As you may have read about in an earlier blog posting, anti-choicers in North Carolina have been trying out a new tactic in their fight to restrict women’s rights. They’ve been attempting to convince town councils and county commissioners to strip abortion coverage out of insurance plans for town and county employees. This initiative has, unfortunately, met with some success. State House Republican Leader Paul Stam has led the fight for the anti-choicers, citing a case he argued in front of the state Supreme Court in 1981.

Recently, the Carrboro Board of Alderman took up the issue and, as you might expect if you’re familiar with Carrboro and its citizens, passed an altogether awesome resolution. What did it say? Well, it was so fantastic, that I’m going to quote a fair chunk of it:

“Section 1. The Board of Alderman rejects this intrusive suggestion of N.C.Rep. Paul Stam, relying on a misinterpretation of the holding of Stam v. North Carolina and other hypotheses, that municipalities “must refuse to fund medically unnecessary abortions.”

Section 2. The Board of Aldermen continues to support a woman’s constitutional right to privacy, pursuant to the law of the land as articulated by our United States Supreme Court.

Section 3. The Board of Aldermen resolves that the Town of Carrboro will endeavor to provide Town employees with health insurance coverage that covers the full range of reproductive services.”

That’s right. Carrboro’s town council went out of their way to pass a resolution upholding a woman’s right to choose. One of the things I think we’re often guilty of in this movement (or, at least, one of the things I’m definitely guilty of) is focusing on the negative, and glossing over the positive. So I want to pause here and take a minute to say thank you. Thanks to the Carrboro Board of Alderman for passing this resolution. Thanks for standing up to those who distort truths and bully elected officials. And thanks for reaffirming your commitment to reproductive rights and choice. I’m proud to be your constituent.

You can read the whole resolution here. And if you’d like to send an email to the Board thanking them, click here for contact info.

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