Tuesday, May 29, 2007
The Fight to Keep Abortion Safe and Legal (7:05 am)
Laura Flanders for In These Times discusses how, in the political fight for reproductive rights, on-the-ground organizing is far more effective than top-down messaging. She observes how the long-term planning and local activism by right-wing Republican opponents to safe health care for women has been effective, especially in the routine absence of competing liberal and Democratic organizations, because the national organizations are not attuned to local politics. And she calls particular attention to the fact that, notwithstanding some noteworthy legislative defeats, the right-wing legislators are still in office, continuing their crusade.
posted by Brian Zick
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Laura has analyzed this brilliantly. If the “conservative” arenas that have been swayed by the fire and brimstone crowd had a counterpoint with a beatitudes crowd, the former wouldn’t fare too well.
Having worked one of those horrific telemarketing fundraising houses, I’m certain that abortion rights have a huge support base in red regions. How do you tap that without LISTENING to local perspectives and adapting to them?
Like all organizations, those promoting any agenda have a tendency to lose sight of the trees...they become afflicted with the rare obverse disease that only allows the forest view.
posted by Sheila Condit on 5-29-07 at 1:11 PM