Apologize, Karen!

FULL TEXT OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD PRESIDENT GLORIA FELDT's LETTER TO KAREN HUGHES:

April 27, 2004

Ms. Karen Hughes
Bush-Cheney '04, Inc.
P.O. Box 10648
Arlington, VA 222

Dear Ms. Hughes:

I am writing to request an apology for your comments invoking 9/11 to address the growing sentiment in this country against President George W. Bush's anti-choice policies.

On CNN this past Sunday, you said:

"I think after September 11, the American people are valuing life more...and I think those are the kind of policies the American people can support, particularly at a time when we're facing an enemy, and really, the fundamental difference between us and the terror network we fight is that we value every life."

You made these comments on CNN as men, women and families from across America and the world gathered in Washington, DC, for the March for Women's Lives, for which Planned Parenthood was a major sponsor.

Invoking 9/11 to defend this administration's policies regarding reproductive rights was an insensitive and divisive overreach.

We are all Americans, and we are patriots, too, Ms. Hughes. And we will not cease in our efforts to fight the attempts by this administration and this Congress to restrict reproductive rights, family planning, medical privacy, and so many other important factors in a woman's right to care for herself and her family without intrusion from government or politicians. We do this precisely because we value human life and dignity so much.

Your friends in the administration have repeatedly stated that our troops are fighting for freedom: to allow people to control their own lives and make their own decisions. Yet this administration and this Congress are working to take away American women's rights to make their own decisions.

If anyone has an understanding gap regarding women's rights at this troubled time in our history, it is not those of us who oppose anti-choice, anti-women policies.

An apology is in order. The horror of 9/11 has been used inappropriately too many times, and this is clearly such an incident.

Sincerely,

GLORIA FELDT
President
Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.