To the editor:

The newly passed anti-abortion law passed in South Dakota is grabbing headlines, as the media debate whether the newly revised Supreme Court will ratify it or not.

However, the greatest danger of the South Dakota law, which outlaws almost all abortions and reverses Roe v Wade, is as a stalking horse for the continued erosion of women’s reproductive rights.

While the movement for a rational and humane abortion policy is distracted by this battle, we may begin to see increased erosion of abortion rights by less draconian measures, but measures which gradually limit the rights of women to control their reproductive lives. These must not be ignored.

Having spent many years in the struggle for reproductive rights, I have seen the anti-abortion professionals close up and come to know some. They will be happiest just hacking at the rights of women slowly, because they will not lose their cause or their jobs. Women will suffer and the anti-abortion crowd will thrive.

Outlawing abortion will actually lose their jobs and their power. They do not really want that.

Pro-choice advocates should not be distracted from the quiet grinding away of abortion rights even during this time. Every battle, however small, must be fought and the enemies of women must be turned back.

Rev. Jack Zylman
Founder, Alabama Clergy for Choice
Southside, Birmingham, Ala.

Tags: Letters to the Editor

This entry was posted on Monday, March 13th, 2006 at 9:27 am and is filed under Women's Rights. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.