[Kobi]

Originally Posted by Miss Tick

I do see this as state sanctioned, or perhaps more accurately state mandated rape. However, what concerns me most is that beyond transvaginal ultrasounds there is a plethora of laws and bills being passed and proposed whose sole purpose is to weaken and ultimately eradicate the reproductive rights of women.

To narrowly focus on this one bill is, to me, short sighted when the Supreme Court’s decision regarding Roe vs. Wade pretty much makes all the bills the various states have been passing regarding abortion unlawful.

The Supreme Court decision is very clear “FOR THE STAGE PRIOR TO APPROXIMATELY THE END OF THE FIRST TRIMESTER, THE ABORTION DECISION AND ITS EFFECTUATION MUST BE LEFT TO THE MEDICAL JUDGMENT OF THE PREGNANT WOMAN'S ATTENDING PHYSICIAN.” The state has no right to interfere in this at all, in any way, with the exception of making sure the physician is licensed in the particular state where the abortion is to take place. The decision of the woman's physician as to what is necessary is final.

Not until the second trimester is the state allowed to promote its interest but even then it is only in regards to the health of the mother. It is not until the third trimester that the state can promote its interest in the potentiality of human life. It seems to me these states who have passed laws placing restrictions on abortion in the first trimester are not operating within federal law. So I wonder why is this not the approach being taken?

So I wonder why is this not the approach being taken?


Excellent question! I presume there are many different answers and a collaboration of perspectives is needed to sought the entire thing out.

My thinking based on what I am seeing is this is occuring because the GOP, especially the tea party folk, have changed strategies. And, the strategy is so simple, it is fucking brilliant and very scary.

What the GOP appears to have done is multifold. They have:

1. They have the coagulated power on the state level to push a moral agenda. We elected them. We elected a lot of them. They now have the power to push their agenda. The power was tested, the power is holding, the power is forging ahead.

What is simpler than to become the majority that makes the rules?

2. Learned to not attack the top of a ladder but to start at the bottom rung and work their way up i.e. cant attack Roe vs Wade but they can push the issue making the abortion process more burdensome on a state level.

3. They have added states rights vs federal rights into their moral agenda. And they are forging ahead, I think, to force the issue for a showdown with a President they consider to be beatable and a Congress that is sympathetic to their cause.

4. They are taking a very sexist path by focusing on issues essential to women. Why would you do that? Well lets see....if you think women are weak and stupid thus an easy target, it's a reason to go that route. If you think women have gotten to big for the common good, you might want to take that route. If you think women were made to be barefoot and pregnant and need to be shown the way back to where they belong, this is a good way to do it. If you think your rights and privileges as a man have been unfairly compromised, makes sense to go after those you believe have wronged you.

5. There is, to me, an inherent, implicit, racism thing going on as well between a POC president and a white GOP. Exploring it could take pages. I think it suffices to say, white privilege is rearing its head in a different way.

What is essential is to look at not only what is happening but in what context did it happen.

1.We had an unhappy country burdened with debt and an economic meltdown of historic proportions. People were hurting and angry.

2. People wanted "change". Understandable. Problem is, we didnt define the type of "change" we wanted. We just wanted something different that would restore all we had lost. Kind of, be careful what you ask for cuz you just might get it. We definately have change but not necessarily what people were envisioning.

3. We elected the first POC and the Tea Party got their foot in the door at a time of great upheavel in this country. Again, this could go on for pages.

I am sure there are many more things that were and are going on that are just not coming to mind. The point is, this didnt happen in a vacuum. Circumstances were such that this power struggle was easily created. It is also an election year. It is reasonable to expect the power struggle to escalate. There is a lot at risk for all sides. And, voters are notorious unpredictable and unaware of what is going on around them.

Just to touch on the Virginia law being conceived as stated mandated rape. I understand your rationale. At a different point in time, I might even have seen it similarly. Nowadays, I try to see things from more than one perspective so I dont get locked into a certain mind set. So, let me ask you this:

Appearing on the FBI website, the new definition of rape says: “Penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.”

So, if we are saying the requirement of a transvaginal ultrasound prior to an abortion is state mandated rape, arent we also saying the ultrasound tech performing the test is a rapist? Are you comfortable with saying someone just doing the requirements of their job is a rapist?