Land of the Free – yeah right!
Thoughts on abortion and stupidity

So, America is supposed to be the beacon of freedom, the den of democracy, the region of rights. Yeah, I’m not seeing it.

South Dakota has just made abortion illegal except if the woman’s life is in imminent danger.

“22-17-5.1.….Any person who administers to any pregnant female or who prescribes or procures for any pregnant female any medicine, drug, or substance or uses or employs any instrument or other means with intent thereby to procure an abortion, unless there is appropriate and reasonable medical judgment that performance of an abortion is necessary to preserve the life of the pregnant female, is guilty of a Class 6 felony.”
http://legis.state.sd.us/statutes/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&Statute=22-17-5.1

So let’s think about that. This means no abortion in cases of rape or incest. (The governor of SD made this comment “in cases of simple rape, there should be no thought of abortion”. SIMPLE RAPE?? I wonder if he’d think differently after someone simply raped him! Cretin.) No abortion for rape or incest victims. No exceptions for very young women. No exceptions for the woman’s health or circumstances.

Here’s what this means in real terms:
Raped and impregnated at the age of 12?
Sorry, that’s tough.
Your father is also the father of your child?
Sorry, that’s tough.
Giving birth at a young age will damage you internally and make you unable to bear kids in the future?
Sorry, that’s tough.
Pregnancy and labour will permanently cripple you due to the fragile state of your health? Sorry, that’s tough.
You have an abusive partner who not only beats you but will start on the kid as soon as it emerges?
Sorry, that’s tough.

This law tells the women of SD that they must put the zygote/embryo/fetus over their own health and emotional wellbeing because they were just stupid enough to have sex or get raped. After all, we all know that rape victims were ‘asking for it’, right? CRETINS!!!

There is a light at the end of the tunnel. For those who don’t know, Native American reservations are more or less treated as independent and allowed to rule themselves for the most part. State laws generally don’t apply within the reservation. So the fabulous Cecilia Fire Thunder, President of the Oglala Sioux on the Pine Ridge reservation is doing something about this attack on women’s rights. She is going to establish a Planned Parenthood clinic on reservation land, where the SD governor can’t do anything about it. HA HA! Come on girl!
(more details here: http://www.indianz.com/News/2006/013061.asp)

Here’s the difference between the pro-choice and pro-life movements. Obviously we vehemently disagree with each other BUT if pro-choice laws are in place, everyone can follow their own beliefs about what they should do with their own bodies. If pro-life laws are in place, like in SD, everyone has to follow pro-life beliefs. Which is bad. I can’t make a medical decision for a woman I don’t know. She can’t make decisions for me. Medical decision making should be between a woman and her doctor, and her god if she happens to have one. No other bugger gets a say!

I am SO grateful that I live in the UK. I hope that we are far too liberal to ever allow this shit to happen here, but if it looks like happening I will be right there in front of Parliament saying ‘Bugger Off!’

Most blogreaders probably already know about Molly Saves the Day and her thoughts on the above, but I’d like to link to her excellent blog anyway for anyone who hasn’t already read it:

http://www.mollysavestheday.blogspot.com/

Next up: Mississippi bans sex toys. No, really!