Sunday, October 20, 2013

This Just In: Florida is banning abortion on June 1, 2018 and other news

Florida Rep. Larry Ahern is even more impressive than the Mayans. They only thought they knew what day the world would end on. Rep. Ahern, meanwhile, knows exactly when abortion will be illegal in the state of Florida. June 1, 2018.

"We want Florida to become the state that stops the killing of the preborn," Rep. Ahern said at the state Right to Life convention. "I'd like to set a date certain to make that happen."

It's nice of Rep. Ahern to be so open about the fact that they aren't interested in women's safety, as anti-choice activists so often claim lately. One other thing we know is true and he'll admit candidly behind closed doors -- they want to put Planned Parenthood out of business all together as well.

"We want to shut down Planned Parenthood,...As the pro-life movement advances, remember, the culture of death becomes a lot like a wounded animal and will fight fanatically to protect that false right to kill the unborn. ... They will get rabid as it gets worse for them."

He didn't set a date for that part, yet.

Oklahoma's war on pregnant teens seeking abortions starts this week. This is why that matters.

Former Kansas AG Phill Kline, who made it his mission to try to put Dr. George Tiller in jail before an anti-choice terrorist shot and killer Dr. Tiller in church, has had his Kansas law license suspended. Anti-choice groups have responded by calling it a "political vendetta" and "political lynching." The irony would almost be amusing if Kline wasn't in a completely new career in Virginia working for Liberty University, with no intention of practicing law in Kansas again, and Dr. Tiller was dead.

A faculty member at a Catholic University is being forced to resign for saying abortion is a decision that should be between a woman and her doctor.

This man has been charged with trying to burn down a Missouri Planned Parenthood. Twice. The clinic did not offer abortions. This man says that helping to lead the Black Hawk Special Ops force has prepared him for the "current state of warfare" of saving babies. This one says that because he lets his parents buy him food and it's not legal to kill him, abortion is wrong.

Both abortion rights supporters and opponents are continuing to protest in front of Crestwood Hospital in Alabama. Anti-choice activists want the hospital to fire the doctors who have admitting privileges that allow a local clinic to stay open. Pro-choice advocates want to show the hospital support for keeping the doctors on staff. The question will be whether the presence of both sides makes the hospital cut ties with the doctors just to get people to stop protesting in front of it. Which, of course, is exactly what the abortion opponents are counting on.

Finally, women could be the deciding factor in the Virginia governor's race. So, if you are a Virginia woman reading this, please, please PLEASE vote.

Friday, October 18, 2013

This Just In: Fetus in a Handbag, Antis in the Driveway


A teen is being investigated after having a miscarriage, because the fetus was discovered in her bag when she was questioned for shoplifting. If there was any doubt that they are trying to decide if she should be charged criminally for the miscarriage, the fact that they are allegedly having a medical examiner check to see if the fetus took a breath or not should clear that up.

As this article explains, in countries where abortion is illegal all miscarriages are investigated just because of a "presumption of guilt." The issues that will make you look the most guilty are the same issues that would make you more likely to miscarry in the first place: young, irregular periods, poor, little access to health care, the same things that would make you unlikely to get prenatal care and lesson your chances of a successful pregnancy.

It's a vicious cycle and one American abortion opponents seem all too willing to push pregnant people into under the guise of "saving babies.

Alabama wants to make it even less likely that abortions would be performed outside of clinics by cutting the number of abortions a doctor can perform in his or her private practice from 30 a month to just 10.  Alabama, you will remember, passed a bill that would have closed all the clinics in the state if the courts hadn't enjoined it. So, twofer!

Sen. Rand Paul makes no qualms that his entire reason for trying to make abortion illegal again is biblically based, telling an anti-abortion fundraiser: "Our message doesn't have to be one of fire and brimstone — OK, maybe a little fire and brimstone."

Finally, things you would think anti-abortion activists would know by now:  women covered in sheets aren't dying, they are being protected from you taking pictures of them. Which you commend. Also, no one could threaten to run you over if you weren't standing in driveways, which are meant for cars. But you know that, because you are trying to impede traffic.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

This Just In: Real Women Don't Like Lust and other Anti-Choice Idioms

“A child’s right to life trumps a mother’s right to choose to end her pregnancy." There is the entire anti-choice movement in one succinct sentence.  And it was uttered by the radical, bloody fetus waving Missionaries to the Pre-Born.

With that belief energizing the anti-abortion, anti-birth control movement, even leaf-letting is getting aggressive when anti-abortion activists do it. Meanwhile AI.com wants to know if you think clinic protesting works. Go vote.

