NOW Executive Vice President Kim Gandy said that while today's guilty verdict in the murder trial of John Salvi sends a strong message to anti-abortion foes that terrorist tactics will not be condoned, it must be accompanied by equally strong action by activists and the Clinton administration.
"The murders John Salvi committed are not unlike those perpetrated by terrorists around the world -- who frequently call on religion to justify their heinous crimes," Gandy said. "Salvi's anger was fueled by hateful rhetoric from anti-abortionists who, in the court of public opinion, should be held as accountable for these deaths and injuries as Salvi himself. We also believe his acts were part of a larger plan to end abortion through violent means. We again call on Janet Reno and the U.S. Justice Department to identify those responsible for the plan and put them out of business -- to treat them as the terrorists they are."
Legislative attacks against abortion rights are as devastating and deadly against women seeking abortions as terrorist acts, Gandy said. To counter attacks on abortion rights, NOW is organizing activists from across the country to participate in the April 14 Fight the Right March in San Francisco.
"Congress drastically cut international family funding, which the United Nations Population Fund projects will result in 18 million unwanted pregnancies, two million more abortions and the death of some 80,000 women from botched abortions and medically dangerous childbirth," Gandy said. "Congress voted to prohibit abortions at U.S. military hospitals and voted to ban a seldom-performed, late-term abortion procedure -- even if it is necessary to preserve the life and health of the woman.
"We and other reproductive rights advocates plan to join forces on April 14th against the John Salvis and the anti-abortion politicians in this country who want nothing more than to take away a woman's reproductive freedom, and we will continue our fight into November and beyond. We won't give in to terrorism -- physical or legislative."