New Jersey Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice Records

Background

Most states enacted legislation criminalizing abortion procedures during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century; prior to the Civil War, there was no extant anti-abortion legislation. Certain exceptions to the abortion ban existed in cases of exceptional circumstances; if a pregnancy imperiled a woman's life, or if it resulted from rape or incest, ab01tion might be legally allowed.

On January 22, 1973, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that " the right of personal privacy includes the abortion decision, but that right is not unqualified," allowing abortions at the discretion of a woman and her personal physician through the first trimester. After the stage "subsequent to viability," the State could " regulate, and even proscribe" abortion procedures unless the woman's life would be endangered by carrying the fetus.

Protestant and Jewish leaders met in Washington, D .C. to discuss the Roman Catholic Church's pledge to work towards the nullification of the Roe v. Wade verdict. This meeting led to the formation of the National Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights (RCAR), announced on December 30, 1973. The RCAR built upon extant clergy networks for women considering abortions; it endorsed the position that abortion is a private decision, influenced by the individual's personal religious and ethical beliefs, and does not fall under the aegis of state or church authority. Additionally, the RCAR maintained that safe and legal facilities ought to be available for women who did decide to seek abortions.

1974 to 1978: Raymond Pontier

The New Jersey Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights was formed in 1974, one of the first established RCAR affiliates. Reverend Raymond Pontier served as its first coordinator; a governing board, later called the policy council, comprised of representatives from member congregations acted as the primary administrative unit. By 1977, religious groups active in the NJRCAR included Jewish organizations, ethical societies, the N.J. Council of YWCA's, and several Protestant groups from Methodist, Unitarian Universalist, United Church of Christ, Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Reformed Church congregations. The American Baptist Church cooperated with the NJRCAR; however, they were not official organizational members. In addition to organizational members, sixty individuals, generally clergy, signed up as "sponsors" of the NJRCAR.

The NJRCAR initially focused on preserving the right to abortion through legislation and public education. At both the state and national levels, members of the NJRCAR initiated correspondence with legislators; the Coordinator, Rev. Pontier, also made personal visits to politicians and testified before the N.J. Senate Judiciary Committee. In 1977, the NJRCAR filed its first amicus curiae brief. The group distributed educational materials, such as pamphlets, and printed a monthly newsletter named Choice. Additionally, Rev. Pontier honored several speaking engagements in diverse locations such as schools and religious congregations. Participation in the public discourse on abortion occurred through both press releases and letters to the editor. The NJRCAR worked closely with the New Jersey Planned Parenthood and Right to Choose groups, often maintaining a joint presence at conferences and exchanging material.

1982 to 1993: Myra Terry

By 1982 Myra Terry had become the State Coordinator for the New Jersey Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights. The RCAR structure was modified and split into two components: the RCAR, Inc., a 501(c)(4) organization for advocacy and public policy, and the RCAR Educational Fund, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization for public education and awareness. This legal restructuring occurred on both the national and state levels. The erstwhile governing board became the policy council; however, it was still comprised of representatives of member organizations and handled administrative duties.

During Ms. Terry's tenure, the NJRCAR's constituent groups expanded to include Catholics for a Free Choice and new organizations of already participating denominations. Membership also increased amongst both clergy and lay individuals. However, membership dues were introduced in order to accrue much-needed funds for the organization.

Outreach efforts were also made to minority populations as part of the Minority Partnership Program. Emphasis was placed on the African-American community, particularly on women; this relationship was formalized through the Women of Color Partnership, which is first mentioned in 1984.

The visibility of the NJRCAR was increased through press releases, letters to the editor, press campaigns, and a growing number of events in which the NJRCAR was involved. In 1983 the first Roe v. Wade anniversary event was held in New York, sponsored by the NJRCAR and three other organizations. The annual Roe v. Wade fund-raising luncheons featuring guest speakers commenced on January 22, 1986. The NJRCAR also participated in high-profile events, such as the March for Women's Equality, Women's Lives in Washington, D.C. in 1989 and 1992.

Direct advocacy in the judicial and legislative realms also intensified. The NJRCAR, in conjunction with the National RCAR, publicly opined in Webster v. Reproductive Health Services (1989) that state legislation to prevent or severely restrict abortions in state facilities and to define life as beginning at conception is unjust and infringes upon a woman's right to privacy and abortion as delineated in the Roe v. Wade decision. In 1989, the RCAR also contributed to amicus curiae briefs endeavoring to counteract Title X restricted regulations prohibiting the counseling of pregnant women, referrals to abortion services, co-siting of abortion and family planning services, and 'non-pejorative' speech about abortions.

The NJRCAR lobbied vigorously against the passing of parental consent legislation on both the national and state levels in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Said legislation, such as A2270, S2853, and A565, would require minors to obtain parental consent before obtaining an abortion; however, if a minor had a valid reason for eschewing parental contact, she could go before a judge to forego the consent requirement. The NJRCAR and other abortion rights groups criticized the proposed legislation for its potential to endanger the mental and physical well-being of the woman, especially if the pregnancy was the result of incest. Although they approved of minors seeking parental guidance, they felt that legally requiring it could lead to a resurgence of so-called "back-alley abortions."

Other advocacy work included seeking support for Medicaid-covered abortions and trying to prevent mergers between private and public hospitals from further decreasing the accessibility to abortion facilities.

The NJRCAR lobbied through press campaigns, letters to the editors, and events such as the 1992 Lobby Day in Trenton. Members of the NJRCAR were also encouraged to write to legislators expressing their pro-choice stances in relation to proposed legislation. The organization disseminated information to its members and other interested parties through the Voice for Choice newsletter and action ale1t mailings.

