Supreme Court Travesty

The abortion clinic world has been has been turned upside down by the latest upholding of the "Partial Birth Abortion Ban." Doctors and clinic administrators are struggling to understand the gray areas of the law so that they will not be prosecuted for doing regular abortions. Remember, in some states it is an exceedingly hostile environment and it wouldn't take that much to create a case against someone. The accusation would not stick, but the defense costs would bankrupt most clinics.

There are lots of commentators who are saying that this doesn't mean a thing, and it won't affect any real women, and it's all extreme politics. Basically, they are saying that this is not a significant precedent. The thing to remember is that IT WAS NEVER ABOUT ANYTHING REAL. From the made up name of "partial birth abortion" which does not describe anything doctors know about, to the widespread, deliberate misrepresentations that it only applies to third trimester abortions, or "late term abortions," another misnomer. It has been a fund-raising/PR strategy of the Far Right from the beginning, and it has succeeded beyond their wildest dreams, and our wildest nightmares. Although this is not reported on CNN or in your local papers, the anti's have vowed to ban abortion, procedure by procedure. This is the first, and D&E is next. Justice Kennedy invites that, in fact, with his gleefully graphic description of a D&E "dismemberment" of the fetus inside the womb. The idea is that if enough people are horrified by a procedure it can be banned.

If you have the time I really encourage you to read the decision itself and watch for all the anti-abortion rhetoric and blatant disrespect of women, who are seen as creatures who need protecting from their own choices. And this is the really significant precedent that unravels 30 years of jurisprudence: no health exception for women. Instead, they refer any conflicts between medical opinions, you will love this, to the state and federal legislatures. No comfort there unless maybe you live in NY, but it is an unnecessary invitation to the states to pass all kinds of laws restricting abortion. Michigan had three new anti-abortion bills on Thursday.

So, I am not trying to cry wolf here. This decision blows an ill wind.
--Bon

Comments

[Valerie Cantone]

My mother came of age in the late 1950's - early 60's, and when she got pregnant and had to have an abortion, she was one of the lucky ones. My grandmother took her to a private doctor for the procedure. I came of age in the late 1970's - early 80's, and had to have an abortion in 1984...and I was lucky enough to just go to the clinic of my choice in NYC and come home to the loving arms of a very supportive and pro-choice mom!

My Undying Gratitude To All The Doctors And Nurses For All You Do For Women!!!

[Julie]

Considering the rash of new anti abortion laws, Valerie: Isn't it odd that in place of compelling arguments for the pro life position, certain pandering politicians are proposing new bills with draconian restrictions?
I was checking out the Daily Kos website recently and found this article called "Lie About Your Abortion, Go To Jail". It concerned an effort to pass a bill in the Texas Legislature which would have forced women seeking abortions to give the state all kinds of personal information. The bill is dead for now, but that won't stop it's supporters from re-surrecting it's rotting corpse next session. Or pro life groups in other states from writing similar bills.

[Valerie Cantone]

I was so thrilled when I came across your web site. At first I thought, oh no, another anti-abortion site. So why in this day and age am I so unbelievably happy to find anything that is pro-abortion? Pretty sad isn't it, and I'm from New York City!!!

The Supreme Court's 5-4 decision banning "partial birth abortions" was, I heard, apparently helped along by a friend of Justice Kennedy's from an anti-abortion group called "The Justice League".
They (along with a carefully orchestrated move among most/all anti-abortion groups) are now backing the notion that women who get abortions are physically/emotionally scarred for the rest of their lives. They will continue to spew this rhetoric into new legislation for tougher and tougher laws such as required sonograms, etc., anything and everything they can think of to make it as tough and difficult for a young woman to gain her fair and legal access to an abortion.

I'm 47 now, but I will continue to fight to keep Aborion Legal until the day I die!!!

[atyourcervix]

As a L&D nurse, I can tell you this: this so-called procedure (partial birth abortion) is not done where I work. We provide 2nd trimester abortions from 16-24 weeks gestation, and they are in the form of labor induction and vaginal delivery. Under 16 weeks (if it's an incomplete miscarriage) we care for the patients in our main OR with either a D&C or D&E.

From my point of view, and from the OB's that I work with, there is NO MEDICAL NEED for a partial birth abortion. If it's such an extreme, dire emergency to save the mother's life, then a c-section is done. It's much quicker, safer and convenient for everyone involved.

I feel that this "ban on partial birth abortions" is just a political way to take away and outlaw certain medical procedures, one procedure at a time. I can see the possibility of D&E's being outlawed as well, as a means for an elective abortion. It's a scary thought, because through our government, we are taking what is a medical procedure and a physician-patient relationship, out of the woman's hands (and her physician's hands) and placing our privacy under public scrutiny and control.

[daedalus2u]

In the Pope's recent trip to South America, he stated that for any Catholic to vote in favor of abortion, is for them to automatically excommunicate themselves. Presumably, the Catholic members of the Supreme Court must now recuse themselves on any matters regarding abortion because their religious leader has told them in no uncertain terms how they must vote.

[Julie]

Yeah, Jim. Now women who are carring a fatally deformed fetus will have the "freedom" to be forced (by government fiat) to go to term and struggle to give birth. And then watch the baby die. Yeah, that's "freedom" right there.

