So, I've been feeling the need for a bit of a rant coming on, ever since a commenter on FaceBook said she'd not heard about the pre-abortion trans-vaginal probe being mandated in various states.
Those of you in other, more rational countries may find some of this hard to believe. But not only is there a faction in the USA that is seeking to ignore science in favor of religion when it come to what should be taught in our schools, there are a truly frightening number of legislators, mainly at the state level, seeking to roll back women's rights. Interestingly enough, these are the same folks who are vocal against big government interference. Except, it seems, when it comes to women.
"Government so small it fits in your uterus."
Those of you in other, more rational countries may find some of this hard to believe. But not only is there a faction in the USA that is seeking to ignore science in favor of religion when it come to what should be taught in our schools, there are a truly frightening number of legislators, mainly at the state level, seeking to roll back women's rights. Interestingly enough, these are the same folks who are vocal against big government interference. Except, it seems, when it comes to women.
"Government so small it fits in your uterus."
Here's a link to an excellent piece that details some of the legislation affecting women being considered. It's long but well worth the read, particularly if you're an American woman concerned about your rights.
Forcing a woman to carry an already dead fetus to full term, refusing to allow abortion under any circumstance, including cases where the mother's life is endangered by the pregnancy, granting 'personhood' to a just-fertilized egg while systematically stripping away the rights of the woman who produced the egg are just some of the extreme measures under consideration.
Others include allowing doctors to lie about the results of an ultrasound if there's reason to believe the mother might choose to abort, requiring the permission of the father before an abortion could be performed (rape victims may be in something of a quandary here, especially if the rapist was unknown and got away,) making a woman witness an abortion being performed before having one . . . and just plain old waiting periods.
I am baffled by those who are more concerned about the survival of the 'pre-born' than the health and happiness of the 'born.' I don't think any woman should be forced to bear a child she doesn't want. Of course it would be better if she didn't get pregnant in the first place -- but, even leaving rape out of the equation, passion and human nature being what they are, accidents happen. I'm in favor of trusting a woman to make the best choice for herself and her family.
But wait, there's more. There are those in government who would ban divorce, even when the woman is being abused -- and these same legislators seek to define a single parent family as a type of child abuse.
But wait, there's more. There are those in government who would ban divorce, even when the woman is being abused -- and these same legislators seek to define a single parent family as a type of child abuse.
I hope that women will pay attention to those who are treating them as if they were no more than baby incubators without the brains or conscience to make the tough decisions.
More importantly, I hope that when it comes time to vote, we'll all remember the War on Women.
Okay, rant over. Back to spring flowers and sweetness and light tomorrow.
Okay, rant over. Back to spring flowers and sweetness and light tomorrow.
22 comments:
I believe in a woman's right to choose. I also believe they should have the facts, which should include an ultrasound, prior to making a decision. (I don't necessarily think the government should mandate it) After that, I think it's up to them.
Agreed. Many of these legislators and their supporters are the very ones who rail against welfare payouts to women who have children out of wedlock because of whatever circumstance.
For years I've spoken and written about how we have abdicated our ability to actually ELECT representatives because of our misdirected focus on CAUSES rather than real ISSUES. Abortion, gays in the military, same sex marriage, flag burning amendments, doctor assisted suicide, etc. are causes and not issues.
But it's the emotive nature of these causes that our criminal politicians seize upon to misdirect the attention of citizens. We've been dumbed-down for nearly 50 years in the schools, and bought-off with shiny stuff, and as we call them today, APPS, to divert our attention away from issues like war, economics, education, taxes, national security, and such.
All of what I suggest above goes much much deeper but I'll not get into that.
For having been a country of leadership in the world for decades; for having been at the forefront of invention, science, innovation, and yes, pop culture; we are a nation today of some of the dumbest citizens on the planet. And I argue that that has been by design. ( again....too much to discuss)
I rant about these things at work and to other people all the time. I get mostly deer in the headlight looks and responses. It's disheartening.
I've not been a fan of the Democratic party, nor am I a supporter of the Obama administration. The Republican party in general, and the candidates in particular would be stinking funny on SNL if they didn't actually believe their own s***. It's my no so humble opinion that BOTH parties are dangerous to the civil rights of all Americans, and neither represent any of us.
So what's the answer? I simply do not know....
A few years ago I had a rather "hot" discussion with a male blogger who said that the father, even if the couple was not married, had to decide if the mother was allowed to have an abortion. I said that the woman was the only one who had the right to have the fetus removed or not. He then said that the baby could be adopted by couples who wanted a baby. It is so cruel to let a woman bear a child and then take it away. He asked then if the father had no rights. I said : No, absolutely none!" I was angry. I still think that the mother has the last say in the matter.
In the sixties we had a women movement here in the Netherlands called "The Boss in own Belly"movement. This caused a lot of upheaval, but since then a lot has been changed. BTW what's the difference between CAUSES and ISSUES?
Even those principled individuals who seek to represent us, quickly become seduced/consumed by power, position and personal prospects. And there are no lower limits when it comes to maintaining control.
You're right to rant, Vicki. People need to find their voices, and use them effectively. When Gore Vidal was interviewed by The Independent in 2009, he opined, the population is too cretinous and drugged by television and fast food to figure it out. He went on to say, "It is always to be hoped that the people will mysteriously be educated, somehow. Well, that's the link. But the people don't know anything. As soon as we became an empire, we stopped teaching geography in the schools, so nobody would know where anything is. It's not the people's fault – they have been perverted into imperial ways of thinking so that they would be docile workers and loyal consumers. That was the dream and it has come true."
