Friday, September 05, 2008

GOVERNMENT INTRUSION ONTO MEDICAL AFFAIRS

As requested by two friends of mine, I am going to do some more research into abortion, adoption, their connection, Supreme Court Cases, laws, and legislators. What legislators, pro lifers and prochoicers don't realize is that we adoptees are stuck in the middle living adoption and living with the "threat" that we might have been aborted. In fact, I know of a couple of adoptee friends who have been told that by their mothers. This list is a list of Supreme Court Cases that all challenged state laws on abortion These states have all attempted to restrict abortion in some form or fashion in recent years.

Here are some statistics from various polls around the country. These are very telling in that if this subject is voted on by the American people. A woman's right to chose an abortion would win hands down. Many right to life groups are going other routes. They are convincing legislators to pass the laws instead of putting in the hands and the vote of the American people.

Another issue that I find interesting is when abortion is discussed and the others options are presented. One site was very enlightening. I quote the particular phrase:

A woman named Catherine said: "I think there are two big parts of the abortion thing: One is the legality, and one's the morality. And from a moral standpoint, I think abortion is wrong. It's immoral; it's unethical. I would never have an abortion, personally. If a friend of mine were to become pregnant I would advocate for adoption or keeping the baby."

Is it just me but do you know how parenting one's own child is second to adoption? In many of the CPC (Crisis Pregnancy Centers) websites, they all advocate for adoption first. Many of these websites are also connected to adoption agencies across the country. Many legislators including the Presidential candidates both advocate for making adoption easier. This is what stops me dead in my tracks from completely supporting Obama. Both candidates also want to increase federal funding for "faith based initiatives." When organizations like Catholic Charities and LDS Family Services already get federal funds from the foster care adoptions that they do, I have an issue with faith based initiatives. There is no accountability to those living adoption. These church charities get non profit status and no reporting status from the IRS. An adoptive parent, adoptee, nor natural parent can not check these faith based agencies out. In fact, many states do not have tough licensing laws for adoption agencies.

There is a decision process of sex and pregnancy that NOW has argued. I agree with it but I can show you where the women in this process are left behind by the various organizations.
  • A woman must first decide on whether or not she wants to have sex.
  • If she gets pregnant, she must decide whether or not to terminate. If she continues with the pregnancy, the pro choice groups at this point abandon the woman.
  • After she delivers the child, she must then decide whether or not to parent her own child. If she parents, then many of the right to life movement abandon her at this point.
  • If she places the child, then they rejoice.
This scenerio has played itself out over and over for the last thirty four years. My questions are tough ones for those that read here. Are we as a country willing to go back to the years of women being forced to relinquish? Are we as a country willing to support these women even with federal funds to help them raise their own children? Once Roe vs. Wade is thrown out, then contraception and a woman's reproductive health are next. In fact, that is already started to happen. Another situation that bothers me a great deal is that both adoption and abortion both abdicate men from ever taking responsibility of their own children. So often the blame of the pregnancy falls to the woman. A woman can not get pregnant on her own. Men's groups are fighting having to pay child support all over the country. Men want sex but they are not very willing to take responsibility of their actions. I am not saying all but some. That is why there are putative father registries out there. The adoption agencies know how to get around these putative father registries.

Many states are now trying to ban abortion like South Dakota did. The law passed the legislators and the governor but enough people and Planned Parenthood made the governor put it to a vote with the people of South Dakota. The bill failed. This law was removed from the books in South Dakota. There are other states challenging Roe vs. Wade.
  • Alabama has a similar law to South Dakota. Its been in judicial committees since 2006.
  • Colorado has also introduced a bill. On 2007-NOV-13, the Colorado Supreme Court approved the referendum's wording. If the group is able to collect 76,000 affirmative signatures from state citizens, then the question will be placed on the 2008 ballot. The group expects to collect about 100,000. signatures.That is, pre-embryos, embryos, and fetuses would be guaranteed the same rights as newborns, children and adults. This would go to the Supreme Court as a challenge for Roe vs. Wade.
  • Louisiana introduced a bill by Timothy Burns. Its just as scary as Colorado's bill. Women have to go above and beyond. It would outlaw all abortions except in three situations. A woman can have an abortion if it saves her life. The rape victim has to prove within five days of the rape that she wasn't previously pregnant by a doctor. She also has to report the rape within seven days to the police. The same also applies to victims of incest. This must all be done within the first thirteen weeks of pregnancy. Women already have a tough time proving rape in this country. This bill also has an effect on contraception. These terms also include all forms of medicine. His bill failed but a state senators passed restricting all abortions. There were no exceptions. This bill will only become law if Roe vs. Wade is overturned.
  • Michigan is another state that has gotten a petition together to ban abortion but they failed to get the required signatures needed to put this on the ballot in Michigan. If Roe vs. Wade is overturned, the law in Michigan will go back to banning abortions. It will allow abortions only before a woman has felt a quickening which is movement of the fetus.
  • Missouri had one filed by a state senator and state representative. Both bills banned all abortions with the exception of the life of a woman. It too violated the Roe vs. Wade criteria. It would pass and become law if Roe vs. Wade became law. A task force was set up in 2007 to see if abortion had a negative effect on the state's women, children, and men.
  • Mississippi has had a bill that would ban all abortion. This state however has its own Roe vs. Wade. Even if the Supreme Court overturned the original Roe vs. Wade, they have their own case to contend with. This state also does not want to give the exception of rape and incest. This bill however did die because of changes made to it because of the rape and incest.
  • Last but most definitely not least is Ohio. They have nine bills overturning abortion. Some allow for the health of the mother and others also include exceptions for rape and incest. This state is anxious to challenge Roe vs. Wade.
This is just the beginning of it all. Tomorrow the list of court cases that have challenged Roe vs. Wade.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Actually LDS Family Services does not receive Federal funds, although I note that this is a minor point of your posting.

Amyadoptee said...

Actually if they deal in foster care, yes they do get federal funds. We just don't know how much it is because LDS Family Services falls under a church. They do not have to report their fund revenues to the IRS.