The biggest news of the day: South Dakota has passed a law that outlaws abortion in almost all cases and does not protect a woman in cases of rape or incest or even when her health is in danger. Doctors who violate the ban could face up to five years in prison.
Frankly, I was appalled when the bill was signed on Monday by the Governor and now that the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will hear Gonzales v. Carhart, I’m slightly ill. Challenging the federal abortion ban that has been struck down previously by every court that has examined it because, among other things, the ban does not protect women’s health, is not something that should happen.
“The supporters of the South Dakota law say they want to trigger a battle over the 1973 Roe-versus-Wade ruling, in which the US Supreme Court established that governments lacked the power to prohibit abortions.”
Part of why this is scary is how the American legislation is set up. The Supreme Court Justices are appointed for life, (currently six out of the nine are heavily right-wing), and because what they deal with is built on precedence, case by case, any other state that decides to challenge Wade VS Roe has just had their way made easier. Anti-choice lawmakers all through the South are waiting with baited breath to shove their own versions through as soon as a decision is made.
This isn’t a one-time thing, this is a nation-wide attack on the basic rights of half the American population by the pro-life community. “The national group said 10 states are considering similar bills.” Religion once again leading the nose of those in power and stomping all over the poor fools who voted them in. Keep in mind that those same pro-lifers are the people who fight so vehemently against any kind of social support system and make horrible remarks about welfare mothers. They’re the same people who preach abstinence-only sex-ed and don’t want to teach people how to use condoms. Nor do they tell the mothers that their child is a sweet and important gift, instead they tell them that they are filthy for even having sex in the first place, as if it was something perverse.
“According to Governor Rounds, who was just in Washington, DC for a national governors’ meeting, he is getting support from his peers: “A lot of governors [are] expressing support and wishing us good luck and saying they may have similar proposals that may be favorably looked upon across the United States.” [Keloland TV, 2/26/06]”
If you can spare a dime, there has never been a better time to support Planned Parenthood.
Here in Canada, the worst we girls might encounter is the rare idiot doctor who illegally brings their politics into the office or some loudly under-educated fundies with shameful signs outside a clinic. People who don’t seem to understand that if these girls thought they had the right space for a child, they’d keep it. Here, the idea is that if you’re going to have children, you should be able to raise them and raise them well. If you can’t, if it’s going to be a problem, then we’ll do our best to ease the pain, not vehemently attack you for being less of a person that some fine young christian bride.
I know that when it was my turn, my friends were supportive, the doctor was kind, my partner helped me with the pills. I was that .o1% that keeps birth control from being 100% effective. When my friends had their surprises, (and really, it’s been almost all of us), because of interfering medications, because of broken condoms, whatever, the ones who decided to terminate, I helped bring them to the hospital or the clinic and I brought them flowers. I let them cry. We didn’t try to hide that what we had destroyed had the potential to be a beautiful creature, but nor did we allow that potential life destroy the factual one in front of us. I agree with Burrow, let’s send these people coat hangers, as many of them as we can. Let’s remind them what they’re planning for their daughters.
edit: Rowan brought up a good point – that I haven’t mentioned the intelligent, well-educated people who are pro-life. I know these people exist and am glad for them. In this case, I mentioned the under-educated because that’s all that I, personally, have met in front of clinics.