"This represents a monumental step backward for personal privacy for women," Nancy Keenan, president of Naral Pro-Choice America, said.

...After more than an hour of fierce and emotional debate, the senators rejected pleas to add exceptions for incest or rape or for the health of the pregnant woman and instead voted, 23 to 12, to outlaw all abortions, except those to save the woman's life.

Jessica,

Just wanted to let you know that I sent you some e-mail but got a return message saying your mail box was full.

Thanks.

Please do not let this happen. No woman has an abortion without great thought and stress. NO ONE ELSE has the right to belittle that ultimate decision. I am a mother of one and a grandmother of two. Because of damage done to my uterus in the birth of my daughter I had two mis-carriages. Even though I was taking birth control pills, I became pregnant. I chose immediate abortion and tubal ligation because I knew I could not stand to lose another possible baby. I wanted another and made a painful choice. NO ONE ELSE HAD THAT RIGHT. Get the government out of our wombs. I am a third generation Republican for other reasons but can not abide this intrusion for personal reasons.

I just thought it might be important to those who are so concerned about these abortions. If you really care-offer to adopt each and every one of these unwanted, potentially abused and ultimately serial abuser children into your family. If you can't or won't do that-you may want to shut up!

I'm sending the Governor of South Dakota a wire coat hanger in the mail. Hopefully many other women will do so as well, they're going to need them.

Contact Governor Rounds
Office of the Governor
500 E. Capitol Ave.
Pierre, SD 57501
605.773.3212

Great idea, Rent-a-Gent.

This is a very sad, but not completely unexpected, development. Given the current make-up of the Supreme Court, the future for Choice is certainly more frightening than it was six months ago.

My question is...will NARAL be including the Alito cloture vote in its next candidate rating system?

"South Dakota: Proudly protecting the reproductive rights of rapists since 2006"

Usually I consider myself just a pro-choice as the next girl, but as a young woman in South Dakota, I think I ought to explain a few things about us.

Number one: we have extremely high standards of personal responsibility and decency.

We all have a general understanding of what the phrase "99.9% effective" means on our contraceptive products, and we're pretty particular about having facts in our schools. Notice we strike down bad sex ed programs, and we don't even consider garbage like intelligent design. Because we are very progressive with schools and technology--especially Rounds' initiatives regarding technology IN schools--the personal responsibility factor goes way up. In addition, the addresses of sex offenders are a matter of public record. So generally we are not stupid enough to disregard proper contraception or live near sex offenders with our children.

I cannot remember the last time I heard of a successful rape here (and I worked at one of the biggest newspapers for over two of the last three years, typing the county court reports and generally proofreading the whole thing), much less one that resulted in a child. See, we take care of one another in this state. There was a half-hearted *attempted* rape on my university campus last fall and the whole town went ballistic.

We're big on family and community here. We don't leave single mothers in the street. We care. The South Dakota Housing Authority and Habitat for Humanity are incredible here, in addition to many community shelters. In our schools, if not at home, we are taught the value of volunteering and donation and caring for each other.

And it's not like we can't drive over to our lovely liberal neighbor Minnesota and pick up EC if we're desperate.

I do think it's completely wrong to challenge Roe v. Wade. Usually our state is pretty good about keeping to itself. Otherwise our relationship with Minnesota wouldn't be nearly as nice, and I'm very concerned about the precedent this sets within our state. However, because of our incredibly high standards of personal responsibility and decency, I can see where our republican lawmakers are coming from, and it wouldn't be the first time we passed a controversial law knowing full well that it would stay in the courts and be pretty unenforceable.

Rounds is a pretty reasonable guy, and I'm curious what he'll do if and when this bill hits his desk.

Awesome idea, Rent-a-Gent, totally worth the price of postage. I'll try to find an old, rusty one in my basement.

