Davis pledges pro-choice California

  The Associated Press Gov. Gray Davis
hugs a nurse in L.A. Tuesday. In a separate event that day, Davis
commemorated the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling.

By Crystal Betz
Daily Bruin Contributor

Gov. Gray Davis paid a visit to Los Angeles Tuesday to
commemorate the 29th anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling of Roe
v. Wade, which legalized abortion in the United States.

As anti-abortion protesters staged their annual march in
Washington D.C., the governor spoke at The Choice Event, hosted by
Planned Parenthood Los Angeles.

The event was designed not only to commemorate the Roe v. Wade
decision, but also to acknowledge and honor individuals who have
brought awareness and advancements for the abortion rights
cause.

After acknowledging award recipients and PPLA staff, Davis
proclaimed a promise to the audience.

UCLA medical student Paula Shulman cheered along with the rest
of the attendees as the governor said, “I promise as long as
I am governor, as long as I am breathing, California will be a
pro-choice state.”

A long-time advocate of abortions rights, Davis has signed bills
such as the Contraception Equality Act and the Freedom of Access
Act in support of the abortion rights movement.

The Contraception Equality Act assures that HMOs offer
prescription contraceptive drugs, devices and outpatient services
at a price equal to other regular medical services. The Freedom of
Access Act makes it illegal to commit violent acts to abortion
clinics, which includes threatening individuals entering or leaving
a clinic.

Davis is now fighting to pass The Reproductive Privacy Act. If
passed, it will replace the Therapeutic Abortion Act of 1967.

The act would reaffirm the privacy rights of women established
by Roe v. Wade, provide greater access to the non-surgical abortion
method of mifepristone and classify the role of health care
professionals in the realm of abortion practices.

Davis said he hopes to make the Reproductive Privacy Act not
only the law in California, but for the rest of the country.

But this will be no easy task, as Davis and abortion rights
advocates met opposition at the event ““ and across the
country.

A few silent protesters stood outside the Omni Los Angeles Hotel
in opposition of The Choice Event.

In Washington, anti-abortion marchers held their annual
demonstration, which received encouragement from President
Bush.

“Everybody there believes, as I do, that every life is
valuable, that our society has a responsibility to defend the
vulnerable and weak,” Bush said. “Unborn children
should be welcomed in life and protected in law.”

The U.S. Supreme Court is one vote away from overturning Roe v.
Wade, said Nancy Sasaki, president and chief executive officer of
PPLA.

Since Bush, who is anti-abortion, has the power to nominate
Supreme Court Justices and veto legislation, the controversy has
only increased with this issue.

A major concern for abortion rights advocates is the safety of
women’s lives. Of the 1.6 million abortions preformed last
year in the United States, only six resulted in the death of the
mother, according to Sasaki. Meanwhile, in Mexico, where abortion
is illegal, 140,000 of the 1.5 million abortions performed resulted
in death, she said.

Abortion opponents hope that if an opening in the Supreme Court
comes up, Bush will nominate an individual sympathetic with their
cause.

Pro-life advocates also expect this to happen. But Bush has said
he will not use the abortion issue for making judicial
nominations.

With reports from The Associated Press.