ACTion ALERTS

A letter from Nancy Keenan regarding the tragic murder of Dr. Tiller (June 1, 2009)

I’m writing you today to express my immeasurable shock and deep sadness over the murder of Dr. George Tiller in Wichita, Kansas.

On behalf of NARAL Pro-Choice America and our affiliates, our prayers and thoughts are with Dr. Tiller’s family and friends.

If you don’t know very much about his background, for almost two decades Dr. Tiller and those individuals who helped provide care to his patients have lived under intense harassment tinged with persistent threats of violence. Even under these adverse circumstances, Dr. Tiller never wavered in his commitment to providing abortion services and other reproductive health care to women and their families, often in the most difficult and heart-breaking circumstances.

Dr. Tiller’s murder will send a chill down the spines of the brave and courageous providers and other professionals who are part of reproductive-health centers that serve women across this country. We want them to know that they have our support as they move forward in providing these essential services in the aftermath of the shocking news from Wichita.

We understand that the investigation is ongoing and that law-enforcement officials have detained a suspect. If it proves to be an act of anti-abortion violence, as we suspect it is, then the full weight of the law must be used to send a clear message that these types of attacks will be prosecuted fully and swiftly.

We also call on opponents of a woman’s right to choose to condemn this action completely and absolutely. What happened today in Wichita cannot become the beginning of a more aggressive wave of violence targeting abortion providers and the women for whom they provide care. Women accessing their legal right to abortion—and the providers who make this possible—should never be targets of violence.

As we all reflect on Dr. Tiller’s service to women and the work of thousands of reproductive-health care providers across the country, let us stand strong in this challenging time. You can connect with other pro-choice Americans on our blog, Facebook, or by reaching out to your state's affiliate.

Sincerely,

Nancy Keenan

Nancy Keenan
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

-----------------------------------------------
November 2008
PROPOSITION 4 IS DECEPTIVE AND DANGEROUS
Proposition 4 is a dangerous initiative requiring minors to seek parental notification 48 hours prior to having an abortion. The thing is, as a teenager, I want my parents to be involved and I’m pretty sure they want to be involved in my life. I luckily have approachable parents, but I do know others who don’t. As a matter of fact studies show that 90% of teens include their parents from the beginning. The unfortunate part is that not all teens have a safe home and supportive parents. The government can’t mandate family communication. It just doesn’t work.

Prop 4 is similar to past ballot initiatives in both 2005 and 2006, propositions 73 and 85, which were both defeated. Prop 4 puts our most vulnerable teens at risk. It causes them to seek dangerous alternatives such as self-induced abortions.

Proposition 4 seems to try to accommodate teens with ridiculous loopholes. Teens do have the opportunity to go to a trusted family member BUT, under Prop 4 it requires them to report their parents to authorities for abuse. It also states that a teen can get a judge’s approval instead of seeking family support. When a teen is scared she’s not going to go through a crowded courtroom. Most teens can’t even go to court for a ticket let alone seek approval from a stranger and reveal her personal situation.

Prop 4 is a very deceptive, desperate teens take desperate measures. We want our teens to be safe. So please join me in voting NO on Prop 4 to protect my peers and sisters.

Lisa Alvarado
ACT for Women and Girls intern