Right-wing Alabama Rethuglicans passed their draconian and misogynist anti-reproductive choice law earlier this year, which had the effect of imposing a near total ban on abortions for women in that state. It criminalizes abortions for the physicians, and does not make exceptions for victims of rape and incest. In a word, barbarian. Anti-choice activists see this law, and similar laws passed by Rethuglican legislators in other states, as a vehicle for striking down Roe v. Wade in the Supreme Court.
On the front lines of the fight to preserve women's reproductive rights is Planned Parenthood, whose facilities also provide birth control, breast and cervical cancer screenings, and tests for sexually transmitted diseases. They are in the process of constructing a state-of-the-art facility in Birmingham that is expected to be completed in November of this year. November is also the month that the law would come into play, unless struck down by the courts. Anti-choice activists are vowing to block the construction in some way, including challenges to the facility's licensing and harassing the construction contractors and their workers with threatening phone calls and e-mails. Planned Parenthood's other facility in the state, in Mobile, is closed for renovations, leaving three abortion clinics in the state which are not affiliated with Planned Parenthood.
The fight that Planned Parenthood is waging is worth supporting generously. You can contribute to their efforts by clicking here.
(photo: Anti-choice protesters outside of clinic construction, via al.com)
