Update: Maryland Clinic Landlord’s Successful Anti-Anti Campaign

The other week, I wrote about Todd Stave, the landlord of Germantown Reproductive Services in Maryland. Todd and his family had been the target of anti-choice protestors, who were incensed that Dr. LeRoy Carhart had been performing abortions at the clinic since late last year.

I’m happy to report that the campaign against the anti-choicers that were harassing the Stave family at home, through email, and at school has been a great success! Thousands of people from all over the world joined the campaign to politely yet firmly respond to the protestors; 80% of those contacted don’t want anything more to do with this kind of protest, and Todd’s name, address, and phone number have been removed from anti-choice websites.

To learn more about the campaign and Voice of Choice, an organization that has been established to counter anti-choice harassment, check out Todd’s recent interview on Rachel Maddow’s show.

Kansas Abortion Provider Under Attack

This post was written by Katherine Spillar, executive editor of Ms. Mazine. It was originally published at Ms. Magazine. Please help spread the word!

“Are doctors who are willing to provide [abortions] still just on their own, with their face on WANTED posters … waiting to see what happens next?… How do we as a country react?”

Rachel Maddow posed that question last week as she reported from Kansas on the escalating campaign of threats, harassment and terror against Dr. Mila Means, who recently announced her plans to provide abortions in Wichita.

Abortions have not been available in the city since the murder of Dr. George Tiller in May 2009. Means has now become the target of an aggressive campaign led by anti-abortion extremists. WANTED-style posters featuring Means’ photograph and address are being circulated in Wichita and online, and about a dozen anti-abortion zealots stalked the physician at her rural Wichita home.

Threats of violence against abortion providers intended to prevent them from providing reproductive health-care services—like those against Means—are prohibited by the FACE act, by state anti-stalking laws and by criminal threat and trespass laws. Although these threats can and should be prosecuted, all too often they are not. And time and again, threats that are ignored by law enforcement escalate to violence. [Read more...]

Michael Steele Interview on Rachel Maddow

I had heard and read much about Michael Steele, but had not actually heard him speak the interview on Rachel Maddow last week.  And I think I’m beginning to understand why the Republicans were so harsh on him–I actually like him and appreciate his candor, even if I disagree with many of his political positions.  I think Michael Steel may hold the dream pro-choice/pro-life position. Well, he would if he would stick to his guns. Last night he, so poignantly, said in regard to abortion you have to look at the entire situation. You have to understand where people are coming from and respect their choices and respect the law.  Steele advocates for pro-life, but clearly made the distinction between a hard nosed linear position on the issue and a 360 understanding and respect for women.  If you missed the interview you can watch it here.

I think Michael Steele’s position is the ultimate goal for the conservative position on abortion. Its not about convincing people that abortion is good or right or always medically necessary, its about respecting women and showing understanding and compassion for the whole picture, not just one narrow view point. This goes for both sides of the issues. Those who do not hold the religious opinion and opposition to abortion still need to respect those with whom they disagree.

And there needs to be that third option in the debate–for people who are personally against abortion but understand that life is difficult and complicated and cannot be ruled by a narrow perspective. These are the people that need to be heard. Not the extremists who attempt to advocate for the unborn by murdering the mother. I make the argument again and again, what I call the for-life position, if you are truly interested in lowering the abortion rate, then you don’t advocate for more restrictive abortion laws because they only lead to the increase of illegal and medically unsafe procedures that unnecessarily endangers the lives of more women. To truly work to lower the abortion rate, then advocate for more access to reproductive care, comprehensive sex education and contraceptives like candy–available everywhere.

Anti-Choice Extremists Circulate “Wanted” Posters in North Carolina

Late last week, anti-abortion extremists distributed “Wanted” posters for three abortion providers in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. As Rachel Maddow noted on her show, the information on the posters is “very specific,” and includes pictures, office addresses, and the home address of one doctor.

[Read more...]

Tonight: Watch Rachel Maddow Narrate “The Assassination of Dr. Tiller” On MSNBC

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Tonight, MSNBC will air an hour long documentary about last year’s slaying of abortion provider Dr. George Tiller.

