Refuse and
Resist!

Abortion on Demand and Without Apology!

"We cannot look to courts, cops, and politicians to protect women's rights. We have to cast away illusions, and deal with reality. Women and men across the country have to thunder our outrage, organize a real defense of the clinics, and go on a new footing against the forces of misogyny. We ourselves have to create both a political climate and a practical situation where it is impossible for the Christian fascists to wage their attacks on women and their clinics. No one is going to do this for us."
We Must Rely on Ourselves, Fight for Abortion Rights, & Stop the Anti-Women Thugs!

Reproductive Freedom Task Force Newsletter
National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers
The Case of Dr. James S. Pendergraft
The Case of Dr. Bruce Steir
Up Against the Antis
Dr. Barnett Slepian
Roe v. Wade
Rely on Ourselves, Fight for Abortion Rights, & Stop the Anti-Women Thugs!

The Execution of Paul Hill and the Attempted Murder of Choice in America
In memory of Dr. Curtis Stover
From Abortion Rights to Social Justice: Building a Movement for Reproductive Freedom
Build A Movement To Honor, Protect, and Defend Our Abortion Providers!
Appreciate Abortion Providers
A Day in the Life of an Abortion Provider
Abortion Providers Around Country Receive Letters Claiming to Contain Anthrax: "...Clinics in At Least Twelve States Report Receiving Letters, Some of Which Refer to Anti-Choice Terrorist Group the Army of God..."
Anthrax Hoaxer On Most-wanted List: "...Clayton Lee Waagner, one of the FBI's most-wanted fugitives, is a suspect in a string of anthrax hoax letters sent to abortion clinics..."
I want to be in front of you today: "...We live in one of the most prosperous countries on this earth. Shouldn't women have more choices, instead of less?..."
Lives on the Line: "...Though abortion may theoretically be legal in the United States, more and more women are finding it inaccessible. The "law of the land" is not Roe v. Wade but the more restrictive Casey Supreme Court decision..."
NOW Action for Women's Lives Washington, DC: "...The National Organization for Women is declaring a state of emergency to save women's rights to self-determination and reproductive freedom...April 22, 2001..."
Man Admits Posting Abortion Threat: "...Morency could get a year in prison and a $100,000 fine for intimidating an abortion provider. He could receive five years and a $250,000 fine on the child pornography charge..."
A Chronicle of Violence Against Abortion Providers: 1982-1998: "...In 1996, bombings, threats and harassment affected about one-third of U.S. abortion clinics..."
Religous Coalition for Reproductive Choice Report from the DNC in LA: "...We heard days before the convocation that Operation Rescue West was going to demonstrate at our service. We decided that we would hold a Peaceful Presence facing them in front of the church..."
Why I Risk My Life To Perform Abortions: "...the common thread among the women for whom I provide abortions is that they have a problem that I can cure. And almost without fail, when they leave the operating room, they say "thank you." That makes it -- the bulletproof vest, the fences, the cameras, the drawn curtains -- all worth it..."
Vancouver Abortion Provider Stabbed: "...Dr. Gary Romalis was stabbed in the back Tuesday in the lobby of his medical building in Vancouver. He is in stable condition at this hour and is expected to fully recover. The attacker, described as a hooded white man in his twenties, fled the scene and is still at large..."

Reproductive Freedom Task Force Newsletter

August 2002 Newsletter

National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers

National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers, Thursday, March 10, 2005: "...Get information on organizing, sponsors of the day, and things you can do to show your appreciation..."
2004 National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers
2003 National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers
2002 National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers
2001 National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers
2000 National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers
1999 National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers
1998 National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers
1996 National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers

