Praising South Dakota. Confessions of an Ex-Abortion Provider

By Meteor Blades

For years, I've been complacent. Oh, I sent money. I slapped on bumper stickers. I voted for the right politicians. I swore at the passage of the latest restrictive statute. I sighed when a court ruling was announced. I shook my head in disgust upon learning that another doctor had felt compelled to buy a bulletproof vest or a shoulder holster. I got into a cocktail party argument every now and again. All along, I called myself pro-choice. A backer of reproductive rights. But, like a lot of people I know, I was lazy about it. Stupidly lazy. No more.

Here are three reasons why:

Bill Napoli

Julie Bartling

Mike Rounds

While hundreds, maybe thousands, of bloggers have ranted and screamed and generally carried on about Republican Senator Bill Napoli, Democratic Senator Julie Bartling, Republican Governor Mike Rounds and their compatriots for enacting a rapist-friendly, molester-enabling, coathanger-selling, health-shattering, woman-hating, forced-pregnancy law, I come here not to trash but to thank them and all their like-minded fellows in the South Dakota legislature for taking one great whopping chomp out of reproductive rights and doing what decades of nibbling away couldn't do - blast me out of my complacency.

I hear those whispers. Sure took you a long time. Yes. Agreed. I didn't take what was happening seriously enough. Mea culpa.

This wasn't always true.

Thirty-three years ago, just a couple of months after Roe v. Wade was decided, Dr. Bob MacFarland and 14 more of us got together in Boulder County, Colorado, to set up the Boulder Valley Clinic. It was the state's first standalone abortion clinic, and, so far as I know, the first nonprofit abortion clinic in the United States.

We came from various walks of life - physicians, a nurse, two lawyers, a journalist, a professor, a librarian, a minister, two graduate students. Three of us were Republican women, veteran volunteers of Planned Parenthood. Our common goal: to provide women with a place to obtain the safe abortions the Supreme Court had ruled was their constitutional right.

To get the project underway, we sought the assistance of Dr. Warren Hern, a former Peace Corps volunteer who had worked with nascent federal family planning services and had more experience and knowledge about abortion than anyone we knew. After a series of meetings, we asked him to put together a plan for the clinic with him as medical director. We appointed ourselves to the clinic's board, hired an executive director, and, in November, 1973, opened our doors.
Abortion foes attacked us immediately, incessantly, from the Op-Ed pages of the local newspapers. Some legislators and city councilmembers, numerous doctors, and, of course, fanatics of the not-yet-named "right-to-life" community did their worst to shut us down.

We were slandered and libeled repeatedly. Aborted fetuses, it was ridiculously claimed,  were being dumped in cans in the alley behind the clinic, to be hauled away once a week by garbage trucks. Dr. Hern, the clinic's employees, and every member of the board received phoned and written death threats. Tires were slashed. Rocks were thrown through windows. Graffiti was sprayed. In early 1975, the clinic was the first of scores in the nation to be fire-bombed, with a Molotov cocktail. The terrorists struck at night, and either through bad aim or some other miscalculation in the darkness, set our garage on fire, which was quickly extinguished.

Many a day one or more of us stood sentinel while sometimes aggressive foes of the clinic picketed, shouted Bible verses or epithets at patients and staff, or jostled and grabbed women in an attempt to persuade or intimidate them not to follow through on the choice they had made. We filled out dozens of police-incident reports.

When I moved, I left the board. But during the 1980s and early 1990s, I frequently stood shoulder-to-shoulder on the sidewalk with other pro-choice women and men in front of this or that clinic, blocking harassers engaged in a kind of guerrilla warfare, first in Denver, then in California. In Los Angeles, shoving matches at clinics under assault by Operation Rescue sometimes developed into fist-fights, spurring me, at the age of 45, to return to the study of martial arts.

Over time, however, as the worst of the clinic protests receded, so did my activism. I still contributed financially to NARAL and to Planned Parenthood. And, occasionally, I wrote a letter to the editor or a legislator or governor complaining about the latest Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (TRAP) law or so-called "counseling" laws or parental notification laws.

While the number of America's hospitals that perform abortions dropped to less than 10% and the percentage of counties with abortion providers dropped to 13%, I let the Randall Terrys and other fanatics of the religious right steadily eviscerate reproductive rights without doing nearly as much as I might, behaving as if I were the proverbial frog in a slowly boiling saucepan.

