It's Your Choice
Anne Martens
The anti-choice forces have landed in Oregon and they are pushing a dangerous measure that would restrict a woman’s right to choose. Measure 43 - which would require government-mandated parental notification for young women, ages 15-17, seeking an abortion, with no exception for rape or incest.
Following in lock-step with the Bush Administration, the anti-choice right-wingers have pushed similar bills in states all over the country, because they know it is the first step to taking away all of women’s reproductive rights
South Dakota passed a parental notification bill in order to lay the groundwork for their draconian ban on all abortions. Don’t let Oregon become another South Dakota. (I mean really. Who wants to be South Dakota.)
In less than a week, voters in Oregon will determine a woman’s right to choose.
As Oregonians, we must decide now what we want our future to be.
We can defeat Measure 43, protect women’s reproductive rights and stop the attack on choice now. Or we can sit by, eating bon-bons and strumming our fallopian tubes, and allow Measure 43 to pass, handing over control of women’s bodies to the extreme right-wing so that they can destroy our right to choose.
For the Proponents of Measure 43 it is not about protecting our daughters - it’s about turning out Republican voters to elect Ron Saxton. Measure 43 is backed by Oregon Right to Life, who, for the last 20 years, has had one of the top 10 biggest Political Action Committee’s in the state. Oregon Right to Life has backed Republican candidates at all levels, promoting extreme anti-choice republicans over mainstream moderates and creating the gridlock in we now have in Salem.
Measure 43 is their attempt to turn out their base and shove a Republican into the Governor’s seat, making Oregon just another uncritical “yes sir” state for President Bush.
Who's Behind Measure 43?
The chief funder of Measure 43 is Oregon Right to Life, who for the last 20 years has attempted to ban abortion, opposes Emergency Contraception for rape victims and has fought access to birth control. This extreme group is joined by Oregon Family Council, The Republican Party, Priests for Life and many more radical groups-none of whom have worked with teens, counseled rape victims, or offered adolescent health care.
Who Opposes Measure 43?
Measure 43 is opposed by the experts who work with teens everyday. The Oregon Medical Association, Oregon Nurses Association, Oregon Education Association, National Association of Social Workers and many, many more. These groups represent thousands of doctors, nurses, teachers and social workers that know that Measure 43 would put at risk teens in greater danger.
In addition, Measure 43 is opposed by NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon, Planned Parenthood, League of Women Voters, National Organization for Women (NOW), and the Democratic Party of Oregon - who have protected our right to choose in Oregon for more than thirty years. As leaders in defending freedom, the choice community is solidly opposed to Measure 43.
The choice is up to you. We can follow the course of the Bush Administration or we can fight back
- like true Oregonians, and say no to Measure 43.
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Nov 1, '06
”In less than a week, voters in Oregon will determine a woman’s right to choose.” “....with no exception for rape or incest.” “lay the groundwork for their draconian ban on all abortions.”
Anne, I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume Oregonians are capable of understanding a ballot measure slightly better than you are. Are you even reading the same measure the rest of us are?
If you oppose the measure fine, but stick to the facts and try to persuade voters using logic and sound arguments, not hysterical distortions that only diminish your own credibility.
Nov 1, '06
Hahaha! "Hysterical distortions!" That's a good one.
Of course the opponents of this measure are trying to "lay the groundwork for their draconian ban on all abortions." Everybody knows that, especially the sponsors of measure 43 - Oregon Right to Life and Oregon Family Council. Both are orgnaziations who want to overturn Roe. You're fooling yourself if you really think this measure is about keeping teens safe, there is absolutely nothing safe about it.
Nov 2, '06
"Measure 43 - which would require government-mandated parental notification for young women, ages 15-17, seeking an abortion, with no exception for rape or incest."
Nov 2, '06
1) I'm not sure what "knolege" is.
2) I'm not sure what an "abortion mill" is.
3) I'm not sure what the girl who's raped by her father or step-father is supposed to do when he gets the letter in the mail.
4) I'm not sure why the anti-choice crusaders don't want to legistlate that parents need to talk to their teenage SONS and daughters about birth control so they never have to get the letter in the first place.
Nov 2, '06
"Yet you think even though a minor cannot make any choice on any other medical procedure they receive without a parent being informed"
Why - if this is so great and necessary - do you Pro 43 people have to keep misrepresenting, spinning and outright lying to advocate for it? I'm sick to death of disputing these erroneous claims over and over again. It's well documented that 15-17 year olds can decide on medical procedures AND have the right to privacy - ie, no parental notification. If you can't make the case on it's merits, shut up.
I'm sorry you folks feel you need the government to step in because you feel you've failed your kids, but don't assume everyone wants or needs a law that attempts to enforce good parenting. The way I see it, you people want someone else to blame, a way to relieve yourself of the guilt and any responsibility for your actions - or lack thereof.
If your kid's getting molested or out having sex with an adult without your knowledge - why is it some stranger's responsibility to fix it? What the hell happened to the conservative meme of less government intrusion and personal responsibility?
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