The Case of Dr. James S. Pendergraft

Dr. Pendergraft Conviction Overturned
Pendergraft Released Pending Appeal
Dr. James Pendergraft Now in Atlanta Federal Prison: "...Dr. Pendergraft reported to the Atlanta Federal Prison Camp on Wednesday, July 25. He has stayed strong throughout this outrageous attack..."
Abortion Providers Face New Front of Attacks -- Support Dr. James Pendergraft: "...At a time of intense apprehension about how much power government officials and churches will have to make their religious beliefs into law, the precedent-making trial and conviction of Dr. James Pendergraft confirms this concern is very real..."
Outrage at Dr. James Pendergraft Sentencing!: "...Dr. James Pendergraft was sentenced to 46 months in jail, 2 years probation after release and a $25,000 fine for trumped up Federal conspiracy extortion charges. This is an outrage! His "crime"? He is an abortion provider!..."
Abortion Providers Face New Front of Attacks - Support Dr. James Pendergraft: "...At a time of intense apprehension about how much power government officials and churches will have to make their religious beliefs into law, the precedent-making trial and conviction of Dr. James Pendergraft confirms this concern is very real..."
Dr. James Pendergraft Found Guilty of Federal Extortion Charges!: "...The trail made one thing clear: the charges against Dr. Pendergraft were in fact driven by political and anti-abortion sentiments..."
Verdict won't close clinics, doctor vows: "...I will continue to fight that, and in the interim I will take care of women in their most difficult time..."
Update on the trial of Dr. James S. Pendergraft - January 25, 2001: "...Everyday during the trail for Dr. Pendergraft, the courtroom has been visited by many supporters. People from several Florida chapters of the National Organization for Women, Right to Fight Defense Committee for Dr. P, Refuse & Resist!, NAACP, Marion/County NOW chapter..."
Dr. Pendergraft Fact Sheet - 1/22/01: "...If you do not believe that abuse of power occurs at the highest levels, you must follow this trial..."
Trial of Florida Abortion Doctor Reveals Conspiracy: "...The trial scheduled to resume January 22, 2001, is a fitting day to reveal that even though Roe v. Wade still stands as the law of the land, the attempt by the government to remove providers with bogus charges is nothing less than a back door attempt at gutting (it)..."
Update on the trial of Dr. James S. Pendergraft - January 3, 2001: "...January 2, 2001 was the opening day of the trial for Dr. James Pendergraft, and many supporters for Dr. Pendergraft came to stand with him on his first day in court...."
Stand in Support of Dr. James Pendergraft - Abortion on Demand and Without Apology!: "...this case is nothing more than a political persecution that is motivated by anti-abortion politics in the highest levels of government..."
Courageous Resister Award to Dr. James Pendergraft: "...Dr. James S. Pendergraft IV was honored as a Courageous Resister by Refuse & Resist! at a ceremony in New York City on November 15. Representatives of national pro-choice organizations attended as the audience heard the story of how Dr. Pendergraft, harassed and threatened by anti-abortionists, has remained firm in his commitment to provide abortions at his five Florida women's health care clinics..."
Antichoice Intimidation: "...Pendergraft is a tempting target for the antichoice movement: He's African-American, superbly trained and credentialed, only 43 and flamboyantly ambitious. Not only does he operate five clinics around the state--he may well perform more abortions than any other doctor in Florida..."
Dr. James Pendergraft tells his story: "...Please come learn about his case, the local backdrop and how government agencies have used power to prevent access to abortion..."
Murder is Not the Only Way Abortion Providers Are Being Threatened...: "...Florida Abortion Provider Dr. James Pendergraft's attempt to provide protection for his clinic, staff, and patients has resulted in a Federal Indictment. He faces 30 years in jail and $1 million in fines...."
Sign on to a Statement of Support for Dr. James Pendergraft: "...Since 1993, Florida has been the site of escalating violence against abortion providers and clinics...We, the undersigned, support Dr. Pendergraft because..."
Support and Defend Dr. Pendergraft!: "...Over the past years, he has sacrificed his personal life and battled with politicians and protestors to provide safe abortion services to women..."
Abortion Provider Under Siege By Local Anti-abortion Politics: "...Every year the number of abortion providers drops because of intimidation tactics and the lack of trained doctors. In a most recent case, local government authorities attempted to prevent Dr. Pendergraft from providing abortion services in Ocala from the beginning. When these attempts proved unsuccessful, federal authorities became involved..."
Letter to Dr. Pendergraft From Marion County [PDF]: "...If there are plans in process to establish an abortion clinic in Marion County (though you are in your legal rights to do so), we hope you will reconsider them..."

