Comments on: Hello from the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/08/11/hello-from-the-south-dakota-campaign-for-healthy-families/ In defense of the sanctimonious women's studies set. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:21:10 +0000 hourly 1 By: Henrietta G. Tavish http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/08/11/hello-from-the-south-dakota-campaign-for-healthy-families/#comment-197155 Henrietta G. Tavish Fri, 15 Aug 2008 02:28:30 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=7943#comment-197155 Reading the current statute, it appears that an elective second-trimester must be done at a hospital (or if not available, a properly-equipped private physician's office) to make sure a sufficient supply of blood is available. According to <a href="http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/choice-action-center/in_your_state/who-decides/state-profiles/south-dakota.html?templateName=alllawdetails" rel="nofollow">NARAL's site</a>, in 2005 Planned Parenthood entered into a consent decree allowing it to perform abortions up to 14 weeks and six days; the decree apparently recognized that the Sioux Falls facility had enough blood to perform abortions that late. This hardly indicates that second trimester abortions are "pretty much impossible," or "prohibited" as Nicolay stated. They merely have to be performed in facilities having a sufficient blood supply. Reading the current statute, it appears that an elective second-trimester must be done at a hospital (or if not available, a properly-equipped private physician’s office) to make sure a sufficient supply of blood is available. According to NARAL’s site, in 2005 Planned Parenthood entered into a consent decree allowing it to perform abortions up to 14 weeks and six days; the decree apparently recognized that the Sioux Falls facility had enough blood to perform abortions that late.

This hardly indicates that second trimester abortions are “pretty much impossible,” or “prohibited” as Nicolay stated. They merely have to be performed in facilities having a sufficient blood supply.

]]> By: Kelsey http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/08/11/hello-from-the-south-dakota-campaign-for-healthy-families/#comment-197146 Kelsey Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:05:09 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=7943#comment-197146 The ban that's been proposed is a separate issue. No law has changed -- we'll be voting on that in November. The press conference in the video was called to talk about the ban that will be on the ballot. What Jan was trying to say (and I can understand the confusion) is that currently, it would be pretty much impossible for a woman who is past 12 weeks to obtain an elective, non-medical emergency abortion in South Dakota. She was trying to make the point that it's already very difficult to obtain an abortion in South Dakota -- thus, there's no need to restrict further. The ban that’s been proposed is a separate issue. No law has changed — we’ll be voting on that in November. The press conference in the video was called to talk about the ban that will be on the ballot. What Jan was trying to say (and I can understand the confusion) is that currently, it would be pretty much impossible for a woman who is past 12 weeks to obtain an elective, non-medical emergency abortion in South Dakota. She was trying to make the point that it’s already very difficult to obtain an abortion in South Dakota — thus, there’s no need to restrict further.

]]> By: Jovan1984 http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/08/11/hello-from-the-south-dakota-campaign-for-healthy-families/#comment-197143 Jovan1984 Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:41:26 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=7943#comment-197143 Welcome, Shannon. I'm glad that you are going to spread the whole truth about measure 11 in the Coyote State. People think that what happens in South Dakota only matters to the people in that state. They are wrong. What happens in one state matters to everyone, and that includes all that are living in the other 49. Welcome, Shannon. I’m glad that you are going to spread the whole truth about measure 11 in the Coyote State. People think that what happens in South Dakota only matters to the people in that state. They are wrong. What happens in one state matters to everyone, and that includes all that are living in the other 49.

]]> By: Meritorius Brand http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/08/11/hello-from-the-south-dakota-campaign-for-healthy-families/#comment-197022 Meritorius Brand Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:16:39 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=7943#comment-197022 Kelsey, Thank you so much for the information! I hope, as you say, that there's no ban. But the video clip of Ms. Nicolay saying that abortions are prohibited after the first trimester is very recent (March 2008), so I guess that law you cited must have been changed earlier this year. I'm sure the Campaign wouldn't make a mistake about something as basic as that. In fact, from her tone, I'm guessing that part of the reason the press conference was called was to attack the new law. I hope they succeed! Kelsey,

Thank you so much for the information! I hope, as you say, that there’s no ban. But the video clip of Ms. Nicolay saying that abortions are prohibited after the first trimester is very recent (March 2008), so I guess that law you cited must have been changed earlier this year. I’m sure the Campaign wouldn’t make a mistake about something as basic as that. In fact, from her tone, I’m guessing that part of the reason the press conference was called was to attack the new law. I hope they succeed!

