Rep. Sue Wallis rocks.

A Wyoming House of Representatives bill that would have required doctors to offer an ultrasound to any woman seeking an abortion has been defeated in commitee.
http://www.trib.com/articles/2009/02/05/legislature/breaking/doc498b13d76e5d9724543036.txt
Kudos to Representative Sue Wallis (a Republican from Gillette) for providing personal testimonial about her own abortion and her lack of regret about it. She didn't have to add her story to the debate, but attached a very public face to the issue by doing so.

Right to Life ad - Planet Jackson Hole 2.04.09

“… I honestly think of your advertisement each day before I open the Jackson Hole paper. It is difficult because I am reminded of the abortion I had over 40 years ago. I think your readers should know that abortion is not a one day event. Once you have an abortion it is with you
almost every day for the rest of your life. The guilt, the remorse, the loss never leaves …
Please keep up your wonderful attempts to protect the innocent.”

– Anonymous letter to Right to Life of Teton County

While we will refrain from questioning the letter writer's personal feelings about her abortion, we must take issue with her obvious generalizations and projecting. The fact is, the vast majority of women that have abortions do not regret them, rarely think about them, and even more rarely report feelings of guilt, remorse, or loss. Check out I'm Not Sorry for stories that paint completely different pictures from the letter author's.

The number one emotion reported by women post-abortion is relief. It is unconscionable to use scare tactics (you'll be scarred for the rest of your life!) to try and convince women not to have abortions. Some women may regret their abortions. Some will think it's the best decision they ever made. At least they were free to make the choice.

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What he said.

President Obama yesterday issued a statement on the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, reiterating his support for abortion rights, but also saying he is interested in abortion reduction. The statement:

"On the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we are reminded that this decision not only protects women’s health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters. I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose. While this is a sensitive and often divisive issue, no matter what our views, we are united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the need for abortion, and support women and families in the choices they make. To accomplish these goals, we must work to find common ground to expand access to affordable contraception, accurate health information, and preventative services. On this anniversary, we must also recommit ourselves more broadly to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights and opportunities as our sons: the chance to attain a world-class education; to have fulfilling careers in any industry; to be treated fairly and paid equally for their work; and to have no limits on their dreams. That is what I want for women everywhere."

Couldn't agree more.

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Change we need!

It looks like President-Elect Obama (just a few more hours!) will act quickly to reverse the Bush's administration's global war on family planning. To me, this is a good sign of things to come.

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A priest in South Carolina has told his parishioners that they should not take communion if they voted for Barack Obama unless they confess their sin of cooperating with "intrinsic evil". No joke. The evil of which the good father speaks is abortion. Barack Obama is pro-choice and is, therefore, evil.

Although one might be tempted to dismiss this self-aggrandizing proclamation as typical wingnuttiness, the problem is this type of hateful speech promotes violence. The priest calls abortion an "abomination that cries out to Heaven for vengeance". Some weak-minded crackpot is devising his plans for holy war as we speak.

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To Scan or not to Scan

I'm linking to this new article on The Slate by William Saletan talking about ultrasounds, birth defects and abortion. In the article, he discusses the conundrum facing pro-lifers regarding the increasing sophistication of ultrasound technology. Pro-lifers, particularly through their sham Crisis Pregnancy Centers, have long championed the ultrasound based on the presumption that a woman who sees the fetus on a screen will be less likely to terminate the pregnancy. However, ultrasounds also have the potential to reveal possible birth defects which might lead a woman who wanted to bring the pregnancy to term to consider abortion. Pro-lifers say they want the pregnant woman to have all the information. Does that include information that the child might be born with a fatal condition that would result in a short, painful life?

Moreover, the "improvement" in ultrasound technology has resulted in many more false alarms and false positives that can scare the wits out of expecting mothers. My sister's first ultrasound revealed a cyst in the fetus's brain that was "indicative" of a certain birth defect. After a week of panic (she had already had one miscarriage), the second ultrasound showed that the cyst had disappeared. It is possible that these scans are now showing normal development processes that earlier scans did not.

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Who the Heck Was Jerome LeJeune?

In last week's Planet Jackson Hole, Right to Life of Teton County had an ad quoting Dr. Jerome LeJeune. "After fertilization has taken place, a new human being has come into being," reads the quote. Dr. LeJeune is credited in the ad with receiving "the world's highest award for work in the field of genetics."

I was dubious. Especially with all those creepy salamander feet imprints on the border of the ad.

So I decided to investigate. It turns out Dr. LeJeune was a real person and indeed a celebrated French geneticist who discovered the chromosome abnormality in humans that causes Down syndrome.

He was also staunchly "pro-life" and a friend of Pope John Paul II, who appointed LeJeune to the Pontifical Academy for Life. If we assume the "world's highest award" to be the Nobel Prize, LeJeune was never awarded it, though many thought he should have been.

If you google Dr. LeJeune's name, you'll come up with a host of anti-abortion websites and blogs. He appears to be THE scientist of the anti-choice movement. He set the groundwork for other anti-choice physicians to manipulate science to fit their own world view, and with disastrous consequences. Case in Point: the "The Pill Kills" campaign by the American Life League which will stage protests across the nation on June 7. They campaign is designed to frighten young women into thinking they are "killing" "pre-born" babies when they take a contraceptive pill. Based on Dr. LeJeune's logic that a human life begins at fertilization, the American Life League has worked out a twisted logic that the Pill prevents fertilized eggs from attaching to the uterine wall, thereby "killing" the "human" that zygote would be. According to Planned Parenthood, there is no evidence that the pill works this way. It works the way we've always known it to work, by preventing fertilization in the first place. Basically the whole "The Pill Kills" campaign is directed at the rare "breakthrough" pregnancies that can occur while taking the Pill. Once again, the anti-choice movement is trying to chip away at women's reproductive rights by creating hysteria around rare events (as they did with late-term abortions.)

In any case, I really hate this debate over when life starts anyway. It's beside the point. American women have the constitutional right to terminate an unwanted pregnancy and just like we have the constitutional right to use the Pill. Join in on Planned Parenthood's June 7 celebration of the landmark Supreme Court decision to protect the use of birth control. They'll be taking a giant Pill to Capitol Hill!

And read this excellent Feministing post for more info on why the Pill Kills campaign is a load of horseshit.

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Mother's Day

As one of the moms in our group of bloggers, I've been asked to blog about Mother's Day. This will be, in fact, my second Mother's Day as a mom. Last year I celebrated by taking my newborn home from the hospital.
I have gained a whole new appreciation for my mom and all mothers from my fairly new perspective as a member of this group. Now I understand why my mom didn't want me to ride my bike further than a block away and why she always waited up until I was home. I understand why she still feels the need to give me advice and warnings.
Having a child means a piece of your heart has been yanked out of your body and placed in a delicate little person who will do stupid things, make you worry, and eventually leave you. I didn't care much for babies or kids before I had mine. Now the thought of someone harming any child sickens me and brings out my momma-bear instinct. I love my little cub more than anything, and my goal is to raise her to become a strong woman who knows no boundaries or restrictions on what she can do with her life.
When I was pregnant, I asked my husband if our impending parenthood changed his feelings about abortion. He said it didn't. I agreed. If anything, experiencing the ups and downs, the stresses and joys of being a parent has only enforced my feelings that no woman should be forced to keep a pregnancy. Pregnancy and parenting are hard and should only be undertaken by those who desire it.
So, this Mother's Day, tell your mom you love her and appreciate her. She's done alot for you, and while I'm sure she was happy to change your 3rd poopy diaper of the day, it's nice to be appreciated. The first time my daughter smiled at me made me forget the previous month of meconium, spit up, and very little sleep. She doesn't ever really need to buy me flowers or a card. As long as she keeps smiling, that's enough for me.

Marketing Mom's Day to Progressives

If I get one more "do it for Mom" solicitation email from one of the progressive organizations I belong to, I'm going to scream! So far, I have received Mother's Day fundraising pleas from:

1 Sky (climate change)
Planned Parenthood
Code Pink
Amnesty International
Feminist Majority

I like these organizations. I understand they need money. But I really hate it when they jump on the bandwagon of turning holidays and meaningful tribute days into "shopping" days, like Kmart or Victoria's Secret do. It's great to be part of the tribute & celebration of moms. Just don't pull on my progressive guilt strings. I don't need a tie-in to contribute -- I'm much more apt to give to a specific campaign than a feel-good exploitation of mothers.

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No Comment

"The most dangerous place in America today is in a mother's womb!"

- Elaine Kuhr, Right to Life of Teton County, April 25, JH Daily

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Call your senators

From Feminist Newswire:

Senate Bill Targets Deceptive Advertising by Pregnancy Crisis Centers

Senator Robert Menendez introduced a bill in the Senate yesterday that would regulate the misleading advertising practices of Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs). Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women’s Services Act would require the Federal Trade Commission to create and enforce rules to prohibit CPCs' deceptive advertising practices, such as advertising under the term "abortion services." The act expressly defines abortion services to mean "providing surgical and non-surgical procedures to terminate a pregnancy, or providing referrals for such procedures."

House Representative Carolyn Maloney introduced the Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women's Services Act in the House last summer.

Rep. Maloney said, "Although I may disagree with their views, many crisis pregnancy centers are forthright and respectful and they have a right to exist. Unfortunately, some take a more underhanded approach to lure in women seeking abortions by using tactics that should be illegal. Many women who face unwanted pregnancies find themselves in a very difficult, very personal situation. They shouldn't have to face the added stress of deciphering whether or not the clinic they choose offers legitimate medical services."
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Right to Life Ad - Planet Jackson Hole 3/12/08

Having actually had the benefit of comprehensive sex education in school, I know that a woman becomes pregnant when a sperm fertilizes one of her eggs, most commonly as a product of unprotected sex. Whether you believe this is a result of divine intervention, hormonal compulsion, or individual determination is your choice.

Welcome to the United States of America, where the First Amendment prohibits the establishment of a national religion.

You are free to practice one of the many religions present in this country just like I am free to believe most of those religions were the invention of patriarchal white men and have very little to do with leading a moral life. You, however, do not have the right to force your beliefs on the rest of us by attempting to codify your religious dogma into secular laws.