| To: Mr. Harold Ford Jr.
Over the years we have had the opportunity to serve in many capacities - as public officials, community leaders, and advocates for the causes we believe in. All of us have worked extremely hard to promote women's equality and to ensure reproductive rights for women. We are proud that New York is one of the most pro-choice states in the country and we support politicians committed to this standard. Based on your own words and deeds, you simply do not measure up.
Your views as a Member of Congress, a candidate, and a political commentator do not match your current claim that you are pro-choice. Being pro-choice means you stand up and fight for a woman's right to her own medical decisions, even when it is not popular. You played politics with a woman's right to choose in your Tennessee Senate race - proudly calling yourself pro-life and spending campaign money on ads to showcase your anti-choice record. Recently, in the New York Post, you decry the "pro-life" label, but when it suited your political ambitions in 2006, you stated clearly that you are "pro-life" and that you "don't run from that." You certainly seem to be running from it today.
Senator Gillibrand, on the other hand, LONG before she sought political office, proudly volunteered with pro-choice groups. As a member of Congress she had 100% voting records with NARAL and Planned Parenthood. We never had any need to question where she stood on protecting a woman's right to choose, even when she ran for election in a relatively conservative district. Now as Senator, she has continued the fight for choice, having stood boldly against the dangerous Stupak amendment in the health care debate. She is, and has always been, our unwavering advocate.
This, Mr. Ford, is why women across the state, and indeed around the country, and pro-choice groups such as NARAL, Planned Parenthood, and WCLA - Choice Matters, have spoken out so strongly against your possible candidacy. It is not about bullying. It IS about making our voices heard. You are not pro-choice, you do not share our values and, as such, you will find yourself lacking support from pro-choice women in New York.
Please know that we will work tirelessly to promote Senator Gillibrand's strong record on choice and to expose your revisionist one. We will make sure that the pro-choice people of New York State know that, with your words and with your votes, time and time again, you have not stood with us on the critical value of a woman's right to choose.
As Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan said: "Everyone is entitled to his [or her] own opinion, but not to his [or her] own facts." The facts are clear: you have not been straight with us and you are not an advocate of a woman's right to choose. Senator Gillibrand is our champion and we will work hard to ensure that she continues as Senator from the great State of New York.
Sincerely,
Marilyn Abbott
Karen Adler
Frances Beatty Adler
Margo Alexander
Deb Allen
Susan Allicini
Denise Anderson
Mary Atwater
Ellyn Amron Austin
Claudine Bacher
Martha Baker
Perry Barber
Anita Barnes
Diana Barrett
Donna Bascom
Nancy Beang
Antonia Bellanca
Cristina Biaggi
Sheila Birnbaum
Allida Black
Melanie Blood
Bonnie K. Bon Giorno
Mary Ellen Bon Giorno
Jill Braufman
Nora Bredes
Deborah Brodheim
Grania Brolin
Susie Buell
Rushne Bulsara
Jodell Bumatay
Eileen Feeney Bushnell
Jacqueline Cady
Donna Carpenter
Sally Chamberlain
Ellen Chesler
Andrea Christopher
Carolyn Clark
Betty Cockrum
Betsy Cohn
Rossa Cole
Suzanne Coogan
Helen Cook
Blanche Weisen Cook
Chris Cortes
Clare Coss
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Arlene Coulter
Kathy DiCristofaro
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Polly Feingold
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Robin Rowlinson
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Carol Saxe
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Michael Wolkowitz
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Frania Zins
Deborah Zum |