As I’m sure you remember, Scott Roeder walked into Dr. Tiller’s house of worship and shot him in cold blood, claiming that it was to protect the lives of unborn children. The documentary will feature never before seen footage of Roeder and people close to him, including his ex-wife Lindsey, who will detail his spiral from anti-abortion advocate to murderer.

“The Assassination of Dr. Tiller” will also include interviews with nurses in Tiller’s clinic, and most importantly, the singling out of Operation Rescue as an inciting force in Tiller’s murder. If you read Feminists For Choice often, you’ve probably seen the blogs about Operation Rescue leadership – Randall Terry, Cheryl Sullenger (who has unique ties to Scott Roeder and the murder of Dr. Tiller), and others. I urge you to read up on these posts before you watch this documentary.

Check out this trailer of the documentary from The Maddow Blog. After the show has aired, please come back and leave your thoughts and comments on this thread. We’d love to have a good discussion about the documentary and the case.

Most importantly, though, we’d love to have a discussion about the rampant harm that Operation Rescue is causing. This quote, from Shelly Sella, one of Dr. Tiller’s fellow doctors, sums up exactly why we need to have discussion about these groups and their hate-filled rhetoric:

“The anti-abortionists who don’t carry guns definitely incite the ones who do,”

Discuss.

Michael Moore on Rachel Maddow: “If you don’t want to have an abortion, don’t have one!”

I thought this was a really interesting interview. Moore and Maddow discuss Moore’s new film, the Stupak Amendment, the hesitation of Democrats to get things done, and more. Its too bad more people can’t be as bold as these two.

Tuesday News Roundup

rainbowmouseSlutty Halloween Costumes . . . For Your Dog? – Broadsheet @ Salon.com
Misinterpreting the Data on Public Opinions Towards Abortion – RH Reality Check
Female Senators Stand Up for Health Care Reform – Youtube
Monaco Liberalizes Abortion – Catholic.org
Rachel Maddow = The Voice of America – The Guardian
When Is It a Good Time for Gay Rights? – Anderson Cooper
Reported Rates Hit 20-Year Low – USA Today

Women Become the Next Target of Right Wing Deception

As per my usual nightly routine, I was watching the Rachel breast cancer awarenessMaddow show last night as Terry O’Neill, President of the National Organization for Women, appeared in a guest interview. The right wing nuts have stooped to a new low, realizing that their scare tactics with the elderly community aren’t sufficient enough to rally negative sentiments about health care reform. Their next target: women with breast cancer.

The Independent Women’s Forum has been broadcasting an unscrupulous ad in eight different states outright lying to women. The ad seeks to establish the idea that under a public option women are some how more vulnerable to dying from breast cancer. The factually incorrect nature of this lie just goes to show how stupid the IWF takes women to be. Attaching to this idea of women’s vulnerability under the health care system in an attempt to shore up support for an industry that holds a heavy burden for the current inequity seems blatantly asinine. [Read more...]

Monday News Roundup

mouse_click_270x270Jury duty continues this week, but at least I’ve got my pro-choice reading materials to keep me occupied during breaks. Here’s a few to get your week started off right.

India to Create Abortion Registry to Reduce Sex Selection – Medical News Today
Blue Dog Democrats Won’t Support Health Care Reform – NPR
Sotomayor on Gay Rights: Friend or Foe? – Queers United
STI and Teen Pregnancy Rates are Up – Reuters
How Does a Feminist Mom Teach About Sex? – Feministing
Senate Passes Matthew Shephard Act – Gaypolitics.com

After the jump Ive got a video of Rachel Maddow slamming Pat Buchanan for his bias against Sonia Sotomayor. Have I mentioned that I have a big lezzy crush on Rachel Maddow and I want to have her babies? [Read more...]

Thursday News Roundup

mouse-clickAnother day at the airport today, but here’s a few good reads to get your day started right.

Massachusetts is First State to Sue the Feds Over Definition of Marriage – Yahoo! News
Texas Students No Longer Required to Take Health Classes – Dallas Morning News
Hillary Swank Soars as Amelia Earhart – After Ellen
Does Rachel Maddow Speak for the Left? – The Nation
Ruth Bader Ginsburg on The Place of Women on the Court – American Prospect
Cindy Crawford Speaks About Her Home Birth Experience – My Best Birth
My Abortion – 4 Years Later – Four Years Later