Monday, September 29, 2008

South Dakrazy

Well what do you know, South Dakota is at it again.
A state that currently makes obtaining an abortion a near impossibility is trying to reduce the occurrence of the procedure even more. After a rejected attempt to outlaw virtually all abortions in 2006, the state’s lawmakers are adding another initiative to the ballot this coming Election Day. The anti-abortion group Vote Yes for Life is pushing a new version of the 2006 initiative that would make all abortions illegal except for “cases of rape, incest and a narrow interpretation of the health and life of the woman.”

Current abortion laws in South Dakota are so strict that their validity under Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992) is extremely questionable. As a matter of fact, the abortion laws in South Dakota were specifically designed to challenge Roe with hopes of eventually overturning it. At this point, women seeking an abortion in the state are faced with several obstacles. There is currently only one abortion clinic in the state and women must travel several hours to reach it. As if that doesn’t make things difficult enough, under the law they must be informed that an abortion would "terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique living human being.” On top of that, “each woman must be told that abortion increases the risk of ‘suicide ideation and suicide,’ a medically disputed assertion, and must be offered the chance to view a sonogram. A 24-hour waiting period is required.”

The 1992 case Planned Parenthood v. Casey upheld Roe, but allowed a waiting period. The court also placed an “undue burden” standard on the law. This standard says that the state may discourage abortion, but may not place an undue burden on a woman. An undue burden is defined as “the purpose or effect of placing a substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion of a nonviable fetus." The South Dakota laws do just that, and if the November 4 ballot initiative passes, the burden will be even greater.

In layman's terms, these pro-lifers are so damned bored that they have nothing better to do than sit around and try to figure out ways to strip women of every last constitutional right, and their dignity to boot. What I'm really incensed about is the fact that women, who are already facing obvious difficulties if they are considering abortion, are being put through even more by the state. Pro-lifers always act like we women are just flopping our vaginas here and there and then saying..."Oopsy, time for another abortion!" They never take into consideration that for a woman to even decide to have an abortion, the circumstances must be pretty grim.
All their disgusting, over exaggerated, fear-mongering literature depicts happy little mommies with happy little baby bumps and Gymboree bags full of goodies for the baby to be. Maybe if they would get their heads of out their evangelical, right-wing asses, they might realize that most of the women who need abortions are not fit to be mothers in any way.
I guess they also believe that every little magical god-sent baby put up for adoption is going to find a loving family, even if they are so deformed or crack-addicted that they'll need special care for the rest of their life.

These people are so depraved and out of touch that they force lies into legislation and make doctors give women seeking abortions a little spiel about how they're probably going to commit suicide from all the guilt. This is a medically disputed fact, yet it is still required according to the law. The worst part is that if this initiative passes, a woman who is raped or is a victim of incest will also have to be put through the bureaucratic ringer as the state requires DNA testing to determine if the fetus is a product of the rape. This means that on top of being raped, women will be subject to questioning, testing, humiliation, and then, only possibly, the abortion procedure.

Now, I'm not so sure about the rate of suicide among typical abortion recipients, but if this three-ring circus doesn't send someone off the deep end, I don't know what would.

4 comments:

Kelsey said...

In layman's terms, South Dakotans are so damned bored that they have nothing better to do than sit around and try to figure out ways to strip women of every last constitutional right, and their dignity to boot.

We didn't exactly get together as a state and decide to put this thing on the ballot. There are plenty of pro-choice, common sense South Dakotans that are just as horrified (probably more) as you you are. But thanks for generalizing about an entire state of people you don't know!

Ms. Mercury said...

OK, I apologize, I didn't mean to generalize, and certainly didn't mean to offend anyone. I realize that not ALL South Dakotans are a part of this effort, but I find myself so outraged that there are groups whose sole purpose is to undo the decades of work that so many women fought for. I actually meant to side with the women in the state who are being stripped of their rights. Again, my apologies.

Ms. Mercury said...

Also, I shall correct my generalization.

Kelsey said...

Thanks for the correction!