Here's a little something to celebrate. Abortion ban fails in Mississippi!

[Maddy McCall]

Here's the ACLU press release:

http://www.aclu.org/reproductiverights/abortion/24767prs20060328.html

ACLU Applauds Defeat of Abortion Ban in Mississippi (3/28/2006)


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: [e-mail]

Says Bill Would Have Endangered Women’s Health and Lives

JACKSON, MS -- The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded the defeat of a dangerous and extreme abortion ban late last night in the Mississippi legislature.

“This extreme abortion ban would have threatened the health and lives of women across this state,” said Nsombi Lambright, Executive Director of the ACLU of Mississippi. “This is a great victory for the women of Mississippi and speaks to an active and growing pro-choice voice in the state that is fighting to ensure that all women can access the reproductive health care they need.”

The ban, which Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour said he would have signed into law had it passed, came only weeks after a similar abortion ban became law in South Dakota. Last week, advocates for women’s health in South Dakota launched a grassroots campaign to repeal that measure at the polls in November.

“History has shown us that when women are denied access to abortion they may resort to desperate measures,” said Louise Melling, Director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project. “The women of Mississippi would be better served if the legislature would focus on commonsense solutions aimed at reducing unintended pregnancy such as funding medically accurate sex education and ensuring access to birth control, including emergency contraception.”

The bill, which failed to pass last night after Senate and House negotiators were unable to reach an agreement, would have outlawed abortion in Mississippi, a state that is already failing when it comes to protecting access to reproductive health care. Ninety-eight percent of counties in the state are without an abortion provider, and in a recent report by the Guttmacher Institute, Mississippi ranked 30th in the nation in its efforts to help women avoid unintended pregnancy.

Similar bans on abortion are still pending in eight states: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

:woohoo:

Thanks to all DUers who emailed the five representatives on our side who fought for the women of Mississippi!! :toast: :yourock:

[Beaverhausen]

1. Well thats one victory! Lets hope it fails in all those other states

Thanks!

[ceile]

2. That's great!!!

Now we've got to get to the others!

[myrna minx]

3. Way to go Mississippi!

:woohoo:

[Bunny]

4. Yee haw!

:woohoo:

[Generic Other]

5. Way to go!

Glad the legislature came to their senses.

[MrBlueSky]

6. Thoughts from a newbie DUer.

Hello, all... new DUer here... (yes, I AM a cherry!) :hippie:

I've been reading this fine, fine blog ever since December 2004 when one of my fav ladies of the afternoon air... Ms. Randi Rhodes... discussed this site. (Dang near got into a car wreck while tapping the web page into my Pocket PC!!!!) :argh:

However, this is the first response I've typed!

Anyway, my thoughts on the Abortion Ban in MS... it seems to me that we merely dodged a bullet... rather than had an out and out victory in this case.

A failure of a House-Senate conference committee to agree to a final, reconciled bill is not exactly a resounding rejection.

My worry is that the next time, we may not be so lucky.

Personally, I agree with Sen. Clinton in that we need to make abortion safe, legal and rare.

It is my personal hope that technology may cause abortion to be outmoded and outdated... with more and better and more efficient and FREE contraception for all... especially Sens. Clinton and Murray's resolution: Plan B.

However, I hope that all those other Red Southern states learn from Mississippi and from the mistakes of S. Dakota and send these ill-conceived (no pun intended) legislation back to the drawing boards.

After all, Americans as a whole, I think, have come to realize that the neo-con movement has gone too far and are starting to pull us all back from the brink of the destruction of civilization.

[myrna minx]

8. Welcome to DU, MrBlueSky.

:hi: I agree with you that we just dodged a bullet. The legislature will return again and again until it passes, but after defeat after defeat, I'll take any victory to heart even if it temporary. :hi:

[MrBlueSky]

9. Thanks!

Thanks for the warm welcome Myrna!

And yes, I agree with you as well... after seeing defeat after defeat for 12 years now, I AM happy with that which we can get!

(Get used to it though... if my hunch plays out in the next months/years... we may be seeing the Promised Land for our party soon!!!... I pray for it anyway!!)

[Maddy McCall]

15. I'm not so sure it will ever receive the legislative support that...

it received early in this legislative season.

Constituents have contacted representatives. Representatives have considered how the state would support an additional 4,000 unwanted children each year. If the constituent calls didn't move them, the sheer expense (in terms of Medicaid, SSDI, etc) did.

It might come up again, but it won't receive the support it initially received this time.

[myrna minx]

20. Thanks for the insight.

This gives me hope. :hi:

[Maddy McCall]

13. Aren't most close legislative defeats "dodging bullets?"

:shrug:

There were five negotiators (Mississippi legislators) in committee who refused to yield. They are all strong in their district and will likely retain their seats.

You call it "dodging a bullet." I call it a victory for women in the state. While you look at your half-empty glass, I'll celebrate for the women in my state.

And welcome to DU. :hi:

[wryter2000]

24. Welcome to DU

:hi:

[newyawker99]

28. Hi MrBlueSky!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Samurai_Writer]

7. Finally some sanity!

Now to work on those eight other states who have similar abortion laws coming up.

[Jersey Devil]

10. This story doesn't say how close the vote was

I'd be interested in knowing just how close it came to this becoming law when it was defeated.

[Maddy McCall]

16. Didn't make it out of committee---

the five representatives I listed in a post last week--the ones that DUers emailed--refused to budge, so the bill died at midnight last night.

[SeattleGirl]

11. Fantastic news!!!

Thanks for posting this Maddy!

[EFerrari]

12. Fantabulous!

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[Strong Atheist]

14. Good! nt.

[fooj]

17. Right on!

Peace.

[Janice325]

18. Holy Crap!!

I'm shocked, but in a good way! :woohoo: :applause:

[AndyA]

19. Good news - some apparently still have a sense of decency!

:party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party:

:toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[Fleshdancer]

21. Well isn't this just a great day! A SD Indian Tribe is stepping up too

For anyone on this thread who hasn't read this thread yet:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=775494&mesg_id=775494

South Dakota Tribe to setup Planned Parenthood Clinic :D

[sandnsea]

22. Great Terrific Awesome News!!

Best I've heard in quite a while.

[wryter2000]

23. Awesome!

Good news, indeed.

[nicknameless]

25. Good!!!

:toast:

[Solly Mack]

26. So far, so good

but don't let'em think we're not still watching - cause we are

[Tsiyu]

27. I saw your thread on the homepage

and said, "Well, Halleluiah!"
O8) :headbang: O8) :toast: O8) :patriot: O8) :loveya: O8) :) O8)

Mississippi has enough troubles right now. You Bayou gals have enough on your plate without having to worry about your uteruses, too.

Hope you and the Boy McCall are doing great :hi: