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Jed Rothwell's avatar

No, Terry and Labash are not serious about abortion. The only way to reduce abortion is to increase sex education, contraceptives and healthcare for women. They say nothing about these things. Their opposition to abortion is performative. They do not want to reduce abortion; they want women to stop having sex. Well summarized by Gail Collins:

Don’t Be Fooled. It’s All About Women and Sex.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/11/opinion/roe-v-wade-senate.html

QUOTE:

"All this is basically about punishing women who want to have sex for pleasure. It’s a concept with a long tradition in American history. Back in 1873, Congress began to pass a series of laws prohibiting dissemination through the mail of birth control literature, drugs or devices. Later, when a journalist asked Anthony Comstock, founder of the New York Commission on the Suppression of Vice, whether it would be all right for a woman to use contraceptives if pregnancy would endanger her life, Comstock snapped: 'Can they not use self-control? Or must they sink to the level of beasts?'"

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Sue Connaughton's avatar

Regarding the Labash article, I find the “Abortion is never mentioned in the Constitution” defense absurd (yes, I realize this is Alito’s defense but Labash parrots it). Women aren’t mentioned in the Constitution, therefore women are unenumerated, so, do we not exist?

The underlying question asked by Terry is (his words)- If we compel pregnant women to carry their babies to term, what are we willing to do to see that the mom and child are not trapped in ignorance or poverty?

I find this question and his stance in general to be reductive. He speaks of “compelling” women to give birth. So in his world view, a pregnant woman is a human incubator whose job is to grow a baby. Compelling (his word) women to give birth is a dystopian nightmare. His view is also simplistic. He asks whether anti abortion forces are willing to do more to aid pregnant women like- take in a pregnant teen, or help a pregnant woman get on her feet. On the surface, this sounds noble, however, it completely ignores the realities of pregnancy, childbirth and parenting. It’s not as simple as giving the pregnant woman some diapers or cash. He sounds like someone who has absolutely no idea what it takes, both physically and emotionally, to raise a child and what a life long commitment parenting is.

Regarding the Terry anecdote about someone finding viable fetal remains. First, I don’t believe it but, more importantly this is the classic red herring thrown around by the anti abortion crowd. Women late in their pregnancies don’t just wake up one morning and say- This pregnancy is a real nuisance, so I think I’ll get an abortion today. Late term abortions are very rare and occur because something has gone terribly wrong and either the fetus has died or the mother has become gravely ill. This week several governors in red states have said they will remove the exemption that permits an abortion if the mother’s health is in danger. Why? Because they believe the standard is too lenient.

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