Rally defends abortion rights

By Nan Callender

"Not the church, not the state, let women decide their own fate," a crowd of about ISO women and some men chanted while picketing the San Francisco offices of the Federal Department of Health, Education and Welfare on Friday to demand the maintenance of Medi-Cal funding for abortions in California.

The San Francisco chapter of the National Organization For Women (NOW), and the Coalition to Defend Reproductive Rights organized the rally in response to legislative action which denied the use of federal funds for abortions.

The event was timed to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the 1973 Supreme Court decision affirming the right to choose for all women. In June 1977, the Supreme Court ruled that Medicaid programs could reject coverage for nontherapeutic abortions. A wide array of speakers, representing various women's groups, articulated their concern about the California Legislature's position on

abortion funding. Anne Kronenberg, S.F. Supervisor Harvey Milk's administrative assistant, spoke in behalf of Milk, stating, "No man can speak out against abortion. To deny medical benefits is to discriminate against women, especially poor women." Mary Spencer, a psychologist and President of San Francisco's N.0.W., said that California's opinion polls indicated there was more support for reproductive rights. But we must put forth more effort because antiabortion campaigners have made significant headway in their endeavors, she said. A Berkeley songwriter and folksinger, Malvina Reynolds, recited the lyrics of her song, Back Alley Surgery in protest to the Supreme Court's 1977 decision. Supreme Court sits in Washington only Everyone's a mother's son Women's fate is lost and won behind that heavy door The justices preside in noble ease. None of them even suffers pregnancies, so they hand out

decisions such as these: Back alley abortions for the poor

Yes back alley surgery Kitchen Knife solutions Wire hanger abortions for the poor.

In an ardent speech, Sylvia Weinstein, San Francisco's N.O.W. Vice President, rebuked the Supreme Court, President Carter and Califano for their stand on abortion. "Califano said cigarettes were the number one public health hazard. Well both President Carter and Califano are the number one health hazard to women," she said.

Other speakers included Mary Dunlap, Board member of the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern CaliforniaNicki King of the San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women, and Maxine Brown representing the national Women's Political Caucus.

On Monday, January 23, there were competing demonstrations in Sacramento on the abortion funding issue, with 250 people rallying in favor of continued state funding and 500 in a rally opposed.

Demonstrators picketed the HEW office in San Francisco.