Women's Issues: Abortion |
Legality of abortions; whether a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion can be exercised in consideration of harassments of pro-life activists as well as efforts in state legislatures to raise impediments like parental notification to a woman’s exercise of that right.
11/5/08 South Dakota voters turn down a ban on almost all abortions:. By 55-45% vote, a measure is defeated that would ban abortion absent a few granted "exceptions" that pro-choice opponents of the measure say would provide too much leeway to doctors in deciding whether a pregnant woman was entitled to an exception. http://www.argusleader.com/article/20081104/ELECTIONUPDATE/81104139
INTERNATIONAL
Websites Abortion Law Reform Association: UK http://www.abortionrights.org.uk/
Analysis & views: 11/25/08 Abortion was legalized last month in state of Victoria, Australia, but local anti-abortion rage remains high. http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=44840 5/10/07 Pope is in Brazil, gives hell to Latin Americans about abortion approval already instituted in Mexico and contemplated in Brazil. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6641419.stm 4/23/07 U.S. and Mexico move in opposite directions on abortion. As a Supreme Court decision last week produced a pro-choice set-back in the U.S. last week, Mexico prepares to vote tomorrow on a bill that would legalize abortion in that country. http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0423/p01s03-woam.html?page=1 3/31/07 First Mexican divorces, now Mexican abortions? Country's "liberal" legislature is about to pass, over furious Church objection, one of Latin America's most liberal laws regarding abortion, allowing a woman full rights to an abortion within the first three months of her pregnancy, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/31/world/americas/31mexico.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin 2/16/07 Pro-life grandmother in UK loses her appeal of a conviction for violating the country's Malicious Communications act by mailing pictures of aborted fetuses to area pharmacists. http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=251702007 2/12/07 Prime Minister of Portugal says abortion legalization for first 10 months of pregnancy will be enacted into law even though turn-out at a public referendum was too low to make the favorable vote legally binding. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6350651.stm 2/11/07 As Portugal prepares to vote in referendum to permit abortion on demand for first 10 weeks of pregnancy, Catholic Church trains its big guns on the 90% of Portuguese who are Catholic, threatening ex-communication for those who vote for abortion legalization. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070210/ap_on_he_me/portugal_abortion;_ylt=AnQDpo9cgi9p.yeVwtjWgndI2ocA 11/25/06 "The decision to give birth to or murder a baby is an enormous one and it should be made by the parents together," says a Russian lawmaker who is introducing a bill requiring father's approval for a pregnant woman to have an abortion. (Not clear whether the father would have this right if not married to the woman.) http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2006/11/24/014.html 5/12/06 Columbian court's action in legalizing abortion in some circumstances emboldens women's rights groups across Latin America in challenging severe laws against abortion: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/12/world/americas/12colombia.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin 4/10/06 Wonder what life would be like for women in a post-South Dakota movement to criminalize abortion? Have a look at El Salvador which has gone there and is doing that: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/040906C.shtml 3/9/06 Mexican officials intimidate rape victims against getting abortions; post-South Dakota, will the U.S. follow suit? http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0309-03.htm 2/6/06 Britain defies U.S. policy of limiting aid to organizations in a country that provide abortion services: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0206-04.htm
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NATIONAL
Websites NARAL: http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/
Analysis & views: 11/5/08 South Dakota voters turn down a ban on almost all abortions:. By 55-45% vote, a measure is defeated that would ban abortion absent a few granted "exceptions" that pro-choice opponents of the measure say would provide too much leeway to doctors in deciding whether a pregnant woman was entitled to an exception. http://www.argusleader.com/article/20081104/ELECTIONUPDATE/81104139 10/12/08 Just in time for the November election, guns, gays and abortion are appearing again on state ballots. A South Dakota preacher ordains himself as the instrument of God to overturn Roe v. Wade, and here, as in Colorado, voters will be urged to troop to the polls to approve draconian anti-abortion measures and "incidentally" to vote for the GOP presidential ticket. You know the drill: the measures might or might not pass, but the GOP wins and political leaders "forget about" abortion and other wedge issues until the next election rolls around. http://www.thenation.com/blogs/actnow/369008/s_dakota_goes_after_choice_again? 8/22/08 "People should not be forced to say or do things they believe to be morally wrong." Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt so justifies the government's effort to protect health facilities employees from being fired or disciplined if they refuse to perform abortions or other medically indicated procedures if these procedures conflict with their "personal morality." 