The rally was hastily organized by Wesleyan students Susanna Banks and Zak Kirwood, in response to a surprising focus of newly elected Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives, who voted on February 18th to ban all funding to Planned Parenthood. This ban would lead to a complete cutoff of funds for basic primary and lifesaving preventive health care to women and families, because Planned Parenthood also provides abortion care. The Hyde amendment already bans any federal money from being used for abortions, the current legislation would eliminate funding for breast and cervical cancer screens, contraception, and sexual health education.
Banks and Kirwood led a packed lecture hall of students in a series of rousing cheers for
reproductive rights, before yielding to a series of speakers.
Wesleyan President Michael Roth spoke passionately about the importance of women's rights to making their own choices about reproduction. He linked the legislation to restrict funding for Planned Parenthood to other Republican proposals to slash federal funding for education. He implored students to be engaged, "We must stand together to defend progressive values."
Wesleyan student Hannah Adams introduced Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood. Adams had a special perspective on the work of Richards, telling the audience that Richards was her mother.
Richards exhorted the students to political action. She pointed out that Planned Parenthood's doctors and nurses carry out a million screens for cervical cancer and 830,000 breast exams each year. She said Planned Parenthood has a common sense approach to health care, and called on the Senate to reject the bill passed by the House, "Ensuring that millions of women can obtain health care from their trusted provider is what Mainstream Americans want and expect from the United States Senate."
Richards praised Blumenthal for his efforts on behalf of reproductive rights when he was Connecticut's Attorney General, "He is the most awesome dude fighting for women's rights."
Blumenthal energized the crowd with a charismatic speech. He said that 63,000 people in Connecticut benefit every year from Planned Parenthood Services, and that the bill would decimate Planned Parenthood's services, "I will fight this amendment with every fiber of my being in the U.S. Senate and beyond." Blumenthal praised the students, "You are showing America what it means to stand up for American values in the 21st century."
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The student newsblog Wesleying has more coverage HERE.
4 comments:
I say keep Planned Parenthood funding for breast and cervical cancer screens, contraception, and sexual health education. But eliminate funding for abortions. The government shouldn't be in the abortion business to begin with.
I am all for Woman's health and prevention. Just not for my tax dollars paying for someone's abortion.
will you then adopt all the unwanted children? how many foster kids to you have? how many dumpster babies have you taken in?
Anonymous 7:17
Your "tax dollars" go towards blowing up actual live children in Afghanistan and Iraq. They do not, however, go toward abortion funding.
It saddens me that Planned Parenthood is having the abortion provider placard placed around its neck. It's a word used to get a knee jerk reaction from a certain type of person. One who is usually willing to bully someone into submission. These bullies care not what happens to these children after they are born. I wonder how many of the bullies realize that their life or the life of someone they love may have been spared by a Planned Parenthoods Hiv screening. We need to take charge of the conversational tone and remind people that Planned Parenthood is a public service that some wouldn’t have access to without Government funding. Being poor should not be a reason for not getting medical attention.
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