29 August 2009

Anti-choice terrorists target Nebraska clinic; women's rights groups fight back peacefully

Following the May 31st assassination of Dr. George Tiller in Kansas, anti-choice terrorists have set their sights on a new target: Dr. LeRoy Carhart and his staff at the Abortion & Contraception Clinic of Nebraska.

But Dr. Carhart and his allies will not be intimidated. At a press conference on Friday, August 28, representatives from various women's rights organizations stood in solidarity with Dr. Carhart and his staff, to defend the right to legal abortions in this country.

Katherine Spillar, Executive Vice President of the Feminist Majority, offered the following words of support:
"Anti-abortion extremists are trying to win on the streets what they have lost at the ballot box.

[...]

In this country, we must not settle political differences of opinion by what amounts to a campaign of intimidation."
Indeed. Nor by a campaign of violence by those who will not respect the rule of law.

Along those lines, Terry O'Neill, President of the National Organization for Women (NOW), reinforced her organization's support for Dr. Carhart and his staff at the press conference:
"Because NOW believes that it is every woman's right to have access to the full range of reproductive health care, we are committed to helping defend these courageous providers.

"Clinic violence and harassment are domestic terrorism, plain and simple. The hateful rhetoric and attacks have grown bolder this year. As we stand in peaceful support of women's rights in Nebraska, we know that every clinic in the United States is a potential target. I call on the Obama administration to respond to this threat using the strongest means possible, to prosecute the criminals, their funders and their co-conspirators, and to protect every provider, worker and patient across this nation.

"Women are counting on us. They must not be denied access to safe, legal abortion -- not by harassment or intimidation, not by bullets or bombs."
Amen.

How you can help:

Sign on to NARAL's letter of support to Dr. Carhart.

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