Putting a stop to those lowdown abortion coercers

(The following is my latest Daily Kos post.)

It is one of those sins against humanity that no one ever talks about.

Maybe it doesn’t happen in your neck of the woods, but in Missouri, evil men, some of them husbands or boyfriends, some just next-door neighbors if no one else is around, are setting their sights on helpless young women and convincing them to have abortions.

The Show-Me State has become a breeding ground for sickos who watch for pregnant women on the streets, approach them and say, “Hey, babe, you getting tired of carrying that baby?’

If you say you have never heard of this problem, you are not alone. But in Missouri so many people are coercing women into terminating their pregnancies that the House of Representatives felt the necessity to pass a bill to put an end to the barbaric practice. One of the co-sponsors of the bill, Marilyn Ruestman, a Joplin Republican, explained its importance in her weekly capitol report:

Many times, women are being forced or pressured to seek an abortion by their husband, boyfriend or parents. If someone is found guilty of this horrible act, he or she will face a class A felony with a maximum prison term of ten years. Anyone who knowingly performs an abortion on a coerced woman is guilty of a class C felony.

Additionally, mothers must be able to make informed decisions when seeking an abortion. Under this bill, the physician must provide the following information both orally and in writing:
· The physician’s name;
· The gestational age of the unborn child;
· The anatomical and physiological characteristics of the unborn child;
· Medically accurate information regarding the procedure, the risks involved, alternatives to abortion and follow-up care; and
· The state law regarding coercion.

One of the keys to reducing abortions is accurate and timely information. House Bill 1327 will make a difference. This legislation is vital to saving lives of the unborn and improving the lives of expectant mothers. This legislation could not get passed without the continuing support of voters who have sent a Republican majority to Jefferson City.

Unlike many of those who are regular visitors to this website, I have always been pro-life, but this bill is more of the election year claptrap that is always prevalent in both Jefferson City and Washington, D. C.

When election year rolls around, we are inundated with unnecessary measures designed to enable politicians to appeal to their base. Every two years, we are hit with an epidemic of horrible problems that we did not even know existed. This year, Missouri has had one resolution after another condemning the federal government for its healthcare bill and for anything else that can let the red portions of this state know that their elected officials are opposed to anything that smacks of big government or President Obama.

And, of course, our elected officials find a hard time resisting the siren call of anti-abortion legislation.
Term-limited Rep. Cynthia Davis, R-O-Fallon, she of the “hunger can be a great motivator for children” mindset, offered her take on the bill:

“Abortion is a kind of domestic violence as well,” said Rep. Cynthia Davis, R-O’Fallon. “Women don’t naturally want to kill their offspring. Women who are loved, cared for and supported don’t mind having their own child.”

The legislators provided a list of those who might coerce abortions, including rapists and those who have committed incest. Correct me if I am wrong, but aren’t there already laws on the books covering those crimes?
The bill passed the House on a 113-37 vote and is headed for the Senate.

With our state facing the same budgetary woes as every other state, wasting the taxpayers’ dollar on legislation that is not going to survive a court challenge is dereliction of duty.

But I suppose if we can clear the streets of those hordes of abortion-coercers, it will be worth it.