The Case of Dr. Bruce Steir

Speak Out Against Dr. Steir's Sentencing!: "...The fact that Dr. Steir was charged with murder (the usual practice for a medical fatality is a malpractice suit), and the fact that he was convicted is part of a concerted anti-abortion strategy..."
Dr. Steir's Trial Is Over: "...This type of prosecution has never happened before in the State of California, and will be used to justify similar arrests and convictions in the future all over the country..."
Dr. Bruce Steir's Trial Begins - April 4, 2000: "...The trial itself may last 30 days. Court sessions may last all day or a few hours. Your presence is important whatever amount of time you can attend. ..."
Dr. Bruce Steir Court of Appeals Update - July 30, 1999: "...The Defense Committee is outraged at the Court's blatant bias shown by the fact that they ignored the irregular behavior of the Medical Board and the accepted the self-serving declarations of the Medical Board and the attorney general..."
New Hearing ... New Ruling? - What Is Happening With Dr. Bruce Steir?: "...On June 2, 1999, defense attorney Doron Weinberg's discovery motion will request official documents to prove Dr. Steir's prosecution is politically motivated..."
No Hearing on March 3 for Dr. Bruce Steir: "...The California Supreme Court referred this case back to Riverside County's Court of Appeals, requiring that the Court of Appeals issue an alternative writ...."
Attend Dr. Bruce Steir's Motion To Dismiss Hearing: "...the Riverside County District Attorney's unprecedented prosecution of a licensed physician for a homicide based on an alleged medical error is due solely to the fact that Dr. Steir is an advocate for and provider of abortions...."
Pledge of Support for Dr. Bruce Steir: "...Because this murder charge is key in the anti-choice strategy to eliminate access to abortion by targeting the physicians who perform these services..."
Dr Bruce Steir Defense Committee Update 9/11/98: "...The conduct of the District Attorney's office around Dr. Steir's case does not appear to be neutral, rather it seems biased due to their political attitudes about abortion..."
Dr Bruce Steir Defense Committee Update 9/2/98: "...The political nature of the charges against Dr. Steir are becoming more and more evident as the trial nears...."
Dr Bruce Steir Defense Committee Update 7/25/98: "...Thirty-two supporters from Riverside, Los Angeles, Chico, Sacramento and Bay areas watched in court Friday, July 10 as Judge Patrick Magers denied a motion to dismiss murder charges for Dr. Steir..."
Bruce Steir Defense Committee Update - 3.3.98: "...Dr. Steir's nightmare could happen to any provider of late abortions, especially one who travels a distance to provide abortions in a conservative community..."
Abortion Doctor Arrested for Murder! Your Pro Choice Response Is Needed: "...Immediate action and response is needed from the pro-choice community. A physician has been arrested for murder for a RECOGNIZED COMPLICATION in a legal second trimester abortion...."

