What really makes me mad is that the people who are supposed to be protecting us and our legal rights are doing very little to stop the violence being perpetrated against abortion providers. They don't have the forces available or they can't provide security for every threatened clinic, so we have no other option but to take the protection of our abortion clinics upon ourselves. I don't have all the answers as to how to do it on my own, so we need to get together or join existing organizations devoted to this.

The worst thing I can think of, however, is physically fighting and getting violent with our oppostion. A woman will feel threatened enough facing protesters as she comes to an abortion clinic, the last thing she needs is to have to go through the middle of a warzone. This, I feel, goes for peaceful counter-protests as well. Most women who have abortions are not distressed afterwards, but they are beforehand, and being forced to go through this would only serve to add to this distress. Outside abortion clinics is really not the place to argue with irrational and stubborn anti-choicers anyway... or so I believe. We can, however, provide our services as escorts - making sure that women and providers get into the clinics safely, without being harrassed.

Let's just do it because it needs to be done. Go to actions. Write about it so that people know what is happening, but please, don't just sit back and let it happen.