*UPDATE September 29 2015
Our first hearing took place yesterday at the 19th Judicial Circuit Court in Cole County. While a decision is yet to be reached, the arguments presented leave us with little doubt that we will move forward into trial. Please see a full report here: http://goo.gl/JW3q95
UPDATE September 10 2015
As our efforts press forward in MO, the State desperately attempts to cohere a rebuttal. Please see this recent piece from Raw Story to how the absurdity of their initial arguments gives us reason for confidence: http://goo.gl/LsL3sv Please share with your social media as we continue our fund-raising efforts to secure top expert witnesses and litigate in favor of Reproductive Rights to the fullest of our abilities. Thank you.
*UPDATE September 5th 2015
The Satanic Temple currently has two lawsuits filed in Missouri defending our deeply-held belief in bodily autonomy as it relates to abortion access. One lawsuit is a State filing that leverages the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, while the other is a Federal filing that makes a First Amendment Free Exercise claim. With your help we raised over $30k on Indiegogo to support our legal fees, but unfortunately, even this amount is not nearly enough. Our first hearing takes place on the 21st, and we are in the process now of rounding up expert witnesses who come with a price-tag of around $5k, not including travel, etc.! Please note that our legal fund is still active. Share this link with your social media, and let them know that we are the new frontline for protecting Reproductive Rights
*UPDATE: August 26 2015
Dear Reproductive Rights Campaign contributor --
Please note that this campaign is now again live as an indefinite funding platform for our legal fund. The perks have been updated, but the mission is the same. The legal process is slow, tedious, and expensive. We feel confident, however, that it will ultimately be worth it, and we will be at the forefront of establishing secure reproductive rights for generations to come. Substantial legal fees have already accrued in advance of our first hearing (toward the end of September), as we assemble our expert witnesses and build an unshakeable legal stance. Please share this campaign with your Social Media, and keep an eye out for forthcoming exciting news. Thank you
*UPDATE: On Friday, 08 May, 2015, The Satanic Temple officially filed suit against MO's Governor & Attorney General challenging abortion restrictions. The legal team is not pro bono.
http://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/201...
Please contribute to The Satanic Temple's legal aid fund to offer exemptions against, and actively challenge, arbitrary, insulting, and outright harmful anti-abortion legislation.
The Satanic Temple (TST) supports personal choice in the context of abortion and, as part of a multi-faceted Women’s Rights campaign, TST is offering religious exemptions from arbitrary, insulting, and outright harmful anti-abortion legislation that has been steadily encroaching across the nation. Among our fundamental tenets, TST holds that “one’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone,” and, “Beliefs should conform to our best scientific understanding of the world. We should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit our beliefs.” We believe that women who share our deeply-held beliefs should be exempted from State-mandated “informed consent” materials — compulsory “informational” materials which are often scientifically unfounded or medically invalid – narrated ultrasounds, and imposed abortion waiting periods. Narrated ultrasounds, like much of the state-mandated informed consent materials, are a facile attempt to create guilt and discomfort in those seeking abortions. Mandatory waiting periods serve no medical function. With a dearth of abortion clinics, the waiting period often requires that women who travel a significant distance for care need take added time off work and endure the expense of overnight lodging. Our exemption letters place the care provider on-notice that such practices violate the woman’s religious principles and, as such, must be bypassed in the course of her care.
An important precedent is taking shape in Missouri, where our exemptions may soon be tested. “Mary,” a Temple member, will be formally notifying her doctor that her deeply held beliefs would be violated if she is forced to receive inaccurate information as required by the State, and if she is forced to endure a mandated 72 hour waiting period. These requirements unreasonably violate the sovereignty of her body.
http://jezebel.com/satanic-temple-72-hour-abort...
Since 1973’s Roe v. Wade ruling by the Supreme Court which safeguarded the legality of abortion, the conservative religious right has instigated anti-abortion initiatives. Many lawmakers have introduced “weasel bills” transparently designed to make the process of receiving an abortion more difficult, and emotionally and logistically harrowing. Those who define the issue in terms of personal choice typically find their views marginalized as being outside of the realm of religious protection. While religio-conservative views seek to undermine abortion rights, they have also steadily worked to define “religious liberty” to be understood in terms of reserving the right to deny contraceptives and oppose rational family planning practices. We intend to show that religious liberty can also protect and promote these legal practices.
All funds for this campaign will go toward the general legal aid fund for The Satanic Temple's efforts toward Religious Reproductive Rights. This includes, but is not limited to, legal consultation and representation, lobbying, production of informational materials, outreach, and education. Where possible, TST will seek pro bono representation so as to more effectively utilize all funds raised.
For more information, please see these links:
http://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/201...
http://thesatanictemple.com/?page_id=33
http://www.dougmesner.com/misinformed-consent-c...
