For men and women concerned about a national movement taking place state-by-state to remove hard-fought-for women’s rights, particularly in the area of access to comprehensive health care, head up to Montpelier’s State House Lawn tomorrow for a rally that starts at 11am.
Woodstock Early Bird absolutely believes in the importance of women’s health care decisions remaining a private issue between a doctor and herself and that we should provide preventative health care and family planning services to all those in need.
We wrote a year ago about our long-term dismay that the Susan Komen Foundation seemed to be emphasizing pink ribbon events over channelling dollars to concrete health care research and breast cancer prevention.
Having been first dismayed to learn that SKG might no longer provide grants to Planned Parenthood for simple breast detection screening (not even mammograms) we have watched as state legislatures over the past few months have presented or passed bills that take away health care rights from women, injecting the state and government into what should remain private care decisions made between trained doctors and their patients.
Woodstock Early Bird supports the efforts of medical providers, insurance companies, employers and public agencies who provide comprehensive health care information to both men and women, leaving the government out of those health-care decisions. That said, we also believe that government overall plays an important role in funding for health care for those who don’t have it or cannot afford it. It is for the collective good, preventing unnecessary and expensive use of emergency rooms and expensive critical care that results from lack of prevention.
For more information about the rally and rallies to be held across the country: Women’s Rights Rally
Julia Carlisle
Woodstock Early Bird 
Posted by Carl Steiger on April 27, 2012 at 11:36
There is no campaign to limit women’s rights. Can you not see a made up political issue when one does not exist! Brilliant politics. Begin with a strategy session to find a wedge issue, declare the issue is real abd being out your attack dogs, then rally to defend the claim. Sheep always follow.
Please keep your blog focused on Woodstock and real issues; it’s great there but your “Occupy” and then this latest example of your political dreams lessens your credibility except with other members of the flock.
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Posted by Julia Carlisle on April 27, 2012 at 11:54
It is my intention to provide information on stories and events that WEB finds of interest. When readers reach out, WEB is pretty much ready to respond (with regard to Occupy or the Women’s Rally). Some events and issues may interest you, some may not. That’s what we do here. We have stated that we are happy to publicize other events of interest as well. And, it is not at all uncommon for me to state my point of view. In fact, I think it is important that readers know that this editor DOES often have a point of view. Better to know that up front. I respect your comment and your point of view as well.
Someone else who reads Woodstock Early Bird stated recently stated — that like you — that while she often does not agree with my point of view or perspective or perhaps even what is covered, she nonetheless appreciates having the additional information and the additional journalistic voice in the community. She said to me, I think, very respectfully and very nicely, “I appreciate that this is what you do…even if I don’t agree.”
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Posted by Diana Brown on April 27, 2012 at 14:02
Completely and wonderfully right on, Julia. I make it a point to revisit the history of the suffrage movement in the USA – and sometimes Great Britain – every decade or so. If I were to have a log of comments made by learned men of letters and power 100 years ago, I think they would read not unlike those of Mr. Steiger. What if Susan had been able to have her own blog?
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Posted by Jon Estey on April 27, 2012 at 14:40
If there is no ‘war on women’ why do you protest so vigorously Carl?
Are the following all lies:
Top 10 Shocking Attacks from the GOP’s War on Women:
1) Republicans not only want to reduce women’s access to abortion care, they’re actually trying to redefine rape. After a major backlash, they promised to stop. But they haven’t yet. Shocker.
2) A state legislator in Georgia wants to change the legal term for victims of rape, stalking, and domestic violence to “accuser.” But victims of other less gendered crimes, like burglary, would remain “victims.”
3) In South Dakota, Republicans proposed a bill that could make it legal to murder a doctor who provides abortion care. (Yep, for real.)
4) Republicans want to cut nearly a billion dollars of food and other aid to low-income pregnant women, mothers, babies, and kids.
5) In Congress, Republicans have a bill that would let hospitals allow a woman to die rather than perform an abortion necessary to save her life.
6) Maryland Republicans ended all county money for a low-income kids’ preschool program. Why? No need, they said. Women should really be home with the kids, not out working.
7) And at the federal level, Republicans want to cut that same program, Head Start, by $1 billion. That means over 200,000 kids could lose their spots in preschool.
8) Two-thirds of the elderly poor are women, and Republicans are taking aim at them too. A spending bill would cut funding for employment services, meals, and housing for senior citizens.
9) Congress just voted for a Republican amendment to cut all federal funding from Planned Parenthood health centers, one of the most trusted providers of basic health care and family planning in our country.
10) And if that wasn’t enough, Republicans are pushing to eliminate all funds for the only federal family planning program. (For humans. But Republican Dan Burton has a bill to provide contraception for wild horses. You can’t make this stuff up).
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Posted by Maury Lorenz on April 27, 2012 at 17:02
Almost everyone is in favor of women’s health care rights. I no of no one who would even think of denying health care to any woman. Are you not fussing about whether health care should be free?
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Posted by vermontliberty on April 28, 2012 at 08:17
I’ll probably pass on this rally but hope to see notice of the Rally for Men’s Rights one of these days. It’s a little known fact that as State Legislatures run out of money and can no longer fund every special interest social initiative, those with Y chromosomes are also at risk from being plucked from the government teat.
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Posted by Julia Carlisle on April 28, 2012 at 11:19
You are absolutely right, Hunter. Men are at risk, too. Everyone needs to get more creative with what monies are left in the govt. pot…That said, it is a matter of deciding what is important overall to society. If women are healthy, their male babies and boys are healthy. We are very “on board” with that. WEB has nothing against boys. We love boys! Hey, my Dad was a boy! 😉
As you know WEB spends a lot of time in Alaska where suddenly there are fewer and fewer federal earmarks from Uncle Ted, oil production is declining and Alaskans are having to look to the future without Uncle Ted (Sen. Ted Stevens) and less support from the oil companies. We can look pretty much everywhere to see we have to decide where our priorities are.
WEB believes public health is an area that needs continued federal funding. However, making laws that keep women from being able to follow their own doctors’s advice and intruding on those decisions is a waste of time and taxpayer monies.
BTW, if there is a rally for Men’s Rights, we will post news of it here, too -WEB
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