International Women’s Day is approaching and the ETSU chapter of Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance is planning an event to preserve women’s rights across the nation.
The 1973 Roe v. Wade decision guaranteed women in this country the right to a “safe, legal abortion.” Considering the ages of the current Supreme Court justices, there may be one or more vacancies in the court very soon.
Several anti-abortion candidates are anticipating the retirement of these justices, as they expect President Bush, who is also anti-abortion, to choose people with more conservative political attitudes.
For the first time since the Roe v. Wade decision, the president and both houses of Congress are anti-abortion, making the chances for a reversal of the case even more likely. In 2000, the court voted regarding the 1973 decision, resulting in a 5-4 margin in favor of maintaining it. One changed vote could mean the end of legal abortions, putting the lives of tens of thousands of women in the United States.
According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, an estimated 80,000 women die every year as a result of unsanitary, illegal abortions worldwide. Before Roe v. Wade in 1973, thousands of women died in America for the same reason. The FMLA fears that if the decision is overturned, the same will begin to happen again.
The FMLA is currently petitioning nationwide so that they may write local Senators in support of a filibuster, which would allow unlimited debate over the case. Attaining a filibuster requires 41 senators to sustain it, blocking an anti-choice candidate from a seat in the court. With a filibuster passed, 60 members would have to vote to end the debate and hold a vote. However, if that does not happen, the candidate is automatically rejected.
The goal for the “Never Go Back” campaign is to obtain 500 signatures per college campus.
The Senate has equal power to the president in the judicial confirmation process. After nominating justices for the Supreme Court, the president must receive the Senate’s approval before appointing anyone.
With this in mind, the FMLA wants to encourage everyone to participate in the petition. “As long as a voice is heard, a tally is made,” said Misty Adams, FMLA president. The organization hopes that the ETSU campus voice will be heard.
A booth will be set up in the Culp Center this Friday. For more info, call 439-7847 or visit the web site: www.feministcampus.org.

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