I’ve been worried about access to legal abortion in America for years. Instead of trying to overturn Roe v. Wade anti abortion forces in recent years have set to restrict access and have been wildly successful especially in conservative states like South Carolina. GOP led legislatures have mandated ultrasounds, 24 hour waiting periods and excessive clinic regulations including that the doctors preforming abortions have medical privileges at local hospitals. The barriers to legal abortion in America have become insurmountable for many pregnant women especially the poor. I’ve puzzled and worried over the lack of protest and push back from the Democratic Party and women in general. But I saw the face of a movement this week in Texas led by state senator Wendy Davis. The Forth Worth Democrat led a filibuster at the end of a special session thwarting a vote on a restrictive abortion measure that would have closed most if not all the clinics in Texas.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/27/us/politics/texas-abortion-bill.html?ref=todayspaper

Thousands of people in Texas went to the capitol to support Davis, thousands more spoke out on Face book and on Twitter to alert the nation about the filibuster. Shining the bright media spotlight on the white male GOP members of the Texas state legislature blocked the majority from passing the bill. Not to be deterred however, Texas Governor Rick Perry has already announced plans for yet another special legislative session on July 1^st to act on the abortion restrictions and as he put it “save babies.” Meantime, Texas executed it’s 500^th prisoner since capital punishment resumed in 1982. Texas is obsessed with the lives of fetuses but adults serving prison time, not so much.

What happened this week in Texas was a start, an encouraging sign but it’s not enough. It’s doubtful that the Democratic minority in the Texas legislature can block the abortion restrictions come July 1^st and in Ohio, the GOP led majority are debating restricting access to abortion after 20 weeks of pregancy instead of the constitutionally mandated 25 weeks.

Bit by bit, inch by inch those who seek to control and regulate a woman’s reproductive freedom are winning. We must stand up and fight. People like former single teen mother Wendy Davis who know how ill equipped children are to raise children need to lead the way on this but we must join them or the battles then the war is lost.