THERE'S HOPE FOR TEXAS YET

Wendy Davis, Texas State Senator, is not one of the elite, favored few, born into privilege. She has struggled to become what she is today. From a small "trailer house" as a young single mother, often unable to pay her bills, she worked two jobs in order to pay for her schooling, eventually landing a full scholarship to TCU in Fort Worth. After graduating with honors, Wendy went on to graduate  - also with honors - from Harvard Law School in 1993. She has spent most of the time since then in public service.

Her 11-hour filibuster to block Texas Senate House Bill 5 earlier this summer gained national attention. I personally sent her an email saying she would have my vote if she ran for Governor. Now that she has announced her candidacy, I will support her to the best of my ability. She is a strong, brave, progressive woman who will stand up for women's rights, as well as helping the poor in Texas.

HB5, which "...would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, require abortion clinics to meet the same standards that hospital-style surgical centers do, and mandate that a doctor who performs abortions have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital" (Wikipedia), was passed and signed by Governor Rick Perry. I agree that abortions after 20 weeks are abhorrent, and shouldn't be carried out unless the mother's life is in danger. However, the strict mandates contained in this bill, along with Texas' already existing abortion laws will cause more than a third of the state's licensed health centers to stop providing the service and many will close their doors. In some cases, it will be a distance of 100 miles or more for access to any of the health care available.   (photo by Andrea Grimes)   

                                                           

I found it interesting that in an interview, Governor Perry's wife Ann, when asked about her stance on abortion, said she believes -- although it is "wrong" for her personally -- that it is a woman's right to choose. 

Abortion is not the only thing provided at the Planned Parenthood centers, many of their services are not only available to women, but also to men and teenagers. Most of these services are free or based on a sliding scale fee. I went to their official site for the following information on services they do provide:

       ~Planned Parenthood health centers focus on prevention: 71 percent of our clients receive services to prevent unintended pregnancy.

~Planned Parenthood services help prevent more than 684,000 unintended pregnancies each year.

~Planned Parenthood provides 585,000 Pap tests and nearly 640,000 breast exams each year, critical services in detecting cancer.

~Planned Parenthood provides nearly 4.5 million tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

~(Only) Three percent of all Planned Parenthood health services are abortion services.

~Planned Parenthood affiliates provide educational programs to more than one million young people and adults each year.

~Planned Parenthood has more than seven million activists, supporters, and donors working for women's health and safety and our fundamental reproductive rights.

~Join us in the fight for commonsense policies that foster the sexual and reproductive health and rights of individuals, families, and communities.

Planned Parenthood has filed a suit against the State of Texas over part of the new law. You can read about it in detail here: Planned Parenthood Sues Texas

I think Texas is way overdue for changes in our leadership. If left to the current State (Washington isn't the only one with Tea Partiers) legislature and the type of conservative governors we have had in recent years, we women might as well quit our jobs, don our aprons, and stay home like good little women of the 1950s. Barefoot and pregnant to boot! And the back alley, dangerous practitioners of illegal abortions -- or the pitiful attempts at do-it-yourself coat hanger abortionists will flourish again as they did prior to Roe v Wade.

I hear that the Republican supporters in Texas are launching a smear campaign against Senator Davis, picturing her as a "baby killer". I hope there are enough sane, reasonable people left in this state to stand up against them, and concentrate on the difference someone with Wendy Davis's qualifications and vision will make in our state. 

With hope for our future,

Marilyn