As I write this editorial, Adams, MA is in the midst of celebrating Susan B. Anthony Days!
And there certainly is reason to celebrate!
Susan B. Anthony was a great women's rights campaigner who was instrumental in helping women achieve the right to vote in 1920. She was born in Adams, MA 183 years ago on February 15, 1820.
Her family upbringing and her Quaker heritage brought out her desire to fight all injustice in the world!
She was opposed to slavery and to legal prostitution, and she believed that everyone should have the
right to vote. She also believed that all people should be treated equally, and
made no exception for the unborn.
Susan B. Anthony was often vocal in her opposition to abortion. In 1869 she expressed her views
in writing in "The Revolution"--a paper she published exclusively for women.
She wrote, "Guilty? Yes. No matter what the motive, love of ease, or a desire to save from
suffering the unborn innocent, the woman is awfully guilty who commits the deed. It will burden her conscience in life, it will burden her soul in death..."
In 1851 Susan B. Anthony met Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the leader of the women's rights movement
who had similar views on abortion.
In a letter to Julia Ward Howe on October 16, 1873 Mrs. Stanton wrote, "When we
consider that women are treated as property, it is degrading to women that we should treat our
children as property to be disposed of as we see fit."
Another contemporary of Susan B. Anthony who fought for women's rights andwas pro-life was
Victoria Woodhull. In 1872, Victoria was the first woman candidate to run for President of the United States.  As a suffragette, she ran on the Equal Rights Party ticket. In the November 17, 1875
issue of the Wheeling, West Virginia Evening Standard newspaper she wrote,
" Every woman knows that if she were free, she would never think of
murdering a child before its birth."
An equally intelligent and committed contemporary of Susan B. Anthony was Alice Paul.
In 1913 Alice founded the National Woman's Party and in 1938 she founded the international World Woman's Party.  Perhaps her greatest achievement was the authoring of the 1923 Equal Rights
Amendment.  Her disdain for abortion was evident when she said, "Abortion is the ultimate
exploitation of women."
Are these pro-life women of Susan B. Anthony's days much different from American women today?
According to a Princeton University study published in January 1999, 45% of American women felt that there should be some restrictions on abortion in 1997. Two years later, that same study found
that 70% of American women felt that there should be more restrictions on
abortion. In 2001 a Gallup Poll was taken on American women's attitudes on
abortion. Only 28% of the women felt that abortion should be allowed in ALL
circumstances. 40% felt abortion should be legal in FEW circumstances; 15% felt
abortion should be legal in NO circumstances; 14% felt that abortion should be legal
in MOST circumstances.
The most recent poll I am aware of was conducted by CNN in January 2003.
It found that the majority of Americans favor limits on abortion.
85% favor informed consent; 75% favor a 24-hour waiting period; 73% favor
parental consent, and 70% favor a ban on partial-birth abortion.
There are currently 75 women in Congress. Of these, only
12 Congresswomen favor restrictions on abortion. American women are NOT
equally represented.
However, there is an organization that is committed to changing this. It
proudly chose the name of the woman Adams is honoring this week-- Susan B. Anthony.
It calls itself the Susan B. Anthony List (www.sba-list.org) and its headquarters is located
in Alexandria, VA. In the past 2 years its membership has grown from 55,000 to 80,000.
This group is committed to supporting pro-life women candidates so that American women
will someday be represented in Congress as they should be.
Obviously, they have the same will to fight for women's rights as Susan B. Anthony herself had!


July 23, 2003
Chris Dutil
Stockbridge, MA 01262