Abby,I hope you check back here again. If you do, please read the story of Jane at http://www.cwluherstory.com/CWLUFeature/TribTheater.html

I have plenty of coat hangers in my closet. I just never thought the possibility would arise again for that purpose.
I told this story before, here, but it bears repeating again. My sister became pregnant prior to Roe V. Wade. At about her fifth or sixth month, she fell down a flight of stairs, from feeling faint. The accusation,of cource, is that she fell on purpose to induce an abortion. She spent many years living with that. I have no intention of seeing any other woman having to bear that stigma, and shame, again.
Abortion will NEVER be eliminated, despite the most fervent efforts of those who oppose the right of a woman to have a personal degree of direction in her personal right.
Those who can afford to do so, will always find some place to have a safe, legal abortion. All others will again face the anxiety and fear of having an illegal one.So many will find themselves in such dire straights that they will be forced to take that chance, of doing something "illegal". So what get's accomplished? Nothing!
We have such an epidemic of male devient behaviour, Priests, and ministers, at the fore front,plus the pedephiles surfing the internet, and yet we put all our efforts into what a woman can, or cannot, do regarding her personal self.
Yes! It is women destroying the fabric of our society in demanding rights and respect!
I would love to see not a single abortion performed, but until this society get's it right, a woman MUST have the right to have the choice,and men must get a clue into what that entails. Otherwise, as a man, keep your nose out of it

"I cannot remember the last time I heard of a successful rape here (and I worked at one of the biggest newspapers for over two of the last three years, typing the county court reports and generally proofreading the whole thing), much less one that resulted in a child."

In 2001, there were 351 rapes in South Dakota. I can't find statistics from a more current year, but over 300 REPORTED (most rapes aren't reported) doesn't seem like an insignificant number to me.

"And it's not like we can't drive over to our lovely liberal neighbor Minnesota and pick up EC if we're desperate."

And if you read this blog regularly, you might realize that this isn't so easy to do for everyone.

Thanks, RBG--that email has been a little screwy. Should work now though.

"And it's not like we can't drive over to our lovely liberal neighbor Minnesota and pick up EC if we're desperate."

Thanks Anna for making the point I was going to--is driving to another state for a legal prescription really acceptable? Would you expect someone to do this for any other medication?

S. Dakota Atty General Violent Crime Stats
2004, last year available

Forcible Rape : 336 Reported

Did I misread this but I think South Dakota is going to try to also ban EC completely

http://legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2006/bills/HB1215p.htm

Read Section 3 and 5

I really hope that are not actually going to try to do this.

Good idea. I will be sure to let all of the pro-choice women at my college know about your idea, Rent-a-Gent. I think we can all find a spare wire hanger. It'd make a good attention getter, too, since a lot of young women here aren't really paying attention to all that is going on in the issue of their very own reproductive rights.

Thank you Jeanne, for posting the Governor's info. I'm sure I have a few spare hangers laying around.

Also, I'd like to see what would happen in any of the daughters of these SD legislators got raped and ended up pregnant! We know the answer, they would be wisked away to some hospital where one of their "doctor" friends would do the procedure without questions.
A woman should not be made to go through an unwanted pregnancy in any circumstance, but what kind of cold blooded psycho maniac would make a woman have to live with the rapist spawn rumbling inside you for nine fuckin' months!

This absolutely terrifies me. How can people forget that each person has the right to a good life? How can carrying the baby of a rapist ever be a good life for a woman? I had a close friend who was raped and a child was produced. As she was underage and her father didn't believe in the morning after pill, she was forced to give birth. She was only 14 at the time. Will one of the supporters of this ban (and of course of the opposition of Roe v Wade and the Morning After pill) please tell me why a child has to suffer more than just the horrificaiton of rape, but the constant reminder of the child? I think the legislature needs to rethink a few issues on this bill and I hope that the governor has someone who will advise him that he needs to not only think of the fetus but of the person who is carrying it. Men can walk away, but a woman can't.

One more nail in the coffin of abortion rights.

This legislation is being proposed in several other states, it won't just be South Dakota. (see msn article)

I wonder what the child support enforcement rates are in South Dakota? Anyone know? Bush cut that program, along with domestic violence shelter spending, and lets not forget welfare cuts. Don't abort, just slowly starve the child to death, typical neo-con capitalist mentality.

