The city of sisterly love

Check it out: Philadelphia is officially a pro-choice city.

[Yesterday the City] Council proclaimed Philadelphia a “Pro-Choice City,” which supports “women’s reproductive rights and freedom” and defends “the right to choose a legal and safe abortion as a final but critical option for women.”

The resolution won’t do anything concrete–it’s really just a declaration–but it still garnered a lot of controversy.

…it was strongly opposed by eight of 17 Council members and generated an immediate and sharply worded rebuke from Cardinal Justin Rigali, who urged “people of good will” to reject the “divisive and erroneous label that Philadelphia City Council has forced upon the citizens of Philadelphia.”

The resolution was sponsored by Blondell Reynolds Brown, who refused to withdraw the resolution despite pressure from colleagues.
“At the end of the day, we decide what we want the city to look like and be about…We as Council members will speak to our hearts and our minds and vote accordingly…When you make it clear that the city cares about pro-choice as a reproductive issue, it sends a powerful message,” she said. Indeed.

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