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#DearJohn: Sign the Petition to Stop HR3

So, we have spent the past few days, discussing what’s terrible about HR3, the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion If You Weren’t Raped Convincingly Enough, Or If You Have Insurance, Or Basically If We Just Don’t Feel Like It, Ever” Act sponsored by the terrifying Chris Smith of New Jersey, many terrible politicians including some very disappointing Democrats, and dubbed a top priority by John Boehner and his Congress, which just so happens to be deteriorating very rapidly into a nightmarish culture-war cartoon.

But just talking about things isn’t the way to stop them, sometimes. We’ve got to make sure that we know who we’re talking to, and how to reach them. We all oppose this act, but we have to make sure that everyone in power knows about this. Therefore, we’ve been working together to form a long-term strategy for opposing the bill, and bringing as much pressure as we can to the right people, so that they know they’ve got to stand up against it.

Right now, the bill is being handled by the Ways and Means Committee. They’re money people — NOT, notably, public health people — and if we don’t make it clear to them that this bill HAS to stop and that its redefinition of rape CANNOT be allowed to move forward, there’s a chance that they could miss how terrible it is. OR, you know, just move forward with it. Because who cares about the survivors affected by the “forcible rape” clause? Or all of the low-income people who are going to need abortions? Or, you know, WOMEN AND PEOPLE WHO NEED ABORTIONS, generally? There is only one Democratic woman on this committee, which is illustrative of the sort of odds we’re up against.

Therefore, we at Tiger Beatdown have been working on a petition for the people in the Ways and Means committee, to tell them that it’s imperative they stand up against this bill. It’s here. Please sign, so that we can deliver it to the right people, and make their voices heard. It’s easy for them to ignore us. Many of them want to ignore us. Ignoring the people most affected by anti-choice legislation is, basically, the only way this sort of extremist anti-choice legislation can ever move forward. So we’ve got to be as loud and as dedicated as possible, in terms of letting them know that we’re here. We do not support any politicians who back HR3, and we don’t support HR3.

Please sign, so we can keep moving forward and keeping this a safe country for women, survivors, and people who need abortions to live in.

15 Comments

  1. I oppose HR3 for its fundamental disregard of rationality.

    Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 8:16 pm | Permalink
  2. Katie Puza wrote:

    I am a woman and am already subjected to messages everyday telling me that I don’t own my body. I’m not taking it anymore.

    I am not merely a vessel for procreation. I am a college educated, career driven woman. I am a reader, a dancer, a former Girl Scout, and a cross stitcher. I do yoga, I climb mountains, I ski down them. I am a PERSON, not merely an incubator. Stop telling me what I can or can’t do with my body.

    This bill just doesn’t hurt me, it hurts everyone. Just say no to HR3.

    Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 8:29 pm | Permalink
  3. Ian wrote:

    The only thing this bill says is that republicans have a blatant disregard for logic, as well as an unwarranted sense of superiority. Which I guess isn’t exactly new.

    Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 9:14 pm | Permalink
  4. Andrea Ploscowe wrote:

    Abortion is health care. Listen Congress and Repub-Tea Bagger assholes: Keep your fucking laws off my body. You declare war on me? I’m going to fight back. Fuck you, bastards. Holy shit I am pissed.

    Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 9:42 pm | Permalink
  5. Jenny North wrote:

    Hey Sady, I’m not American – does this mean I’d better not sign? I will definitely forward the petition to all my US friends and contacts.

    Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 9:58 pm | Permalink
  6. Sady wrote:

    @Jenny: Yeah, I feel like one of the messages this petition sends is that we’re all voters & constituents. I’m super-grateful for support outside America, though, and I think making any efforts to boost the signal would be amazing!

    Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 10:10 pm | Permalink
  7. Zanna77 wrote:

    I signed. I am a wife, mother and a rape survivor. No one will erode my freedom of choice nor those of my daughters.

    Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 10:19 pm | Permalink
  8. Jerry Reynolds wrote:

    Doesn’t the GOP and Tea Baggers have anything better to do then hurt woman.What kind of animals are they

    Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 10:26 pm | Permalink
  9. Alison wrote:

    I e-mailed my Congressman about this, and his response (or staffer’s response, either one) was to blow me off with a repetition of what the bill does, how my thoughts will be remembered on this issue, and how he works for me.

    Not that I expected anything else: he’s a Republican, and my city is frustratingly conservative even if my state is consistently Democratic. 😛

    Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 11:30 pm | Permalink
  10. k not k wrote:

    Awesome! I signed and I’ve been calling my congresswoman over and over. Let’s do this!!!

    Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 3:17 am | Permalink
  11. Mejoff wrote:

    I assume a non US citizen signing would probably be counterproductive?

    Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 4:34 am | Permalink
  12. Freddie wrote:

    I was glad to see the Daily Show publicizing this issue last night, but I felt pretty conflicted by the segment…. The tone made me uncomfortable. But I suppose they were just doing what they do.

    Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 9:01 am | Permalink
  13. Adrienne wrote:

    I am not a political person but I want to do more to help stop this bill. Writing my congress representative is the next step?

    Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 9:44 am | Permalink
  14. Elaine Meyer-Turner wrote:

    I’m not american, I’m Scottish, and I believe firmly in the freedom of choice. I signed in support of every woman who may become a victim of this frankly frightening shit!

    Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 9:51 am | Permalink
  15. angie wrote:

    As someone who was sexually abused, this just disgusts me. I suppose those on congress who are passing this law have never been raped or had a daughter, wife, mother, or sister raped or sexually abused.

    Saturday, February 5, 2011 at 5:04 pm | Permalink