8/8/08 On women's abortion rights, America's toughest sheriff runs up against America's toughest civil rights organization: American Civil Liberties Union files suit against Sheriff of Aricopa County, Arizona, Joseph Arpaio, to stop his refusal to allow women prisoners to leave the grounds of a prison in order to obtain an abortion. http://www.aclu.org/reproductiverights/abortion/36261prs20080807.html 4/14/08 Abortion becoming more of an issue (sort of) in the Pennsylvania presidential primary:. With Obama and Clinton both considered pro-choice in their records and advocacy, abortion would not seem to be an issue between them. But, in a campaign, candidates will "find a way" and that way is indicated in Pennsylvania as two conservative Democratic leaders endorse Obama, arguing as he does himself, that he will be the better candidate to "de-fuse" the rhetoric of the debate. This may help Obama's support among working class people, among whom pro-choice tends to be a less popular position. (The author might have added that, with the substantial cross-voting of Republicans in the Democratic primary, Obama may draw more votes as well from anti-abortion leaning Republicans, perhaps neutralizing the "Limbaugh effect" of Republicans voting for Clinton to prolong the agony of a Democratic contest.) 1/26/08 Coffee and doughnuts at the White House:. This invitation to pro-life protesters, along with many other indications of Republican presidential candidates' hostility to Roe v. Wade, portends a difficult season for the pro-choice movement as new assaults on abortion rights are expected. http://ipsnorthamerica.net/news.php?idnews=1268 1/22/08 New weapon being developed in arsenal of anti-abortionists:. The weapon was first launched when sympathy began to displace from the "murdered" fetus to the supposedly negative effects of abortion on women's psychological health: a Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS) of mental symptoms. In recent years, focus has shifted toward men who are "victims" of grief and guilt resulting from their wives' or girlfriends' decisions to abort. The group counseling sessions that bring out these PAS emotions are compared to the "repressed memories" of childhood sexual abuse recovered during counseling. To show how far this grief and victim mongering can be developed, even siblings of aborted fetuses are now being seen as suffering psychological damage from their mothers' decisions to abort. So it's pity the woman, pity the man, pity the siblings, hell, pity everybody because the guilt can be spread all around. Who needs the Bible to condemn abortion as murder, when there are so many pseudo-Freudians to condemn it as inhumane to its survivors? http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080204/blustain 1/17/08 Pro-life and pro-choice advocacy groups both welcome news of decline of abortions in the United States. 1/5/08 Ellen Goodman sees the movie "Juno" and lets loose her inner "fuddy duddy.": . She sees the movie in a theatre full of "tween" girls and worries about the message of these and others of the recent spate of teen-age pregnancy "comedies." As Molly on Fibber McGee and Molly (or any other fuddy duddy) might say, "taint funny, McGee." Not funny, that is, that there is a rising rate of teenage pregnancy in the country and a massive confusion from both pro-life and pro-choice advocates about what are "correct" decisions when it comes to sex, contraception and abortion. Pro-choice people don't want to condemn single mothers who have disdained both contraception and abortion, and pro-life ones applaud the courage of a woman who gives birth rather than "murdering" the fetus even though the woman has violated the "abstinence-only" prong of the pro-life agenda. With this cultural confusion, abetted by Hollywood comedies, fuddy duddy Goodman wonders how parents can have "serious" discussions with their pregnant teen-age daughters 11/3/07 Alaska Supreme Court decision allows the requirement of parental notification for teens who get abortions, but not the requiring of parental consent. http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/9426719p-9338863c.html 10/18/07 Pittsburgh affiliate of NPR cutsPlanned Parenthood as a "corporate sponsor." - Officials at Duquesne University at which the station is housed, demand the withdrawal as PP's agenda is described as contrary to "our Catholic identity," even though their spot announcement only mentions "sexuality education" and the encouraging of abstinence but nothing about abortion or contraception. The article was published in New York Times, but the link here is to Common Dream website, since attached to it is a lengthy list of reader comments, most of which condemn Duquesne and/or NPR. http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/10/17/4634/ 10/9/07 British writer sees erosion of abortion rights of women in the United States with recent actions of Supreme Court. http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/100807N.shtml 7/2/07 Seattle area pro-life and pro-choice advocates debate the reality of the "grief syndome" said to affect women who get abortions. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/322065_projectrachel02.html 5/18/07 House of Representatives in Hawaii, with 41-10 advantage of Democrats over Republicans, passes a bill repealing residency requirement for women seeking abortion, which critics say will make Hawaii a "haven" for abortion-seekers. http://starbulletin.com/2006/03/08/news/story03.html 5/17/07 South Carolina Senate passes compromise bill that would permit but not require women contemplating abortion to view ultra-sound images of their fetuses. 5/15/07 "Witness to the womb" laws the focus of controversy in many states. Pro- and anti-abortion forces are squaring off for fights over efforts to require doctors to offer pregnant women contemplating abortion a view of ultra-sound images of the fetuses they are carrying. http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0515/p03s03-ussc.html?page=1 4/19/07 Elephant and donkey square off for abortion fight. Following Wednesday"s ruling of Supreme Court upholding the banning of "partial abortions," the "leading" candidates of both parties issue reaction statements: all Democrats condemning, all Republicans praising the action. