 Washington Office director makes appeal against changes in PCUSA's abortion policy By Craig M. Kibler The Layman Online Wednesday, June 30, 2004
The Rev. Elenora Giddings Ivory spoke as commissioners at the 216th General Assembly were considering several overtures that seek major changes in that stance. In a light-hearted moment, she interrupted her introductory remarks when a photographer for The Layman took her picture. Posing, Giddings Ivory said, "Let's get a good picture," which brought a wave of laughter from the nearly 100 people in the audience. After a second photograph was taken, she said, "I can't seem to get a good picture in The Layman." Moving on in her speech, Giddings Ivory asked the audience, "How many of you participated in the march in Washington?" referring to the April 25 march in support of unrestricted abortions that was co-sponsored by the PCUSA and heavily promoted through the Washington Office. A few hands were raised in the audience, as was Giddings Ivory's. "A couple," she said. "It was a great event. There were 1.5 million people on the mall April 25. We were amazed at how many came. We anticipated about a million." Those numbers included many young women, she said. "People ask where the youth are. They're working on these issues." Giddings Ivory then drew an analogy between the youth of an earlier generation and today's young women. She said the earlier generation was involved in civil rights and similar issues, but "today's younger women are working on gay and lesbian issues and reproductive choice." Introduced as the new chair of the Council of Governors of the Reproductive Coalition for Reproductive Choice, an organization that actively supports unrestricted abortions, Giddings Ivory listed some of the member organizations – the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Unitarian Universalists and others. "We all work on the promotion of policies of the governing bodies we represent on reproductive choice," she said, emphasizing that when it is reported "Elenora Giddings Ivory spoke about this or that, it's not really me speaking," but the body. Giddings Ivory said that, "People ask me how I take it when I'm attacked. I don't take it seriously because they're really attacking you for your policies. They're not attacking me personally, but you for passing these issues." She then asked the audience, "What is a lobbyist? I was asked that in a committee meeting yesterday three times, and I answered it three different ways." Giddings Ivory then gave a definition that she said she would use if asked again. A lobbyist, she said, "stands outside the room and tries to persuade people to their point of view. That's what a lobbyist is." Then she said that, "We try to use 'advocate' or 'witnessing.'" She outlined what she saw as the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s stance on abortion. "The General Assembly has dealt with policies of reproductive choice for a long time. Almost every year, we have overtures that seek to change those policies." Moving on to issues before Congress that she linked to the PCUSA, Giddings Ivory said, "I wish we were more offensive instead of defensive on these issues. There is no overture" before this General Assembly " on the 'Putting Prevention First' bill in Congress" by U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter of New York. "If passed, services will become available that may reduce the need for abortion." "My hope," she said, "is that those who consider themselves anti-choice will be able to work on this bill." Another measure before Congress, Giddings Ivory said, is the "'Freedom of Choice Act.' … Roe v. Wade is what we have now, but it is not codified in law. At any time, the Supreme Court may decide that Roe v. Wade is not where we need to be." "Many of us think that the right of choice may always be there," she said, "but it is eroding." Giddings Ivory then spoke about "our Catholic brothers and sisters" serving as elected representatives in Congress and legislatures. Their "voting is being monitored as to whether it is pro-choice," and some of them "have heard from bishops that they may be ex-communicated." "Write them a letter of support," she said. "We need to commend them for looking at the whole." Holding up a sheet of paper, Giddings Ivory said it contained a list of "50 bills in Congress on abortion. Most would deny a woman's right to choose. Some are duplicative, and some may be introduced in either the House or the Senate." "We have to be diligent," Giddings Ivory said. "Choice has been affirmed and reaffirmed by General Assemblies" for more than 30 years. |
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