Illinois voters are taking to the streets and the media to show their opposition to any type of "freedom of choice" abortion legislation, such as IL House Bill 2354.
UPDATE 4/3/09: Legislators remove sponsorship, bill defeated!
-- From "Bill heats up abortion debate" by Brian Slupski, Northwest Herald 3/30/09
Pending legislation that deals with sex education and what information patients receive has mobilized both sides of the abortion issue in McHenry County [Illinois].
Supporters say that the Reproductive Health and Access Act guarantees that people have accurate information related to health care options and provides for comprehensive, age-appropriate sex education. Opponents say the legislation would compromise religious freedoms and lead to taxpayer funded abortions.
Opponents held a prayer vigil and picketed 63rd District State Rep. Jack Franks’ Woodstock office Saturday.
Catholic church leaders also are speaking out against the legislation.
Joliet Catholic Bishop J. Peter Sartain, in a letter to church members, took issue with how the law deals with doctors who conscientiously object to abortion or other reproductive health issues.
“Our state should be defending our freedom of religion, not requiring individual citizens to defend their right to that freedom,” Sartain wrote.
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From "Dump Beaubien"a letter to the editor by Thomas G. Salvi, MD - Northwest Herald 3/29/09
Rep. Mark Beaubien, R-District 52 . . . is not only supporting HB 2354, he’s co-sponsoring this terrible bill. With this bill, health care professionals may be forced against their own conscience to provide access to abortion, there will be elimination of parental notification of abortion, partial birth abortions will be legal, and taxpayers will be forced to fund abortions. Illinois is in a fiscal crisis, and this Republican is advocating expansion of government to include forcing taxpayers to foot the bill for a procedure that is viscerally offensive to most Americans.
Beaubien’s support of HB 2354 is offensive to any fiscal conservative and immoral to any social conservative. As a physician, I find it also contrary to the Hippocratic Oath. It’s time for Republicans to dump Beaubien.
McHenry County Illinois voters demonstrated Saturday at the office of state Rep. Jack Franks (D-Distr. 63) urging him to drop his co-sponsorship of HB 2354.
