There is Momentum to Keep Abortions Available


Today I received a widely circulated email announcement recruiting a new director for an organization called the National Network of Abortion Funds. I received it because I donate as much as I can to this organization. The outgoing director has been there for several years. 

In reading through the material I was surprised to learn this organization has 60 employees. It gives away most of its money to on-the-ground efforts to keep abortion available but also has enough money to support a large and aggressive staff. This is something mostly not reported on in the general press. Probably it is safer opponents of abortion do not know that much about the organization or where it is located. Opponents of abortion have a history of burning abortion clinics and killing doctors. 

Knowing about NNAF helps me understand how small specialized women's rights organizations operate. There is one I have discussed earlier which specializes in defending women who have had miscarriages but are accused of murdering babies. Charges like these are often made by local elected sheriffs and elected local attorneys. The charges have all the markings of political pandering to local Catholics and evangelicals. I suspect this group receives help from NNAF.

It is almost mind boggling how much back office logistical planning is needed to keep abortions available in states that ban abortion if Roe is overturned. Medicines and on line assistance will be needed. For surgical abortions patients will need to travel to states where this is available. These arrangements plus money to carry out the abortions is where a national group like NNAF come into play. .

I had an experience while active in gay rights that makes me optimistic about abortion rights. Early on funding for gay rights came largely from families with gay children and liberals who would give to that effort and many others. As the issue of gay marriage rose in prominence wealthy gay people and wealthy supporters decided they were going to go all in for this issue. Money in unprecedented amounts was donated. If the amount of money for abortion rights, say, doubled we would see a more forceful reaction to anti abortion than we have seen. 

In the meantime, I'm going to continue to give money to the National Network of Abortion Funds.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Maybe the "Original Sin" Should be Reassigned

Image
We can all agree most Catholic priests are fine people and not guilty of sexual abuse. What Catholics must face, however, it that their church harbors executives who are dishonest . There is an incredible story about the Argentine Bishop Zanchetta. The Pope worked with him in Argentina and they are considered friends. Around 2015 Zanchetta sent nude pictures of himself and they began circulating world wide. He also was too friendly with young seminarians and some left because of him.  Three different officials say they made formal complaints to the Vatican about Zanchetta between 2015 and 2017. Yet, in 2018, the Vatican claimed it was unaware of any complaints about Zanchetta. This might be a good time to repeat the Catholic hierarchy claims to have the sole authority handed down from Jesus to what the faith stands for. It condemns as sinners those who practice birth control, have abortions and gay sexual relationships. Handing the hierarchy this responsibility would make som
Read more

The Religious Capitol Invaders May Yet Win

Image
So much about U.S. society and religion can be learned from the Civil War and what happened afterwards. After its defeat, the South started a myth about the unethical soldiers from the North. The South fought for principles of God and states rights. The North did not. It was the South, this propaganda told the country, that had the high moral ground.  The Capitol invaders, encouraged by Trump, swallowed the myth that Biden's election was stolen. Thus, they think they held and still hold the high moral ground. This was reinforced by the cross and prayers during the invasion. Even with Trump is gone, we will see political opportunists like Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley stroking crowds and feeding the same lies as Trump. Like "the South will rise again" these gullible followers will talk of victory over the unclean. After the Civil War the South rallied around the phrase, Lost Cause. For decades, and maybe to this day, there are ceremonies remembering fallen martyrs, Re
Read more

Father Frank Pavone, the Ultimate Crook

Image
Recently, the Vatican defrocked Frank Pavone. His diehard fans are outraged. This is because he cleverly manipulated his fans and the press all the while living well from donations and, apparently, abusing some women. By making abortion the "sin" of the century, and himself the main opposition to this one sin, he himself could get away with any sin he pleased.  As the link points out, Pavone was the perfect priest for the Trump era. Trump is so self-important laws have no role in his life. He felt accountable to no one. Women were there to be had. Pavone and Trump are interchangeable.  Pavone was very successful raising money. In his mind, abortion was so important in Catholic beliefs and he was so important in anti-abortion the money he raised opposing it was his to do with what he liked. The Catholic Church, the brand name he used to raise this money, thought the money belonged to it. When he gave the Vatican the bird, it gave him walking papers. With polls showing the majo
Read more