American women are in need of some prayer

[Gaffey Duck]

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/edit/archives/2004/10/14/2003206844

"In a recent edition of the genius internet cartoon strip Get Your War On, two anonymous office workers discuss US President George W. Bush's policy on stem cell research.

"If Bush is gonna keep arguing against science," says one, "why not go all the way and argue against gravity? I bet he could convince some of his supporters they were floating."

Whether or not Karl Rove, Bush's political strategist, is focus-grouping the weightlessness claim is unclear. What we do know is that Bush seems to have opened up a War on science, and that women are likely to be among its earliest casualties. Over the summer, Bush revealed plans to appoint another Dubya -- David Hager -- to the reproductive health drugs advisory committee of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This distinguished panel -- whose advice is traditionally adhered to -- makes crucial decisions on matters relating to contraception, infertility treatment, drugs used in obstetrics and gynecology (including hormone therapy) and medical alternatives to surgical procedures for sterilization and abortion.

The fact that the committee's recent 24 to 3 vote in favor of selling the morning-after pill without prescription was mysteriously -- and against almost all precedent -- rejected by the FDA is bad enough. But Hager's appointment is a real shocker.

For those of you unfamiliar with his work, Hager is the author of a book called As Jesus Cared for Women: Restoring Women Then and Now.

It exploits the latest in scientific advances to promote ever more sophisticated female healthcare. It blends biblical accounts of Jesus healing women with case studies from Hager's practice. And what a practice it sounds. Come to David with chronic premenstrual pain and, along with your inferior Earth medicine, he will prescribe you specific Bible readings and prayers to treat the problem. He's not one of your crazy futurists -- he won't dole out contraceptive medicine to anyone unmarried, say, and despite being an ob-gyn, he's a staunch pro-lifer."