Dr. Carhart has been cleared of any medical negligence in the case of a woman who died early this year after having a later abortion. The doctor took the opportunity to rightfully shame anti-choice activists who released her name and medical info without her family's consent in an attempt to score political points. 

Civil rights icon Dolores Huerta railed against the proposed 20 week abortion ban in Albuquerque, calling it “an assault on the rights of women.”

Bakersfield councilwoman Jacquie Sullivan is still trying to push for some form of anti-choice resolution in the city, since her Human Life Amendment got trashed. Tonight will be a final vote to see if she gets what she wants.

The president of Susan B. Anthony List wants you to know that most later abortions are elective. Then again, when you believe a parent would benefit best by holding their born baby in their arms and watching him or her die, I guess you think every abortion is an "elective" one.

Finally, this is the saddest commentary you will ever read. Ever.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

This Just In: Yes, Politicians Who Want to Investigate Miscarriages Can Have Wives Who Have Had Miscarriages, and other news

We're getting closer to election day for a number of states, and that means the abortion-related mudslinging is getting underway. In Virginia, one politician is claiming that his opponent voted for bills that could open miscarriages up to a criminal investigations.

His opponent's wife, responding on his behalf, says that's an obvious lie, since she herself has had miscarriages.

It's a touchy subject, but yes, Personhood bills, and, frankly a lot bills that are on the books, do exactly that. Even in Virginia, miscarrying women are already being investigated as potentially undergoing illegal self-abortions. At whatever point in gestation abortion becomes criminalized, any miscarriage after that fact will be ripe for potential criminal charges.


Kansas has spent nearly $1 million defending anti-choice laws in court. Let's hear it for fiscally responsible GOP legislatures!

Indiana Right to Life has filed 500 complaints against a local abortion provider who apparently filed most of his reports for the 2012 year with a mistake in his facility's address on the form. DANGEROUS!

Colorado is so over Personhood. Instead, this time they'll just try to add "unborn human beings" to the criminal code instead. "Unborn Human Beings USA" could not be reached for comment.

Abortion providers in Texas will actually end up being more regulated than ambulatory surgical centers. Shocked face.

Speaking of Texas, the man who wants to be the next governor of Texas is yelling to have President Obama impeached.

Created Equal is bringing the jumbotron of fetal parts out for another run.

Finally, this woman wishes National Right to Life wouldn't use her story for their own personal crusade against abortion.




Monday, October 14, 2013

This Just In: 40 Days? Feels Like 400...

We are now -- oh who am I kidding. I have no idea how far into 40 days for life we are at this point. I know abortion opponents claim that their "hundreds of babies saved" are stacking up like the "millions served" at a McDonald's restaurant. So, here's the latest.

North Dakota's one clinic is under constant protest, including the midnight hours, which are mostly handled by the local Knights of Columbus whom, from the sounds of this article, are mainly there to talk to the drinkers heading home at bar close. Sounds like those bar patrons could use some 40 days of tacos, am I right?

The praying, weeping and harassing at one Alabama has become so bad that clinic supporters have started pledging protesters. According to pro-life folk, this is somehow crass. Because demanding patients entering a clinic not "kill their babies" is the height of decorum, I guess.

The protests outside this clinic in Illinois are more subdued. Maybe that's because it mostly offers gynecology and urology services.  The protests in front of this clinic has made a woman just trying to get screened for cervical cancer uncomfortable, but hey, Focus on the Family is giving money to the CPC next door to help them up their presence, so praise Jesus.

Speaking of praising Jesus, this group is having church at one abortion clinic because, why not.

By the way, if you weren't aware, we even exported 40 Days over seas.  Who says America doesn't know how to give back to the rest of the world?

This guy threatened repeatedly to blow up a clinic if his ex went to get an abortion. I wonder why they broke up?

Finally, quote of the day. "Unfortunately our culture is filled with change agents who work diligently to promote the concept of 'choice' without consequences. Like Alice, having fallen down the rabbit hole, women are being told to simply 'take a pill' and there are no negative outcomes for bad choices"

Thursday, October 10, 2013

This Just In: God's Judgement, Zombies and Missionaries to the Pre-Born

An attempt to stop the 20 week ban in Albuquerque was derailed in a city council meeting. Despite the state Attorney General saying such a restriction would be unconstitutional and unenforceable, but a resolution offered at the meeting to get outside legal council before the November 19th vote was panned by audience members who said at this point it would be denying the "democratic process." The resolution was referred to a committee to be looked at after the election, once it is too late to make any difference.

If there was any doubt that the bill is mostly being pushed by those with a religious agenda, they were dismissed by comments hurled at the council member recommending legal review. “May your sneaky ways be judged and forgiven by God.”

