Conference turris::womannotes-v2

    I heard on the radio this morning that the NH anti-abortion laws
    from the 1880's were repealed yesterday by a close vote.  This is
    a victory for pro-choice advocates.

    I got a phone call from NARAL and Gov. Gregg is going to act on
    this today.  Call 271-2121 if you are interested in making your
    opinion count.
    
    judy

    Well, it didn't work...Gov. Gregg vetoed the bill today.  He said
    he had to go with his conscience.
    
    The reproductive rights coalition is holding a rally at the statehouse
    in Concord on Saturday morning, April 22 from 11:30 to 1:30.  Feel
    free to attend if you are so inclined.  
    
    Bring signs.  I'm sure most of us can manage to plagarize the best
    signs from the march on DC.
    
    What a depressing day this has been.  If reproductive rights go
    to individual states, it can all ride on one person's veto.
    
    judy

    
    	RE: -.1
    
    	Sure he will... that's why he DIDN'T do it now, ya know,
    	don't want to rush things!!!
    
    	Sounds like he took a cope out by making that statement,
    	veto it, but tell everyone you really favor it and hope
    	they remember that when voting time comes around.

    I'm quite sure the governor will be remembered when voting time comes.

As I  understand  it,  the laws are so archaically worded that they would be
unenforceable  in  their  current  state.  That  fact  makes  his promise to
"change" the laws even less reassuring.

- Brad

	Yes, when voting time comes, I will remember Gov Gregg as
	a courageous person, who when the time came to make a difficult
	decision, stood with those who believe in the rights of *all*
	of the citizens of New Hampshire.

						Tom_K

    Tom,
    
    Why do you say "rights of *all* the citizens of New Hampshire."?
    Gregg apparently does not believe in the rights of the women of
    New Hampshire, and, as anyone who understands the law knows, no
    fetus is a "citizen" of any state in the country.
    
    							Ann B.

	Anyone who understands the law knows that it can be an ass.


							Tom_K

    re: .13.  Yup.  Tom's right.  Let's not get back into discussing
    life/citizen/human/fetal/cellular personages and non-personages.
    
    Thank you.
    
    -Jody
    co-moderator of womannotes
    
    

    The rally is at the state house at 11:30 on Saturday.
    
    Directions, sort of:
    
    Take the Bridge Street exit off of I93.  At that point follow the
    gold dome of the state house to get you to Main Street.  You can
    park in the Durgin Parking Garage on Main and School Streets.  
    
    I got these from a NARAL worker, and both she and I were pretty
    stressed out, so there may be some errors.  But I've been to Concord
    and it is pretty small.  I think a crowd of thousands will stand
    out on a Saturday morning!
    
    I have made about 40 phone calls and 95% of the people I called
    plan on attending.  The response to this has been overwhelming.
    
    Judy

    My son and I made it to the rally on Saturday. One speaker said
    that she personally counted 600 people. There could have been more.
    A friend told me last night that the media (in Boston) reported
    500.
    
    It lasted about one and a half hours in a very cold, windy day with
    a few snow flurries. There were quite a few speakers ranging from
    politicians, religious people, people with personal experiences,
    people in health care, reproductive counseling, and movement groups.
    
    The assembled people were a wide range of ages with some college
    contingents. I think there were more women than men. There were also
    children and babies. There were some from out of state.
    
    There were a couple of themes going through much of the presentations
    and response from the crowd.
    
    The first was that pre 1973 was barbaric and we will not allow a
    return to those days. There was a lot of determination expressed
    and the power of the people was expressed repeatedly. Almost all
    speakers said that the movement was what was turning the tide.
    
    Another theme was that the anti-choicers were a minority, that even
    most of the religions had positions affirming the right to choose.
    And that this minority (including Governor Gregg) were attempting
    to impose their morality, religious views, on the majority of women
    through such instruments of the church or state.
    
    Another very common theme running through this demo was the need
    to elect pro-choice representatives to all levels of government.
    There were lots of inferences that Judd Gregg was going to be a
    one term governor. There was the theme of electing a veto-proof
    legislature. This was both from the stage and much of the assembled
    crowd.
    
    Les

    Besides the weather, I was very pleased with the rally.  It evoked
    the same emotions that I felt in Washington, although on a smaller
    scale.
    
    I thought the Coalition did a wonderful job organizing it in two
    days, something that wasn't mentioned at the rally at all.  There
    were many different stickers passed out for free--including one
    that was a takeoff on the national NARAL campaign:  Who Decides
    You or Them? -- the NH version is: Who Decides You or Judd?
    
    The speakers were very good and as Les said, very well represented.
    Different churches were there and I think they impressed the crowd
    very much, at least they impressed me and the others that I spoke
    to.  
    
    Also, a big thanks to the Digital community.  I counted 35 people
    there that I knew!  

    Until next time...
    
    Judy

    Does anyone know how we can get a copy of this old law?
    
    Next questions: Now what do we do? Are there any more rallies planned?
    Is there someone in particular we should write to? What is the next
    step?
    
    G