July 2006
Florida Senator Bill Nelson votes to put the lives of young women at stake - WITHOUT EVEN UNDERSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF THE LAW
Click Here to Write to Senator Nelson.
Today, Orlando NOW activists arrived at a rally for Senator Bill Nelson to demand an answer as to why he voted for the harmful, “Child Custody Protection Act.” This act is more appropriately labeled the “Teen Endangerment Act” or the “Grandmother Incarceration Act,” since the bill will lead to more unsafe and now illegal abortions for minors who are most at risk and seeks to incarcerate caring relatives, clergy and other adults who are reaching out to help young minors escape unjust laws on their bodies.
The law states that a relative or clergy member may not transport a minor out of state to obtain an abortion unless they have met the parental involvement requirement of their state. As many of you know, Florida has a harmful parental notification for abortion law in place (which Bill Nelson supported). However, many states now have parental consent laws, meaning that a minor may not obtain an abortion unless her parents say she may. In that case, a minor may be forced to carry her pregnancy to term and may now not seek to escape refuge from this unjust law by going to another state with a trusted relative or clergy member. The law is punishable by up to 1 year in prison and $10,000.
When asked why he supported this so-called “Child Custody Protection Act,” Florida Senator told elected NOW Orlando President, Jenna Cawley that he supports parental notification but opposes parental consent. Ms. Cawley repeatedly asked why he supported a bill which does not allow minors to escape consent requirements if he believes they are unjust and he stated to Ms. Cawley that the CCPA enforces notification laws only and not consent laws and that Ms. Cawley should “go back and read the act again.” Senator Nelson further condescended Ms. Cawley by asking “how old are you?” and then stating that he has been in politics for 34 years and has always supported women’s rights, since “before you were born.”
We would like Senator Nelson to know that we have read the CCPA and we understand what it says. It says that if a young girl cannot get her parent’s permission to have an abortion, that she is held captive in her state and cannot get help from a relative to obtain an abortion. It says that parents can force their children to carry pregnancies they do not want. This law enforces consent requirements, and from our conversation with Bill Nelson, it became abundantly clear that he had not even read this law nor understood its provisions.
Because Senator Nelson implied by repeating “I support parental notification but oppose consent” and because he further stated that his understanding of the CCPA was that it only enforces notification requirements, Orlando NOW is requesting that Florida Senator, Bill Nelson, publicly apologize for his misguided support of the CCPA and further that he vow to uphold a woman’s right to choose when given another chance. It is clear that Senator Nelson did not understand this act when he voted for it, and we should hold our elected officials to a higher standard than mistakenly voting for laws which put young women’s lives at risk.
Please call or write to Senator Nelson to express your disappointment at him for putting women’s lives at risk.
Phone: 202-224-5274
Email: senator@billnelson.senate.gov
Orlando NOW Takes a Stand Against Oppression in Local Parks
Yesterday, July 24th, was the second reading of the ordinance to ban feeding the homeless in Lake Eola Park. In protest of this ordinance and to speak out against oppression, many of us attended the City Council meeting to speak with the Commission.
I spoke and, if I do say so myself, really let ‘em have it!
You can see it
Here!
Click on the link to the July 24th at 2:00 pm meeting. You’ll need Real Player.
My segment is from 4:47:20 to 4:50:45
Of course, the ordinance passed. Apparently 12 wealthy property owners are more influential than the other 45 people who spoke against the ordinance, including the powerful testimonies from the (mostly african-american) homeless residents begging that the commission not make their friends who feed them into criminals.
But, not to worry! The feedings will continue on Wednesdays at 5:00 pm at Lake Eola. In protest of the ordinance, FNB will continue their compassionate humanitarianism and in an act of civil disobedience, will be arrested for their right to share food with the needy in a public place. And the ACLU will be there to represent them in court.
We are proud to be a part of the S.T.O.P. Coalition (Stop The Ordinance Partnership) with religious humanitiarian groups, the American Civil Liberties Union and Students for a Democratic Society. As feminist activists, we in Orlando NOW are working to end all oppression.
For more information, click here.
Jenna Cawley
President, Orlando NOW
Thank Representative Carolyn Maloney!
NY Representative Carolyn Maloney is pushing legislation which will make it illegal for “crisis pregnancy centers” to trick women into entering their clinics by posing as Planned Parenthoods or using signs that say “abortion.” Please take a minute to email Rep. Maloney to say “thank you!!” for standing up for women. The following is a story about CPC’s:
By Marlee Ginter (Indiana Reporter)
It’s a difficult decision for many women having an abortion. But now, across the country, some are pointing at what they call a new tactic being used by anti-abortion groups.
You’ve seen Planned Parenthood facilities, and you may have noticed Crisis Pregnancy Centers near them or even right next door. But is the clinic there to inform young girls of their choices, or to compete with Planned Parenthood and talk women out of an abortion?
A local 17-year-old girl had an abortion eight months ago. What made the decision even more difficult was that she thought she was going to this Planned Parenthood facility, which is now closed. She accidentally ended up at a Crisis Pregnancy Center.
“I could die, I was going to ruin my life, ” the 17-year-old said the center told her after she had already made the decision to get an abortion.
At one location, you have to go through a parking lot to get to Planned Parenthood. But first you see a sign that says “Considering Abortion?” The Planned Parenthood facility is actually in the next building over.
“I think it’s very confusing and I think they should be banned. I think there should be at least a mile distance between them,” the girl’s mother said.
24-Hour News 8 spoke with Dan Steiner, the Central Indiana Crisis Pregnancy Center president over the phone. We asked if he thought the organization was misleading people. He said no. We then asked if they were trying to come across as a Planned Parenthood facility. He said they were not.
Planned Parenthood officials disagree.
“No matter what side of abortion you sit on to put someone through that again and again and make it that much harder that’s just not fair on a personal level,” Amie Allen-Smith with Planned Parenthood said.
We asked Steiner if the goal of the agency was to try to keep girls from getting an abortion.
“The goal of our agency is to speak the truth to girls so they can make an informed decision about their pregnancy. We do believe abortion hurts women,” Steiner said.
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney out of New York is pushing legislation prohibiting clinics from leading women to believe they provide abortion services or referrals. The bill targets any centers believed to be using false advertising to lure young girls to their clinics.