Maybe we are going about it all wrong, maybe we should just say to hell with the legal system, seriously, and start rounding up dead beat dads (those that aren't low income and can afford to pay child support) and start hanging them on courthouse and especially state capital steps. Maybe we should start castrating men Lorenna Bobbit style who rape. I'm dead serious on this, look, working withing the system is getting us nowhere, and if the methods I suggest seem extreme, well they are, but they'll get noticed. Get about 200 to 300 womyn lynching these neo-con men who want to force us back in medieval ages might get some attention, might let them know, WE AREN'T GOING BACK. Let them go live with the Taliban, I refuse to wear a veil, I refuse to have my sexuality controlled by ANY MAN OR GOVERNMENT. If the tables were turned, and it was men, I can bet you they wouldn't be so tolerant.

Maybe its time, we read Fanon, replace Blacks (Africa) with womyn. Either that, or get used to living in the dark ages again, and those same men who pass these laws, will be out screwing and laughing all the way to the bank, while the kids starve, slowly.

Personally, I like writing to SoDakota legislators and encouraging them to support a paternity tax. Marry the woman or pay all maternity costs plus 60% of your income for 18 years. Rapists would be required to serve a minimum 18 years+9 months.

Think it would work?

BETRAYED--AGAIN

At this point I shouldn't feel surprised that I'm no longer represented by my own country. Is it time to move to Canada, let these legislators know what it feels like to be raped, or start growing blue cohosh covertly in my back yard? My own grandma tried blue cohosh back in the 1930s and it didn't work. Coincidentally, my aunt just happened to be born with Down's Syndrome. She spent the majority of her life feeling guilty because she thought she caused her child's problems, when they didn't want to have another child in the first place.

This is absolutely outrageous, and as far as I'm concerned is a declaration of war against women.

Don't you love how this administration defends the right to life yet they are so eager and willing to hand over our sons and daughters to a war that has no ending, for OIL? They even had the audacity to lie to the American public about reasons for going to Iraq, and yet they CARE about life? If they cared so much about life, where were they during the hurricanes of 2005 for THREE DAYS? They care about life, they care about white life. Of course if you're of another race, and you get pregnant, that just keeps you in the 'status' you belong. It's all about money with this administration. If they can keep us uneducated and dependent on government help (come on now single mothers), then THEY WIN. Case closed.

I cannot wait for 2008, let's vote for Hillary!

That's right, they are hardly pro-life at all, They use that shit for their own control over women, to keep us down from progressing, being part of the workplace and having our independence from their bull-shit. It not about the fetus/baby/life, it's about their egos!! I would never call someone "pro-life" who doesn't care about the ruined life of a twelve year old girl whose been raped by her perverted dad! Pro-life, my ass!!

I think that all of the women - especially the young women looking at going to college SHOULD FLEE THIS RIDICULOUS STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA.... - Why would any woman want to live in a state where her freedom to choose the future of her life was so curtailed. THIS IS HORRIFYING NEWS - and I think that all the men in South DAKOTA should just live by themselves - get psyched for broke back mountain lifestyles! It is sooooo sickening to think that a man could RAPE his daughter and she would be FORCED to have the baby - this state is going back to before midevil times and I am just SOOO angry about this. MOVE TO CALIFORNIA OR NEW YORK OR MASSACHUSETTS - THESE are the only safe HAVENS for women today!

I too can't believe this is happening in this day and age. My daughter is now 10 and we just had the talk recently. I told her that she has choices in her life and I hope she always will, be it with how to deal with an unwanted pregnancy or what school she wants to attend in the future. I say let's hit them where it hurts in South Dakota, their pocket books! Let's have a call for a boycott of tourism to the great state of South Dakota!

