I’m thankful that this man will pay the price for the horrible acts he committed; all the women whose lives were affected deserve no less.
This tragedy should serve as a wakeup call to lawmakers to ensure that all women have access to safe and legal abortion care.
We can’t let anti-choice politicians use the Gosnell trial to make it even more difficult for women get an abortion.
The media reported that the women who went to Gosnell talked about not having enough money to be able to go to a reputable doctor – Pennsylvania is one of 33 states that doesn’t offer low-income women assistance for abortion care. The women also described being intimidated by clinic protestors at other well-known clinics.
Our choices about when, how, and with whom we have families shouldn’t be used as political footballs. Studies have shown that the number of women seeking abortion is the same all over the world no matter its legal status, but more women die in countries where abortion is illegal.1
It is so important for people to know and share the facts about how it has become nearly impossible for some women to access abortion – and why women are forced to turn to a monster like Gosnell.
Please welcome back guest blogger K.C. Boyd. You might remember her from her earlier posts. This one is longer than her others, so we’re only posting part of it. You can link over to read the rest here.
Another Upchuckable Week - the place where religion meets your rights – by K. C. Boyd
With the 2012 election a dim memory and it’s crazy-making religion soaked primaries even dimmer, you’d be well advised to keep an eye on the states because that’s where it’s happening when it comes to Christian Crazies. For a brief sampling, take a read:
Here
Proving there’s still a little ‘Year of the Bible’ in all of us, last month the Pennsylvania House of Representatives declared the fast-approaching April 30 as “National Fast Day.” http://bit.ly/108RbBq
Conservatives target political funding, investing where it gets the biggest political bang: in statehouses. Take a look here to learn about state funding efforts : http://bit.ly/17BbL2Ls
The “State” of Education
A Central Mississippi high school allegedly forced students to watch a Christian video and listen to church officials preach about Jesus Christ. http://bit.ly/11WzIMN
In Tennessee: The Blue Ridge Christian Academy Gave Fourth Graders the Creationism Test Heard Around the Internet. http://bit.ly/158eumJ
In New York, the Godly wonder: Can the Bible Save Minority Students From NYC’s Failing Public Education System? http://bit.ly/12tlgyG
HB 1017, which sailed through the Arkansas House of Representatives, would require the state board of education to approve public school courses that teach the Bible. Similar measures were introduced in North Carolina and Wyoming. http://bit.ly/18sAMfa
Virginia politicians tried a different tactic: a state constitutional amendment mandating that citizens as well as elected officials and state employees have the right to pray on government premises and public property. http://bit.ly/18sAMfa
Pennsylvania must have some pretty dumb pencils because: 20 percent of its high school science teachers say they believe in creationism. Zowie.Zounds. Egad. http://bit.ly/166pZdL
Mississippi, (Yet again. – do I detect a pattern – er, a takeover?) opens the door to student-led prayer. The state makes schools develop policies giving opportunity to pray/preach at official school events. http://bit.ly/18sAMfa
In the hang-loose, shake your bootie state of Hawaii; Governor Neil Abercrombie (alas, he’s a Dem) proposed amending the state constitution to allow for public funding of religious pre-schools. http://bit.ly/108Smkv
Alaska legislators have proposed amending the state constitution to allow for tax aid to religious schools. http://bit.ly/108Smkv
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott ruled that school districts and cities are in violation of the State Constitution for offering health insurance benefits to the domestic partners of their employees.. http://bit.ly/16qIs51
A new Alabama tax-credit lawthat subsidizes tuition at private schools will likely end up helping academies founded to get around racial desegregation of public schools. http://bit.ly/108Smkv
Down in the bayou, a Louisiana voucher plan subsidizes religion: http://bit.ly/108Smkv
Speaking of Louisiana, Here’s an Extra Bit of Educational Lagniappe
Despite a half century Of Supreme Court Rulings, states still look for ways to sneak prayer Into Public Schools. http://bit.ly/18sAMfa
The eight most conservative senators join fight against common core education standards. http://bit.ly/12Jg9up
It’s on to the 2014 Election Upchuckables aka, How To Insure Religion Remains On the Ballot
The American Renewal Project, whatever the frick that means, plans to target twelve key swing states in the mid-terms. Reminiscent of Ohio’s ’06 dance with the “Patriot Pastors,” they plan to organize pastor briefings and voter registration drives in an attempt to restore the U. S. to its Judeo-Christian roots. http://yhoo.it/YwDsGE
Mat Staver’s Liberty Counsel, an affiliate of Jerry Falwell Liberty University, announced that it is gearing up to mobilize pastors who share the belief “that America was established as a Christian nation, and the guardians of those Biblical principles has always been His church.” http://bit.ly/17BcYal
Novelist K.C. Boyd is the author of Being Christian: A Novel. According to Mikey Weinstein, President of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, “Boyd created a story so riveting that not only could I not put it down, but upon finishing it, I found myself, like an addict, craving more.
