People want to do something about Roe. Protest demonstrations and resolutions are not enough. The Brattleboro selectboard will soon consider a resolution with many whereas’s and no force, supporting the right to abortion. A resolution is effective when it publishes a new idea, or when the signers’ name or numbers strengthen an idea. But no one’s mind will change because the Brattleboro selectboard makes a resolution that liberals like to hear. We ask assistance in promoting the amendment below, because the resolution without it is ineffectual. With this amendment we make a new model for enforceable local action.
This amendment should be added to the end of the resolution.
Let it be further resolved that:
5. The Town of Brattleboro immediately donate:
a) $50,000 to Planned Parenthood’s Brattleboro office to support reproductive care for all of Brattleboro’s residents and guests, especially including people of color and LGBTQ+ people.
b) $50,000 to Pro-choice America, to support their advocacy of reproductive rights throughout the U.S.
c) $5,000 for a grant for advocacy of reproductive rights by a Brattleboro resident or group.
Come to speak before the selectboard, and they will do the right thing – the strong action.
Brattleboro Common Sense (BCS) is also promoting an office of social justice coordinator, who would administer the grant for local activism if the amendment succeeds. BCS has promoted this concept before, petitioning for coordinators for justice in 2007, for a town grand juror in 2009, and for an energy (sustainability) coordinator in 2019, which was successful. Our goal is to bring the official power of the town — its reputation and its treasury — fully behind the progressive majority.
Attend the meeting by Zoom or at 230 Main Street. The date is not official yet, but will very likely be Tuesday July 19 meeting code 12261753, https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86067892659
SHARE — Join — Contact info@BrattleboroCommonSense.org to DO MORE.
brmse.org
Draft Resolution
Here’s the current draft text of the board’s resolution under consideration:
“A Resolution to Protect a Woman’s Right to Choose
Whereas the Supreme Court of the United States on June 24, 2022 overturned their decision on Roe V. Wade, held for almost 50 years, which determined that the Constitution of the United States generally protects a pregnant woman’s liberty to choose to have an abortion.
Whereas other states and jurisdictions in response to the June 24, 2022 Supreme Court Ruling have begun passing laws to pursue legal action against those who have abortions, those who provide abortions, and those who aid pregnant people to access abortions;
Whereas the State of Vermont signed into law H.57 which preserves the right to abortion in law, and the legislature has moved Proposition 5, an amendment to the Vermont State Constitution to guarantee the right to abortion, through to approval by a statewide vote of the citizens of Vermont on November 8th, 2022;
Whereas it was recently reported that five Planned Parenthood locations in VT and NH are closing this year, and currently, before those closures 38% of Vermont women live in counties with no abortion clinic;
Whereas providers of reproductive and family planning services have experienced an increase in violent attacks over the last two years, including increases in stalking (600%), blockades (450%), hoax devices/suspicious packages (163%), invasions (129%), and assault and battery (128%); and Vermont law does not protect people seeking reproductive healthcare and/or clinic personnel from blockades, harassment, and/or violence; and
Whereas access to abortion is related to economic wellbeing of a community and that unintended pregnancies can lead to economic hardship of families and parents from the cost of healthcare to raising a child to missed work due to pregnancy, health issues, or parenting concerns – single adults with children are three times more likely to live in poverty than single adults without children; pregnant people or people who can get pregnant often suffer the most significant economic impacts – women are at least four times more likely than men to reduce their hours or leave the workforce for a period of time to care for children, and that there is already a significant pay gap in the Windham County – for every $1.00 a man earns, a woman earns $0.81 (unfortunately there is currently not enough data on the economic realities of the transgender community);
Whereas access to abortion is an issue of healthcare equity for people who can become pregnant – Johns Hopkins University offers that “the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among ten other high-income countries, and the mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black women was more than double that of non-Hispanic white women in 2020.” Additionally, historically marginalized communities not only have worse access to reproductive health care — they also, as a result, have worse health issues. LGBTQ+ people’s reproductive health needs often go unmet by a system that has traditionally marginalized such care – they face low rates of health insurance coverage, and high rates of HIV/AIDS and cancer; undocumented immigrants and recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals are prohibited from accessing basic health insurance coverage through Medicaid and Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans; and health disparities for people of color are disproportionately higher than their white counterparts by most measures of reproductive health;” and
Whereas the right to access abortion is an issue of personal privacy, bodily autonomy, and liberty, it is a basic human right for people who can become pregnant;
now therefore be it Resolved, that the Selectboard of the Town of Brattleboro, Vermont
1 Opposes cooperation in any investigation related to providing or securing abortions for any pregnant person;
2 Believes that any investigating body utilizing data from an online data collection service through a downloadable application or device software (including but not limited to social media, location tracking, or health monitoring) to have a warrant to obtain that information on any person within the jurisdiction of Brattleboro;
3 Encourages the Town Manager’s Office to recognize the safety needs of healthcare providers in issuing Open Air Permits.
4 And supports safe, equitable, and accessible reproductive healthcare for all of Brattleboro’s citizens through any means that it is able.
This Resolution is hereby duly adopted by the Selectboard of the Town of Brattleboro Vermont on [date].”
Gelter will support the resolution and the amendment
BCS spoke with selectboard member Jessica Gelter early Saturday. She will speak for the resolution, which she authored, and will support the amendment. Having already felt resistance in town government, she asks that people back her up at the selectboard meeting on the 19th.
230 Main Street or 12261753 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86067892659
info@BrattleboroCommonSense.org