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/04/18/2008-candidates-on-the-abortion-ruling/ 1/26/07 James Kopp, already serving time for the killing of an abortion clinic doctor in 1998, is tried on new charges in Buffalo and convicted again. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070126/ap_on_re_us/abortion_doctor 1/25/07 When abortion was illegal: "Going back is not an option" - A Maine physician whose father was a family physician who had to deal with "botched abortions" before Roe v. Wade. http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0124-31.htm 9/21/06 Illinois is the only state in its region that doesn't enforce laws requiring parental consent and/or notification for minors seeking abortions. Pro-life critics are noting that the state is a mecca for women crossing state lines for abortions, and its pro-choice hold-out status may change. http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/abortion19.html 9/1/06 In Texas, girls under 18 will now have to have written and notarized consent of their parents before they can receive an abortion. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4155982.html 8/8/06 ACLU wins class action suit in Missouri which requires state to provide abortion care access to all pregnant prisoners. http://newstandardnews.net/content/index.cfm/items/3504/continued/293#continued 8/7/06 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals rules in favor of Planned Parenthood overturns the federal partial-birth abortion ban. http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/01/31/partialbirth_abortion_overturned.php 7/18/06 Congressional research committee report shows that federal pregnancy counseling agencies tend to give pregnant women false information about the health consequences of abortion. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/17/AR2006071701145.html?referrer=emai 7/5/06 Cecelia Fire Thunder, first elected woman President of Oglala Sioux Indian tribe is impeached, and her militant support for abortion facilities on the reservation was apparently the major factor. http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096413261 6/1/06 State House in Louisinana passes bill that would ban nearly all abortions: http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-25xml&storylist=louisiana 6/1/06 Preliminary success in South Dakota. SD pro-choice group submits more than twice the signatures needed to get a referendum seeking the repeal of that state's ban on abortion: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asectionla-news-a_section 5/27/06 To avoid any controversy over the timeliness of their filing, South Dakota advocates of a referendum vote to rescind the prohibition of abortion will be filed ahead of schedule in Pierre next weekend. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/27/us/27abortion.html?th&emc=th 5/5/06 Kansas Legislature sends abortion bill, which forces doctors who perform abortions to send to state officials detailed and very personal data about the recipient and the procedure, to Gov. Sebelius: http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/14493722.htm 4/26/06 'Crisis pregnancy centers' run by anti-abortion extremists are being set up near Planned Parenthood offices to lure in PP patients and harass them: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/4/25/93756/6675 4/24/06 Louisiana Senate expected to vote this week on a bill banning all abortions except those necessary to save the life of a mother; one Senator vows to push for elimination of even that exception: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/042106T.shtml 4/17/06 "They only notice us at election time." As GOP plans another electoral agenda based on "social issues" like abortion and homosexuality, conservatives in these areas say they won't settle for being "mobilized" by campaign rhetoric, they expect legislative results: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/15/AR2006041500536.html 4/17/06 Falwell pronounces John McCain as strongly pro-life as the two antagonists work out their differences: http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/feeds/ap/2006/04/16/ap2672880.html 4/17/06 State by state survey of what might happen to abortion access in the aftermath of an overturning of Roe v. Wade: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-04-16-abortion-states_x.htm 4/13/06 Arizona House passes bill that requires notarized consent before any abortion: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0413abortion0413.html
4/12/06 Arizona Gov. vetoes so-called "fetal pain" bill: http://www.azstarnet.com/news/124278 4/11/06 Hawaii passes legislation protecting the right to an abortion in the state. Proponents say it will withstand challenges if the Supreme Court overturns Roe V Wade: http://www.thehawaiichannel.com/news/8632035/detail.html 4/4/06 Pro-life movement may have lost some of the momentum derived from its "chip away" strategy of creating abortion inconveniences by the movement in South Dakota and elsewhere to criminalize and punish abortion service providers: http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0404-29.htm 3/25/06 Poll: Americans don't support changing abortion laws: http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/index.cfm/fuseaction/viewItem/itemID/11346 3/22/06 Recent deaths of women taking abortion pills have led to demands by anti-abortion groups that the drug be pulled off the market: http://www.zmag.org/content/newstandard.cfm?itemid=2982 3/15/06 Group seeks to put South Dakota abortion ban before voters http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=//NEWS/603150302/1001/NEWS 3/13/06 Center for Reason report shows Christians have as many abortions of non-Christians, Catholic have more: http://www.centerforreason.com/report1.htm 3/10/06 Tennessee moves to follow South Dakota lead in banning abortions: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1707141&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312 