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The Guttmacher Institute recently found that over 900 measures related to reproductive health and rights were introduced in 45 states during the first half of this year. Not surprisingly many of these were attempts to restrict access to abortion services by prohibiting health insurance plans from providing coverage for the procedures. Arizona and South Carolina this year joined 12 other states to restrict abortion coverage in insurance provided to their state’s public employees. Legislation that would encourage or mandate ultra-sounds for women seeking abortions was introduced in 18 states this year. Meanwhile, in Atlanta, an anti-Choice group called Priests for Life, has organized a “Freedom Rides for the Unborn” campaign, invoking the language of the civil rights movement. Priests for Life has a notable spokeswoman in Alveda King, the niece of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In a statement on her group’s website she writes, “My Uncle Martin had a dream that Protestants and Catholics and Gentiles and Jews would join together and sing in the age old spiritual, ‘Free At Last’.” A description of the campaign’s objectives says the Pro-Life movement is ready to “proclaim freedom from the political oppression that tramples on human rights and denies equality before the law.” Reproductive rights groups in Atlanta have come out strongly against both the premise of the anti-choice campaign as well as the appropriation of Dr. King’s words and the ideals of the civil rights movement. A coalition of three reproductive rights groups has organized an event on July 24th in response to what they see as an attack on the rights of Women and Women of Color in particular.

Guest: Tonya Williams, Speak Justice Take Action Program Director at SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW!

Find out more at www.sparkrj.org and www.legislatethis.org.