I recently saw some of my Facebook friends joined a group called "Fight FOCA!". I jogged on over to see what it was referring to. It is a group formed to fight the passage of the Freedom of Choice Act, a bill that has been introduced to Congress and one that President-Elect Obama has said would be the first bill he would sign into law once in the Oval Office. The Facebook group states, in part:
"Basically anything goes, partial birth abortions, ridding of babies born after botched abortions, and any other "unrestricted" type of abortion. Not only that but this act would hold TAXPAYERS responsible for the nationwide costs of abortions. That means YOU AND ME. This act isn't too far away from becoming a reality in the United States, but we CAN stop it, so please sign the petition! Obama may have won this election, but it is ironically up to the youth of the United States to fight for those without a voice! WE CAN CHANGE THIS!"
A good summary of the bill reads as this (from govtrack.us):
Freedom of Choice Act - Declares that it is the policy of the United States that every woman has the fundamental right to choose to: (1) bear a child; (2) terminate a pregnancy prior to fetal viability; or (3) terminate a pregnancy after fetal viability when necessary to protect her life or her health.
Prohibits a federal, state, or local governmental entity from: (1) denying or interfering with a woman's right to exercise such choices; or (2) discriminating against the exercise of those rights in the regulation or provision of benefits, facilities, services, or information. Provides that such prohibition shall apply retroactively.
Authorizes an individual aggrieved by a violation of this Act to obtain appropriate relief, including relief against a governmental entity, in a civil action.
Take a smart, responsible bill and trash it with overtly anti-choice propaganda to gain support. Did they not even READ the bill? It states a declaration that every woman has a right to choose to bear the child, terminate BEFORE fetal viability, and/or terminate in third trimester WHEN NECESSARY TO PROTECT HER LIFE AND/OR HER HEALTH!!! Where does it say it will "make taxpayers pay for abortions" and encourage an "anything goes" attitude?
This bill may overturn the Partial Birth Abortion ban which in actuality only bans one certain procedure of many. It may also impact waiting periods, trigger laws and parental consent laws (Thanks Mac, for your excellent summary).
Fewer than 1% of all abortions are performed after 20 weeks, and are typically limited to cases of severe abnormalities. No healthy woman, after carrying a pregnancy for 20 or more weeks, decides to just up and have an abortion for the hell of it. Please, people.
People, do your research. Be you pro-choice or anti-choice, be smart and do your research.
Watch lame duck Pres. Bush very carefully these last two months he has in office. He is pushing to redefine contraception as abortion.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
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3 comments:
I find it ironic that your blogging about a bill you don't want passed because of some technicalities such as taxpayers paying for all the abortions, but then you want to say watch out for lame duck Bush. Your candidate of choice is trying to push what I feel are the same ideals, but you don't have a problem with that. The only problem you have is that you'll have to pay for it. I however don't believe in abortion AT ALL. I think every life is a wonderful and precious gift from God. If someone doesn't want a child then choose adoption, I know people who are just waiting for babies and the chance to love and cherish them. Of course, one may say what about the baby who is the product of incest or rape, I believe they're precious as well and apparently God wanted that child here for a reason as well. Call me crazy, but this is just my take.
That is your choice. You choose what you want to believe in, to cheer for, to protest. Let the women of the world make that choice as well.
I do not believe life itself begins at conception. The potential for life is there until the host decides what is best for her body and her life. I believe there is no god, so the belief that "apparently God wanted that child here for a reason" doesn't fly with me.
I'm shutting off anonymous comments as well. I like to know who I'm debating.
agfmama,
Nothing irritates me more than the uninformed using appeal to emotion and propaganda as a stance against freedom of choice. I hope you said as much to your facebook friends. I'm glad Obama supports this bill, and I'd be even happier to see it passed if it contained the clause: (4) when the health of the fetus is compromised.
I followed you here from PMomma's blog. Hope you don't mind if I visit again!
Anonymous, I didn't read that afgmama said she didn't want the bill to be passed, she spoke against the Facebookers skewed stance against it. And btw, how many disabled, drug-addicted babies are YOU willing to adopt?
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