Livejournal Spam
I'm sorry to repeat myself, especially since many of you don't live in Pittsburgh, but as you can probably guess, this is really important to me.
I wrote yesterday about the buffer zone legislation that was proposed in City Council by Doug Shields and Bill Peduto. This legislation was developed by them in cooperation with the Women's Law Project (their website appears to be experiencing technical difficulties), and the goal is to address the situation that is currently occurring outside of the reproductive health clinics in Pittsburgh.
I've been working as a clinic escort for Planned Parenthood of Western PA for the past two years. When I started, there were two police officers stationed at the clinic on Saturday mornings, which is when most of the protesters are present. While the police presence existed, although the protester situation was unpleasant, there was never any doubt in my mind that our patients were safe. The rules were known and enforced. I never once saw a protester touch a patient. For the most part, they agreed to back off if the patient said she wasn't interested in talking to them.
Due to City of Pittsburgh budget cuts, the police presence was withdrawn last spring. In the time since then, I've seen the protesters become not only more aggressive but more numerous. Whereas when I started escorting, a typical number of protesters was 15, it is now more common for there to be close to 30. Sixty-five protesters on a given Saturday is not unusual, and I escorted one morning about a month ago when there were over 100 protesters at the clinic downtown. I don't feel comfortable going into the details of the increased protester aggression, but it is clear that the atmosphere outside the clinics is one of intimidation.
The proposed legislation creates a 100-foot buffer zone around clinics, hospitals, and other healthcare providers in which, although protesting is allowed, no one may approach a patient of the facility without her permission. Additionally, the legislation creates a 15-foot buffer zone around clinic entrances where protesting is not permitted. I have available the full text of the proposed legislation and I can email it to anyone who is interested. I've just recently been told that the ACLU has reviewed the proposed legislation and does not intend to challenge it.
If you haven't called your Council member, please, please do so. In particular, Luke Ravenstahl, Len Bodack, and Gene Ricciardi have not yet signed on to the legislation. If you live in one of their districts (districts 1, 7, and 3 respectively), it's especially important that you call. However, even if you live in the district of a Council member who has expressed support, it is still important to call, as they may change their mind under the barrage of anti-choice outrage that they are receiving. The City Council members, their contact information, and the districts that they represent are as follows:
* Luke Ravenstahl, 412-255-2135, District Map: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district1/html/district_1_map.html
* Dan Deasy, 412-255-8963, District Map: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district2/html/district_2_map.html
* Gene Ricciardi (Council President), 412-255-2130, District Map: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district3/html/district_3_map.html
* Jim Motznick, 412-255-2131, District Map: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district4/html/district_4_neighborhoods.html
* Doug Sheilds, 412-255-8965, District Map: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district5/html/district_5_map.html
* Sala Udin, 412-255-2134, District Map: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district6/html/district_6_map.html
* Len Bodack, 412-255-2140, District Map: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district7/html/district_7_map.html
* Bill Peduto, 412-255-2133, District Map: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district8/html/district_8_map.html
* Twanda Carlisle, 412-255-2137, District Map: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district9/html/district_9_map.html
Thank you for your help. This legislation will, I believe, make a big difference in making clinic access safer for the patients of all of the women's health clinics in Pittsburgh.
I wrote yesterday about the buffer zone legislation that was proposed in City Council by Doug Shields and Bill Peduto. This legislation was developed by them in cooperation with the Women's Law Project (their website appears to be experiencing technical difficulties), and the goal is to address the situation that is currently occurring outside of the reproductive health clinics in Pittsburgh.
I've been working as a clinic escort for Planned Parenthood of Western PA for the past two years. When I started, there were two police officers stationed at the clinic on Saturday mornings, which is when most of the protesters are present. While the police presence existed, although the protester situation was unpleasant, there was never any doubt in my mind that our patients were safe. The rules were known and enforced. I never once saw a protester touch a patient. For the most part, they agreed to back off if the patient said she wasn't interested in talking to them.
Due to City of Pittsburgh budget cuts, the police presence was withdrawn last spring. In the time since then, I've seen the protesters become not only more aggressive but more numerous. Whereas when I started escorting, a typical number of protesters was 15, it is now more common for there to be close to 30. Sixty-five protesters on a given Saturday is not unusual, and I escorted one morning about a month ago when there were over 100 protesters at the clinic downtown. I don't feel comfortable going into the details of the increased protester aggression, but it is clear that the atmosphere outside the clinics is one of intimidation.
The proposed legislation creates a 100-foot buffer zone around clinics, hospitals, and other healthcare providers in which, although protesting is allowed, no one may approach a patient of the facility without her permission. Additionally, the legislation creates a 15-foot buffer zone around clinic entrances where protesting is not permitted. I have available the full text of the proposed legislation and I can email it to anyone who is interested. I've just recently been told that the ACLU has reviewed the proposed legislation and does not intend to challenge it.
If you haven't called your Council member, please, please do so. In particular, Luke Ravenstahl, Len Bodack, and Gene Ricciardi have not yet signed on to the legislation. If you live in one of their districts (districts 1, 7, and 3 respectively), it's especially important that you call. However, even if you live in the district of a Council member who has expressed support, it is still important to call, as they may change their mind under the barrage of anti-choice outrage that they are receiving. The City Council members, their contact information, and the districts that they represent are as follows:
* Luke Ravenstahl, 412-255-2135, District Map: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district1/html/district_1_map.html
* Dan Deasy, 412-255-8963, District Map: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district2/html/district_2_map.html
* Gene Ricciardi (Council President), 412-255-2130, District Map: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district3/html/district_3_map.html
* Jim Motznick, 412-255-2131, District Map: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district4/html/district_4_neighborhoods.html
* Doug Sheilds, 412-255-8965, District Map: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district5/html/district_5_map.html
* Sala Udin, 412-255-2134, District Map: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district6/html/district_6_map.html
* Len Bodack, 412-255-2140, District Map: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district7/html/district_7_map.html
* Bill Peduto, 412-255-2133, District Map: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district8/html/district_8_map.html
* Twanda Carlisle, 412-255-2137, District Map: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district9/html/district_9_map.html
Thank you for your help. This legislation will, I believe, make a big difference in making clinic access safer for the patients of all of the women's health clinics in Pittsburgh.