While it may be tempting to talk about what the people in congress will do, and what we would do, were we in the senate, we're in a position to do something that most party operatives can't: take it to the streets.
As Frederick Douglass said, Power concedes nothing without a demand.
Now that Sandra Day O'Connor has resigned, the question that people were discussing in January has come up again: how committed is the Democratic party to abortion rights? (For more of my musings on this subject, go to
my blog, lefter, warmer)
Whatever you think of the various congressional strategies and political choices, it is your responsibility to speak up for what you actually believe in. Some of the second guessing that goes on about framing, etc. often distracts us from this important responsibility that we all have to ourselves, and from the power that we have as citizens.
Nicole Colson had a sharp piece in Counterpunch back in February in which she argues that
Just as being in the streets was the key to defeating anti-choice fanatics trying to shut down clinics, it was also the key to defeating the challenge to abortion rights in the courts. Roe could have been overturned in two cases that came before the Supreme Court in 1989 and 1992. Hundreds of thousands of abortion rights supporters turned out for two national demonstrations as the separate cases were being considered. The justices didn't overturn legal abortion--and one major reason, according to Justice David Souter, is that doing so would cause "both profound and unnecessary damage to the court's legitimacy."
Right now, it's important that we get out in public and in large numbers to make our own voices heard in favor of legal abortion - on demand, without apology. I read that NOW was going to call a national emergency march, but have not been able to find anything on their website calling for a march. If you have any information, please post a comment.
If you're looking for something to do to explain to your friends why congress has to question the judges, here's some nice talking points" from Kathy Bonk at the Communications Consortium Media Center. These could come in handy during conversation with friends, at work, on the subway what have you.