Some of the industry’s top musicians, including Melissa Etheridge, Sarah McLachlan, and Paula Cole, played to an impassioned sold out crowd last Friday, April 6, at the Los Angeles Rock for Choice Concert to benefit the Feminist Majority’s Campaign to Save Roe. Emceed by X-Files star Gillian Anderson, the five-hour concert raised money and awareness of the possibility that President Bush could appoint as many as two anti-abortion Justices to the U.S. Supreme Court–a move that could overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion. “There are rumors Bush will soon appoint justices to the Supreme Court who will make abortion illegal. This is 2001. It’s unconscionable. Without reproductive control, we have no equality. We will not go back!” said Anderson.
The crowd, speckled with celebrities, including Ellen DeGeneres, Kathy Najimy, Helen Hunt and Portia de Rossi, cheered in support of every mention of protecting women’s rights and abortion rights. “Thank you for helping all women be able to make a choice!” said Paula Cole. “It seems absolutely bloody ridiculous we have this issue still in 2001,” McLachlan said of the fight against abortion restrictions. Concertgoers had the opportunity to sign petitions to Senator Daschle (D-SD) and Senator Leahy (D-VT) urging them to lead the Senate to oppose any anti-choice Justices nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court.
