Abortion

 

If the Republicans are hoping abortion issues will go away by November's election, they are delusional.

Why won't it?

Because every fertile woman, everywhere someday may face having to make the choice for themselves or their underage daughters. Even many of those who said, "I would never get an abortion" when faced with an unwanted pregnancy opted for their "never." They will vote against pro-life candidates for their own well-being.

I spent almost a year writing Coat Hangers and Knitting Needles about the history of abortion in the United States. The book had a chapter with my grandmother and her friends, very proper Victorian ladies, talking about the "knitting needle solution" to keep their family size manageable.

It was a depressing year, because with each bit of research I became more convinced that abortion had the same chance of being stopped as prohibition was able to stop drinking but that attempts to stop abortion would be useless at a great price to too many.

I was always pro-choice but did not feel I had the right to decide for another.

Before Roe v. Wade, before birth control was available easily, many of my friends had abortions. One died. Almost all had horrendous experiences of back rooms including one abortionist making a pass at his patient, immediately after. There were dirty newspaper-covered tables and bad treatment.

People, who lost mothers, daughters, sisters, cousins, nieces to back- room abortionists, told stories of the pain at their deaths.

I was lucky enough to interview Bill Baird, who fought hard to make birth control available. He was also pro- choice and went to jail more than once in his crusade for women's reproductive freedom.

There were doctors risking their careers and groups like the Jane Collective  who made sure women could have safe abortions. 

There was the Clergy Consultation Service started by a New York minister and soon there were groups operating throughout the country. They sent women out of the country, including to Montreal where Dr. Morgenthaler in Canada performed thousands of abortions on Canadian and American women. The need was so great that he expanded to six clinics.

The more illegal, the more this type of group will start up. In some cases, it will help women who can afford an airline ticket or to take time off from work to travel to where they can be safe from their government.

I sent the book to every pro-life organization, every pro-life legislator or judge including the Supreme Court. 

Women do not want a government to control their bodies, to control the number of children they have. It is NOT the legislative role. 

It is not the role of anyone else but the women who is pregnant. 

Women: vote against any candidate that wants to control your body. The candidates who hope you won't care enough, are wrong. Prove it to them on election day.