Who are these evil people who are forcing women to have abortions?

One of the strangest bills to come before the Missouri legislature in 2008 was one which would have made it a criminal act to force someone to have an abortion.

Anyone who has read my columns dating back to my days with The Carthage Press knows I am squarely in the pro-life corner, but I have a difficult time understanding the necessity for this bill...and why people like Sarah Steelman and Rep, Cynthia Davis think it is important enough to force taxpayers to spend tens of thousands of dollars to have a special session just to address the issue.

I never realized there were people going around forcing women to have abortions. Apparently, it must be an epidemic, according to Ms. Steelman, Ms. Davis, and their supporters.

Check out this passage from Ms. Davis' weekly column:

I sent a letter to Governor Blunt to request a special session on the pro-life issue. He has called a special session in the past for this reason, and it was very productive. The benefit to a special session is that it allows legislators to use their full concentration on the issue at hand. Missouri Right to Life is also calling on the governor to convene a special session.

The bill, which was sponsored by Rep. Bob Onder, R-Lake St. Louis, was co-sponsored by 33 legislators, including Ed Emery, R-Lamar, and Marilyn Ruestman, R-Joplin.

This appears to be another of those hot-button issues that conveniently comes up during election years in an effort to get the vote out. I don't question the sincerity of the legislators in their opposition to abortion, but this law is a reach, a desperate one, and is not worthy of a special session.