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MA Upholds "Buffer Zone" Law For Abortion Clinics
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mischiefmanager
07/14/09

In reply to MA Upholds "Buffer Zone" Law For Abortion Clinics
Congrats, MA! Here in Pittsburgh we adopted a similar law a couple of years ago and it's made a huge difference. The antis can't crowd around the door of the clinic any more, shouting in the faces of patients. Now they tell us escorts that in fact, the law is there to protect them from us telling them to back off the patients. Reality is never a barrier to them. Ever.
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My_Latest_Incarnation
07/14/09

In reply to MA Upholds "Buffer Zone" Law For Abortion Clinics
I lived in a fairly conservative state with a huge buffer zone. Protesters were so far away from clinics they were across the street...which rendered it pointless or at least confusing. I drove past a protest once and couldn't figure out why people were waving "baby killer" signs in front of the dollar store.
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Vivelafat says Sweep the leg, Johnny.
07/14/09

@My_Latest_Incarnation: When I had to have my abortion there were no protesters at all and I let out a sigh of relief. It is hard enough as it to go there with my mom giving me the side eye the entire time at least I didn't have to worry about her getting hassled by protesters.
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Porcelina
07/14/09

@Vivelafat says Sweep the leg, Johnny.: Same here. I live in Las Vegas, and while I know of only 1 abortion clinic here, there are NEVER protesters. That makes me happy.
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AthertonMerriweather
07/14/09

In reply to MA Upholds "Buffer Zone" Law For Abortion Clinics
This makes me less mad that our state is taking funding aways from the zoos and the animals are going to die :(
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We Don't Live in the 60s
07/14/09

@AthertonMerriweather: Have the zoos looked into transferring some of the high risk animals to other zoos until the funding comes back?
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Sev
07/14/09

@AthertonMerriweather: Seriously. I heard about this on the news the other day and I almost burst into tears.
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missmaybe
07/14/09

@AthertonMerriweather: That front page article on zoos, however, made me glad that the Boston Globe is not going to die. Say what you will about the backroom operations... it's still one of the highest-quality papers in the business. Very few front pages make me double-take at the newstand, but that one did.
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Vivelafat says Sweep the leg, Johnny.
07/14/09

@AthertonMerriweather: Do you have a link to this story? Also, you should be very proud of MA right now.
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liquidamy
07/14/09

@AthertonMerriweather: For what it's worth, I was watching 7News this morning and they said that the Legislature was going to try to come up with the funding to save the animals.
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stoprobbers
07/14/09

In reply to MA Upholds "Buffer Zone" Law For Abortion Clinics
What's that you say? You can't harass, injure, maul, or intimidate people making a legal choice? Well, I'll be damned.
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h4nn4h
07/14/09

@stoprobbers: You still can if you stay 35 foot away! Now to convert to meters to see how effective that would be...10...well, a loud voice will be needed to harass and intimidate from that distance but something tells me these people have enough loud voices between them to break the sound barrier.

ps: I know breaking the sound barrier doesn't work like that but I couldn't think of a better image :-(
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Spaceman Bill Leah
07/14/09

In reply to MA Upholds "Buffer Zone" Law For Abortion Clinics
Wicked smaht move, MA.
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Porcelina
07/14/09

@Spaceman Bill Leah: Hah. I see what you did there.
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jemandtheholograms
07/14/09

In reply to MA Upholds "Buffer Zone" Law For Abortion Clinics
Oh, Massachusetts. This is almost enough to make me stop hating you as an entire state. Congratulations!
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newyorkette
07/14/09

@jemandtheholograms: Why on earth do you hate Massachusetts?
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CollegeCamel
07/14/09

@jemandtheholograms: That seems rude. I can understand people hating Red Sox Nation or other Boston sports fans, but why would you hate the entire state? It's really quite lovely.
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alexa
07/14/09

@CollegeCamel: Yet hilariously, no one complains when I hate on Ohio. It's rude only when the state actually has something to offer, besides roads leading to other states.
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ides
07/14/09

In reply to MA Upholds "Buffer Zone" Law For Abortion Clinics
Yay! How nice for people to be able to walk into a medical center without having people close enough to touch.
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NefariousNewt
07/14/09

In reply to MA Upholds "Buffer Zone" Law For Abortion Clinics
The anti-choice crowd never had a chance. The rule simply states they can't stand in front of the clinic and block it from operating normally. They can still chant and picket and protest all they like -- they just have to do it at a more discrete distance.
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Intern Katy
07/14/09

@NefariousNewt: True. And yet, the defense argued that anti-choice folk "shouldn’t be penalized for expressing their beliefs," as though this was some sort of punishment for wanting to take away a woman's right to choose.
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stacyinbean
07/14/09

@NefariousNewt: And I can say from experience they are rarely forced to stay that far away. It's more like 10 feet. I had to pass a PP clinic daily to get to class and it was just ridiculous. There is this painted zone they require people to stand outside of.
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NefariousNewt
07/14/09

