It seems that everywhere you look this week, people are talking about the "new" law passed in New York legalizing abortion up to birth. The legislators in New York celebrated this "new" law - and Andrew Cuomo ordered the Empire State building lit pink in honor of this "historic" legislation. There's also a lot of outrage from the public - most people are horrified by this "new" law - and rightly so.
BUT - is it really "new?" The answer is a resounding NO. Abortion was legalized "on demand" in 1973 with the US Supreme Court decisions Roe v Wade and Doe v Bolton. Those two decisions resulted in abortion being legal at ANY time - for ANY reason. Over the years since those decisions, some states have been able to pass restrictions, but they are routinely challenged, and in some cases (like in California) they are enjoined and never enforced. More recently, the Supreme Court has indicated that they believe states do have the right to place some limits/restrictions on abortion, and there are a number of states that prohibit abortion after 20 weeks, or that require waiting periods, or alternatives counseling before a woman can have an abortion. But let's be clear - late term abortion occurs all over this country - and it's LEGAL, and has been since 1973.
I'm glad people are outraged - that they're thinking about abortion in ways they've not thought about it before - especially if it moves them to do something. A few years ago we saw undercover videos of Planned Parenthood doctors talking about how they preserve "specimens" so they can sell "fetal tissue" - how they get paid more if they ensure intact organs - they were almost giddy with excitement about it. People were horrified then, too - and we hoped it would mean that they would step up and do something. A few did...but over time, the furor died down, and those videos are ancient history now.
Will the response to this "new" law be any different? Only time will tell...
BUT - is it really "new?" The answer is a resounding NO. Abortion was legalized "on demand" in 1973 with the US Supreme Court decisions Roe v Wade and Doe v Bolton. Those two decisions resulted in abortion being legal at ANY time - for ANY reason. Over the years since those decisions, some states have been able to pass restrictions, but they are routinely challenged, and in some cases (like in California) they are enjoined and never enforced. More recently, the Supreme Court has indicated that they believe states do have the right to place some limits/restrictions on abortion, and there are a number of states that prohibit abortion after 20 weeks, or that require waiting periods, or alternatives counseling before a woman can have an abortion. But let's be clear - late term abortion occurs all over this country - and it's LEGAL, and has been since 1973.
I'm glad people are outraged - that they're thinking about abortion in ways they've not thought about it before - especially if it moves them to do something. A few years ago we saw undercover videos of Planned Parenthood doctors talking about how they preserve "specimens" so they can sell "fetal tissue" - how they get paid more if they ensure intact organs - they were almost giddy with excitement about it. People were horrified then, too - and we hoped it would mean that they would step up and do something. A few did...but over time, the furor died down, and those videos are ancient history now.
Will the response to this "new" law be any different? Only time will tell...
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