Fight for abortion rights remains

January 22, 1973, was a victorious day for women in the United States. The Roe v. Wade decision by the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a woman, in consultation with her physician, has a constitutionally protected right to choose abortion in the early stages of pregnancy. Many longtime feminists felt they had finally arrived after trudging up a long, long hill. Little did we know, on that day, things would almost immediately start to gobackwards. While the right to have an abortion is federal law, getting one in the United States in 2013 may be more difficult for the average woman than at any other time in history. In a time when white male politicians say that a woman s body can resist pregnancy in the case of legitimate rape or that pregnancies conceived in rape are intended by God, many may look at their cal endars to verify that we are indeed in the year 2013. In 2011, 92 abort ion restrictions were passed in 24 states and in 2012,19 states enacted 43 provisions reervices. So as we celebrate (and I use the term hesitantly) the 4()th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, does anyone know where one can obtain an abortion in a timely fashion without mortgaging their house? This era of state restrictions on abortions began in 1992 with the Supreme Court s decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Although the court up held the basic right to abortion, it also expanded the ability of the states to enact their own restrictions. For 20 years anti-choice politicians have passed laws chipping away at Roe v. Wade and a woman s right to choose what happens to her own body. These politicians work tirelessly to cur tail access to abortion at every turn. This is happening even though statistics tell us abortion is one of the safest surgical procedures for women in the U.S. Less than 0.5 percent of women experience a complication. In California a woman has the fundamental light to make her own reproductive choices. She has the right to bear a child or to chooserior to the viability of the fetus or when abortion is necessary to preserve the life of the woman. These rights are stated in the 2002 Reproductive Privacy Act, and will stand in the state even if Roe is over turned. If you are a victim of sexual assault and go to an emergency room for treatment, California law requires that hospitals provide you with information about emergency contraception (EC). You do not need to talk to your parents, the police or anyone else before you can be given EC after a sexual assault. In a perfect world there would be no need for abortions, women would not be sexually assaulted, and children would have no need to fear their own family members. But that isn t the world we live in. So 40 years later, the struggle to preserve access to abortion is even more daunting than the fight to legalize it was. Kimberly Salter is the past president of the California National Organization for Women and the O.C. chapter of NOW. She sits on the board of the Southern California Chapter ofN Women United States National Committee. PRO: THIS IS WHAT THE CITY NEEDS (This is) long overdue. There should be a countywide civilian review board on complaints of police and sheriff. If an officer does his job and follows the rules, then he has nothing to worry about. Many cities such as NYC, Chicago and San Francisco (have had) such civilian review boards in place for decades and police officers on their streets are still able to function and do their jobs. Only now they are doing it better and more professionally. Don t listen to the naysayers. - Jose Migra, San Clemente I will never defend criminals. Nobody is perfect, and I m sure AFD isn t either. The D.A. and this group of 22 community leaders probably don t want to ruffle (the) PD's feathers. They depend on each other for things, even the community leaders. Who decides who sits at this table? If PI) has nothing to hide, this should not be an issue. Just like dashboard cameras on black and-whites. Accountability! - JoINK OF SOMETHING ELSE As if there is not enough police oversight, the city of Anaheim is considering a citizens review committee. I have a novel idea. Why not promote known gang members parents to review their children s behavior? Maybe this review will include searching the property where they live for weapons and drugs on a daily basis. Oh wait, that would require some degree of personal responsibility. This move is less about police oversight and more about pandering to a minority of our community that refuses to take responsibility for the criminals they raise without guidance and consequences. Marty Kuhlmann, Anaheim There are systems in place already to review all deadly force incidents: D.A. reviews, Internal Affairs, the Chiefs Advisory Board, the U.S. attorney and civil court if the victim and or the family so decides to go that route*. Who will pay for this new citizens committee? It shouldn t be the taxpayers, who already pay for the vast majority of all the other entities . If the existing entities are not enough, then let s make what we ve got work, rather than create another new one. - AI Irish Our Police Department should never feel that they are required to do their job with their hands tied behind their backs. If they feel their life, or the life of a citizen, is in danger, they should be able to use any means they deem necessary to stop the threat without constant fear of admonishment and or disciplinary action. - Roy Ho