GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org
NATIONAL WOMEN'S CAUCUS
Green Party of the United States
http://greens.org/gp-uswomen
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Spokesperson Contacts:
Nan Garrett, 404-229-0626, ngarrett@greens.org
Kat Swift, 210-471-1791, kat@bexargreens.org
Outlawing Healthcare Choices Galvanizes Women
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In the wake of news that South Dakota has outlawed most abortions, women
leaders in the Green Party resolved to increase their struggle for Women until women's equality is enshrined
in the Constitution.
"Although the South Dakota situation has brought this
matter to a head, oppression of women is part of our history in the United States and the world," said
Morgen D'Arc, the Green Party's National Women's Caucus Founder and one of the first
Co-Chairs. "In a nation that exports principles of democracy at the barrel of a gun, principles that are based on the
equality of people, no administration - either Republican or Democrat - in the history of the United
States has ever placed the quality of women's lives, much less their equality, at the forefront of American
policy," continued Ms. D'Arc. "It's time we changed that. It's the 21st Century."
On Monday, February 27, South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds
signed the bill, which was passed by the state legislature in February after supporters argued that
the recent appointment of Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito made the Supreme
Court more likely to overturn reproductive rights. The bill outlaws all
abortions, including those performed in cases of rape or incest, except when necessary to save a mother's
life.
"South Dakota can pass whatever laws they want, of
course," said Lee Jeronimo, Green Party candidate for Texas Supreme Court, "but in this case they're doing
no more than passing a flagrantly unconstitutional statute and hoping to bait
the U.S. Supreme Court into upsetting settled law regarding women's rights over
their own bodies."
Several other states have pending legislation that
would ban abortion including Ohio, Indiana, Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri,
Mississippi, South Carolina, and Kentucky. Proponents of these bills cite concern for
life and 'souls' while making no such concerned provisions in the form of education or health care for
the same lives and souls after they are born.
"The hypocrisy of the proponents of these bills
saddens us, knowing that taxpayer dollars will be spent to further oppress
women in ways that won't address the problems of unwanted and unplanned
pregnancies," said Katey Culver, caucus member and Green Party candidate for U.S. Cong. Dist. 7th of
Tennessee.
"So much more could be accomplished for women if states invested in scientific and medically based
public education on reproduction, family planning and birth control. Education level plus reasonable access
to contraception have been shown to be the most effective factors in reducing unplanned pregnancies
and thereby abortions," continued Ms. Culver, who also serves as co-chair of the Green Party of Tennessee,
one of the states with legislation pending. "We should be investing far
more in our young women, investing in their education, health care and economic
opportunities."
For the Green Party, the right of women to control
their own bodies is nonnegotiable, and Greens call it essential for every
woman to have the right to safe, legal abortion. <http://www.gp.org/platform/2004/socjustice.html#998980>.
In addition, Greens support universal single-payer
health care, including the availability of publicly funded contraception and
abortion for women living at poverty levels. <http://gp.org/platform/2004/socjustice.html#999378>
"A woman's right to choose is essential," said Rae
Vogeler, Wisconsin Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate <http://www.VoteRae.org>. "If a woman cannot
control her own body, she cannot control her own life. This is about Equal
Rights, not just choice. The general public does not engage in discourse of denying
men options in their personal reproductive health care. Equal Rights recognized under the Constitution
is the best way to make sure each woman can control her own body and reinforce the principle underlying a
woman's right to choose articulated in Roe versus Wade."
MORE INFORMATION
National Women's Caucus
http://greens.org/gp-uswomen
Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
1711 18th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009.
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193
Green Party Platform: Women's Rights
<http://www.gp.org/platform/2004/socjustice.html#998980>
and Healthcare:
<http://gp.org/platform/2004/socjustice.html#999378>