Dakotans for Health warns Freedom Amendment petition signers of effort by Right to Life organization
Dakotans for Health, spearheaded by co-founder Rick Weiland, is issuing a stark warning to the 55,000 signatories of its petitions aimed at putting the abortion issue on the ballot this fall in South Dakota. The organization cautions of a deliberate and organized campaign by the Right to Life (RTL) organization to coerce signers into withdrawing their support from the petition.
In a message to the 55,000 individuals who lent their signatures to the Freedom Amendment petition, advocating for voters rather than politicians to decide the abortion rights of women in South Dakota, Weiland declared, “Right to Life has intensified their efforts to deceive you into retracting your support from our petition.”
Weiland revealed instances where parishioners at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sioux Falls were provided with misleading materials, including a 'Liar Flyer,' and formal legal forms urging the removal of their names from the petition. He warned that similar tactics are being employed online, in public spaces, and within various churches across the state to pressure signers into renouncing their support.
“Don’t be misled by their falsehoods. Politely remind them that your intention when signing was to empower voters to decide this crucial issue, and that remains unchanged,” Weiland emphasized.
Dakotans for Health underscored the urgency of standing firm against this orchestrated attempt to undermine the democratic process. Weiland remarked, “It was evident from the outset that the Right to Life extremists controlling the state Legislature aimed to thwart our efforts when they hastily enacted emergency laws facilitating organized campaigns to coerce or intimidate petition signers into withdrawal.
“They recognize that South Dakotans support granting women and their healthcare providers the autonomy to make informed decisions regarding their health, hence their desperate bid to obstruct the democratic right to vote on this profoundly personal matter,” he said.
In its concluding statement, Dakotans for Health reaffirmed the significance of democracy as a safeguard against governmental overreach. “Democracy is your shield against politicians dictating the course of your life. The right to vote on matters of paramount importance is the cornerstone of democracy,” the organization asserted.
“We are encouraging signatories to reaffirm their commitment to upholding democratic principles and support for the Freedom Amendment by visiting www.dakotans4health.com,” Weiland said.
Dakotans for Health is a grassroots network in South Dakota with a mission to empower our fellow citizens by organizing them on health care and other kitchen-table issues that are critical to the future of working class people.