So, again, I say, thank you, South Dakota legislators and Governor Rounds for the match and the kerosene. You've lit a fire under my butt. And it's obvious I'm not alone. Although some of the bloggers noted below had been taking note of the shrinking of abortion rights long before now, a ferocity has appeared that for most wasn't there a little while ago. The list represents just a teensy portion of the whole:

For the women of South Dakota: an abortion manual by Molly at Molly Saves the Day

All abortion all the time by Jill at Feministe.

Let me tell you a story by Damnit Janet.

Little Girl Lost by SallyCat.

Why Senator Bill Napoli is an arsehole" by Marnanel.

Now the Battle Begins by Todd D. Epp.

So, when do we start worrying about issues. 10 states planning abortion bans by floridagal.

Unintended Consequences by Jane Hamsher.

The Sodomized Virgin Exception by digby

Christofascist Neocon Zombie Brigade on Patrol by Maryscott O'Connor.

Incongruous Convictions by Georgia10.

Wingnut Petri Dish by Mike Stark.

In South Dakota, I Am Disposable by SusanG.

South Dakota Governor Signs Abortion Ban by Steve Soto.

What South Dakota has done, and what Mississippi and Kansas and a dozen or so other states are getting ready to do makes up only one battle in a longstanding rightwing war on women that has had found too many of us AWOL.

For those who might suggest this is one of those damned "social issues" that gets the Democrats in trouble on election day, let's not forget that it's at its core a class war. Even if safe abortions were made illegal countrywide, as the right has been seeking to do since January 1973, affluent women would find a way, a discreet doctor, a friend with access to smuggled RU 486, a trip to Canada or Japan, or anywhere else the operation can be done for somebody with money. Less affluent women will have access to abortions, too, unhealthy, maiming and sometimes lethal abortions of the sort their mothers or grandmothers had to resort to. Unlicensed doctor abortions. Self-administered abortions.

By the time the case arguing against the South Dakota law or the law from Mississippi or some other abortion-banning state gets to the Supreme Court, somebody else could be gone from the bench, replaced by another Roberts or Alito or Scalia or Thomas, and Roe might be history. As this probable possibility sinks in, it would be easy to go from rage to despair, and from there to political paralysis. That can't be allowed to happen. I know I'll be part of the counterattack.

Obviously, one focus for anyone who considers reproductive freedom a priority is getting more pro-choice Senators elected. But, given the large number of Democratic Senators who claim to be pro-choice yet haven't been willing to quash anti-choice Supreme Court nominees, it's debatable how much such electoral efforts can be expected to achieve. At this late date, we need serious alternatives - additions, not substitutes - to that strategy.

If we direct the fury that the folks in Pierre have inflamed in us, we could by the time the High Courst rules, be far along in creating state enclaves where any American can continue to obtain an abortion. California, New York, Illinois, Oregon, Massachusetts, Connecticut and maybe, with luck and perseverance, a dozen, or at least half a dozen, other states could be secured as places where reproductive freedom will not go extinct.

I intend to find out over the next few months what I can do to make my state one of those havens. I'm lucky to live where that will be perhaps easier than anywhere: California. For one thing, "pro-life" elected Democrats are scarce here.

More difficult will be the task of coming up with a continuing source of funding so that women can travel from South Dakota or Mississippi or Missouri to a state where they can obtain an abortion even if their pocketbooks are empty. Then there's how to deal with minors crossing state lines without their parents' knowledge. Plus a host of other relevant matters.

I'm not a Pollyanna. Success in this endeavor will require a gargantuan effort. The forces arrayed against it are savvy and relentless. I freely admit that I don't know exactly how to go about all this. Starting today, however, for the first time in a decade, I'm going to seek out people on the front-lines of this fight and learn what can be done, what I personally can do.

Like every other pro-choice person I know, I'm not a one-issue voter, and never will be. We've got an out-of-control foreign policy, reckless rich-people-first economics, an assault on the public sector and the environment, and undermining of civil liberties. All must be addressed, and I am in no way saying this is the only matter that anyone should care about. But South Dakota ought to be persuasive evidence for everyone who was not yet persuaded that a crucial aspect of personal freedom is about to be extinguished unless we mount a renewed and vigorous counterattack. I've saddled up.

= = =

What to do:

Educate: In the past decade, nearly 500 state laws have been enacted to restrict choice. Every state has passed at least one such law. Since Bush was selected president, more than 2500 abortion-restricting bills have been introduced at the state level, and 200 have passed. A good first step is to learn the laws in your state and the stance of various officials, particularly those who are vulnerable in upcoming elections.

