| Pennsylvania students rally at State Capitol |
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Activists demand repeal of Bush's global gag rule HARRISBURG (November 1, 2002) -- Students and youth activists converged on the steps of the State Capitol today in support of the Global Democracy Promotion Act, a measure that would repeal President Bush's gag on overseas family planning organizations. The rally was organized by Choice USA, a national organization that trains and supports youth and student leaders. Students from the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State, Muhlenberg, York College, Swarthmore, and Central Pennsylvania College traveled to Harrisburg to attend and demand an end to U.S. interference in legal reproductive health services abroad. Michelle Agostini, a University of Pittsburgh student currently interning with Choice USA, helped plan the event. She says she expects her representatives to pay attention. "We're demonstrating student power," she said. "We care about this issue. Our country shouldn't be cutting women off from health care in countries all over the world." The rally included impassioned speeches from the Reverend Roger Buchanan and Crystal Plati, Choice USA's executive director. Iwalola Akin-jimoh, a reproductive health worker from Nigeria, gave a chilling first-hand account of life in her country under the global gag rule. "Many people misunderstand the global gag rule, and think it only prevents U.S. international family planning funds from paying for abortions," Crystal Plati said. The global gag rule actually reaches much further. The executive order, also known as the Mexico City Policy, restricts clinics and organizations that receive U.S. international family planning funds from using money from any source to discuss abortion with their patients, inform patients where they can obtain abortion services, or petition their governments for changes in restrictive abortion laws. "The gag rule tells doctors they aren't allowed to explain all of their patients' options," Plati said. "It forbids even talking about procedures that are legal in the United States and legal in many countries the rule applies to." The demonstration was part of an ongoing campaign by Choice USA and its local chapters to pressure Congress to pass the Global Democracy Promotion Act. The last time the measure came to a vote, it passed the Senate and came within four votes of passing the House. In Pennsylvania, the campaign has focused primarily on Representatives John Murtha (12th district), Jim Borski (3rd district), Paul E. Kanjorski (11th district), Mike Doyle (18th district), and Patrick Toomey (15th district), who often vote as a bloc and have previously voted against repeal of the global gag rule. |