[Jim]

I don't think this is that bad a decision because while abortion doctors will lose business, fewer baby skulls will get crushed. Women can still chose to get an abortionist to chop up the lives they have in their uteruses, they just won't have the freedom to destroy life right before birth anymore.

[Julie]

I've never thought that pro life=chauvanism. But I am saddened by the thought some women in the pro life movement don't trust their sisters enough to make their own decision about an unwanted pregnancy.

[Jess @ Making Home]

It is absolutely inaccurate to say this was "never about anything real". What a way to circumvent the facts about this horrific procedure. It's amazing to me the lengths abortionists will go to to try to avoid giving women the facts.

For a balanced treatment contrasting the facts we were given about the Virginia Tech incident with the facts that are hidden from women regarding partial birth abortion, read this article:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/commentary/20070424-102748-8816r.htm

Here's hoping that more people will seek out the facts and not just your poetic waxings about women and their supposed "rights".

[johannesclimacus]

If only to dispell the myth that anti-abortion = chauvanism, please visit google and type in "pro-life women." I especially recommend the first two search results. If you would like to see Christians active in social justice, please visit www.sojo.net.

Respectfully Yours,

matthew waller

[Katha Pollitt]

I just wanted to thank Heather Nijoll for her post about the Equal Access fund of Eastern Tennessee. These funds are more important than ever now. I keep thinking there must be a way to get more funding, and more stable funding, to help poor women get abortion care. I would love it if abortionclinicdays did a post about this. Maybe people could share ideas about how to raise money.

Best wishes,
devoted reader,
Katha Pollitt

[OB]

I hope all of you who are so vehemntly opposed to abortion are also opposed to the death penalty, and the stupid war in Iraq.

If not you are just a windbag hypocite picking on mostly scared woemn who often have atenuous grasp on the roof over thier heads.

I hope you alll have adopted kids, since seeing ALL kids raised up is so important to you. And are fighting to see that all our citizens get the opportunites to live in safe and nuturing communiites. or does your concern for life end at the time of birth?

The scenario that women have abortions for their careers is ridiculous. Dump your jealousy of successful yuppies and see them as shallow materialists if that makes yuo feel better about your life, but dont blame their careers for abortions.

I too detest the idea of abortion. I never put my junk inside awoman who would have one. I have found strippers and students and beach babes when I was younger, and a great wife as a older guy, all of whom agreed abortion woudl never happen.

Any of yuo anitabortion clones who have EVER fu**ed awoman yuo were not willing to marry and have kids with, or without talking to the lady about what happens if she gets pregnatn first are also hypocrites.

WHY are ALMOST none of you peopel ever on the sperm donors?

I dont think, I KNOW that ALMOST all of the rabid men in the antiabortion movement are very insecure about their own sexuality, and threatend by the fact God gave the abilty to give birth to children to woemn.

Oh and since all you all threw personalinsults in there, i would add that in my experiece mso tof yuo rabid anti abortion guys are crappy lovers too! Not all, but definitely most. I would knwo , before I got saner, i was a hard core conservative anti myself.

I STILL HATE THE FACT THAT ANY OBORTIONS OCCUR, but I think its pretty dumb to use th powers of the police state to force a woman to keep a mass of cells, that becomes a fetus, and to keep the fuetus until it is childlike, and then force her to carry that child, and give birth to it.

AS men we have a right ot opine on matters of morality, but I wonder how many of my fellow conservative dudes would carry a child to term if we were really destitute, let aloen raped or might die from it.

YMMV, but I havent seen very many non catholic "christian" antis fightign for social justice.

i also hope you are doing positive things to build the slef-esteem and confidence and options for these women who might not feel teh need to abort.

[k.]

I'd like to say that I'm thankful I live in Canada... but we are still fighting here too.
This news made me shudder and feel fearful. What is this world coming to? I just don't understand why men get to have a vote on matters of the "fairer sex"...
Thank you for doing what you do. Sorry that this is happening.

[Julie]

I've just been noodling around over on the daily kos, and I've read three excellent diaries - by pale cold, irishwitch, and natasha - on the subject of the SCOTUS ruling. You can use SCOTUS, late-term abortion, or reproductive rights as tags to find them.

[Amie Newman]

Thank you for reminding us all that this was "never about anything real." If you read the decision, you'll see how completely steeped in anti-choice rhetoric and false claims. The justices talk of the natural regret women feel, the "natural bond" between a mother and child and all sorts of tug-at-your-heart-strings rhetoric.

We have been writing about the decision over at RH Reality check (www.rhrealitycheck.org)and starting tomorrow will have a piece written by a physician, one by me on the horrific paternalism and "father knows best" attitude of these justices, and others. Also, we have some info up about how we can combat this.

As an abortion clinic staffer for almost seven years, I know how this is hitting home. Again, thank you for writing!
Amie

[Heather Nijoli]

I just came across this blog and have been reading all the way back to 2006. I especially appreciated the blogs about abortion funding, as I run the only abortion fund in Tennessee. Fundraising in this area is a dead end most of the time and we have to reach across state lines in order to find liberal minded folks who feel comfortable or care enough to give to us at all. Thanks for shedding light where it needs to be shed!

Also, if anyone would like to donate to our Appalachian region fund, please send a paypal donation to equalaccessfund at gmail dot com or visit us on myspace dot com backslash equalaccessfund

Thanks again!