On the 34th Anniversary of Roe vs. Wade
Governor Dean:
"Today marks the 34th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade. Democrats across the country stand with millions of Americans in recognizing and reaffirming the central message of this decision: that women have the right and freedom to make their own decisions about their health care."Democrats are committed to finding common ground in this debate that focuses on increased education and prevention that reduces the number of abortions each year in the United States. A woman’s decision about her own reproductive health care is a very personal and difficult choice but it should remain her own and not the decision of politicians in Washington."
"Today, we observe the 34th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that affirmed a woman's right to make her own reproductive health care decisions."Roe v. Wade is based on a woman's fundamental right to privacy, a value that all Americans cherish. It established that decisions about whether to have a child do not and should not rest with the government. A woman – in consultation with her family, her physician, and her faith – is best qualified to make that decision.
"The 110th Congress signals an end to 12 years of destructive debate putting politics above science and restricting women's rights afforded by the Constitution. In this new Congress, we will work together in a bipartisan way to reduce the number of abortions by preventing unintended pregnancies through comprehensive sexuality education and access to family planning in the U.S. and abroad.
"As I have throughout my time in Congress, I will continue to work to ensure a woman's right to choose. We must preserve the right to privacy while promoting a comprehensive approach to reproductive health care, including planning for healthy families."
From Christy Agner, Director of the DNC's Women's Vote Center:
Today I recognize Roe v. Wade, a decision that came after my birth, but before my first kiss. Today I celebrate the fact that The Democratic Party truly respects everyone's opinion on the issue of abortion, but fights to allow all choices to be made by individual Americans, not the government. This morning I spoke to some family members who had come into DC for the March for Life and to attend a large mass to pray on the issue. I myself will attend a rally at the Supreme Court with the National Organization for Women to stand in support of the decision for choice. Whether its my family, your family, or the Democratic Party family, there can be healthy respect for choices about reproduction. I'm proud to work for a Party that does not require a litmus test - but that respects different opinions, supports the choices of individuals in this country, and protects their right to privacy.
And on a personal note...
Both of my parents are Republicans. My grandparents are Republicans. My aunts, uncles, cousins, the list goes on and on. And yet, somehow, here I am. Going against the grain, a true blue Democrat. And the thing is, I don't remember ever not considering myself a Democrat. When I think back to my first stages of political awareness, sometime early in my teen years, it occurs to me that I never considered that I might be a Republican. It just didn't fit. The main reason for this early alignment? Roe vs. Wade.
I knew I could never identify with a Party that didn't respect or trust me enough to give me the right to make my own choices about my reproductive health. Sometime between then and now, everything else fell into place, and I became more than just a single-issue voter, but this was the issue that was my gateway into Democratic politics.
Today, on this anniversary, I am especially proud to work for the Party that has fought for a woman's right to choose for 34 years, and who will keep fighting to protect those rights for years to come.
For more on what today's anniversay means, check out Jessica and Jill, who wrote two of my favorite posts today.
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