CHOICE-NET REPORT
For Week ending October 15, 1994
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CHOICE-NET REPORT is a weekly update on reproductive rights issues
distributed through email, Women's Wire, gopher.WELL.com, Usenet
groups alt.activism, talk.abortion, soc.women, and other Internet
channels. Please reprint, distribute and TAKE ACTION.
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REPUBLICAN CONTRACT ON AMERICA

On September 27, Newt Gingrich brought 300 House Republicans and
challengers together on the Capitol steps to announce the signing
of a "Contract With America."

Hidden in among the promises for term limits, line-item veto,
balanced-budget amendment and increased military spending is a
section on "personal responsibility"  which states that "no funds
may be used for abortion services or abortion counseling."   This
language is frighteningly close to the Reagan/Bush era gag rule
which forbid doctors, who worked in settings that received Title X
family program funds, from  providing ANY information about
abortion to their clients.  The gag rule was overturned by Bill
Clinton in his first month in office.

In essence, this Act would gag physicians and other health care
professionals by prohibiting them from providing women with vital
information regarding their complete range of options for dealing
with an unintended pregnancy.  This is a blatant violation of the
doctor/patient relationship.  It would also force service
providers to choose between breaching professional ethics by
withholding information, or breaking the law and losing
desperately needed funds.  Mainstream medical organizations such
as the American Medical Association, the American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Nurses
Association have opposed the Gag Rule.

Republican candidates who signed the Contract for America are now
being faced with the decision of retracting their support for the
contract or losing the support of pro-choice groups.  Stay tuned
to see what they do.  (source: NARAL, Planned Parenthood, AP)
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CALIFORNIA CLINICS BURNED

On October 9 at 3:30 a.m. the Chico Planned Parenthood clinic was
the target of an arson attack.  Approximately one hour later the
Redding Feminist Women's Health Center experienced a similar
attack.

The Chico Planned Parenthood clinic has sustained over $100,000 in
structural damages, combined with the lot revenues while they
rebuild, their total losses are estimated at $250,000.  They will
reopen Monday, October 17, at an interim location in Chico where
they will provide most of their current services.  They are still
searching for a site to provide abortion services, but in the
meantime they are referring clients to other providers in the area.

The Redding Feminist Women's Health Center had an automatic
sprinkler system which limited damages.  That sprinkler system was
the result of local and statewide coalition fundraising efforts,
including help from CARAL, and they want everyone to know that it
probably saved the clinic from burning down.  Initial damage
estimate is $4,000.  They have a $5,000 deductible and were
already in a financial crunch so they need donations to cover this.

The Chico police department called the Redding police department
when the Chico fire was discovered in Chico.  The Redding police
said they were too busy to look into it.  This morning they issued
a statement saying that was a mistake and they should have gone to
the clinic.  I they had, they would have almost certainly caught
the arsonist.

The FBI, BATF (Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms) and U.S.
Attorney's office have all started investigations and are on the
scene. A $100,000 reward has been posted by the BATF, the National
Abortion Federation and Planned Parenthood Federation of America,
for the arrest and conviction of the individuals responsible for
this act of terrorism.  Anyone with information is urged to
contact BATF at 1-800-ATF-4867.

Please write and request protection.  Write to:
     David Orsay Threat Analysis Coordinator 650 Capital Mall,
     Room 1020 Sacramento, CA   95814
Request Protection for:
     Redding Feminist Women's Health Center 1901 Victor Avenue
     Redding, CA   96002

Donations can be sent to:
     Chico Planned Parenthood 556 Vallombrosa Chico, CA  95926
and
     Redding Feminist Women's Health Center 1901 Victor Ave.
     Redding, CA  96002

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MONTANA CLINIC BURNED

On Tuesday, October 10 at 3 o'clock in the morning, an anti-
abortion terrorist torched the clinic of Dr. James Armstrong of
Kalispell, Montana.  Damage estimates are unavailable.

Dr. Armstrong is one of only two abortion providers in this large,
mostly rural state.  Montana's other abortion provider, Dr. Susan
Wicklund, for years has been a target of anti-abortion terrorists
and stalkers.  Dr. Wicklund's harassment by the Lambs of Christ,
was profiled by CBS newsmagazine, "60 Minutes," in 1992.  Their
threats and harassment, which included stalking her daughter at
school, were so extreme that Dr. Wicklund has armed herself and
hired bodyguards for protection.

(source: Tom Burghardt, BACORR)

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Information Sources:  California Abortion and Reproductive Rights
Action League-North, Alan Guttmacher Institute, Reproductive
Freedom News, Voters for Choice, Culture Watch, Political Woman,
various Congresspersons, various newspapers, C-Span, CNN, Reuters,
AP, and UPI.  Editor: Kathy Watkins, Administrative Director,
CARAL-North Comments and suggestions:  dtv@well.com

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