The Santa Fe Reporter has a must read article on access in New Mexico, including the protests and the impact of the CPC network down there. One of the most striking parts is how CPCs convince women that if they abort, they may be risking their only chance to ever be pregnant. "I guess I’d rather have a baby than risk the chance of not having one again. I guess abortion is out of the picture,” said one interviewee. (Note: trigger warning on the picture accompanying it)

Sally Kohn writes about why protecting reproductive rights is about caring about children and families, despite anti-choice rhetoric claiming otherwise. "We need a vibrant pro-choice, pro-family, feminist movement created by the daughters and sons of the last generation, all of you here today, seeding a generation of leaders and voices for my daughter and your daughters and everyone else’s daughters—and sons. A movement that must continue to safeguard reproductive choice and promote sexual autonomy and economic liberation for all women and families worldwide."

Things I can't make up: "People wouldn't be so accepting of abortion if zombies weren't so popular.

Speaking of zombies, Missionaries to the Preborn hit a campus in Indiana with bloody fetus posters and used little children to hand out pamphlets. “It is appalling; the fact that they had little kids out here is ridiculous,” said one student, commenting on the 9 year old brought by the group to help

Good news! The Governor of California has signed a bill to expand who can provide abortions. Now hopefully they will have enough people to handle the overflow when pretty much every other state cuts off access altogether.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

This Just In: Lawsuits, Duggars and Satanic Intervention

The courts are getting even more active when it comes to making decisions around abortion access. A law suit against the Virginia board of health challenging its new TRAP law will not be dismissed and will proceed to trial, welcome news to the activists who rallied at the court house. Meanwhile, the ACLU in Ohio has filed a lawsuit against the anti-choice amendments tucked last minute into the state's budget bill, claiming the move violated the single subject rule.

The Portland, Maine city council has voted to allow a buffer zone to keep anti-choice activists from directly harassing clinic patients, and Albuquerque has approved a ban on allowing similar pickets and protests in front of the private homes of providers.

The Duggars are heading to Tennessee to rally support for an amendment that would among other things allow the state to add a waiting period prior to an abortion. What they don't mention is that waiting period wouldn't be a typical 24 hour one, but 48 hours instead.

Finally, Satan hates crisis pregnancy centers, in case you were curious, or so claims Chris Slattery, proprietor of a chain of New York centers (EMC) he claims is being targeted by the devil himself. "Today EMC starts year 29. And Satan growls and bears his teeth. HELP!" pleads Slattery, before describing a litany of floods, disease and other catastrophes he is positive is the work of the Evil One.

Sorry, but until he offers locusts, I remain unconvinced.

Monday, October 7, 2013

This Just In: Judges Gone Wild, Buffer Zones and other news

A Nebraska Supreme court ruled that a 16 year old in foster care was too immature to decide on her own not to have an abortion, and that she needed the permission of her "evangelical christian family" who were "morally opposed to abortion." As my co-author Jessica Mason Pieklo writes in some must read analysis, the decision essentially cuts off abortion to girls who are wards of the state, who both officially have no parents to consent to an abortion but because of the ruling no longer have the autonomy to make the decision on their own, no matter how much counseling they receive.

But that's exactly what the trial judge wanted. A man who once defended "Rescue" activists on the necessity defense -- a plea that claims that illegal action is justifiable if you truly believe you are doing it to save a person's life -- as well as an anti-choice stalker harassing an abortion provider, he had the audacity repeatedly tell the pregnant teen she was "killing" the "baby" inside of her. Commenters on his court bio state repeatedly that he has a "God complex" and that he often dismisses the concerns or desires of female plaintiffs in the court, even in instances of violence to themselves or their children.  Cutting off the options of teens in foster care seems like the logical next step of a judge who would defend "the unborn" but force children to continue to have contact with the parents accused of physically and mentally abusing them.

This man wants to cut off access to contraception because his mother gave birth to him despite doctors telling her it was a bad idea.  This man thinks that adoptions should be "faster, cheaper and easier.This man thinks that buying an extra rider on your insurance in case you might want an abortion should be like getting flood insurance or fire insurance for your house.

This man says that Republicans are dumb for not supporting birth control, even looking at it as a straight fiscal issue. I'd rather listen to this man talk.

Albuquerque may stop letting abortion protesters picket private residences. Portland might make a buffer zone outside their clinic. Both may learn that they can't depending on how the Supreme Court decides on a Massachusetts bubble zone case on the docket this session. The Supreme Court starts meeting today.

Btw, according to abortion opponents, if you feel like you are being harassed, that just means you really don't want an abortion. “If (pregnant women) feel like (an abortion) is something they don’t want to do, it’s going to feel like harassment when someone tells them the truth – that they are going to murder their baby..The harassment is coming from within the person."