This is what the Republicans did with their big new majority after the
2010 election. Republicans’ jobs, jobs, jobortion agenda is so fast they`re focusing on the area of legislation so intently that it kind of seems like there should be a monthly newsletter for following this sort of thing.
Benen writes that the Franks bill will “almost certainly not” have a chance of becoming law. But that doesn’t mean that the constant and astounding Republican hypocrisy doesn’t extend to their claims of coveting “small government” as they try to jam their intrusive laws down America’s throats:
[L]et’s call this what it is: a big government proposal in which federal lawmakers want to overrule the judgment of local officials, overriding the wishes of a city because some in Congress feel like it.
Another “jobortion” bill will bite the dust, right alongside what’s left of “Republican credibility.”
“[W]hen the people of Mississippi were given a chance to vote on that initiative, they turned it down. And Mississippi is a conservative state.”
“The fact is, after decades of progress, there’s still those who want to turn back the clock.”
“When you read about some of these laws, you want to check the calendar, you want to make sure you’re still living in 2013.”
“When it comes to a woman’s health, no politician should decide what’s best for you.”
“When politicians try to turn Planned Parenthood into a punching bag… When they talk about cutting off funding, let’s be clear, they’re talking about telling many of those women, you’re on your own. They’re talking about shutting those women out at a time when they may need it most.”
“No matter how great the challenge, no matter how fierce the opposition, if there’s one thing the past few years have shown, it’s that Planned Parenthood is not going anywhere.”
There has been a concerted effort recently by conservatives doing what they can to chisel away at or completely ban legal abortion as the War on Women and their reproductive rights continues to take precedence over mundane matters like, you know, jobs.
Please welcome back guest blogger K.C. Boyd. You might remember her from her earlier posts:
A Week of Upchucks
By K. C. Boyd
“Pro-Life” Upchucking
Add Ohio’s to the ever-growing list of states whose House voted to defund Planned Parenthood.
Senator Brownback signed House Bill 2253 this week. Scribbled at the top of his marked up copy of this “Pro-Life Protections Act,” were the words Jesus & Mary, with “Pro-Life” further down in the margins. Good to confirm in writing that legislators really do govern by Sharia the Bible. After North Dakota, the Kansas bill is second to define life as beginning at conception.
Beyond Upchuck: Second child of faith-healing couple dies after no medical care
With the death of an 8-month old baby resulting from Fundamentalist Christians putting faith over science, this is well beyond your average upchuck. When you become a parent, you are responsible for your children’s health and welfare, and that includes after the child is born. If a mother or father chooses God over medicine for themselves, that’s their choice, and their problem. But to sit by and pray while their 8-month baby struggles for days with severe diarrhea and breathing problems, such negligence is criminal (even more so, this being their second child to have died from prayerful neglect.)
Meanwhile, out in Oklahoma, self-proclaimed pro-lifers, more accurately described as pro-negligence once the baby is born, have decided that public education’ isn’t all that important or necessary. In line with the ‘drown-it-in-the-bathtub’ meme, Kansas’ governor and legislators have enacted public school cuts that are among nation’s highest and which, over time, may well destroy public education, as we know it. At the same time, the goodly legislators are looking for ways to cut taxes (for the rich.)
Schaudenfreude Upchuck
Things aren’t looking too promising for a successful GOP’ wooing of the LGBT community. Despite the spoken desire by one wing of the party to at least appear more gay-friendly, the RNC couldn’t help caving to the Rebiblicans’ that make up its base. At the RNC April meeting in Los Angeles, The GOP confirmed that they cannot and will not change their platform when it comes to gay marriage. Why schaudenfreude, you ask? Quite frankly because this upchucker loves nothing more than to see than the GOP engage in all manner of self-sabotage.
Dino Upchuck
Ken Ham is smiling these days thanks to a deal his Answers in Genesis’ ad agency made to screen an animated Creation Museum commercial during previews at each of the 458 theaters showing the newly released Jurassic Park 3-D movie. Not only that but these theaters will also continuously loop said commercial in their lobbies, exposing evermore young people to the Big Lie.
And finally, heading over to the land of whack job Upchucks
Ann Coulter exercised her right to persecute Muslims on Fox (cough) News when she stated that the Boston bombing suspect’s wife should be in prison for wearing a hijab. Talk about denying a woman’s rights – - someone needs to sew her mouth permanently shut.
Pat Robertson, never one to disappoint averred that “Islam is to blame for not only the Boston Marathon bombing, but terrorism around the world.” Comparing ‘Evil’ Islam To Nazism, Robertson is sure to have ruffled the feathers of many a future would-be terrorist.
