Monday, U.S. District Judge Richard L. Williams ruled that Virginia’s law banning late-term abortions violated the constitutional right to privacy and “impermissibly infringes on the fundamental right to choose an abortion.” The law was passed by the General Assembly last year, overriding a veto by Governor Mark Warner. It is similar to a federal law passed late last year and signed by President Bush. The legal battles over this issue are not over.
This year, General Assembly is considering once again a series of legislative proposals that will restrict a woman’s basic reproductive rights. Be assured, however, that this is not just simply a matter of theological interpretations of when actual human life begins; it is another chapter in the long history of mankind to put woman in their place – to deny woman their right to act as free souls – as they have been denied throughout history and almost everywhere in the world at one time or another.
This year, the focus of the anti-woman forces is on limiting access to emergency contraception at public universities. This contraception, often called the “morning after” pill, can prevent conception up to 3 to 5 days after intercourse. Since it prevents conception, it is not an abortion. But that certainly does not deter those who wish to keep women in their place, wherever that is.
Another measure looks deceptively innocent. It would require abortion providers to comply with the licensing standards of ambulatory surgery centers or hospitals. “Abortion providers” are doctors, fully licensed and complying with all relevant health and safety standards, who perform the procedure in their offices. Other medical and surgical procedures are performed in doctors’ offices - plastic surgery and oral surgery, to name just two. The law would not apply to them, however. Why not? If you don’t know the answer to that, re-read the second paragraph of this column. Supporters of the measure simply want to put doctors who provide safe abortions out of business, thus denying women’s access to safe abortion procedures.
Arlington’s delegation to the General Assembly has been broadly supportive of a woman’s right to choose, and remains so this year. Arlington Senator Mary Margaret Whipple has introduced the Birth Control Protection Act, which adds language to the Code of Virginia that “contraception does not constitute abortion.” Senator Whipple feels that such a law is necessary to make it clear that abortion restrictions such as “informed consent” and “parental consent” do not apply to birth control.
Delegate Vivian Watts and Senator Janet Howell (not quite Arlington, but close!) are the co-chairs of the newly formed Reproductive Rights Caucus “to respond to the new attacks on contraception by some lawmakers.” The caucus is not a “pro-choice” group – defined as being pro-abortion. It was formed to appeal also to those who might not be “pro-choice” but who nevertheless could agree on contraception to prevent unintended pregnancies.
As caucus member Delegate Viola O. Baskerville said, “We must stem the attack on contraception and defend against the draconian message that a few leaders are trying to send. This issue goes beyond contraception; it is about very personal and private decisions. Women and families should have the freedom to decide for themselves when and how they can provide the most welcoming, loving and nurturing for a child.”
It seems a little ironic to me that the anti-abortion members of the General Assembly are pushing Virginia, the birthplace of liberty, into a remarkably anti-liberty posture. But I take heart from the seal of Virginia, depicts a helmeted woman, foot on the chest of a fallen (male) warrior, sword in one hand and spear in the other, with the motto “Sic Semper Tyrannis.”
