Westchester NOW

The Scarsdale Congregational Church was filled on the evening of Jan. 22. The occasion was the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade. Westchester NOW was the convener of the planning group for this event and took an active part in the program.

SCC Senior Minister Phil Washburn welcomed those gathered. He noted SCC is a member of the United Church of Christ, a denomination that has consistently supported a woman's right to choose. He also commented that one of the sponsoring groups, the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, has its offices below the sanctuary where the commemoration took place.

Two women gave personal testimonies about the abortions they had before the Roe v. Wade decision. Westchester NOW member Audrey Poole told how she and her first husband had determined their economic situation did not allow them to support a child. Audrey endured a painful and life-threatening abortion. Later, when she and her first husband realized their marriage was almost over, Audrey endured a "DNC," before which a resident kept reminding her, "You are taking a life. Do you realize what you are doing?"

Audrey later married Dr. Charles S. Poole, a highly-effective physician who used his many skills to make a woman's right to choose a reality in Westchester, in New York State and throughout the nation.

The second personal testimonial came from Westchester NOW's Action Vice President Luba Fineson. Luba said she had been silent when she had her first abortion, but now she could be silent no more. Luba had her first abortion in Milan, Italy, for she was studying abroad. She was silent during the 30 excruciating minutes of "scraping."

Later, she had two children who were, in 1973, 8 and 11. She was pregnant again, but her husband didn't feel he could support more children. This time she was able to find a legal abortion clinic through the Yellow Pages. The abortion was performed under full anesthesia, after which she was counseled on reproductive issues.

Then Molly O'Gorman from SUNY Purchase gave her own testimony about the importance of young people championing a woman's right to choose. She heads Students for Choice, an organization that seeks to rewrite the rhetoric "from Pro Choice and Pro Life to choice about all things. To choice about health care to the inalienable rights of all persons to equal pay to access to education."

Sioux Taylor, NOW founding member, introduced the next speaker, the Rev. Mabel Norman who traced the history of the Roe v. Wade decision, quoting from the majority opinion written by Harry A. Blackmun. She explained the decision had been based on the 14th Amendment guarantee of the right to privacy. Mabel reminded us this decision affected the laws in all 50 states.

Nita Lowey was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1988 with the strong endorsement of the Westchester Coalition for Legal Abortion. She said we are in a time of "unprecedented threat to choice." Nita said she does not feel it is possible to change the minds of those opposed to choice. Therefore we must focus on getting out the vote through grass-roots organizing, district-by-district, state-by-state. "We have power through our votes," she said.

Rabbi Lisa Rosenberg, executive director of the NY Metro Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, gave the closing remarks, quoting from Deuteronomy: "Our energy is renewed. Our hope is strong."

Throughout the commemoration, speakers and others lit 30 candles symbolizing the 30 years since the Roe v. Wade decision. By the end of the service, 29 of the 30 candles had been lit. The question was asked: "Is there anyone here for whom this is their first opportunity to advocate for a woman's right to choose? Someone who has been inspired to take a more active role, having participated in this commemoration?"

The person who stepped forward to light the 30th candle was Lois Lennon.

After the service, Arlene Ketchum, NOW treasurer, distributed postcards to be sent to NY senators as part of a National NOW initiative to get Democrats to filibuster Bush anti-choice nominations to federal courts.

Nineteen organizations cosponsored the event with Westchester NOW.

Reported by Lucy Werner on the Scarsdale Congregational Church website

For more information about Westchester NOW, e-mail us at info@westchesternow.org!