What a Glorious Day-filled with power, determination, laughter, and a commitment to continue our work for Women and Reproductive Justice in a world filled with angry men wanting
women to return to the way it was before contraceptives arrived on the scene in 1965...
I am talking about our noon SpeakOut yesterday in Chicago . The
room in the Methodist Temple was so overflowing that many were left outside because inside had reached capacity. Those outside started chants of their own for Women.
Speakers included Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and
Congressman Mike Quigley, organizers of this event. Cheers also go to Leslie Combs, Jan's Assistant, who gathered supportive groups and individuals.
We heard from women who have had near-death experiences
were it not for birth control medication that saved them and from Carol Brite-President and CEO of Planned Parenthood who
repeated the theme Contraception is not Controversial.
How proud I was of the following Speakers -
Larry Greenfield, American Baptist Minister and on our Board of
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.
Larry who is usually quiet and laid-back gave a fiery admonition to not only the males in the room who are our friends but to the men of the Church and the men in Congress to "Man Up"
Larry spoke about what it means to "be fruitful and multiply" and how this was never meant to heap violence on women.
Sara Hutchinson- Policy Director of Catholics for Choice
Sara made us all proud to be part of the work of CFC flying in
that morning from D.C. as all flights were cancelled the nite before due to Chicago's North Side weather. (It always pays to
fly into Midway and the warmth of the South Side)
Sara spoke of the support of 98% of all Catholic women who use birth control. She also reiterated the fact that U.S. Bishops do not speak for the Catholic Community.
Laurie Chaiten - Director, ACLU of Illinois Reproductive Rights Project
Laurie is a non-assuming most brilliant woman I have ever met.
She addressed the issue of the constitutionality and legality of requiring access to birth control.
I felt grateful, loved and moved to tears to be surrounded by such believers in all that we have worked for over the many years It was like coming home to hug so many friends and see so many young women determined to steadfastly hold onto what we have worked for over the years for them ..
An hour of Reproductive Justice for all . . . in our never-ending work for changing oppressive systems and structures to make this a journey of equality and
a time to Stop the War being waged on Women in Society and
Church.
Sr. Donna Quinn
Co-ordinator of
Women-Church Convergence
The National Coalition of American Nuns
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Rights
And those of us who couldn't get in due to space safety concerns were given the opportunity to educate Chicago's Finest who had been "just scheduled to work here". We informed them of IL's Agriculture Committee's ruling on abortion clinics, "not dentists' offices, not podiatrists' offices, just offices where women as seeking reproductive health care"..........
Then we continued to chant: Listen, listen, Mister, Mister, Keep your laws off our SISTER!"
Still in the struggle,
Betty
Betty V. Holcomb
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice:
Those who were at the Speak Out from our RCRC Board were:
Larry Greenfield, Khadine Bennett, Phyllis Tholin, Duane Dowell,
Betty V. Holcomb, and Donna Quinn.
Inside and Outside Cheers for Women and for all of their work for Reproductive Justice.
Thanks to the great and tireless work of these men and women who advocate, we can carry on to help secure the reproductive rights we have today for all women in Illinois in the future. The dawn looks dark, the day looks grim, but the future looks bright because of folks like these who can fight. Can you join them? Write your legislators today in your state about keeping abortion safe and legal and keeping contraception available for all women. When you get done with that, write President Obama and tell him what you think, and if you have any energy left, write the Governor of Illinois and tell him to keep an eye on all the shenanigans of the Agricultural Committee in Illinois. Those bastards have no right to insult women by likening them to pigs, cows and corn.
Copyright 2012 by SheilaTGTG55
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Liam ODonoghue
AJCalhoun
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Michelle Coulter
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Salon.com
Comments
The right to put a probe into your vagina, make you view the pictures, carry two of them with you... just thinking about it .. like slavery. Really.
oh and turning the screen towards you and making you look, like a child.
Thanks for this. Just signed two petitions this morning. Sending more money.
Rita: It is a process of continued great injustice. We have to keep fighting. In a way, it is slavery. I have no idea why these men must hate their mothers so much.....
designator: Yes, the weather did not cooperate but we got more snow up north than they did down there.
CC: Thank you!
HUGGGGGGGGGG
Linda: Thank you for always being encouraging !
OMoM
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Inspired by Linda S.