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Wednesday, November 08, 2006

 
11:13 AM: defeat was never so sweet [#] [0]

i got an email from planned parenthood last night and almost screamed. i checked the election results, and with 445 of 1000 precincts reporting, it LOOKED true. i ran upstairs to wake up sven. "no on 43!" i panted. now, with 663 precinct reporting, it seems even more sure: measure 43 has been defeated!

i'm so relieved. i've never had a cause i cared about so much actually succeed. 15 years ago coloradoans voted for amendment 2 (which meant homosexuals who were discriminated against couldn't sue for discrimination), and just a couple of years ago oregon voted for measure 36 (to define marriage as "one man, one woman" in the state constitution). i decided in march to help tackle this issue, and even if my contributions didn't sway anyone, at least the effort was not wasted.

of course, it's never really over. gonzalez vs planned parenthood arguments begin today, challening the constitutionality of the federal partial-birth abortion ban act (which can restrict abortions as early as 12 weeks w/o an exception for the health or safety of the mother). and the federal refusal clause is still festering. and the child custody protection act is no good, either. and pharmacists are still allowed to deny emergency contraception to women. and and the legislature will undoubtably try to pass a parental notification bill internally, like they do every term.

but this means i can breathe again. it's like being able to speak rainbows, not just rain. young women in oregon still have the right to make all their own medical decisions. that's worth celebrating. if you voted no on 43, THANK you! i'll take you out to lunch. :)

update: oo! and south dakota defeated their abortion ban! and california's parental notification failed, too! i'm ready for caramel apples & puppies!