WASHINGTON
- March 1 - Women's rights leaders are
stepping up their efforts today to protect reproductive choice. The
fate of abortion rights for American women for the next 25 years
hinges on the next U.S. Supreme Court Justice nominated by President
Bush. With one to two Justices expected to step down as early as
this coming summer, the women's rights and reproductive rights
movements are galvanizing their grassroots forces in an Emergency
Action for Women's Lives on April 22.
"We will not go back to days of back-alley abortions where women
will die," said Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority
Foundation (FMF). "We've fought too long and hard for safe, legal
and accessible abortion. The women's community is not going to sit
quietly and watch President Bush chisel away at our fundamental
reproductive rights," continued Smeal. "This emergency action is
just the beginning. We are here for the long haul and we intend to
win. We will not be the generation who both won and lost Roe v.
Wade."
The Feminist Majority Foundation Campus Leadership Program,
outreaching to feminist activists at over 700 public, private and
community college campuses nationwide is launching a student campaign
for the April 22 emergency action and for the battles ahead to save
Roe. "Young women will be harmed the most if an anti-choice Justice
sits on the high court," continued Smeal. "Students are outraged and
will take to Capitol Hill so their voices will be heard."
The FMF Campus Leadership Team works with thousands of college
students on campuses stretching nationwide. FMF Campus Organizers
are gearing up for dozens of campus presentations, workshops and
leadership trainings in preparation for the Emergency Action for
Women's Lives in Washington, D.C. on April 22, 2001.
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