Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights

Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights

Abbreviation	RU4AR
Formation	January 2022
Type	Coalition
Purpose	Abortion Rights Activism
Headquarters	New York, New York
Methods	Political demonstration, Civil disobedience, Nonviolent resistance
Key people	Sunsara Taylor, Merle Hoffman, Eve Ensler
Website	https://riseup4abortionrights.org/

Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights rally in Los Angeles, CA, March 8, 2022

Kareim McKnight of Rise Up 4 Abortion rights distributing green scarf outside Sproul Plaza in Berkeley, CA.

Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights is a U.S. based abortion rights coalition founded by Merle Hoffman, Lori Sokol, Sunsara Taylor and other initiators in January, 2022, aimed at preventing the U.S. Supreme Court from overturning Roe V. Wade and "decimating" abortion rights in the United States.[1][2]

The group is among those in the United States who use the green scarf as a reproductive rights symbol, borrowing from its use in Argentina since 2003.[3] It is a front organization for the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA. [4] [5]

Marches and actions

Since its founding RU4AR activists have organized protests across the country in major cities including New York City,[6][7] Seattle,[8][9] Los Angeles,[10][11][12][13] Houston,[14][15] Riverside,[16][17] San Francisco,[18][19] Santa Monica,[20] Louisville,[21] and Washington, D.C.[22][23] They also demonstrated outside Justice Amy Coney Barret's home in Falls Church, Virginia.[24]

On May 12, 2022, RU4AR organized a protest in which approximately 2,000 high-school students walked out of school to demand that the Supreme Court not overturn the right to abortion.[25]^[better source needed] The walkout took place more than a week after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization draft opinion was leaked,[26] sparking many protests and outrage.

U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez marched with the group.[27][28]

Reception

Other abortion rights groups and other activist groups have criticized Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights' protest strategies, its connections to the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA, and the fact that it is a for-profit organization. Articles in The Daily Beast, The Intercept, and VICE detailed these groups’ criticism.[29][27][28]

Co-founder Sunsara Taylor is a member of Revolutionary Communist Party, USA which played a role in founding and building Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights. While she is an active party member, working as a Revolution Nothing Less talk show host[30] and writer for RCP's Revolution magazine,[31][32] the other co-founders of the coalition, Sokol and Hoffman,[28] and the majority of RU4AR supporters are not affiliated.[33]

RU4AR's founders spoke against the allegations that the group is part of a cult of personality for Bob Avakian and a pyramid scheme in CounterPunch, [34][35] and Taylor also opposed the charges in Revolution magazine online.[36][37] A further article in CounterPunch described the allegations as red-baiting.[33]

