Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (July 14, 2005)
james von boeckmann attorney at law G E N E RA L P RAC T I C E , I N C LU D I N G : fa m i l y • b u s i n ess • c r i m i n a l l aw a p p ea l s • i m m i g ra t i o n * C O S T- F R E E I N I T I A L C O N S U LTAT I O N S * H O M E V I S I T S AT YO U R C O N V E N I E N C E 968-0781 J LV O N B O @ M S N . C O M F O R A N A P P O I N T M E N T, P L E A S E P H O N E : OR EMAIL: chiropractic healing center It’s summer! Time for fun & frolic! G ENTLE & T RADITIONAL C HIROPRACTIC M ASSAGE T HERAPY • C RANIO S ACRAL T HERAPY A CUPUNCTURE • P HYSICAL T HERAPY H OT S TONE T HERAPY 342-4520 • 492 E. 13 TH A VE ., S UITE 200 • E UGENE • I N THE B IJOU B UILDING ew Asian N Dinner Buffet Saturday & Sunday Featuring: Delicious Thai, Japanese, Korean Vietnamese & Chinese favorites New Country Dinner Buffet Tues. - Wed. All You Can Eat For Only $8.95 906 W. 7th • 344-9523 BY KELLIE SHOEMAKER Time to Mobilize Women’s reproductive freedom faces imminent threat. P lanned Parenthood typically refrains from asserting the sky is falling or the bridge is burning. But as of July 1, the sky is hold- ing precariously above us and the bridge has a match flickering close to its wooden planks. On the afternoon before Independence Day weekend — a holiday in which we cele- brate and honor freedom — Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor announced that she would resign from the highest court in the nation effective on the confirmation of her successor. Because Planned Parenthood is the nation’s largest voluntary reproductive health organization, we know firsthand that nothing matters more for women’s independ- ent freedom, health, lives and safety than the justice appointed to be her replacement. Justice O’Connor’s announcement marked the end of the longest period since the 1820s without a Supreme Court resignation, and the first Supreme Court nominee of President Bush. This is where the bridge starts to smolder. Thirty-three years ago, a clear majority (7- 2) voted in favor of Roe v. Wade, the land- mark case that guaranteed legal access to abortion for women nationwide. Since then, the makeup of the Court has changed dramatically. When Planned Parenthood v. Casey reached the Court in 1992, only two remaining justices supported Roe in its entirety. In 2000, when the Supreme Court reviewed Stenberg v. Carhart, four of the nine justices made it clear that they support either overturning Roe v. Wade or eliminating the protec- tions guaranteeing that women’s health and lives are paramount. With Justice O’Connor’s resignation, there remain only four justices on the court who have ruled to protect women’s health and safety. President Bush has been given an opportunity to fill a coveted seat on the Supreme Court and to shape the ideological bent of the court for genera- tions to come. We could face, in the very near future, in addition to an anti- choice White House and an anti-choice Congress, a new majority on the Supreme Court that does not believe the Constitution protects a woman’s right to choose. If this isn’t a wake up call for supporters of reproductive freedom, I don’t know what it will take. We have to be insistent and steadfast. The fate of women’s reproductive freedom faces an imminent threat this fall. W hile news reports have carried reflections of Justice O’Connor’s role on the Supreme Court and political insiders have speculated on President Bush’s replacement nominee, Planned Parenthood has mobilized. In the immediate days following the announcement, we passed out more than 1,000 postcards to be sent to Sen. Gordon Smith, urging him to en- sure the confirmation of a justice who respects a woman’s fundamental right to make private childbearing decisions. We have staged demonstrations in Ashland, Medford, Eugene and Albany calling on pro-choice Oregonians to get active and save Roe. But we must do more. We have to be insistent and steadfast. The fate of women’s reproductive freedom faces an imminent threat this fall. For the first time in more than five years, the Supreme Court will hear a case directly relating to abortion. The case, Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood, will challenge the constitutional pro- tection for women’s health. The court’s decision in this case could have a dramatic impact on the ability of women and their doctors to challenge any abortion restriction, including an abortion ban, on the absence of a health exception. President Bush has said his role models for a Supreme Court nominee are Justices Scalia and Thomas — both of whom are on record saying Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided and should be overturned. It’s time to hold our hands up high to keep that sky in place and get out our fire extinguishers. Planned Parenthood knows that this vacancy is impor- tant. We hope you will join us in fighting to keep a woman’s right to choose. To find out more about how you can get involved, visit www.saveroe.com or call locally, 342-6042 x35. Kellie Shoemaker is the vice-president of public affairs for Planned Parenthood Health Services of Southwestern Oregon. 8 JULY 14, 2005
