Abortion Ban Foes Petition for a Choice

[sarahlee]

Even some conservative South Dakotans sign a bid to hold a vote on the law, which was meant to spark a Supreme Court test of Roe vs. Wade.

STURGIS, S.D. — Volunteers pushing to overturn the nation's most far-reaching abortion ban are surprised and delighted by the response as they circulate petitions to put the law up for a public vote.

Even in the most conservative corners of this conservative state, both Republicans and Democrats — including a few who say they oppose abortion — are eagerly signing the petition. In two weeks, volunteers have collected a third of the signatures they need to get a November referendum on the ban.

Some voters dismiss the abortion-rights activists as out of touch with South Dakotan values. "People here have a sense of morals and ethics," said Darcy Patterson, 40. "I don't want to change the law."

But others say their legislators went too far when they voted last month to prohibit all abortions, even in cases of rape or incest, unless the mother's life is at stake.

<...>

Supporters expected the measure to draw an immediate court challenge from Planned Parenthood, which operates the only clinic providing abortions in South Dakota. Abortion opponents wanted a legal fight that could lead the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 decision establishing a constitutional right to abortion.

But abortion-rights forces chose not to sue. Instead, they're appealing directly to voters.

On college campuses, in tiny farm towns, in tanning salons, on golf courses and in city parks, more than 400 volunteers are circulating petitions. They are organized by the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families, which in turn is funded by major abortion-rights supporters such as Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice America, and the American Civil Liberties Union.


<...>

Even opponents expect the campaign to easily collect the 17,000 valid signatures needed to put the referendum on the ballot. That would put the abortion law into legal limbo, on hold until the November election. If voters reject the law, it will be stricken from the books. If they uphold it, abortion-rights activists can still sue to block its enforcement.

A statewide poll commissioned by abortion-rights activists last month found that 57% of voters want to overturn the ban. But Rep. Thomas Brunner, a Republican who represents the region around Sturgis, said he believed that number was wrong.

More....
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-abortion9apr09,0,3844002.story?page=1&coll=la-home-headlines


Places to pick up Petitions:

Rapid City
Planned Parenthood
619 Mountain View Rd., 341.2545
Monday, 3 - 7 p.m.
Wednesday, 5 - 7 p.m.
Thursday, 3-7 p.m.
Friday, 2-5 p.m.
First Sat of the month, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Asio Studios
616 West St. at Main, 343.8222
Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Black Hills Celtic Shop
523 7th St., 388-0281
Mon-Sat, 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Sioux Falls
SD Campaign for Healthy Families
The Crane Company Building
326 E 8th Street, Suite 105
Mon-Fri 8:00 – 5:30pm

http://www.sdhealthyfamilies.org/index.html

[sarahlee]

1. Help us out

Please consider helping our cause at Act Blue or if your in South Dakota by joining our team at FocusSouthDakota.com. We have reached 1/3 of signatures, we want to get 50,000 as a show of strength and to prevent the anti-choice organizations from challenging our signatures in court.

http://www.actblue.com/pages/focussoutdakota



http://www.focussouthdakota.com/contact.html

This drive is being led by two groups, South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families and by FOCUS: South Dakota. SD Healthy Families is a coalition of 15 SD leaders, and FOCUS SD is a 527 that was created to protect Daschle's seat, and is chaired by former State Democratic Party Chairs.

Charon Asetoyer, executive director of the Native Women's Health Education Resource Center, recently announced her candidacy for a seat on the State Senate of South Dakota's 21st District. Her opponent got a zero voting rank on women's health and safety issues in his last term:
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/actnow?bid=4&pid=74028

Through the backlash here in South Dakota, the Mississippi Legislator rejected a similar bill, and Georgia seems to be backing off now as well.

Your donations in time and money will help curb the appeal of this kind of legislation to other states.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.