News sources are reporting again that the GOP has managed to find a way to sneak in intention to a new bill regarding government-funded abortion. Previously, the law has allowed for government funded abortions in cases of incest or statutory rape. The new law under consideration likewise, does not exclude this, however, the committee reports that will be used to determine the intent of legislation upon legal or court challenges later does. It specifically states the intention of the bill is to exclude the use of government funded abortions in the case of statutory rape. (
source)
If you are the parent of a minor daughter who was raped by an older male, the idea of forcing her to carry this child to term might seem repugnant, and rightly so. What this really then boils down to is a matter of economics. Wealthy parents in this situation would simply be able to pay for an abortion, and if not legal here in the USA, wherever it is legal. However, if you are parents without the economic resources to have an abortion, what are you to do?
Apparently, the GOP would...
(a) force you to force your raped daughter to carry the baby to term,
(b) force you to pay all of the pregnancy-associated medical expenses,
(c) force you to pay for the delivery of the baby,
(d) force you to either then pay all of the expenses associated with raising the child or putting the child up for adoption, and
(e) force you to deal with the emotional responses to the events from your daughter, or
(f) pay for the abortion yourself somehow.
Wow, must be nice to be and live your life on such a high horse as to be able to make this kind of a series of decisions for another family. Talk about an intrusive government that infringes on the rights of the individual.
This wouldn't be all that bad maybe if the very same people weren't out fighting funding for human reproduction rights education, distribution of condoms, and funding for Planned Parenthood (an organization that works to educate and empower young women to help them avoid getting into the situation of needing an abortion in the first place. (
source). It's tiring to hear the "well, they should have been better parents" argument. Don't good, God-fearing Christians know the expression, "there but for the grace of God go I."?
Why on earth have Tea Party and GOP congresspersons decided to make it their mission to take away rights that were so hard fought to earn in the first place? Are there actually people out there who think that abortion is a good thing? Most people who are in favor of the right to choose are not actually in favor of the actual process of abortion. Instead, they are in favor of the decision being made from logic and common sense rather than fear and loathing. They prefer that the decision be made by a woman in consult with her physician, her family, and her clergy. They prefer young women of economic distress have options other than back alleys, quacks, and accidental reproductive sterilization. They prefer there be a high degree of support, counseling, and information rather than a cold, unsterile, emotionless environment for what could be the most devastating decision of a lifetime. Know a woman who's had an abortion? Why not ask her for some time to talk. Ask her how difficult a decision is was, how much regret, etc. Ask her about the complete sense of helplessness and hopelessness she felt. No one should face this decision with the government in her face nor the long looks of disappointment of an entire culture of people.