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The NY Pro-Choice Coalition "The sense of kinship and mutual obligation has been born."— Helen Campbell(1890) (I tor): Dolores Aharino, CHOICES; Meryl Schneider, SOW-N.YC, Donna Ruscavage,CHOICES; Ruth Imbesi, RCAR; Cami Errante, Women's Quarterly Review. Photo by: Anne WalsheNETWORKINGThe N.Y. Pro-ChoiceCoalitionThey might not know it, butanti-choice forces have done moregood than harm to the pro-choicemovement! Escalating clinic violence,the abusive harassment of womenseeking to obtain abortions, PresidentReagan's embracement of theanti-choice philosophy—all haveserved to ignite, activate andstrengthen the pro-choice troops.We're bonding, we're marching,we're demonstrating, we're testifyingand we're solidifying all levels ofour movement—a truly united front.The beginnings of the NewYork Pro-Choice Coalition, initiatedby Merle Hoffman, grew out of thesuccessful New York City January22nd march commemorating thelegalization of abortion, co-sponsoredACTIVISM!Silent No MoreNationally sponsored byNARAL, on May 21, women—andsome men—from every state in theUnion gathered on the Mall in Washingtonto speak of their personalexperiences with abortion, and toread letters from hundreds ofwomen relating their own experiences.According to Andrea Balis, therepresentative from NYS-NARAL,everyone involved was deeplymoved, tears running down theircheeks. Horror stories unfolded fromthe days before abortion was madelegal: women raped by abortionists;by CHOICES and NYS-NARAL. SinceMarch 7th, representatives of NOW-NYC, NYS-NARAL. Planned Parenthood-NYC,New York Catholics for aFree Choice, CARASA, N.Y. ReligiousCoalition for Abortion Rights, editorsof women's issue publications, interestedindividuals, and, of course,several of CHOICES' staff have beenmeeting at Merle's apartment toexchange ideas, network, appriseeach other of new developments,discuss future strategies and to supporteach other in planned events.These meetings have promotedgreater understanding of the pointsof view of different organizationsand a better knowledge of how wecan assist one another to achieve ourmutual goals: ensuring the continuedlegal existence of reproductive choicefor all women and securing ourequality.The challenge was raised andpro-choice forces have risen to meet it!abortions performed in filthykitchens; abortionists who weredrunk; no anesthesia.. .Those whohad considered their experienceswith legal abortion as emotionalwere overwhelmed by what womenhad suffered in the not-so-distantpast. A man told of the death of his16-year-old sister at the hands of anillegal abortionist. Gang-raped andtold by the family priest that shemust bear the child, the youngwoman was determined to terminatethe pregnancy. She bled todeath on the abortionist's table. Bypresenting the viewpoint of a malelosing someone he dearly loved, the"Once MoreInto The Breach..."Great principles demand greatsacrifice. American women, in theirstruggle for equality, continue tomake the decision of abortion fortheir very survival. They are acutelyaware of the price of their decision.If the price is termed high by some(1.5 million abortions per year), it isone that is necessary and one thatwomen will continue to pay. Thestruggle for equality is a battlegroundthat exists for all women forall time.The recent attack on women'sConstitutional liberties, this timefrom the Justice Department, was ahighly politically-timed announcement—thesame day the countrywas informed of the diagnosis ofReagan's cancer. The Reagan Administrationhas asked the SupremeCourt to overturn Roe v. Wade and"return the law to the condition inwhich it was before the case wasdecided": each state would controlwhether or not a woman could havean abortion and, if abortion is permittedat all, under what circumstances.In many states, abortion ondemand would be eliminated entirely.This means that women willreturn to the condition that theywere in prior to the landmark decisionof 1973, risking their lives inback alleys for their right to survive.It is clear that women's equality hasto "a priori" include the right toabortion. Anti-choice forces haveattacked with multiple strategicmoves from legal manipulation toovert violence against clinics to tryto withdraw from women this funconlinuedon pg. 19brother indicated by his presence—by his speaking of the pain andanguish of those left behind—thatchoice affects everyone, not onlywomen. His testimony and the testimoniesof all the women emphasizedwhy abortion must be kept legal.The atmosphere was charged withenergy which has to be harnessed ina positive way for future action.That action began on May 22when the participants in the speakoutlobbied for choice. According toAndrea Balis: "Letter writing made apersonal choice political."Media coverage was comprehensive.