In response to the person from SD I fully agree on teaching a person how to be responsible about their reporductive choices and yes 99.9% does mean something - however....how many women do you know that are on the pill, using condoms and STILL get pregnant? I personally know more than one...one was a mother of 3 - married - still for 50 years now - she was working at the time and they were in no place to have another child....if her personal freedoms were taken away whose knows how the children's lives would have changed? I was taught sex ed in school, went to planned parenthood, and was close enough with my mother to talk about these kinda of things.....its not about education...its about FREEDOM over OUR BODIES....one persons choice may not be right for you or me or the other one...but its the idea that we have the choice...the govenment isn't stopping people from drinking and driving....shit you can buy beer in any 7-11...DUI's can kill - but its your freedom of choice that keeps people behind the wheel...RESPONSIBILITY for ones actions...YES...but accidents happen...rapes happen...incest happens....I am a mother of a 6 year old and am trying my hardest to teach my child that she has every right to choose anything in her life thats best for her...do I want some MAN that knows nothing of my child to come along andn take those rights from her? HELL NO....I'd love to send a wire hanger to all those men

The biggest impact you can have is to contact all of these major South Dakota employers and economic groups. South Dakota is small enough that boycotts on major industries in large enough numbers COULD turn the tide on this if people act this week before the Gov. signs this bill. BTW: This Gov. is very big on economic development as SD desperately needs to keep and increase its cash flow.
Contact all of these businesses about the boycott.

South Dakota Businesses

South Dakota Economic Development
www.sdgreatprofits.com
South Dakota Tourism
www.travelsd.com
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
http://www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com/
South Dakota Beef Producers
www.sdcattlemen.org
SD certified beef
www.southdakotacertifiedbeef.com
South Dakota Pork Producers
www.sdppc.org
South Dakota Corn Growers
www.sdcorn.org
Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce
http://www.siouxfallschamber.com/
Lodgenet Entertainment Corp.
www.lodgenet.com
Daktronics
www.daktronics.com
Citigroup Citibank Card Services
www.citgroup.com
HSCB Household Bank, Cards & Loans (HSBC credit cards & loans)
www.hsbcusa.com
Esurance
www.esurance.com
Sioux Valley Hospitals & Health System
www.siouxvalley.org
John Morrel & Company (lunchmeats, bacon, hot dogs, cut meat)
www.johnmorrell.com
Wells Fargo Bank & Financial services
www.wellsfargo.com
Midwest Coast Transport (major national trucking company)
www.midwest-coast.com
First Premier Bank & Credit Cards
www.firstpremier.com
Cigna Teldrug
www.cigna.com
CNA Surety
http://www.cnasurety.com
Hutchinson Technology
www.htch.com
Precision Computer Systems (provides banking computer systems)
www.pcsbanking.com
Raven Industries (Aerostar hot air balloons, electronics)
www.ravenind.com
University of South Dakota
www.usd.edu
South Dakota State University
www3.sdstate.edu/

I live in SD. I can tell you that South Dakota is no more moral or caring than any other state. The majority of the state does not support this measure, this is why they DON'T want it to go to a vote.
The poverty rate, infant mortality, uninsured children are higher than the norm. The social system in the state is abysmal and access to contraception is almost impossible for lower income women.
These oh so moral right wingers trying to push this legislation through have no intention of doing anything to help women or their children.
The instance of rape is no lower in SD per capita than elsewhere. Anyone trying to paint South Dakota as some moral utopia is just lying.

Another State engaging is such madness!!

http://news.yahoo.com/fc/us/abortion_rights_debate

I support the boycott and my sister fought against the Hyde Amendment in Washington DC about 15 years ago which would have banned abortion.

