What if they had a "National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers" and no one came?

Apparently that's what happened this year.

The NDAAP is supposed to be observed every year on March 10. It's an idea dreamed up in the 90s by Refuse and Resist.

In previous years, special promotional packages were created and groups like the Abortion Access Project helped spread the word--that entry, for example, was posted in 2004.

Not this year, though.

This year, none of the abortion rights organizations are promoting, mentioning, cooperating with the NDAAP--not even Refuse & Resist.

Abortion Access? No.

The ACLU? No, even though they completely appreciated abortion providers in 2003.

Planned Parenthood? Not this year, although like the other groups mentioned here, they've promoted it in previous years--scroll down to 3/10/05.

The National Abortion Federation? No. (Are they just being modest?) They don't even mention it on their blog.

The Association of Reproductive Health Professionals? No. It's not even on their March calendar. (Update: The ARHP has added a tiny little banner about NDAAP on their homepage! It still didn't make the calendar.)

The National Organization of Women? No. They're promoting aggressive campus organizing throughout the month of March, and none of it includes recognizing our abortion providers with gratitude, not even our female abortion providers.

NARAL? No, not even on their blog.

Abortion-providing: It's a tough business and this year, it comes with no pats-on-the-back.

Update I: Someone who does not forget the lonely and unappreciated abortion provider is Fr. Frank Pavone.

Update II: I have found someone who is promoting NDAAP this year. Warning: You have to read 31 paragraphs of this entry before you get to the money graf. He or she is a Daily Kos diarist, so some people might say this doesn't count. But the entry makes me aware of something I hadn't realized: If NDAAP had been celebrated in 2006, this would have been its 10th anniversary. For some reason, this makes me sad. Sad...but not regretful.