Up Against the Antis

Doctor Offers Free Abortions to Commemorate Roe v. Wade
Wichita Journals: On the Front Lines for Reproductive Freedom: "...The deal the anti's made with local officials allows them to parade past Dr. Tiller's clinic twice a day for an hour each time - at 10 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. During their morning parade, we chanted "Shame! Shame!" as they marched in the heat..."
Send us back to Kansas to Defend Reproductive Choice: "...We need to take to the front lines of this battle and build a national movement of resistance to these kinds of attacks. A national mobilization by "Operation Save America" demands a national response..."
Refuse & Resist! Joins in Defense of Wichita Abortion Providers: "...members from Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, and New York are gathering here to join with the Wichita Alliance for Choice and other organizations in opposing the anti-abortion group Operation Save America..."
Defeat "Operation Save America" In Wichita!: "...We need to take to the front lines of this battle and build a national movement of resistance to these kinds of attacks. A national mobilization by "Operation Save America" demands a national response..."
Letter from an Abortion Clinic Patient Escort: "...The impact of volunteer escorting on the entering patients is immediately apparent. I found it to be very personal, direct, and rewarding...."
Anti-Abortion Forces Make Buffalo A "Battleground": "...Operation Rescue's tactics go hand in hand with the national escalation of attacks on abortion access: the murder of doctors and clinic workers, bombings and arsons..."
Operation Rescue is going to Buffalo April 18-25 -- We must be there to oppose them!: "...Many of us in this movement have been arguing for years that we cannot rely on the FBI and the police to protect abortion providers and clinics. Our experience is another good example of why this is so...."
Pushing Back Operation Rescue in Orlando: "...Operation Rescue brought its "Operation Push Back" to Orlando, Florida, May 31-June 6, and met resistance at virtually every point. They had vowed to bring down the "gates of hell"..."
Push Back "Operation Rescue" In Orlando! May 31 - June 7: "...Anti-abortion, anti-gay forces are mobilizing in Orlando, Florida May 31-June 7 for what they call "Operation Push Back." They have announced plans for actions at nearby abortion clinics, at Disney World and at Barnes and Noble bookstores..."
Sheriff Calls Abortion Doctor 'Baby Killer': "...An abortion doctor who wrote to the sheriff for help against anti-abortion demonstrators was instead branded a "baby killer" and told that law officers would "do everything within our power to assist the protesters."
Oregon Lawsuit Over Abortion Assistance: "...a lawsuit filed by three Oregon women against police, prosecutors and a school superintendent for having them arrested and charged with forcing an 18-year-old woman to get an abortion... "
Taking On Operation Rescue in Dayton: "...Going to Dayton was absolutely the right thing to do! We were able to challenge OR at every point, being on the spot when they blocked clinics and picketed a doctor's house, and in the media with a pro-choice message every time they got coverage..."
Promising To Keep Women Down: "...PK is using religion to promote a "kindler, gentler" version of white male domination..."
Defending Abortion Providers Should Not Be A Crime: "...drop the charges against the women's rights activist arrested at the Heartland Cafe..."
Come to Dayton July 13-19th, 1997: "...Stop Operation Rescue from Harrassing Women, Closing Clinics and Threatening Doctors and Staff!..."
Who's Coming to Dayton - An Introduction: "...Two of the featured speakers during Operation Rescue's anti-choice crusade in Dayton July 13-19, 1997 are Joseph Scheidler and Randall Terry. They are the architects of the ongoing campaign of reactionary violence and terror aimed at abortion providers, clinics, and women..."
Stop the Antis in Dayton!: "...Operation Rescue National is organizing a national "Return to Truth" campaign in Dayton, OH July 13-19, 1997. A May newsletter called "The Defender" from something called "The Jericho Project" in Dayton announced that "hundreds of pro-life Christians" will "confront the evil of abortion"...."
Youth Network Call to Oppose Operation Rescue: "...If Operation Rescue has your town on their hit-list for harassment, you don't have to lie down and take it....."
Operation Rescue Targets High School Students: "...I want to encourage any pro-choice/feminist activists who get wind of this in their town to get over to your high school and make sure the fanatical sensationalism of the anti-choice contingent isn't the only point of view high schoolers hear about in March, April and May...."
Organizing Against "Operation Rescue": "...This pamphlet is based on the experiences of the New York Pro-Choice Coalition (NYPCC) in opposing the efforts of anti-abortionists to close down abortion-providing facilities in New York from April 30 to May 7, 1988..."

