Voice for Choice Newsletter of the Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice Spring 2013
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“I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back.” – Maya Angelou Voice for Choice Newsletter of the Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice Spring 2013 “Opt In” vs. “Opt Out”: “Opt In” vs. “Opt Out”: Message from the Chair We Goofed. We Goofed. Friends of choice, “Opt IN” “Opt IN” Most of KRCRC’s followers recently received a letter from us, Most of KRCRC’s followers recently received a letter from us, I am humbled and honored by the opportunity to serve as chair asking “Are You With Us?” and requiring that, to stay on our asking “Are You With Us?” and requiring that, to stay on our of the KRCRC board of directors, and I am eager to sustain list, you must RETURN the letter to us to affirm your belief list, you must RETURN the letter to us to affirm your belief and expand our work as people of faith and as advocates in our mission and that you wished to be a KRCRC member. in our mission and that you wished to be a KRCRC member. of reproductive rights and justice. I am also very personally We said that, if you did not return the letter, we would remove We said that, if you did not return the letter, we would remove honored that my fellow board members place value and trust in you from our rolls. you from our rolls. the leadership of a young stakeholder like myself. It is incred- Live and learn... KRCRC’s board members are only human, and Live and learn... KRCRC’s board members are only human, and ibly empowering, as a woman and as a member of the so-called we discovered it was a mistake to require you to take the extra we discovered it was a mistake to require you to take the extra “Millenial” generation, to be validated in my beliefs, skills, and step to “Opt In.” We expected a decrease in our numbers as we step to “Opt In.” We expected a decrease in our numbers as we intellect at this transitional stage in my life. At a time when so reduced our membership to only those supporters who directly reduced our membership to only those supporters who directly many of my peers’ voices are silenced (or have long been silenced) expressed an interest in continuing their membership. However, expressed an interest in continuing their membership. However, by leaders who claim to know what is best for us and by the we never dreamed that our good faith effort to become “leaner we never dreamed that our good faith effort to become “leaner institutions that keep those leaders in place, I sincerely appreciate and stronger” would see fewer than 200 of our 4,000 members and stronger” would see fewer than 200 of our 4,000 members returning their letter. After speaking with a good handful of returning their letter. After speaking with a good handful of the chance to take up this KRCRC supporters who did not get around to returning their KRCRC supporters who did not get around to returning their responsibility and to walk with you letters, we feel sure that many more wish to remain with us, but letters, we feel sure that many more wish to remain with us, but all on this journey. I look forward simply never returned their letters. simply never returned their letters. to meeting, conversing, rallying, and “Opt OUT” “Opt OUT” organizing with each of you, and I Rather than lose those of you who DO wish to stay informed Rather than lose those of you who DO wish to stay informed encourage you to reach out to us and to through KRCRC’s newsletter, we are switching to an “Opt through KRCRC’s newsletter, we are switching to an “Opt get involved or renew your involvement Out” approach: If you do NOT support our mission, Out” approach: If you do NOT support our mission, with KRCRC! and/or no longer wish to receive KRCRC’s news- and/or no longer wish to receive KRCRC’s news- letter, please let us know at [email protected] or letter, please let us know at [email protected] or In community, (866) 606-0988 and we will remove your name. (866) 606-0988 and we will remove your name. Caitlin Willenbrink Your board sincerely apologizes for this mistake. We took a Your board sincerely apologizes for this mistake. We took a risky approach in an attempt to strengthen our organization, risky approach in an attempt to strengthen our organization, but it just didn’t work. Thank you for your understanding. but it just didn’t work. Thank you for your understanding. KRCRC MISSION STATEMENT KRCRC MISSION STATEMENT Help KRCRC The mission of the Kentucky Religious The mission of the Kentucky Religious Continue our Work Coalition for Reproductive Choice is to Coalition for Reproductive Choice is to Donate online at direct the moral power of people of faith direct the moral