]]> By: Kelsey http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/08/11/hello-from-the-south-dakota-campaign-for-healthy-families/#comment-196962 Kelsey Thu, 14 Aug 2008 03:57:14 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=7943#comment-196962 SDCL Sec. 34-23A-4 requires that abortions performed after 12 weeks take place in a hospital. So they aren't banned (and they do take place), but Planned Parenthood can't do them. SDCL Sec. 34-23A-4 requires that abortions performed after 12 weeks take place in a hospital. So they aren’t banned (and they do take place), but Planned Parenthood can’t do them.

]]> By: Henrietta G Tavish http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/08/11/hello-from-the-south-dakota-campaign-for-healthy-families/#comment-196941 Henrietta G Tavish Thu, 14 Aug 2008 01:06:09 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=7943#comment-196941 Meritorious Brand, Jan Nicolay's statement that abortions are currently banned in South Dakota after the first trimester is clearly a misrepresentation, as a state lacks the power to do so under Roe Wade. As to the KOTA story, it certainly reads like a press release so it's a safe bet that the Campaign for Healthy Families or some other Planned Parenthood affiliate was responsible for its wording. Meritorious Brand,

Jan Nicolay’s statement that abortions are currently banned in South Dakota after the first trimester is clearly a misrepresentation, as a state lacks the power to do so under Roe Wade.

As to the KOTA story, it certainly reads like a press release so it’s a safe bet that the Campaign for Healthy Families or some other Planned Parenthood affiliate was responsible for its wording.

]]> By: Kelsey http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/08/11/hello-from-the-south-dakota-campaign-for-healthy-families/#comment-196886 Kelsey Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:16:39 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=7943#comment-196886 I stand by my statements as well. As I said, I'm familiar with the numbers you're referring to and I still think it's far from a fact that South Dakotans wouldn't buy a more pro-choice message. I stand by my statements as well. As I said, I’m familiar with the numbers you’re referring to and I still think it’s far from a fact that South Dakotans wouldn’t buy a more pro-choice message.

]]> By: Cara http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/08/11/hello-from-the-south-dakota-campaign-for-healthy-families/#comment-196860 Cara Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:21:25 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=7943#comment-196860 I realized later that I ought to specify that I haven't personally perused the raw data or anything, but I attended a presenation on the focus groups, the reserach, the polls, different messaging and how they made the decisions they made, with a comprehensive Q&A with the all of the "but what about . . .?" questions (a few of which I asked myself). I realized later that I ought to specify that I haven’t personally perused the raw data or anything, but I attended a presenation on the focus groups, the reserach, the polls, different messaging and how they made the decisions they made, with a comprehensive Q&A with the all of the “but what about . . .?” questions (a few of which I asked myself).

]]> By: Cara http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/08/11/hello-from-the-south-dakota-campaign-for-healthy-families/#comment-196834 Cara Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:47:05 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=7943#comment-196834 Kelsey -- sure there's room for debate. There always is. The research I've seen is Planned Parenthood's message testing in South Dakota around this initiative specifically. I'm not sure how confidential that is and so I don't feel comfortable sharing anything more from it than I already have, but I stand by what I said about it. Kelsey — sure there’s room for debate. There always is. The research I’ve seen is Planned Parenthood’s message testing in South Dakota around this initiative specifically. I’m not sure how confidential that is and so I don’t feel comfortable sharing anything more from it than I already have, but I stand by what I said about it.

]]> By: Kelsey http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/08/11/hello-from-the-south-dakota-campaign-for-healthy-families/#comment-196833 Kelsey Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:43:05 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=7943#comment-196833 I'm not sure what research you've seen, Cara, but PPFA's own research has shown that a pro-choice message can work, even in rural, conservative, and religious areas. I'm very well aware of what the 'numbers' look like in SD. The decision not to use a strong pro-choice message (although this message is certainly more pro-choice than the last go round) is a strategic one, but there is still plenty of room to debate the strategy. I’m not sure what research you’ve seen, Cara, but PPFA’s own research has shown that a pro-choice message can work, even in rural, conservative, and religious areas. I’m very well aware of what the ‘numbers’ look like in SD. The decision not to use a strong pro-choice message (although this message is certainly more pro-choice than the last go round) is a strategic one, but there is still plenty of room to debate the strategy.

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