3/8/06 After South Dakota, battle shifts to 9 other states with anti-abortion legislation on their agenda; pro-lifers debate wisdom of strategy of confront Supreme Court on Roe v. Wade: http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=ABORTION-03-07-06 3/7/06 Molly Ivins on South Dakota's "towering salons of abortion": http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20060307_ivins_abortion/ 3/6/06 Parental notification laws have little effect on rates of abortion: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/06/national/06abortion.html?th&emc=th 3/1/06 South Dakota abortion ban may be opening salvo in nationwide battle to overturn Roe v. Wade: http://counterpunch.org/schulte03012006.html 2/25/06 South Dakota House Approves Abortion Bill 2/24/06 Official of NARAL, in new book, asserts that pro-choice movement has actually promoted pro-life agenda of reducing abortion frequency and a pro-family approach to childbirth and parenthood: http://www.alternet.org/rights/32369/ 2/23/06 In an effort to challenge Roe v. Wade, South Dakota passes bill banning abortions without any exceptions for rape or incest: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/22/AR2006022202424.html?referrer=email 2/22/06 Two courts reject ban on abortion procedure 2/21/06 Supreme Court takes on late term abortion issue: http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060221/LOCAL/60221017/1078 2/17/06 Kansas: House panel endorses bill on regulating abortion clinics http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/state/13881327.htm 2/13/06 Indiana considering "informed consent" law that will require doctors to give "counsel" to patients that may dissuade them from an abortion: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/11/AR2006021101232.html?referrer=email 2/11/06 Court faults wording of Oregon abortion initiative http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1139543731208990.xml&coll=7 2/11/06 South Dakota House Approves Abortion Ban http://www.cnsnews.com/news/viewstory.asp?Page=%5CCulture%5Carchive%5C200602% 2/1/06 Utah House passes bills requiring abortion doctors to have parental consent for abortion and inform pregnant women of fetal pain associated with abortion: http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_3446776
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FLORIDA:
STATEWIDE
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Analysis & views: 5/1/08 A bill requiring ultra-sound views of fetuses to be shown to all pregnant women prior to an abortion barely misses passage (on a 20-20 tie vote) in the Florida Senate after emotional appeals like this. (What kind of "ultra-sound" has the gentlewoman from Valrico seen?) http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-abort0108may01,0,1599437.story 4/9/08 Narrow panel vote of approval of legislation to require pre-abortion ultra-sounds in Florida Senate presages a rough time ahead for passage of the legislation. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-abortion0908apr09,0,3111478.story 4/28/07 Florida House passes legislation discouraging women in making a choice for abortion; its fate in the Senate is uncertain. http://gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070428/LOCAL/704280365/-1/news 3/28/07 Florida legislature may mandate a 24-hour waiting period between the decision to perform an abortion and the actual operation. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2007/03/28/a8a_XGR_abort_0328.html 3/8/07 ACLU charges that a bill in Florida legislature that would establish new guidelines for judges on whether to grant a waiver of the state's requirement of parental notification of abortion for an underaged girl would make increase the difficulty in obtaining such waivers and would encourage more illegal abortions. http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGB2JEQM0ZE.html 10/20/06 Jane Doe beats state of Florida: 16 year old girl, with ACLU help, goes to appeals court and successfully challenges state's 2005 law that a judge must give her a "waiver" to avoid having to notify her parents of her intent to have an abortion. Information on the court's action with Jane Doe designation of the girl is found in a plain envelope delivered on doorstep of St. Pete Times reporter. http://gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061020/LOCAL/210200360/1078/news 3/23/06 Florida House committee passes measure that would make it harder for girls to secure court waivers against requirement of parental notification for their abortions: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/14163916.htm
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FLORIDA LOCALITIES
Websites: Jacksonville: Florida Women's Center (links to abortion and other women's health services: http://www.allfloridawomenscenter.com/
Analysis and views: St. Petersburg: 1/23/08 Catholic church in St. Petersburg have Randall Terry and friend arrested after they persisted in distributing at the church a "satirical flier" comparing pro-choice politicians as with those who supported slavery. http://www.sptimes.com/2008/01/23/Southpinellas/Abortion_foes_target_.shtml Alachua County: 9/10/07 Fliers advertising pro-life license plates being mailed out with license renewal notices in Alachua County. Some protest, but county tag agency says it's a form of paid advertising available to any group that chooses to pay to promote its version of a license plate. http://www.gainesvillesun.com/article/20070909/NEWS/709090314 West Palm Beach: 4/18/06: Judge decides for anti-abortion protesters in case in which operators of an abortion clinic attempted to enjoin them from protest in the near-vicinity of an abortion clinic: Gainesville: 3/9/06 Allegedly "tasteless" anti-abortion exhibit on UF campus leads to confrontations: http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060309/LOCAL/203090342/1078
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