The governor of Kansas, Sam Brownback signed
the state’s far-reaching anti-abortion bill on Friday. He was surrounded by a
smiling group of pro-life onlookers at a statehouse ceremony. Relative to the
photo of the bill after being signed on the table by the AP, the words “JESUS +
Mary” are scribbled across the top of the governor’s notes on the actual bill.
Some of the expressions Brownback used just before signing include, “Building a
culture of life” and “All human life is sacred”; such slogans can be found
handwritten at the bottom of the bill. This bill in particular is one of the
most heavily binding pre-legislative bodies in American history. It forbids
abortion providers from receiving any government funding or tax breaks, and
defines life at the moment of fertilization. Are we shocked since Brownback is
avidly pro-life? (Remember, this was the guy who was ready to tax rape victims
seeking abortions last year). Most of the bill will go into effect in July,
while the tax portion starts during 2014. Brownback's staffers didn't respond
to the AP's request for more details about the notes. Kansas is one of eight
states announcing that life begins at fertilization. Other states running in
the same direction are Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, North
Dakota, and Ohio.
Wardell, Richelle. Keep Abortion Safe And Legal. Washington DC. 2013 http://www.flickr.com/photos/peacechicken/78681657/
Feminists, as well as abortion rights
advocates, among millions of others insist that a woman’s right to freedom of
choice and her own autonomy needs to rule over a fetus’ right to life if we
are to going achieve civil equality. In writing the plurality opinion, in 1992,
the Supreme Court maintained a woman's fundamental right to abortion. Justices
Sandra Day O’Connor, Anthony Kennedy, and David Souter support this belief:
“The ability of women to participate equally in the economic and social life of
the Nation has been facilitated in their ability to control their reproductive
lives.” The argument is that an unwanted pregnancy can often significantly
prevent a woman’s ability to complete school, work, and maintain
financial independence. The courts emphasize that education and job rights are
strongly guarded by the Constitution, and in order to benefit from these
opportunities, women must be in charge of their own reproduction.
Let’s look at Brazil, for example, where
abortion is illegal. A motion was passed to create a “pregnancy registration” to
make the enforcement of abortion laws “more manageable”. This motion calls for
investigations of individuals’ households and personal lives if a child is not
born. Assume the US enacts similar laws regarding fetus accountability while
criminalizing abortion. What would the outcome be if an innocent woman turned
convicted felon due to abortion laws, in actual fact wanted her child but her
pregnancy ended in miscarriage? How does one explain a vulgar invasion of
privacy in such an investigation? How would one combat the social stigma that
would surround her “abortion”? What would you say to this woman who, devastated
by her miscarriage, is now wrongfully classified as a criminal? Additionally,
how can one justify this invasion of privacy when an illogical “invasion of
privacy” such as background checks for gun-owners in America isn’t justifiable?
If “America” sees conducting background checks on gun-owners incriminating,
background checks on expecting mothers is suggesting that all mothers are
potential felons. This scenario is one example among many of the slippery slope
fallacies offered by pro-lifers for the ban on abortions.
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