ACTIVISMWitness forWomen's LivesOn Saturday June 8, in 13 citiesacross the nation, marches wereorganized by NOW to protest theCatholic hierarchy's increasingly stridentopposition to birth control andabortion. CHOICES. Catholics for aFree Choice. RCAR. NARAL and otherpro-choice organizations co-sponsoredand joined in the marches.Although hundreds of people participated,there was virtually no presscoverage in New York except by NBC-TV and ABC-TV News and WCBSNews Radio 88. We have been toldthat CNN covered the march inWashington, but, to date, have notheard if anything was aired.The New York march had beenscheduled to begin at the Archdioceseof NY on 55th and First Avenueand proceed to St. Patrick's Cathedralon 51st and Fifth Avenue. Oralpermission had been given by thepolice department to demonstrateoutside St. Patrick's as long as noamplification was used and weremained on the public sidewalk.Suddenly, as we reached 55th andFifth, we were met by a phalanx ofmotorcycle cops who literally beganto throw up barricades in front ofus. Several of us on the front linesjust missed being badly injuredsuchwas the violence with whichthe heavy wooden barricades werehurled. We were then informed that"for our own protection" we wouldnot be permitted on the same side ofthe street as the Cathedral. We protestedthat we had been given permission,that it was our right astaxpayers to walk on the sidewalk—and the response was that, if we did,we would all be arrested. Unable toreach our attorneys and aware thatwe didn't have enough money forbail, we at last decided to demonstrateacross the street from theCathedral. We were extremely visiblebecause the NY marchers adoptedMerle's idea of wearing red andblue—red for courage, blue forsteadfastness—and we did—fromhead to toe, clothes and ribbons.Despite the police, it was a successfulmarch, the speakers weremoving and eloquent and, best of all,a wedding party emerged from St.Patrick's and stood there watching—and listening. One of our speakersaddressed the bride, saying that shehoped the bride would always havechoices available.Although the day was rainy andovercast, more than 200 peopleturned out.And the media missed it all!Women UniteCross-CountryOne afternoon in April, Merlereceived a phone call inviting her toappear on the Sonia Friedman Show,a popular Detroit talk show, whichwould be aired on station WDIV-TV.She was told she would representthe pro-choice side against Rev. JerryFalwell's anti-choice stand. Merle hadsuccessfully debated Falwell twoyears prior and she very much welcomeda re-match!Early the next morning, callscame in from NOW-DETROIT ANDNOW-NYC, stating that NOW haddone some investigating and foundthat the program had a strong antichoicebias. In fact, Merle would notbe debating Falwell at all, but DianeTrombley, an anti-choice personMerle had just debated in Detroit inJanuary. She also learned thatFalwell would be given air time aloneand be introducing parts of the film"The Silent Scream", after which hewould be answering questions fromthe audience.Merle contacted the producerurging fairness and equal time andthat she be allowed to show PlannedParenthood's filmed rebuttal to "TheSilent Scream" so that the audiencewould be truly presented with bothsides of the issue. She also requestedthat she be allowed to debateFalwell as she was initially asked todo. " You have a chance to be on thesame stage with Jerry Falwell" wasthe producer's response. Merlestressed the issue was not one of apersonal ego trip but one of fairnessin media in presenting this mostimportant issue. Shortly thereafter,the producer called back, saying thatthey would find another pro-choiceperson to do the show.Immediate contact with NOWand other pro-choice people inDetroit produced a promised boycottand picket of the program. Unknownto them, Louise Tyrer, M.D., VicePresident of Medical Affairs. PlannedParenthood Federation of America,(not being aware of the previouspolitical problems), had accepted theproducers invitation and flew toDetroit to appear. The producers,fearing the same thing would happenwith Tyrer as it did with Merle,did not inform Tyrer of Merle'sissues with the programming, and inresponse to questioning calls fromNOW, offered "no comment".At this point, all pro-choicegroups united and informed WDIVthat unless a program was producedthat aired the issues with adequatefairness and equal time, everywoman in every organization wouldboycott the station, and that theywould get as many other women aspossible to join them. As a result ofthis pressure, WDIV committed toallow airing of an entire hour of thepro-choice side before airing theFalwell tape.Pro-choice people thankedMerle, stating that if she hadn'tpushed the issue of equal time andfairness, the Falwell tape would haveaired as scheduled and pro-choicevoices would have been muted.At this writing, the Falwelltape has not been aired.As an extra point of interest,the Sonia Friedman show is on TedTurner's CNN. When women worktogether, even Turner can be turnedaround.
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