Marjorie Needs Help

As I was writing my blog post tonight I got a call from a number I didn't recognize. Normally I'd just let it go to voice mail, but for some reason I picked it up. It sounded like it was one of those telemarketing calls, but again, for some reason I stayed on. It was something that was worth blogging about.

A couple of years ago I found the Susan B. Anthony list. I don't normally seek out "feminist" (or feminist sounding) organizations, but this is different. From their mission statement:

Our organization works in the spirit and tradition of the original suffragettes. Susan B. Anthony herself called abortion “child murder.” Alice Paul, author of the original 1923 Equal Rights Amendment, reportedly said the early feminists believed that “Abortion is the ultimate exploitation of women.” Modern feminist Patricia Heaton echoes this theme, saying, “The early feminists were pro-life. And really, abortion is a huge disservice to women, and it hasn't been presented that way.”

Our FIVE-POINT MISSION helps us defend unborn lives and places us in a strategic position to fight for Life:

1. Elect pro-life women to Congress through our SBA List Candidate Fund.
2. Educate voters on critical pro-life issues and on upcoming legislation.
3. Train and equip pro-life activists nationwide to run successful political and grassroots campaigns.
4. Promote positive responses in both traditional and new media to dispel the myths and distortions of the abortion lobby.
5. Advocate passage of pro-life legislation in Congress, directly with legislators and through mobilizing direct citizen lobbying.

Now that's a mission I can support. Sadly that mission and its leader, Marjorie Dannenfelser, are being attacked by congressman Steve Dreihaus. The SBA List wanted to put up four billboards in Mr. Dreihaus' district that simply stated that he had voted for the health care bill, that provided taxpayer funding for abortion. Mr, Dreihaus contends that the health care bill does not permit taxpayer funding for abortion, and is pressing criminal charges against Ms. Dannenfelser, under an Ohio law that forbids false statements in political advertising. Ms. Dannenfelser faces 6 months in jail and the destruction of the organization she has spent 18 years building.

Let me make a couple of points clear. The billboards were never put up, are not up now, and will not be put up before the election. The claim is that the intention to put them up is enough to prosecute. Also, the claim that the health care bill forbids taxpayer funding for abortion is patently false. President Obama signed an executive order to limit abortion funding in the health care bill (I will leave the discussion of whether that's worth the paper it's printed on for another post). Now why would the president feel the need to sign an order limiting funding if the bill did not allow any funding of abortion? Is Mr. Dreihaus calling the president a liar?

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If you find this attack on political free speech to be as disgusting as you should find it, please consider helping the Susan B. Anthony list cover its legal expenses to fight this injustice, and maybe even send a letter to Mr. Dreihaus about it.

Posted in: Politics,Pro-Life