In addition to secular debates, the NJRCAR also participated in theological discourse. In October 1990, responding to a statement issued by the Roman Catholic Bishops of New Jersey in January 1990, the NJRCAR released the Religious Affirmation in Support of Choice. This publication asserted that "the majority of New Jersey's religious denominations are solidly pro-choice." Theologically, they argued that the Bible itself does not prohibit abortion and that the " real needs of real person [i.e. women] for life-survival and for life-quality take precedence of potential persons [i.e. fetuses]." Moreover, they contextualized the need for reproductive choice within the secular language of democracy and the social realities of inequality.

During this period, the clergy component of the NJRCAR coalesced into Clergy for Choice. Under this appellation, an advertisement was run in the New York Times on October 28, 1989 in conjunction with the Clergy Speak-Out for Choice weekend. A Clergy for Choice day was also held in 1990. In involving themselves in Clergy for Choice, individual clergy members pledged "strong support for freedom of choice and the availability of safe, legal abortion services for women who need them," reiterating the diversity of religious views regarding abortion and the necessity of abortion decisions being " made on the basis of conscience and personal religious principles and free from government interference."

1993 to 1999: Barbara Kavadias

1993 was a transitional year for the NJRCAR. Myra Terry resigned as the Executive Director in order to become the President of the National Organization for Women (NOW), necessitating a search for a new executive director. In May, the search committee unanimously recommended Barbara Kavadias, who accepted the position. The financial relationship between the National RCAR and the state affiliates was inverted: the National RCAR no longer supported state affiliates, but required that five percent of affiliates' budgets be designated for National's coffers. The National RCAR also changed its name to the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice to reflect its "broaden[ ed] mission"; the Religious Coalition's aims were now broadly inclusive of health and contraceptive-related issues, such as sexuality education and access to adequate health care facilities and contraceptive services. The NJRCAR's board voted at the February 1994 meeting to follow suit, and the New Jersey Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights became the New Jersey Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (NJRCRC).

Under Ms. Kavadias' direction, the NJRCRC continued its lobbying for reproductive rights and choice in the judicial and legislative arenas. Parental consent legislation remained an important issue, and in June 1999 the NJRCRC composed and funded a radio advertisement articulating problems with proposed parental consent laws. Similarly, the NJRCRC still expressed dismay over proposed Title X amendments which would have required minors to obtain parental consent prior to accessing family planning services. The NJRCRC also became a vocal proponent for comprehensive sexuality education.

During the 1996-1997 legislative sessions, several legislators, both state and national, proposed regulating or outright banning the Intact Dilation and Evacuation (Intact D&E) or dilation and extraction (D&X) abortion methods (the so-called " partial birth abortion"). Bills addressing this procedure included A2409, S1668, HR1833, S939, S6/HR.929, and HRl 122. The NJRCRC, in conjunction with the National RCRC and other reproductive choice groups, devoted many resources to publicizing the utility of the procedure. Through letter campaigns and publications, they publicized the rareness of late-term abortions to counter the anti-choice accusations that D&X and D&E procedures equaled murder; moreover, they emphasized that the attending physician, after evaluating the circumstances, can recommend D&X or D&E abortions as the safest and most humane way to end a pregnancy.

In 1999, the NJRCRC fought the merger of the Elizabeth General Medical Center (EGMC) and St. Elizabeth Hospital in the courts and were named one of the intervener-defendants in a suit to prevent the merger. The consolidation of a secular and a Catholic health-care facility raised concerns over the concomitant curtailment of reproductive health services due to Catholic strictures. Although the medical facilities ultimately merged, creating Trinitas Hospital, EGMC allocated $2.4 million in two separate trusts to allow Planned Parenthood of Greater Northern New Jersey to furnish reproductive health services.

Two new programs were introduced: Peaceful Presence and All-Options Counseling Training. Peaceful Presence is a volunteer group dedicated to witnessing the presence of anti-abortion groups at abortion clinics. Their purpose is to counteract the sometimes raucous or even violent words and actions of abortion protestors harassing doctors, clinic workers, and women seeking the clinic's services. The first mention of Peaceful Presence occurred in 1994.

The All-Options Counseling Training program also commenced in 1994, although it was first suggested in 1993. The program was a seminar designed to aid clergy in better helping women seeking counseling " prior to or following birth and parenting, birth and adoption, or termination of pregnancy." All-Options Counseling seeks to allow a woman to crystallize her own opinions, attitudes, and needs in a supportive environment. Clergy who attended the seminar were also provided with pertinent referrals, articles, and discursive suggestions.

The NJRCRC expanded its involvement in the community during Ms. Kavadias' tenure. She herself honored many speaking engagements as both an individual and as a representative of the NJRCRC. As an organization, the NJRCRC participated in activities like Humfest '98 and the Randolph 1999 Freedom Parade. In [19??], the NJRCRC joined Women's Fund New Jersey.

Barbara Kavadias resigned as the New Jersey executive director in order to become the Field Services Director for the National Religious Coalition in 1999. A vianca Hansen-Bouchedid succeeded Ms. Kavadias as the NJRCRC's executive director [date?].

External Reference Materials:

"16 Christian and Jewish Groups Form Abortion Rights Coalition." The New York Times. 31 December 1973: 13.

ACLU-New Jersey

Legal Information Institute - US Supreme Court opinions

National Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice

New Jersey Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice

Planned Parenthood