I would be stunned if I met a Black person today, who believed that
slavery was a good thing, Yet, over and over again I encounter women
who believe it is the right of Men to tell them what they may do with
their bodies. It can only be assumed that Men have confused and
muddied the issues to the point that some women are attacking
Windmills. The issue cannot be any clearer. Should Women have the
final say over their own bodies? Or should Men have the Right to
prevent them from exercising this Right?
The decision to have an abortion is one that ultimately belongs to the
pregnant woman. She may include many others in her decision making
process, but the final decision is hers to make, and to live with the
consequences. The fact is that this battle is not one of saving a
little person, all curled up inside a woman's body. That is the smoke
and mirrors put forth by those wanting to control women. If that
little person were really so important, then wouldn't it stand to
reason that once born into the world, these little people would be
assured of a safe home, good healthy food, free education to the
highest level they can obtain, opportunity to secure a job of their
choice and at a living salary. A home and a family. But that is not
the case. Not even close. Want proof that the "Right to Livers"
don't care one whit about these little persons? Just turn on the
evening news. Poverty is growing. Crime is growing. Unemployment is
growing. Education costs are growing. That is the world our
Defenders of Life are offering these new little persons.
Still, the real issue continues to be one of who controls each woman's
body. Until every woman has total control of herself, a form of
slavery exists. It is just a short step back to those "Good Old Days"
when a woman had to have her husband's permission in order to purchase
a car, which title was still in her husband's name. She could not buy
a home without a man signing with her. She earned only two thirds, at
best, of a man's wage.
Do women really want to travel back to those Golden Days?
I know one for sure who does not.
Carl Jarvis
23/16, Roger Loran Bailey <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
http://themilitant.com/2016/8004/800420.html
The Militant (logo)
Vol. 80/No. 4 February 1, 2016
(editorial)
Defend women’s right to choose!
The labor movement and all working people should join in the fight
against the growing number of state laws restricting women’s access to
abortion, and against the attacks on Planned Parenthood.
Defending the right to choose abortion is a working-class question: the
right to decide when or if to bear children is fundamental to a woman’s
control of her own life and to winning full social, economic and
political equality, a prerequisite to uniting the working class. The
attacks on the right to choose — from waiting periods to excessive
regulations designed to force clinics to close to denial of Medicaid and
insurance coverage for abortion — land hardest on working-class women
and the rural poor.
The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution registered the conquests of
the Second American Revolution, which put an end to chattel slavery. It
says, “No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the
privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any
state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due
process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal
protection of the laws.”
The fight for abortion to be the decision of a woman — not the
government, a doctor, a relative or anyone else — is part of the fight
to extend this constitutional protection fully to women.
In the context of today’s capitalist depression and growing attacks on
working people, the rulers’ efforts to relentlessly cut women’s access
to abortion is part of a broader campaign against working-class women to
undermine their confidence, drive down the value of their labor power
and divide the working class.
Women and the working class are paying a big price today for the refusal
of the established women’s rights organizations to mobilize spirited
public actions in support of women’s right to abortion, and campaign
vigorously for it as a fundamental question of women’s equality. Like
most liberals today, they believe workers are moving to the right,
evidenced by the support for Donald Trump. They argue supporters of
abortion should focus on “stopping the right” and not to rock the boat.
Trust in the courts, they say, and work to elect “pro-choice” politicians.
The Socialist Workers Party points to the young people who mobilized in
Chicago Jan. 17 against restrictions on women’s right to choose abortion
as a good example that can and should be emulated.
Related articles:
Protest hits restrictions on abortion rights, cuts to Planned Parenthood
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