@Intern Katy: Apparently only those of certain persuasions should be allowed to express their beliefs with impunity. It's sad -- they are so hypocritical, and yet they cannot see it. They talk about compassion, but have none for those women who face such a tough choice. To them, it is black and white, but life is so rarely that well defined.
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NefariousNewt
07/14/09

@stacyinbean: This limit better be enforced now that the court has ruled. The anti-choice crowd cannot be given an inch.
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velcrosneakers
07/14/09

@stacyinbean: Years ago when I used to go to the Star Market on Comm Ave and I had to pass by the PP, the protesters would get in your FACE. There definitely was no painted zone then. Hopefully things are different now!
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Etoiles
07/14/09

@stacyinbean: Did you go to BU at all? That makes me think of the PP on Comm Ave near the Brighton Ave split and the Shaws.
Although come to think of it, there were never exactly protesters there; just one old, quiet, Catholic woman with a rosary and a sign.
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Sev
07/14/09

@NefariousNewt: Exactly. I pass by a Planned Parenthood in MA every day on my way to & from work and the buffer zone is clearly defined on the sidewalk in front of the clinic. Protesters can still gather (and do, every day) outside the clinic, they just can't block the door.
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Sev
07/14/09

@velcrosneakers: I pass this clinic every day! There is a line painted on the sidewalk now and on Saturdays when the protesters are out in full force there are usually police & police barricades on the line. I've never seen them get in anyone's face but they usually only protest in the mornings and i am far too lazy to go to the store before 3.
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Sputnik_Sweetheart
07/14/09

In reply to MA Upholds "Buffer Zone" Law For Abortion Clinics
My homestate is making me really happy lately.
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DutchessOfDork
07/14/09

In reply to MA Upholds "Buffer Zone" Law For Abortion Clinics
We are doing this!
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EkaterinaBallerina
07/14/09

In reply to MA Upholds "Buffer Zone" Law For Abortion Clinics
Massachusetts, you are seriously making me reconsider my devotion to the Tri-State area.
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mbprice
07/14/09

In reply to MA Upholds "Buffer Zone" Law For Abortion Clinics
Sheesh, the next thing you're gonna tell me is I can't yell fire in a crowded theater!

Seriously excellent news. The anti-choicers will hate it, of course, but I wonder what their argument is. That their harassment is more effective from 3.5 inches than it is from 35 feet? They won't be with in loogie-spitting distance? Screw 'em.
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spunkay
07/14/09

@mbprice: I see them arguing this the way my old best friend in 5th grade would try to win a fight when I was clearly right, "Yeah, but still..."
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mbprice
07/14/09

@spunkay doesn't have a middle name: "It's the principle! It's the principle!"
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schweppes
07/14/09

@mbprice: Their argument is that it singles them out b/c the only people who would hypothetically be protesting that close to an abortion facility would be pro-life people. But since the statute is 100% content neutral, that it would prevent pro-choicers from protesting closer than 35 feet too, their argument doesn't hold water.
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CollegeCamel
07/14/09

In reply to MA Upholds "Buffer Zone" Law For Abortion Clinics
Go Mass! I am disappointed that this was even a problem to some people though. For fuck's sake, 35 feet is still pretty damn close. You can make your idiotic points without getting up in someone's personal space!

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DinaRonson : Elizabeth Cady Stanton
07/14/09

In reply to MA Upholds "Buffer Zone" Law For Abortion Clinics
Sadly not such good news in Arizona.

http://www.kxxv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10720407&nav=menu509_2

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Edited by DinaRonson : Elizabeth Cady Stanton at 07/14/09 9:48 AM

TheGuvnah
07/14/09

@DinaRonson : Elizabeth Cady Stanton: that's why Obama's appointment of so many good dem governors was such a double-edged sword...
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CurtCole
07/14/09

@DinaRonson : Elizabeth Cady Stanton: Killjoy. (kidding)
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EkaterinaBallerina
07/14/09

@DinaRonson : Elizabeth Cady Stanton: Oh for fuck of shit. No wonder women's health in this country is such a monstrosity. Very few are doing their job! And those that are keep beating up against walls like this. People like this make me all kinds of stabby.

Gah, if people like this governor want to really "save the innocent babies", then argue for health care reform. I'd like to know how many babies die every year because they don't get adequate pre-natal or health care. That's a cause I can actually get behind.
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desertbloom79
07/14/09

@DinaRonson : Elizabeth Cady Stanton: This link isn't working, so I googled it, and the article I found said that it requires women to wait 24 hours to do the procedure after they visit the clinic.. WTF?! Does this include women who have to do this for health reasons? I'm so livid right now.
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CurtCole
07/14/09

In reply to MA Upholds "Buffer Zone" Law For Abortion Clinics
Wow, is this Feminist Day or something? I'm going to get gout from eating up all this good news!
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