyone to mean anything. Okay, maybe that is overreaching, but I'm sure it only takes a small stretch of the imagination for anti-choicers to find some way to charge him with this law that almost appears to be on the books specifically for him.

Most people know that Dr. Tiller has been harassed, assaulted, shot at, threatened, and his clinic vandalized many times. He is a frequent target of anti-choice fanatics, but also of anti-choice legislators as well as from Kansas Attorney Generals.

I admire Dr. Tiller, his bravery, and his strength in the face of adversity. He is one of the only late-term abortion providers in the country. He helps women who want their babies make painful decisions and he understands the importance of his work to the women who travel across the country to see him, as well as to their families.

Do you admire him as well? Then let him know. Feministing posted about this today and also gave an address to use for sending your thoughts to him via snail mail. It cost .41 cents to drop a thank you note in the mail. May I suggest that you please do? I am.

WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE SERVICES

5107 East Kellogg

Wichita, Kansas USA 67218

Anti-Contraception Activists

We know that there are a lot of folks out there who are staunchly anti-choice. They funnel their activism into opposing Planned Parenthood and other women's health centers. They protest, misinform, and often portray themselves as the extreme end of the ant-choice fray. And even now and then we hear about how they are anti-contraception. "Wow!" we think to ourselves, "that is really extreme".

Or is it?

Cristine Page exposes the views on some of the GOP candidates who are taking on these anti-contraceptive views in order to align themselves with the far right. Page writes:

"The American public is unaware of the new wave of anti-contraception activism
by opponents of abortion. Possibly they are unwilling to believe something so wacky
and ironic. Whatever the reason, it has made it easier for politicians to stroke the anti-contraception base. For example, while Bush has delivered some big victories for the anti-abortion movement in the last seven years (Roberts, Alito, Federal Abortion Ban), the anti-contraception work has taken up more of his time (attempting to strip contraceptive coverage for federal employees, appointing anti-contraception leaders to critical posts including the contraception advisory panel of the FDA and to oversee nation's contraception program for the poor, de-funding international family planning programs, investing unprecedented sums into sex-ed programs that prohibit mention of contraception except for failure rates.)"

She looks at some of the speeches of Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, Sam Brownback, Tom Tancredo, and John McCain to uncover the way in which they campaign with this anti-contraception stance (often covertly). She even looks at Oklahoma's own Senator Tom Coburn as he serves as John McCain's advisor on sexual health matters. She write that he "...is (Coburn) famous for leading campaigns claiming the condom is unsafe and opposing expanded access to emergency contraception." So...very...true.

It is a good, if not frightening read, check it out.

Don't carry a sign, just wear a shirt!

In Dayton, OH election officials are rethinking a policy that would allow poll workers (who volunteer) to wear company/business/agency logo's on their shirts.

Apparently, the Montgomery County Board of Elections is a bit hard up for poll workers. They thought - "Hmm...if we give people a chance for free advertising, maybe they will be more likely to come on in and volunteer".

Brilliant? I don't think so. According the AP - the Board is now being forced to rethink this issue.

"The review came after an anti-abortion group said it planned to recruit people
to work the polls and wear T-shirts bearing the name Dayton Right to Life.
The plan has outraged voter rights advocates. They say political signs,
literature and language are prohibited within 100 feet of polling places on
Election Day. They also say elections workers aren't allowed to discuss
candidates or issues with voters."

Ohio Secretary of State, Jennifer Brunner, has yet to weigh in on this issue. What do you think?