First of all, I wanted to thank the N&O for covering the “Honk for Choice” event (Groups Mark Abortion Ruling, 1/23/05). It was the smaller of two events that the local chapter of NOW (National Organization for Women), Pro-Choice North Carolina, and Planned Parenthood ran together on Jan 22nd.

Our second event, "The Choice is Yours", drew over 70 people to Michael Dean’s restaurant. Our speakers included politicians, religious leaders and lawyers. All are feminists, which means we all want equal rights and opportunities for women.

Topics included the medically inaccurate sex education being taught in Wake County schools, pharmacists who refuse to dispense Emergency Contraception even after a woman is raped (the “Pharmacists Refusal Clause”, and even broader legislation (11/04) that allows health care organizations to refuse to comply with existing federal, state or local laws pertaining to abortion.

The health care legislation is titled the "Abortion Non-discrimination Act", (a.k.a the "Federal Refusal Clause" or the "domestic gag rule"). The "gag rule" ignores the fact that abortion is legal, even if medically necessary. This program violates existing medical ethics that mandate giving a patient full information about her medical options.

Please join us in our fight for women’s reproductive rights. If you are not concerned, you should be!