The truly interesting thing about the below email and article is that is makes me recall the late 70's when women were doing self abortions with coat hangers and dying from infections and lack of proper medical care.  Nowdays a lot of young women don't realize or know what their mothers and grandmothers went thru to ensure that they today DO have choices, and now the powers which be are doing their level best to take those hardwon rights away......What ever your beliefs are on abortion, whether pro life or not....every woman should have choices...it is after all....OUR BODIES and OUR LIVES, a fact which seems to escape many men and particularly legislators. 

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"How much more is Bush hoping to slip into law unnoticed?  Yesterday, it was
the weakening of the endangered species regulations and today it is taking
the abortion war to the level of contraception. Please check out the sources
listed by moveon.org at the bottom of this email.

I have come to realize that it was never about anti-abortion or pro-life. It
was about pro-pregnancy to keep women in their "place" and out of any
position of freedom and power. Dayum, my inner goddess is sincerely pissed
off.

Pen"

==================================================

Dear MoveOn member,

Can you imagine living in a place where birth control is considered an
"abortion" and health insurers won't cover it? Where even rape victims are
denied emergency contraception?

It seems unbelievable, but the Bush Administration is quietly trying to
redefine "abortion" to include birth control. The Houston Chronicle
says this could wipe out dozens of state laws that protect women's
reproductive freedom and protect rape victims.1 Access to basic health
care for millions of women would be jeopardized. And it's being pushed as
a "rule change"--meaning, it doesn't need congressional approval.

Can you sign an emergency message to Health and Human Services Secretary
Mike Leavitt, whose department is considering this rule change right now?
Tell him: "Contraception is NOT abortion. The Bush Administration's
proposal to change the definition of abortion and reduce women's access to
birth control must be stopped."

Clicking here will add your name to this message:
http://pol.moveon.org/contraception/o.pl?id=13468-7884433-6rQEppx&t=14

The best way to beat back this proposal is to show Secretary Leavitt
massive public outrage--that's why today we're launching this petition
jointly with Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Together, we'll deliver every
signature to Leavitt. You can help add to our momentum by forwarding this
message to friends.

Here's what some others are saying about this proposal:

The draft regulation would define birth control as abortion...it could
deny access to critical family planning for women across the
country.--Letter signed by Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and 26 other
senators.2

The draft rule could void laws in 27 states that require insurance
companies to provide birth control coverage for women requesting it [and]
laws in 14 states requiring that rape victims receive counseling and
access to emergency, day-after contraceptives.--Houston Chronicle
editorial3

The administration needs to stop playing word games with women's health
and state clearly they will reject any regulations that will undermine
women's access to basic health care.--Cecile Richards, president of
Planned Parenthood Federation of America.4

[It's] a spectacular act of complicity with the religious right... --RH
Reality Check, Information and Analysis for Reproductive Health5

The birth control pill, the IUD, and emergency contraception might all
become unavailable--illegal--as a result.--Brigid Riley, executive
director of a Minnesota teen pregnancy prevention organization6

Can you help send a loud message to Secretary Leavitt that birth control
is NOT abortion? Clicking here will sign your name:
http://pol.moveon.org/contraception/o.pl?id=13468-7884433-6rQEppx&t=15

Thanks for all you do.

--Nita, Laura, Patrick S., Adam G., and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Redefining abortion; Federal officials considering a rule allowing
health care workers to refuse to provide contraceptives," Houston
Chronicle, August 10, 2008
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/5935532.html

2. Letter to Secretary Mike Leavitt from Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton,
and 26 other senators, July 23, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=4042&id=13468-7884433-6rQEppx&t=16

3. "Redefining abortion; Federal officials considering a rule allowing
health care workers to refuse to provide contraceptives," Houston
Chronicle editorial, August 10, 2008
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/5935532.html

4. "Birth control: is administration backing down--or not?" Los Angeles
Times blog, August 8, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=4043&id=13468-7884433-6rQEppx&t=17

5. "HHS Moves to Define Contraception as Abortion," RH Reality Check, July
15, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=4041&id=13468-7884433-6rQEppx&t=18

6. "White House Considering Contraception Restrictions," Public News
Service, August 11, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=4040&id=13468-7884433-6rQEppx&t=19