Ecological Wisdom * Social Justice * Grassroots Democracy * Non-Violence
>> Green Party of Michigan <<
http://www.migreens.org
>>> ---------------- <<<
>>> News Release <<<
>>> ---------------- <<<
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
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June 14, 2004
For More Information Contact:
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Marc Reichardt -- Chair/GPMI
chair@migreens.org
Adrianna Buonarroti -- Recordkeeper/GPMI
recordkeeper@migreens.orgg
>> Greens: "Legal Birth Definition Act" Should Be Rejected by Courts <<
>> ================================================================== <<
> Proposed Ban on So-Called "Partial-Birth Abortions" <
> Would Chill Access to Abortion, Make Legal Right Meaningless <
> <
> Act Ranks Religious, Political Views Over Health, Social Justice <
The Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) calls on the judicial system to
strike down the "Legal Birth Definition Act" and protect the right of
women to choose for themselves whether or not to have an abortion --
as well as the availability of abortion services, without which the
legal right to choose is meaningless.
Earlier this year, GPMI went on record at the state Legislature as
opposing the petition drive to ban so-called "partial-birth abortions"
by imposing on state law definitions that run counter to scientific and
medical knowledge.
Federal and state courts have rejected similar attempts to elevate
religious and political motives above scientific and medical knowledge --
and the social justice of allowing all women a genuine, exerciseable
right to reproductive choice.
On International Women's Day in March, GPMI sent an excerpt from
its platform -- which supports "the right of women to accept or refuse
an abortion for themselves" -- to the Michigan House and Senate Fiscal
Agencies to serve as the party's comment against legislative action to
pass the petition.
GPMI recordkeeper Adrianna Buonarroti, the party's 2002 candidate
for lieutenant governor, observes that "partial-birth abortion" is not
a medical term, but rather "a loaded word created by those who are
against abortion" to make it seem a harsh, selfish act rather than
a hard personal choice.
"The French doctor who developed RU486, the so-called abortion
pill, said in an interview that he had been moved to develop it
because he had been in Africa where women did not have access to
abortion clinics and had witnessed the aftermaths of women giving
themselves abortions with sticks and rocks," Buonarroti recalled.
"If that doesn't convince someone that the desire to stop being
pregnant is a highly compelling one, if not a survival instinct,
then they are not familiar enough with the psychophysiological
consequences of pregnancy and need to educate themselves further
before forming a final opinion."
Buonarroti concludes, "Those who are narrow-minded enough to
believe that women are rampantly having late-term abortions for no
reason clearly are out of touch with the excruciating reality that
some women must face."
Buonarroti's running mate, 2002 gubernatorial candidate Douglas
Campbell, notes the disproportionate hullaballoo over what is, if the
definitions is as narrow and focused as supporters claim, an abortion
procedure used in fewer than 0.5% of cases. "Given how incredibly
invasive this procedure is, I can't imagine any woman consenting to
have it performed, or any doctor consenting to perform it, unless the
likely consequences are far riskier than the procedure," Campbell adds.
"And if anyone suggests that a late-term abortion was chosen just
to be rid of a pregnancy, we need to educate him that the best ways to
prevent late-term abortions are contraception and early-term abortions,
not having legislators dictating procedures to physicians."
GPMI chair Marc Reichardt agrees that the furor over what medical
science calls "dilation and extraction" abortions is not justified by
the small number of cases in which the technique is used. "What this
act really is," Reichardt concludes, "is an assault on at least two of
the four principles underlying the right to choose an abortion -- an
attack on the notion that abortion should be safe, legal, available,
and rare."
For more information about GPMI, the party's views on reproductive
choice, the candidates it has already nominated for the November ballot
and the county caucuses at which it will nominate more candidates, and
its delegation to the national Green Party's Presidential nominating
convention June 23-28 in Milwaukee, please visit our Web site:
http://www.migreens.org
# # #
Green Party of Michigan * 548 S. Main Street *
* Ann Arbor, MI 48104 * 734-663-3555
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The Green Party of Michigan was formed in 1987 to address environmental
issues in Michigan politics. Greens are organized in all 50 states and
the District of Columbia. Each state Green Party sets its own goals
and creates its own structure, but US Greens agree on Ten Key Values:
Ecological Wisdom * Grassroots Democracy
Social Justice * Nonviolence
Community Economics * Decentralization
Feminism * Respect for Diversity
Personal and Global * Future Focus/
Responsibility Sustainability
created/distributed using donated labor
[=================================================================]
Attachment: Excerpt from GPMI Platform
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II. Social Justice
-------------------
2. HEALTH
c. Abortion Rights and Reproductive Freedom
Women shoulder the burden of pregnancy. The choice to carry to term
or terminate a pregnancy is theirs. More generally, all individuals
must have the right to choose whether or not to reproduce.
Greens support:
* The right of women to accept or refuse an abortion for
themselves.
* The availability of abortion services. The legal right to an
abortion is irrelevant otherwise.
* The identification of so-called "crisis pregnancy centers"
whose mission is to have unwanted pregnancies carried
to full term via delay and disinformation, and mandatory
disclosure, such as, "This facility does not provide
abortion services or referrals."
* The inclusion of abortion, tubal ligation, vasectomy and
contraceptives in all medical insurance policies.
* The distribution of contraceptives and drugs through public
schools, public and private health clinics, armed forces
medical facilities and other venues.
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Other Contacts:
Green Party of Michigan
548 S Main St
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-663-3555
info@migreens.org
posted to web 16 June 2004