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Vol. 81/No. 8 February 27, 2017
Protesters discuss how to defend women’s rights
Militant/Edwin Fruit
KENT, Wash. — “We have to fight state by state the restrictions that
have piled up, making it harder for women to obtain an abortion,” Mary
Martin, left, Socialist Workers Party candidate for mayor of Seattle,
told Michelle Rauschenberg, as they took part in a rally of 400 here
Feb. 11, countering about 50 people at a “Defund Planned Parenthood”
rally across the street.
“It seems like we have to keep fighting the same battles,” said
Rauschenberg, right, who works as a teacher’s aide in the Renton school
district.
Shelby Reeves and Tayler Bailey, both 32, shared a sign reading, “It’s
my body and my choice.” That sign “gets to the heart of the matter,”
Martin said.
“The Roe v. Wade decision decriminalizing abortion was not based on
equal protection of women under the law, but rather the vague ‘right to
privacy,’ a shared decision with a doctor, and viability of a fetus,
that’s our problem,” she said. “Opponents of the right to abortion use
things like changes in medical care to demand more restrictions.”
“This is our right as women, period,” responded Bailey. “That is how I
was taught to think about this issue.”
“Both Democrats and Republicans are responsible for the erosion of
abortion rights,” Martin said.
“I agree completely, although Tayler doesn’t think so,” said Reeves.
“Yes, I’m getting more involved in the Democratic Party,” said Bailey.
Discussions like this on what way forward continued throughout the day.
— EDWIN FRUIT
Related articles:
Actions defend women’s right to choose abortion
Defend abortion rights, state by state!
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