I am so proud of the editor's column on Perry's Sonogram Bill

[w8liftinglady]

If you don't live in a dark red,right-wing hellhole,you can't understand the courage it took for joann to write this.please email her and let her know that she did a good deed.


http://www.thedailylight.com/articles/2011/03/16/opinion/doc4d80e6b46bfe3297860018.txt

Government intrusion reaches new low in Texas
Published: Wednesday, March 16, 2011 11:42 AM CDT
JoAnn Livingston
Managing editor

The state House of Representative’s Sonogram Bill is government intrusion at its worst. While the bill’s goal to abate the number of abortions is absolutely commendable, the means should give people pause.

Why this intrusive interim effort when all lawmakers have to do to ban abortion is pass a bill doing just that and head the issue back up to the U.S. Supreme Court?

Don’t say it can’t be done.

The Affordable Health Care Act is on its way to the justices and that measure’s opponents say the votes are there to overturn it. If a majority exists to do that, what’s the problem with taking out Roe v. Wade?

But an outright ban against abortion wouldn’t be as much fun for lawmakers as literally – yes, literally – sticking it to pregnant women who are considering what is, without a doubt, one of the most serious decisions they could ever consider in their lifetime.

As state Reps. Donna Farrar and Carol Alvarado argued in defeat on the House floor, first trimester sonograms are not the “jelly on the belly” type. During the first three months of a pregnancy, sonograms are done via a probe inserted into a female to assure the best image possible.

And what about this scenario?

If the bill’s House version becomes law, an 11-year-old alleged rape victim from South Texas would be required to undergo one of these intrusive, transvaginal sonograms if she was impregnated and her parents decide their child should have an abortion rather than carry a baby to full-term.

Yes, 11-year-olds can become pregnant. In fact, there’s a 1930s documented case of a 5-year-old who gave birth.

Is the state going to strap this 11-year-old down if she freaks out if approached by a probe-wielding male? She won’t have a choice and transvaginal sonograms are done by both male and female sonographers.

Rape and or incest victims had no choice when their bodies were first violated: Lawmakers believe there’s no reason to give them a choice now?

Do GOP compassionate conservatives truly think a transvaginal sonogram on an already stressed rape victim is a kinder and gentler experience? Does the bill require doctors to croon also, “Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?”

As it stands, the House bill makes no exception to forcing a sonogram on a female considering an abortion because of rape, incest or danger to the mother’s life.

Bottom line, lawmakers who want to ban abortion should simply pass that bill and stop jerking the issue around in an effort to pander to voters. Why use this social issue as an opportunity to force medical instruments inside a rape and or incest victim – child or adult? It might be informed consent, but it’s also forced consent.

State Sen. Dan Patrick says his Sonogram Bill will save as many as 50 lives a day. But have any bills been filed to fund the medical, mental health, substance abuse, social, housing and or other services these additional 18,250 Texas residents born each year will require from society at large?

But wait, there’s no services needed because all 18,250 of those babies represent the progeny of perfect parents in perfect situations, where there are no needs and never will be.

The one bill I can’t wait to see a lawmaker author is the Mandatory Vasectomy for Baby Daddies Bill, also known as the You Play You Pay Bill. Perfect companion legislation, don’t you think?

And to turn our soon-to-be-uneducated generation into the Celibate Generation, let’s take that photo of Sen. Patrick dancing around with his shirt all unbuttoned (It’s amazing what some people will do in the name of charity) and with Photoshop have him waving around a sonogram tool.

Then, pass a law to force every female to view that photo every single day of her life until she reaches menopause and have the guys also view it as a deterrent.

Because, when the final version of the Sonogram Bill passes, it needs to represent equal opportunity for all – to put it bluntly, it shouldn’t just be the girls who get lined up for forced intrusive sonograms.

Now that’s some legislation that might go a long way toward turning people off to unprotected sex.

JoAnn Livingston is the Managing Editor of Waxahachie Newspapers Inc. Contact JoAnn at [e-mail] or 469-517-1452.

[Gman]

1. I wish people would stop taking the GOP so seriously about abortion

they have absolutely no intention of overturning Roe v Wade. As soon as they do, a huge source of money and votes goes away. So it's like what some people argue about cancer. They don't want to cure it because then all the money for doctors and drugs dries up and goes away. That may or most likely not be true. But the thought behind it is the same. Instead the GOP can claim some small "victory" and continue to send letters saying send more money an be sure to go vote so we can keep piece-mealing it.

[madmax]

2. +100 that's their ace in the hole,

the rabbit in the hat, the Christmas chestnut.

They will NEVER give that up. Someone told me this 10 years ago, then the Ah-ha moment.

[Karia]

3. Any legislator who supports this

should be required to undergo a trans-vaginal sonogram.

[w8liftinglady]

4. Well- you are talking most of Texas republicans (The male ones,anyway)

they are SO mysogynist... because they feel threatened by a female who acts in her own best interest.