Please note that this post is only meant to express my disappointment and that I do not want or need a lecture from those of you who disagree. You are certainly welcome to voice your dissent, but please don't write me a book about how I'm immoral, going to hell, or anything like that...
I was saddened and discouraged yesterday evening to learn about the US Supreme Court's decision to uphold a state ban on partial-birth abortion. Taking a way a woman's right to choose, or restricting it in any way, is like telling her that she doesn't know what's best for her own body. Additionally, it's very frightening that advances in medicine that are able to, in some instances, save women's lives are essentially never going to be allowed. One can argue that there is a provision in the law that allows for the procedure if a mother's life is in danger, but I think the following excerpt from a Chicago Tribune article puts it best:
"Andrew Koppelman, a law professor at Northwestern University, called that reasoning [behind the ban] "ominous."
"You can now pass a statute that's going to violate the constitutional rights of a lot of people, and the courts are going to make those people come to court one by one to get those rights protected," said Koppelman. "Kennedy admits there are women whose health is going to be endangered by this regulation. He is effectively saying, 'Come to court and you may be able to show this law is invalid as applied to you.'
"But people facing medical emergencies can't always get lawyers and go to court. What this means in practice is a certain number of dead women."
I could certainly say more, but I'll leave it at that. To see the statement put out by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, click here.
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6 comments:
i with you all the way, sister!
Was this the one in the third trimester or at any time? I read the tagline for an article yesterday about abortions in the third trimester, is this what it was talking about?? I wonder how many states have this law??
This is later term, I believe into the 3rd trimester. Bottom line is that for women whom this is the safest way of ending a dangerous pregnancy, it will no longer be an option - folks will argue that technically it is, but once you go through the finding a lawyer and going to court, it really isn't feasible for anyone.
I agree, if you need to go to court to end a dangerous pregnancy, by the time it is possible, the dangers have probably taken course...
You talk about advances in medicine not allowed to be used, but there are more and more advances in medicine that make the need for an abortion especially late term practically obsolete. There are very few cases in which any woman would ever NEED such a proceedure. In those cases, it is rarely denied. But why not save both lives when you can, and when you can't, put priority on the life that hasn't had a chance to live at least for a little while.
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