Some helpful beginnings can be found at the National Abortion Federation. NARAL maintains a state bill tracker on its Web site, as does the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Donate: For anyone reluctant to contribute to NARAL because of what s/he views as the organization's recent political missteps, the National Abortion Federation, the youth-orientedChoice USA, the internationally focused lpas and the venerable Planned Parenthood Federation are just a few of the organizations that can use your cash. If there is a local pro-choice group doing good work, so much the better.

Activate: Let's not kid ourselves, counterattacking will be exceedingly tough. We don't know yet how the Supreme Court may react, or when, or how far-reaching will be any ruling it makes. We do know, however, that restrictive state laws will continue to be enacted because the foes of reproductive freedom will not give up. We must be as relentless as they.
On the electoral front, that means supporting pro-choice challengers to anti-choice incumbents and doing what we can to squeeze anti-choicers in safe districts, both at the state and federal level.

Two immediate actions you can take:

Thursday: National Day of Solidarity with South Dakota. Events are planned in at least 14 cities around the country. Join if you can.

Friday: Tenth Annual National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers. On March 10, 1993, Dr. David Gunn was the first provider to be assassinated by an anti-abortion extremist. It goes without saying that without abortion providers, there can be no choice. Call a talk show and express support. Send local clinic staff a card of appreciation. Bring them flowers or a basket of bagels. Volunteer to be a clinic escort. "Adopt" the clinic as a group or personal project. Ask local providers how else you can help. Let them know that their essential contribution to reproductive freedom is valued in your community.

Comments

[John Palcewski]

I am impatiently awaiting the emergence of a great LEADER who will oversee the banishment of every single fascist Republican swine who, with endlessly repeated lies and propaganda and needless deaths of thousands, has stained the honor of America.

Weston La Barre in 1970 said in "The Ghost Dance" that charismatic leaders are those who come to resolve acute stress situations in the culture.

"A society's culture is a set of defense mechanisms, both technological and psychological. If technical means fail to protect the people against anxiety and stress, then psychological means must be fabricated to maintain homeostatis [or balance]."

In other words, right now America is in deep shit. The fascist swine are destroying the country, and we sit helplessly in numbed shock. Some of us write hysterical posts to liberal blogs. Some of us call our congressmen, or join email or fax campaigns.

But what we need the most is to find a true leader. Who is he?

Or she?

John Palcewski

[Sara]

Actually MB, I have two solutions. One is for a fairly significant gaggle of liberal - pro-choice folk to move to South Dakota and vote. There are only about 600 plus thousand folk in SD, and it is already a little under a half liberal, though the liberals are concentrated in several semi-urban areas. We need to found "places" with businesses and schools and all -- and move about 200 thousand excess Liberals out of New York and to the great plains of South Dakota. (We would get two Senate Seats in addition to the majority in the State Leg.). Housing is cheap -- you can get a ten room victorian for about 70 thousand in many towns. The state has deployed broadband nearly everywhere, and virtually all the voting pop is about ten years older than the national average. 200 thousand liberal colonizers could make it the next Vermont.

Ny second suggestion will get all sorts of fire from Civil Libertarians -- but I would suggest creating a PRIVATE data bank of American Males DNA. This could be done by means of swabing coffee cups in executive offices, as well as elsewhere. Children born without a listed father should then be able to have their DNA run against the Data Bank -- and a couple of dozen major suits for support with lots of publicity ought to change a few minds. I am not so interested in nailing some cute but pennyless High School guy -- but I am interested in including men in the universe that has to accept the consequences of not being careful, and not having access to birth control, because in the end, that is what they want to abort.

Since the 1970's the Reproductive Rights Majority has fought on a narrow front -- protect the majority on the court, and eventually those ninnies will go away. Not going to happen. It has to be a broad front now -- not only elective politics but tough advocacy on all sorts of fronts. Among other things that means demands that inconvenient children not be consigned to poverty.

[dksbook]

MB - great post, holy witness. Thank you for articulating, what those of us too angry to trust ourselves to speak, wish to say.

My plan is to get together some other Texas women old enough to remember coat hanger days, and start an underground railroad/babysitting group to get our women to someplace safe, like California, for therapeutic abortions, keeping their kids while they go.

[Roxanne]

Nothing to add, really. Terrific post.

[Mimikatz]

Great, great post, MB.

Abortion is secure in Califonria because of a constitutional amendment passed in the '70s that guarantees a right of privacy. This may be the time to try similar amendments in other states because of concerns about identity theft and government spying.

Planned Parenthood is an important provider of reproductive health services, and contributions to the Foundation are tax deductible. Because of their general parochialism and ineptness in the current climate, I no longer give any (non-deductible) money to advocacy groups of any kind except the ACLU--only to candidates themselves.