power of people of faith Network for Good and religious organizations to safeguard and religious organizations to safeguard Or send a check to: KRCRC, P.O. Box 4615, Louisville, KY and advance reproductive justice in the and advance reproductive justice in the 40204 Commonwealth of Kentucky. We do this Commonwealth of Kentucky. We do this through education, advocacy, counseling and through education, advocacy, counseling and support of organizations with related goals. support of organizations with related goals. PAGE 2 40th Anniversary of Get a KRCRC Kroger Gift Card Roe v. Wade and Support Reproductive by Rita Sasse, KRCRC Board Member Choice! On January 20 of this year, KRCRC presented “The Roe Kroger gift cards are now available from KRCRC. This is a Monologues” in commemoration of the crucial Supreme Court great way to help our organization at NO cost to you! ruling that legalized abortion in all of the United States. Edenside Christian Church was host for this event which featured stories of abortions submitted by nearly two dozen men Here’s how it works. Purchase your $5 Kroger gift card and women in our community. Reverend Sally McClain, pastor of by sending in a check for $5 made out to KRCRC. Add Edenside and KRCRC Clergy Advisory Board member, welcomed dollars to the card by recharging it (using your credit card the 70 attendees to the beautiful space of the sanctuary. or cash) before your purchase. The stories presented spanned over 75 years of experiences, from the 1930s to last year. The personal accounts came from Here’s the good part: KRCRC gets 4% back on the total many locations, and were presented from numerous perspec- amount you and other cardholders spend. You can keep tives including those of clients, partners, employers, children and using and recharging your card indefinitely, and we all community activists. A common theme emerged: that abortion is a decision not made lightly, is made for many different reasons, benefit every time Kroger sends KRCRC a check. and was the right decision for the women involved. Some stories brought tears from the audience; some were quietly funny. The Send your check to: KRCRC, PO Box 4065, Louisville, KY stories were read by those who wrote them or by volunteer readers. 40204 Interspersed with these very personal stories was a reproductive rights timeline presented by KRCRC Board Members Rev. Molly Casteel and Rina Perlin. Clinic escorts, wearing their orange vests, provided a reassuring security presence, though there were no protestors. Janey Robert- son provided beautiful musical interludes on her lap dulcimer. The afternoon ended with a reception in the social hall of the church which allowed for introductions and conversations. PAGE 3 2013 Legislative Wrap-Up: Teen Pregnancy: High Costs in A Cliffhanger Year More Ways than One by Derek Selznick, By Kate Cunningham Director, ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project President, A Fund, Inc.; www.kyafund.org What if you were a divorced mom in Central Kentucky, The 2013 General Assembly raising a teenaged honor student daughter. What if she concluded on March 26th tearfully came to you and told you she was pregnant and had and for the fifth year in a been pregnant for weeks and weeks? What would you do row the legislature did not when you find out that the Lexington clinic can provide pass any new anti-choice abortions only up to 12 weeks, at a cost of $600 (which you restrictions. Along with don’t have anyway)? our allies like KRCRC, we You do some Internet research and find the National fought against two primary Abortion Federation. You call that number, repeatedly, early bills. The two bills were and late, until you get through to a live person. She asks some Senate Bill 4 and its companion Senate Bill 5. Senate Bill 4 would questions about your income and household size and tells you force a woman seeking an abortion to start her informed consent that you are slightly over income for NAF to help you. She procedure in person at one of Kentucky’s two abortion facilities does, however, give you the number for A Fund, the Kentucky 24 hours prior to her procedure. For many women, this would abortion fund that has been helping women like you and force them to arrange for two days worth of childcare, lose two teenagers like your daughter, for 20 years. days worth of wages, pay for a hotel, or double their travel costs. You learn that the clinic in Louisville, three hours drive Senate Bill 5 would force a woman seeking an abortion to receive away, can do abortions up to 22 weeks, but the cost of the two an ultrasound, and the person performing the ultrasound would be day procedure, $1,825, is significantly higher than the $600 forced to give a medical description of the fetus.