Due to a childhood injury I suffered an incompetent uterus during my childbearing years. Such a condition is painful to live with. I am a supporter of Roe vs. Wade as standard law in this country. As a Catholic, there is no question in my mind that this is a morally acceptable position.
Some worry that eliminating the filibuster to accomplish reproductive rights legislation could open the door to Republicans doing the opposite (or other egregious legislation) should they gain majority. However, as one NYTimes columnist put it, she'd bet good money McConnell would kill the filibuster to do it anyway. Holding back protecting rights to preserve an alleged "mutually assured destruction" element is ridiculous when the other side is all to willing to use it anyway. McConnell's power-play hypocrisy was a full force to get Barrett confirmed.
Get rid of the filibuster and not only enact reproductive rights- but start expanding the court!! Republicans have already “packed” it!
Years ago at a gathering of a non-secular group to which I belong, a Grand Valley biology professor recounted to me how (before Roe v Wade), at a swanky party where the well-heeled (white) people gathered, he overheard two men talking. One was lamenting the “state” his daughter was in. The other told him to “go see my doctor and he will take care of it for you.” I have no doubt these same people now are the anti-choice faction.
This article was an excellent explanation of the problem. I would only add that having 5 people that we did not elect institute a law like this is certainly not a democracy.
When I was 16 years old I was kidnapped at gunpoint and raped by 5 men. I was held for more than 6 hours. During this horror one of my rapists shot and killed one of my other attackers. I was left naked, bleeding, and alone. I told no one. I was terrified these men would come after me as they’d threatened they would. I was raised Catholic and was an elite swimmer who had been offered a full ride swimming and academic scholarship. I had a bright future and everything to lose if I told my story or became pregnant. I tried vinegar, bleach, and boiling water douches. This was 1967 and abortion was illegal. I was “lucky” to have survived. As a freshman in college, I was walking down the hallway of my dorm at 5:30AM. (Early morning swim practice) As I passed by a room 3 doors down from my own I noticed a dark substance leaking under the door. It looked like blood. I pounded on my RA’s door, who immediately unlocked my neighbor’s door. What I saw was horrific. The student had used a coat hanger. She did not survive. We cannot go back to this very dark time. Women will die and their fetuses will be destroyed. I’m beyond saddened that we are again at this point. This time I will fight back. I’ll tell my story and the story of the young woman who died trying to abort her fetus with a coat hanger.
Earlier this year I discovered that my paternal grandmother died in 1935 from a "perforated uterus and large intestine from an incomplete abortion, self-induced." As a result, my father grew up motherless, which has caused generations of trauma. My grandmother was a "stenographer" in the state capital and her boss, who was a publicly elected official, was the father, but she was unmarriageable (as a divorced, single mother). All alone, scared, ashamed - oh, yes, this is violence.
Another thought: The.. "underriding assumption that life begins at conception is imputed from the most extreme interpretation of ONE faith. It’s an assumption that shares little consensus among other faith traditions. Draconian abortion bans violate the religious freedoms of adherents of other faiths — let alone those of people who claim no faith at all."
I would go further and say that it is not just the extreme view of one faith, but rather the extreme view of only a couple sects within that one faith, i.e. some sects with Christianity. Certainly not ALL varieties of Christianity.
America is South Africa. Minority white rule. Anyone who disagrees is murdered or jailed by the government. Meanwhile the government is creating diseases like AIDS to kill non-whites who disagree. Trump had no problem as long as Covid was killing non-whites. He said so.
Thank You for writing this! This has become the overwhelming reason that I am running for State Representative 50th district in Michigan. I will back up our wonderful Governor and Attorney General. My opponent has a red line in the sand. No abortions. We must protect women and their rights. Glen Miller. I wish that you would have moved and taken on Lana. Be Well!!
Due to a childhood injury I suffered an incompetent uterus during my childbearing years. Such a condition is painful to live with. I am a supporter of Roe vs. Wade as standard law in this country. As a Catholic, there is no question in my mind that this is a morally acceptable position.
Some worry that eliminating the filibuster to accomplish reproductive rights legislation could open the door to Republicans doing the opposite (or other egregious legislation) should they gain majority. However, as one NYTimes columnist put it, she'd bet good money McConnell would kill the filibuster to do it anyway. Holding back protecting rights to preserve an alleged "mutually assured destruction" element is ridiculous when the other side is all to willing to use it anyway. McConnell's power-play hypocrisy was a full force to get Barrett confirmed.
Get rid of the filibuster and not only enact reproductive rights- but start expanding the court!! Republicans have already “packed” it!
Years ago at a gathering of a non-secular group to which I belong, a Grand Valley biology professor recounted to me how (before Roe v Wade), at a swanky party where the well-heeled (white) people gathered, he overheard two men talking. One was lamenting the “state” his daughter was in. The other told him to “go see my doctor and he will take care of it for you.” I have no doubt these same people now are the anti-choice faction.
This article was an excellent explanation of the problem. I would only add that having 5 people that we did not elect institute a law like this is certainly not a democracy.
When I was 16 years old I was kidnapped at gunpoint and raped by 5 men. I was held for more than 6 hours. During this horror one of my rapists shot and killed one of my other attackers. I was left naked, bleeding, and alone. I told no one. I was terrified these men would come after me as they’d threatened they would. I was raised Catholic and was an elite swimmer who had been offered a full ride swimming and academic scholarship. I had a bright future and everything to lose if I told my story or became pregnant. I tried vinegar, bleach, and boiling water douches. This was 1967 and abortion was illegal. I was “lucky” to have survived. As a freshman in college, I was walking down the hallway of my dorm at 5:30AM. (Early morning swim practice) As I passed by a room 3 doors down from my own I noticed a dark substance leaking under the door. It looked like blood. I pounded on my RA’s door, who immediately unlocked my neighbor’s door. What I saw was horrific. The student had used a coat hanger. She did not survive. We cannot go back to this very dark time. Women will die and their fetuses will be destroyed. I’m beyond saddened that we are again at this point. This time I will fight back. I’ll tell my story and the story of the young woman who died trying to abort her fetus with a coat hanger.
excellent perspective. thanks for posting this
Earlier this year I discovered that my paternal grandmother died in 1935 from a "perforated uterus and large intestine from an incomplete abortion, self-induced." As a result, my father grew up motherless, which has caused generations of trauma. My grandmother was a "stenographer" in the state capital and her boss, who was a publicly elected official, was the father, but she was unmarriageable (as a divorced, single mother). All alone, scared, ashamed - oh, yes, this is violence.
Another thought: The.. "underriding assumption that life begins at conception is imputed from the most extreme interpretation of ONE faith. It’s an assumption that shares little consensus among other faith traditions. Draconian abortion bans violate the religious freedoms of adherents of other faiths — let alone those of people who claim no faith at all."
I would go further and say that it is not just the extreme view of one faith, but rather the extreme view of only a couple sects within that one faith, i.e. some sects with Christianity. Certainly not ALL varieties of Christianity.
America is South Africa. Minority white rule. Anyone who disagrees is murdered or jailed by the government. Meanwhile the government is creating diseases like AIDS to kill non-whites who disagree. Trump had no problem as long as Covid was killing non-whites. He said so.
Thank You for writing this! This has become the overwhelming reason that I am running for State Representative 50th district in Michigan. I will back up our wonderful Governor and Attorney General. My opponent has a red line in the sand. No abortions. We must protect women and their rights. Glen Miller. I wish that you would have moved and taken on Lana. Be Well!!