Dr. Barnett Slepian - On the Frontlines

A Letter from David Gunn, Jr.: "...Dr. Barnett Slepian is the latest casualty in an increasing war on civil liberties. As churches burn throughout the Southeast, homosexuals are beaten to death in the Northwest; a victim of police brutality rots somewhere in an anonymous jail, and a nameless wife lies on the floor beaten by a "loving," patriarchal husband..."
Step Up To the Frontlines!: "...Dr. Slepian was bold in the face of harassment and many death threats, always refusing to back down. It is this spirit we need to support and take up..."
Report From The Front Lines Of The Abortion War: "...His murder will be felt personally and acutely by countless numbers of women and their families in Western New York -- and his death is an incalculable loss for our movement as a whole...."
Statement from Robert Stauber and Michael (Malikee) Gingerich - April 1, 1999: "...In 1999 any mobilizations against women's freedom must be met with determined opposition... Those who provide abortion are heroes for their courage and commitment to saving women's lives..."
Statement from Robert Stauber and Michael (Malikee) Gingerich: "...We wanted to take this opportunity to thank the dozens of organizations and individuals who responded to this attack. This support was key in helping to denounce and expose what the FBI was doing...."
Pro-Choice Activists Respond To FBI Attacks: "...if in fact, you are trying to find the attackers of abortion doctors why haven't you solved ONE case in the 5 years of these attacks which have resulted in the injury of 4 doctors and the killing of Dr. Slepian?..."
FBI Attacks Pro-Choice Activists: "...The FBI is using the brutal murder of Dr. Slepian, who put his life on the line to provide health care and abortions for women, to go after and cast a cloud of suspicion on people who have stood firmly against these types of brutal attacks..."

Roe v Wade

30th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade Statement
Celebrating 29 Years Since Roe v. Wade With New Vigilance In These Times
Report on Roe v Wade Anniversary in D.C.: "I'm glad we went to Washington and didn't let them have our lives or our day", said an NYU student after Jan. 22..."
Fight The Right! Take Back Our Lives! Proclaims Bay Area Pro-Choice Community: "...Bay Area pro-choice and social justice groups are uniting forces on the quarter century anniversary of legal abortion in the U.S. for a unique women's conference and inspiring demonstration..."
They Can't Have Our Day or Our Lives!: "...January 22 is the anniversary of the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion. But the anti-abortionists have taken over the day with their anti-woman protests...This year especially, the eyes of the nation will be on Washington D.C., so we can't let them go unopposed. Our side has got to be in D.C...."
Letter to Abortion Activists and Resisters: "...This anniversary (January 22) is a critical opportunity for our side -- those who stand for women being able to control their own lives -- to make our voices heard, to rebuild and strengthen our movement for reproductive rights as part of the movement to resist the whole reactionary agenda of attacks...."
Report on Activities for Roe v. Wade Day - Atlanta and DC: "...In the aftermath of the January 16 clinic bombing here, there's a lot of anger, renewed unease, and, amidst a chorus of calls for more police protection, a lot of questions about how the people should respond...."

Rely on Ourselves, Fight for Abortion Rights, & Stop the Anti-Women Thugs!

Meet the Father of the 'Right to Life' Movement: "...If there is one man in history who can be credited with launching the compulsory childbearing movement, it is Adolf Hitler..."
Oppose the Banning of Late Term Abortion: "...The so-called "partial birth" abortion ban would harm women & imprison doctors....."
Put An End to Anti-Woman Violence: "...This attack on women's reproductive freedom is part of a larger political agenda that has as its goal the outlawing of abortion..."
Rely on Ourselves, Fight for Abortion Rights, & Stop the Anti-Women Thugs!: Refuse & Resist! leaflet about the murder of abortion clinic workers in Brookline, Massachusetts, and 10-point program for the struggle for Abortion On Demand and Without Apology! (plus Acrobat PDF version of this leaflet)
Poster from NYC Refuse & Resist!: "...to coincide with the anniversary of the Brookline Massacre, and honour all those struggling to keep abortion available in this country..."
Why Doesn't the K.K.K. March in Harlem?: Refuse & Resist! statement about building the movement to defend abortion providers as part of the struggle for reproductive freedom. (plus Acrobat PDF version of this leaflet)
They Come By Day!: Some important points to remember if the political police come by for a chat.
Time for a Reality Check!: Refuse & Resist! statement about the historic role of the FBI and the U. S. Justice department in attacks on popular movements by armed reactionaries.
A review of Gideon's Torch: "...What we have in Gideon's Torch is an anti-woman "Turner Diary" for the 90s, authored by former White House insider, then convicted Watergate conspirator (Charles) Colson, now a professional "born-again" ex-con darling of the Christian fundamentalist lecture circuit..."
More comments on Gideon's Torch: "...I'm sure Colson, a jailhouse born-again, was licking his chops at the prospect of adding a new dimension of terror to the lives of abortion providers. And I wonder what kind of "prediction" of the future this is meant to be...."

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