I'm not an expert in American politics, but there were sections of the interview that were eerily relevant to the UK.
I find this so incredibly frightening that I don't quite know what to say except that I am very, very glad I am not a woman living in America!
To Reader Wil: In my mind, the major difference between a cause and an issue is one of scale: A cause affects/is important to a relatively small group of citizens, and an issue affects the entire citizenry.
Causes may be good and noble. A veteran, or even some ordinary citizens may be offended by someone or some group burning the flag. Their sentiments of love and respect for the country are worthy. But the act of burning a flag will not destroy the nation. It won't cause or cure cancer, it doesn't create or eliminate jobs and economic stability, it cannot win or lose wars.
Likewise, two men or two women getting married affects a statistically insignificant portion of the population: It's not going to destroy the sanctity of marriage for Bob and Mary. As in your example, the father will do a good enough job of doing that himself! But same sex marriage won't affect me or my family, or my next door neighbors in the larger
context.
It's my opinion that abortion falls into that same area of a cause, and should NEVER have become a political issue. Don't like abortion? Don't have one. Period. Just don't let that discussion override the discussion of the Nazis coming to our shores to rape, pillage and plunder! That affects us all.
Ya hear THAT, Rick Sanitarium???
Reader Wil...... the ending to my response was actually TO Rick Santorum. I wasn't implying that YOU were him!! I re-read that after posting and thought it sounded like I was directing it to you... But I wasn't! Have a great weekend!
Vicki, you got me going! Hopefully you get more people going. These kinds of actions by our so-called leaders must be stopped!
I'm a news junkie from Canada, and as I watch what is being done re: women and reproductive health, my jaw drops. I agree with all that you said in your post, and I would be livid if such laws or policies were being floated here.
Vote people. Every election. Every time. VOTE!
I hear you. I will be using my vote to help protect women in my state and in my country.
Thanks for posting and saying things that need saying. I've mostly lost my voice in this because it's become so frustrating. Glad you (and your commenters) have energy and interest! Keep speaking out and voting those insane non-representatives out of their jobs too!
I so agree with you, Vicki. Maybe UK isn't quite so obviously extreme but there are plenty with the same extreme views. Frightening.
Read here http://www.texasobserver.org/cover-story/we-have-no-choice-one-womans-ordeal-with-texas-new-sonogram-law
about one woman's encounter with the mandated sonogram.
And thanks to all of you for the reasoned and polite responses.
hear hear....ugh...no matter where you sit on the issue of abortion you have to agree that the things proposed are barbaric bs....akin to fire and brimstone on sunday....
Hear! Hear!
It appears you've lit a fuse, Vicki. It is time the voters stand up to the "Christian Taliban" and the politicians and talkers who use them to gain power and influence. Syria, Iran, and Afghanistan can't be allowed to become templates for the future of America.
One step forward and two steps back in this battle. I still can't believe we are at 2012 and the mentalities of politicians are 1900. Good post Vicki. Thanks for posting it!
Timely post. I was thinking myself this morning that right wing politics was taking on the tone of the Inquisition. They negate science and want to establish their religious beliefs as the only 'truth' and anything else is condemnable heresy, while saying they alone support the Constitution. Duh? Have they read the First Amendment? Or maybe that doesn't count. What century is this? What astounds me even more is the attack on contraception and the availability of it for poor women. Yet they want to stop abortions. Is this the way to reduce abortions? And the whole idea that sexual promiscuity is all the woman's fault. Makes me want to run around screaming and pulling my hair, not something you'd expect from a quiet reserved middle-aged woman. Sigh.
Several times every day I get caught up all over again in this awful state of politics. Interesting that Rick Santorum is opposed to abortion even to save the life of the mother when his own wife was given Pitocin to induce "pre-term labor" when the 20-week fetus had no chance of survival outside the womb. And I won't get started about what happened later. Call it what you will but artifically inducing the uterus to expel a fetus too immature to survive is abortion. And with no attempts to resuscitate it is clear that life outside the uterus was not obtainable.
When I was young I figured history was a timeline straight and true, and we as humans were gradually becoming better and more knowledgeable. Now I can only see a spiral. Round and round we go. Sages and the wise pop up above the rest of us and tell us how things can be. We translate their words with our blind eyes and limited minds - sure we know the whole truth. The fight for justice never ends Vicki!
Vicki, thank you so much for your well written post.
I've also just scrolled through comments that also do seem very well reasoned.
Joan's comment, just before mine, does seem to see what my eyes have been catching...this odd spiral that does not really point forward.
There are so many strange currents in the political air now. Mad Men, and other tv retro programs are show that I do not watch. The 1960's were the years of my emerging adulthood, and although the music was great, there were lots of other bits that were not so great.
I could write a very long comment here, but for now just want to give you a notion of how much I wonder how this ages of ipads, etc., really is going forward.
xo
Vicki -- I agree with the words wrote by R. Burnett Baker. -- barbara
Well, that sure made for some interesting bedtime reading. Except now I'm all fired up and not sleepy. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one shaking my head and wondering about the current state of things. Don't even get me started about the Supreme Court and the health care law.
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