Friday, May 11, 2007

Spy vs. Spy

Headlines in Kansas, that’s something ProKanDo is used to. Making our way to the Wall Street Journal Online, that’s new. Here’s the beef:

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Antichoice Double Agent

Kansas has a new law making it a crime to harm an unborn child, the Wichita Eagle reports.

"Alexa's Law" was a response to the murder of 14-year-old Chelsea Brooks, who was pregnant with a girl she intended to name Alexa. Brooks's boyfriend is now charged with murder for hire.

But as the Eagle notes, "not everyone approved of the governor's actions" in signing Alexa's Law:

The abortion-rights group ProKanDo and others opposed to Alexa's Law had lobbied for a measure that would increase penalties for harming a pregnant woman while not defining the fetus as a separate person.

They say laws like Alexa's Law have done little to protect women in the states where they are already on the books.

"What we need are laws that will place value on the lives of the women who give life," said Julie Burkhart, director of the abortion-rights group ProKanDo.

Huh? 'The women who give life'? What does 'life' have to do with the right to choose? Is Julie Burkhart secretly in the employ of the antichoice Christianist fanatics?”
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This is insanity, people! Why on earth would a group who favors a woman’s right to reproductive health also want to respect her entire well-being?? Oh wait…now that I’ve typed it out, it actually does make sense.

But seriously folks….

Julie Burkhart as a double agent? Let’s just file that one under “Things that only happen in an alternate universe.”

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Governor Sebelius Signs UVVA

Yesterday, Governor Kathleen Sebelius signed the Unborn Victims of Violence Act (UVVA) into law, despite hopes that she would veto it. Obviously, we am very concerned about the implications this law will have for pregnant women in the state of Kansas.

Below, you will see ProKanDo's official statement regarding this issue.

"We are sadly disappointed that Governor Sebelius has chosen to sign the Unborn Victims of Violence Act (UVVA) into law. The bill contains no provisions to protect pregnant women in the state of Kansas against violence," said Julie Burkhart, Director, ProKanDo. "In fact, more than 30 states have laws similar to UVVA, and violence against pregnant women in those states has not stopped or even been minimized. Similarly, this law will not help pregnant women in Kansas escape the perils of violent behavior, either."

Burkhart continued, "After Chelsea Brooks' tragic murder, we had hoped that the legislature would focus on legislation that would actually protect pregnant women and their children. Chelsea Brooks was murdered in spite of a protection order. What we need is a full and honest conversation about the rate of male violence against women. What we need are laws that will place value on the lives of the women who give life."

It is with your support that we will continue to fight anti-woman legislation and work to improve laws like UVVA. If you would like to help us with the work that lies ahead, please consider a contribution to ProKanDo. We appreciate all of your support.

To contribute, follow the link below:
http://www.prokando.org/contribute.asp