My recommendation is to get massive media coverage on your boycott. You would be amazed at how quickly media picks up issues that affect American's personal freedoms. This boycott can work big time if you get strong allies like leaders in Planned Parenthood, NARAL, NOW, and other womens rights and progressive groups. I have also wrote the above organizations in order to get them angry and focused enough to support and promote the boycott. You need to contact the Governor and Democratic Party of South Dakota and give them the figures about what a boycott would do. No conventions in South Dakota any more! Educated women from big American companies would never attend any conferences in South Dakota. No more purchasing of beef products. Get women at large beef buyers to contact the Governor that if he signs the bill, no more beef sales. Get women to cancel upcoming events scheduled in South Dakota. Get women at large tourist organizations to contact the governor and boycott any future events. Get the thousands of women in the Democratic Party to support the boycott. You need the assistance of the leaders in the Democratic Party, Planned Parenthood, NARAL, NOW to take up the workload.

The following is a letter that I sent to the South Dakota Democratic Party. As the letter states, I have emailed CNN, ABC, MSNBC and CBS with the hipocracy of South Dakota both trying to ban abortion and the teaching of contraception in the schools.. This is an act that will outrage the american silent majority and wake up to these Taliban style crazies who what to take our rights away. I am an educated man and support womens rights as this makes us a better society.

The Democratic Party is supposed to stand up for the average American, including women.

I am a Democrat and support living in a free society, not a society like the Taliban, a state your legislature would like America to be. Now is the time for any democratic leaders with any backbone to stand up and let your governor know loud and clear, that educated, freedom loving Americans will not be visiting your state or buying your beef for a long time. And it is the familes and democrats that will suffer for the acts of your extremist, unamerican legislature. I agree that abortion needs to avoided, but making criminals out of doctors and innocent women is not the answer.

Your democratic leaders may be the only hope to get this abortion ban bill killed before you feel the economic hardships as American women and freedom loving people will be avoiding your state like the plague.

Email sent to CNN, ABC, MSNBC and CBS executive producers, news groups, editors

South Dakota is awaiting the governor’s signature on banning abortion, even when a woman is raped or in cases of incest.

From the article below, South Dakota wants to ban teaching contraception in school. This is an extremist state that would like American women to be treated like the Taliban.

CNN needs to break the hypocrisy of this story, with South Dakota both trying to ban abortion and not allowing teenagers information about contraception. THIS IS SICKENING AND UNAMERICAN.

The boycott is on and hopefully the governor will not sign the abortion bill, otherwise South Dakota will feel the huge economic fall out. Educated women will not be attending any events in conferences in South Dakota.

Regards,

Troy Smith
Monrovia, CA

Article below:

Measure would drop requirement to teach about contraception
KELLY WIESEAssociated PressJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Eighteen-year-old Sarah Barasch says she has a friend who is sexually active and worries her peer doesn't think about potential results, such as disease.
Sharing those concerns, she told legislators Wednesday that school is the place students need to learn about contraception and that it's dangerous not to teach them.
Her testimony came as a House panel considered legislation that would drop a requirement that schools include information on contraception in their human sexuality courses. Although schools could still teach about contraception, they would only be required to tell students they could seek information about contraception, abortion and pregnancy from their doctors.
"All of us as teens want good, factual information, and we want it to be complete," Barasch, a senior at Parkway North High School in the St. Louis area, told the House Children and Families Committee. "Teens participate in sexual behavior unaware of the consequences."
Supporters said the proposed change in law would set minimum standards but would not prevent any school from still teaching contraception. Some critics, however, expressed concerns about how far a school could go.
Sponsoring Rep. Cynthia Davis said medical providers are a more appropriate place for teens to get information on contraceptives.
"We're not expecting the public school to do everything," said Davis, R-O'Fallon. Under the state's current policy, "we're letting non-medical professionals talk about medical events."
But other lawmakers raised concerns, including where the proposal would leave teens who lack access to or money for a doctor.
"We're making information about pregnancy and contraception available only for those who can afford it," said Rep. Beth Low, D-Kansas City.
The bill also would prohibit abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood from giving sexual education materials to public schools and would require school districts to share instructors' names and affiliations before they teach sex education classes.
Davis said she was trying to prevent those with a conflict of interest from teaching the material.
Both concepts were included in sweeping anti-abortion legislation considered last year that fell apart in the session's final days.
---
Sex education bill is HB1075.
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