References

1. Woodward, Alex (24 June 2022). "'It's a war': The woman who helped open one of the first abortion clinics in America on the fight to protect women's rights". The Independent. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
2. "Abortion Rights Activists Rally Outside Supreme Court on Roe v. Wade Anniversary". Newsweek. January 21, 2022. Archived from the original on March 3, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
3. Herron, Madeline (June 24, 2022). "Why Green Became a Symbol of Abortion Rights Fight". New England Cable News. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
4. Mackey, Robert (14 July 2022). "Abortion Rights Activists Call New Group Leading Protests A Front For A Far-Left Cult". The Intercept. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
5. Merlan, Anna (4 August 2022). "The Abortion Rights Group Other Activists Want Nothing to Do With". Vice. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
6. "Women protest attack on abortion rights in US". La Prensa Latina. March 8, 2022. Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
7. Minsky, Tequila (March 9, 2022). "Protesters rally in Union Square to call out the assault on reproductive rights". The Villager. Archived from the original on March 9, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
8. Horne, Deborah (14 May 2022). "Hundreds rally, march for abortion rights". Retrieved 4 August 2022.
9. "Where abortion-related protests and events are planned in Seattle and WA". The Seattle Times. 24 June 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
10. Blevins, Aaron (29 July 2022). "'Urban Light' damaged during protest". Beverly Press. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
11. "Two Arrested at LACMA During Abortion Rights Protest". NBC Los Angeles. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
12. "Abortion rights protest at art museum blocks traffic; three arrested". Antelope Valley Press. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
13. "4 abortion rights activists arrested after "die-in" protest at Los Angeles City Hall". CBS News. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
14. Welch, Monique (6 June 2022). "Abortion rights activists strip down to their underwear during Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church service". The Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
15. Faquih, Duaah (6 June 2022). "Lakewood Church service interrupted by abortion-rights supporters". Houston Public Media. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
16. Downey, David (2 August 2022). "Sheriff Chad Bianco, Riverside council member clash over her role in abortion protest at courthouse". Press Enterprise. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
17. Hylton, Chelsea (31 July 2022). "Riverside Police Arrest Abortion Rights Protestors for Vandalism". NBC Los Angeles. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
18. "Fourth of July Abortion Rights Protest at Ferry Building". NBC Bay Area. 4 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
19. Liggins, Greg (14 May 2022). "Abortion rights protesters take to the streets of San Francisco". KTVU. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
20. Solis, Nathan; Wigglesworth, Alex (16 July 2022). "Dueling abortion rallies keep their distance in Santa Monica". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
21. Vogt, Dustin; Ochoa, David (21 April 2022). "Protesters on both sides of abortion debate collide at Metro Hall". WAVE3. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
22. Thompson, Steve; Boorstein, Michelle (21 June 2022). "With Supreme Court abortion ruling pending, protesters rally and wait". The Washington Post. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
23. Silverman, Ellie (24 June 2022). "Protests erupt in D.C., around the country as Roe v. Wade falls". The Washington Post. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
24. Evans, Zachary (7 July 2022). "Pro-Choice Activists Covered in Fake Blood Deliver Baby Dolls to Amy Coney Barrett's Home". National Review. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
25. Fofana, Oumou; Bamberger, Cayla (May 12, 2022). "NYC HS students stage walkout in protest of leaked Roe v. Wade draft opinion". New York Post. Retrieved 2022-05-14.
26. Gerstein, Josh; Ward, Alexander (May 2, 2022). "Supreme Court has voted to overturn abortion rights, draft opinion shows". Politico. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
27. Mackey, Robert (14 July 2022). "Abortion Rights Activists Call New Group Leading Protests a Front for a Far-left Cult". The Intercept. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
28. Merlan, Anna. "The Abortion Rights Group Other Activists Want Nothing to Do With". VICE. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
29. Sommer, Will (11 July 2022). "Is This Communist 'Cult' Trying to Hijack the Abortion Movement?". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
30. "The Conversation 2022-03-22". The Young Turks. Mar 22, 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
31. Garcia, Sofia (1 November 2016). "Communist Plans To Defy Campus Ban". The Chicago Maroon. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
32. Yurcaba, Jo (29 September 2015). "#StandWithPP Supporters Share Their Thoughts". Bustle. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
33. Street, Paul (1 August 2022). "Why is "the Left" Red-Baiting Rise Up for Abortion Rights on the Eve of Fascist Destruction?". Counterpunch. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
34. Sokol, Lori; Hoffman, Merle; Taylor, Sunsara (19 July 2022). "We Need Honest Debate, Not Unprincipled Attacks: A Further Response to the Attacks On Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights". CounterPunch. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
35. Sokol, Lori; Hoffman, Merle; Taylor, Sunsara (17 June 2022). "A Response to Jezebel by Leaders of Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights". CounterPunch. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
36. Taylor, Sunsara. "In Reply to the Reactionary Hit Piece in the Daily Beast: Why I DO Follow Bob Avakian...and Why YOU Should Too". revcom.us. RCP Publications. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
37. Taylor, Sunsara (18 July 2022). "Robert Mackey Dishonestly Demonizes Bob Avakian, Erases Revolution, and Trashes the Truth WILL THE "INTERCEPT" STAND BY THIS?". revcom.us. RCP Publications. Retrieved 2022-07-18.