[Mimikatz]

One more thing--I know people like to recall the coat-hanger and knitting-needle days for dramatic effect, but I would hate to suggest those as actual methods to a new generation of desperate women. There are chemical alternatives such as off-label pharmaceuticals and herbal methods available in shops catering to various ethnic groups and through doctors.

[Redshift]

Wow, MB, is there any major fight for freedom in the past forty years you haven't been a part of? I'm in awe.

I'm wondering if we could organize a way for masses of us to obtain small quantities of RU-486. Here's my experience -- my wife has a condition that causes chronic pain, which our medical system is really stupid about. (She's had at least one doctor get threatened by the DEA for prescribing the amount of painkillers she actually needs.) Tylenol-2 (has a small amount of codeine, less than Tylenol-3) does the trick for her, and it's over-the-counter in Canada and Europe, so we get supplied by friends who are traveling to or from those places and get us "personal use" quantities.

I suspect RU-486 is still prescription-only in most places, but if there's anywhere it isn't (or effectively isn't), a large number of people obtaining small quantities could conceivably fly under the radar.

[John Casper]

Great post MB and great qualifier Mimi. I think identifying quality alternatives is critical right now and I think Mimi's concerns are valid. South Dakota has two (2)? Sioux Reservations, (Pine Ridge and Rosebud)? Could a physician licensed to practice on the "res" perform the procedures in question "on the Res" without losing his/her license to practice in SD? If not, can Planned Parenthood and NARAL offer women a ride out of SD for such a procedure? Will the major insurance carriers in SD cover a procedure for the "insured" if performed out of State? IMO these are the kind of practical, "on the ground," answers PP and NARAL can start providing in press releases. It conveys the message that we are not simply "taking it."

[ng]

South Dakota has two (2)? Sioux Reservations, (Pine Ridge and Rosebud)? Could a physician licensed to practice on the "res" perform the procedures in question "on the Res" without losing his/her license to practice in SD?

First off, SD has about 6 or more reservations. Second, you did not used to need a specific state license to practice on a Federal indian reservation if you work for the federal Indian health service, only a license in some state. Maybe that has changed, but I doubt it! That being said, allowed medical services in a federal service will likely reflect the primary views of the admiinstration in power at the time!

[John Casper]

Thanks ng, according to this site, http://www.kstrom.net/isk/maps/dakotas/sd.html SD has eight (8) reservations. I suspect insurer's such as Blue Cross would not pay for services provided on a reservation and I suspect those services are pretty tightly restricted to tribal members, only.

[2strange]

"Abortion is secure in Califonria because of a constitutional amendment passed in the '70s that guarantees a right of privacy."

Well actually it's not secure. I live in way Northern California. The only clinic we have is the only provider for 70 mile radius. Fire bombed four times, picketed regularly. That stopped in the middle of the Clinton Adminstration.

But there are so many barriers beyond that. Transportation to the community and then in the city where the clinic is. Having a sonogram before the proceedure when the only place that has a sonogram machine is a Catholic Hospital. Getting emergency Medi-cal coverage for minors, even getting a pregnancy test without every one in the community knowing about it.

What we saw in No. Cal during the 80"s and early 90's is what going to be happening in South dakota and any other state that bans abortions. Rich folks will be able to go else where. Teenagers and poor women will be faced with an incredible task of arranging transporation to another state along with getting the verified test and sonogram to say nothing of getting the money together.

What we did here was put together a packet listing all the paper work necessary to get an abortion, the steps necessary to get financial help, the places you can go, the cost of the proceedure, a map of how to get there, including bus schedules, and people you can call to arrange a ride. We handed them out to sympathetic nurses, who would give them discreetly to women who needed that kind of help. It's time to gear up for that kind of help again, I'm sorry to say.

[Hawise]

It is hard to accept that this is a battle that still needs to be fought each and every day, that we have not come to a point that we can leave it in the hands of those most intimately involved in the choices that must be made but it is still out there and must be dealt with by those who believe in it.
To that end, I offer this. Do not Move to places that are becoming repressive and are legislating bigotry. Move Away from these places, take your tax base and go. If women moved their families to places where they feel more welcomed then they will be happier and their children will be happier. Write a letter to every elected official that you can think of and tell them why their demographics are moving away from young and fertile to old and retired. Let the newspapers know that you would rather sell your home at a loss than to stay one more day in a place that treats your intellect so poorly. Tell them that you loved growing up here, would have loved seeing your children do the same and have their children follow after but sayonara and good night! It is a kinda Lysistrata move but the fact is that it just might work.
Of course, in a mood of full disclosure, I am an American woman living in Canada.