MSNBC: After Tiller - Center for Reproductive Rights
In a candid and unsettling segment of her show, MSNBC’s Melissa Harris-Perry speaks with journalist Irin Carmon and Kelly Baden, Policy and Advocacy Advisor at the Center for Reproductive Rights, about new attempts to restrict women's access to abortion following the murder of Dr. Tiller, a prominent abortion provider.
Documentary Highlight and Clinic Revival
Harris-Perry featured clips from Irin Carmon’s MSNBC original documentary, which tells the tragic story of Dr. Tiller and the revival of his Wichita clinic by reproductive health advocate Julie Burkhart. Burkhart reopened the clinic about a year ago despite facing death threats and harassment.
Burkhart is committed to keeping the clinic “open and accessible” to provide reproductive care to women who would otherwise have to drive 200 miles to obtain an abortion.
Barriers to Access
Kelly Baden described the challenges faced by abortion providers as “clear calculated coordinated strategies” by anti-abortion activists designed to make it difficult for physicians to operate clinics, leading to closures.
She emphasized that the requirement for doctors to have admitting privileges at local hospitals in order to perform abortions is politically motivated and not medically necessary.
Admitting privileges require abortion providers to obtain permission to treat patients for complications at a nearby hospital.
Summary
Despite political obstacles and threats, advocates like Julie Burkhart are determined to maintain accessible abortion services amid coordinated efforts to shut down clinics.
Would you like a more formal or conversational tone for the summary?