Lastly there’s the Beckster’s continued accusations of a dreamt–up government cover-up with regards to the Marathon bombing. Informed by what can only be a super-duper top-secret source, Beck accuses the Dems of hiding “damning evidence” that a Saudi National was involved in the Boston bombing. Of course we know he’s a nutcase but something that most folks aren’t aware of is that Homeland Security Chairman Michael T. McCaul, Jeff Duncan, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, Peter King and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security, Candice Miller wrote to Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano requesting an immediate classified debriefing on the Saudi whose identity is said to be hidden and who the government instantly spirited out of the country/ This can’t help but make one remember when Bush and Co. really did whisk the Bin Laden family out of the country just after 9/11, well before private or commercial planes were permitted back in the air.
I say, keep it up guys. Keep on recruiting for the bad guys while you root to undermine education, science and equal rights.
We’ll see you in 2014.
Novelist K.C. Boyd is the author of Being Christian: A Novel. According to Mikey Weinstein, President of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, “Boyd created a story so riveting that not only could I not put it down, but upon finishing it, I found myself, like an addict, craving more.
You know how Republicans love to tout the U.S. Constitution? Oh, I’m sorry, I meant to write, you know how Republicans love to tout certain parts of the U.S. Constitution when it suits them. My bad.
One of those parts that they wave around a lot is the First Amendment (and of course, the Second Amendment, but right now, let’s concentrate on the First). “Freedom of speech!” they tweet me if I dare to use the Twitter “block” option, not realizing that the Constitution refers to government infringement, not my personal blocking rights. Same goes for Comments here at TPC. But I digress…
Many in the GOP seem to ignore basic concepts like, oh I dunno, separation of church and state. Wiki reminds us:
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”, thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.[15]
Kansas governor Sam Brownback must have let that slip his mind. Or didn’t care. Or something. Think Progress is reporting on how he signed one of the most restrictive anti-abortion, pro-personhood, pro-forced birth laws ever, even requiring doctors to lie to their patients about the disputed theory that abortions lead to cancer.
And then he added his own special LookaMeI’mAChristian touch:
Before Brownback signed HB 2253 into law at a ceremony at the statehouse on Friday, an AP photo reveals that he made a few additions of his own in his notes on the bill. He typed out some phrases — “building a culture of life,” and “all human life is sacred” — that he ended up using in his speech to abortion opponents before approving the legislation, and he also scribbled “JESUS + Mary” at the top of the paper.
Guess what, Governor Sam? Your religion is not necessarily anyone else’s religion. Your Jesus/Mary embellishment is completely inappropriate and should never have been scrawled on a government document. And Jesus and Mary have nothing to do with legislating, let alone a law that eliminates legal reproductive rights of women.
Religious beliefs should not be a foundation for U.S. law. Feel free to practice any faith you choose, but don’t force it unto others. To quote Barry Lynn, ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, a lawyer, and Executive Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State:
This struggle is really nothing more than an attempt by somereligious groups to use the power of the government to impose their dogma about reproduction, sexuality and the beginnings of life.
Invoking those names, or any religious references, are irrelevant and, hey guess what, there are actual living, breathing Christians who are pro-choice:
People of faith support women’s access to contraception, and most religious groups don’t want to overturnRoe v. Wade. In fact, over 75 percent of white Protestants — along with 65 percent of black Protestants and 63 percent of white Catholics — support women’s constitutional right to legal abortion services.
Reince Priebus, or as Garry Trudeau likes to call him, “Prieb-Dawg,” doesn’t seem to realize why his party lost in November. Did he not read his own autopsy report?
(CNN) – “Let me make crystal clear something I’ve said since January,” RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said in a speech before the vote on the resolutions. “While we have to do things differently, there’s one thing that can’t and won’t change: our principles. … [A]s long as I’m Chairman, we’ll stay true to them. Some would have us turn into Democrats-lite, but I refuse.”
Attaboy, Reince! Status quo! Status quo!
Time to haul out the ol’ images again:
Wait. It gets funnier:
“For the GOP to appeal to younger voters, we do not have to agree on every issue, but we do need to make sure young people do not see the Party as totally intolerant of alternative points of view,” the five members of the task force wrote in the report titled the Growth and Opportunity Project.
No, they wouldn’t want youth voters to see the Party as “totally” intolerant… just partially intolerant. Check.
They may want to look up the definitions of “growth” and “opportunity” while they’re at it.
“Already, there is a generational difference within the conservative movement about issues involving the treatment and the rights of gays … If our Party is not welcoming and inclusive, young people and increasingly other voters will continue to tune us out.”
Why, whoever would want to tune out a party that tunes out so many whoevers?
Here’s the punch line: The Republican National Committee approved two resolutions today re-affirming the party’s position on marriage. It’s apparently very important for them to make sure we all know that, to them, marriage is still a “union of one man and one woman,” dammit. Not two men and one woman, or two women and one man, or three men and three men, or one woman and one woman, or… Well, you get the idea….
… all while they’re being “welcoming and inclusive.” Check.
“Our critics say we should abandon our pro-life beliefs. But that would only demoralize our voters,” Ryan said. “It’s an odd strategy, I think: the cynical ploy followed by the thumping defeat.”
Ryan opposes abortion rights, except when the woman’s life is in danger.
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