Alabama: why is this decision not universally condemned?

[SmileEachDay]

These rich, white men want to criminalise women who have abortions, even in the case of rape or incest.

I am sickened by this, and almost as sickened by women (on here, but also on other SM) defending this decision.

Because women are tenth class citizens and there are plenty of women out there who are conditioned by society to think they are 10th class too.

Men feel incredibly threatened by women who have control over their bodies, for some reason.

Because it affects women and so no one really gives a toss.

Because different people have different views.

62.1% voted trump
64% voted republican senator
6/7 congressional seats are republican
77/105 state representatives are republican
27/35 state senators are republican

Theyve done what the people wanted

Conversely, New York have extended abortion access, and Maine has also lived against the encroachment on reproductive rights.

This isn’t an ‘all America’ thing, a lot of Americans are passionate about saving abortion rights and stand against what is happening in Alabama.

This is the republicans trying to stir up one issue voters in the run up to an election with an unpopular president. These bills will be struck down in the lower courts like similar bills before.

Moved against*

I briefly saw some statistics about how voters feel about abortion laws in America. It was surprising to me, how many people in how many people in how many different states seem to be against abortion being legal! I may not agree with this, but it does seem as if they're doing what the people want.

Happy to be corrected!

I can't get worked up about when NI is ignored.

I cant get over how many people seem to find it incomprehensible that people have different views.

Only 18% of Americans think abortion should be illegal in all circumstances: news.gallup.com/poll/1576/abortion.aspx

Most Americans think that abortion in some forms should be allowed (and when so-called heartbeat bans are explained many are against those).

Obviously, anti-choicers want to control women. If they cared about life Alabama's schools wouldn't be among the lowest ranked in the nation, there would be no death penalty, health care would be accessible to all, etc.

Because people voted for it including women

saoirse31 it's not about people having different views, it's about people forcing their views on others and banning access to health care.

Be honest with yourself, if anti-choicers wanted to end abortion they would increase access to birth control (especially long acting forms which are ridiculously expensive in the US) and comprehensive sex ed. I don't see them doing that.

No one voted for this - it was a bill passed by the Alabama state Congress by elected representatives. It wasn't a ballot initiative passed by voters. Only 26% of people in Alabama think abortion should be banned in all instances www.google.com/amp/nymag.com/intelligencer/amp/2019/05/alabama-abortion-ban-heartbeat-law-rape-incest-polls-republicans.html

American here, for a bit of perspective.

When these laws are challenged in Federal court they'll be put on hold as they clearly contradict prior Supreme Court rulings. The whole thing is just a strategy to get the issue in front of the Supreme Court again.

I think it's extremely unlikely that even the current SC will overturn three separate precedents on the issue. John Roberts, the chief justice, is not an extremist and is highly reticent to get involved in political controversy, as demonstrated by his upholding of Obamacare.

In the event that Roe v Wade is overturned state laws will control, as they did before Roe, and some states (notably NY and CA) have passed strong pro choice legislation in anticipation that Roe might someday be overturned. Other states can do the same.

I am strongly pro choice and am greatly alarmed by the new laws, but the situation is not quite as dire as it might seem to those outside of the US who are just reading about this in the news media.

Exactly @NameChangeMcgee

Everyone is entitled to have their own opinions and views but I don't think they should be able to force those on others.

It's pretty simple to me - you don't agree with abortion? Then don't have one! What other people do with their bodies is none of your business!

Thanks MisConduct - that’s an interesting post, and somewhat encouraging

Sorry MissConduct

Sorry MissConduct

No problem, glad you found my post interesting.

I really hope all these attention leads to better contraception medicen being made. What happened to the male pill?

It's not going to lead to better contraception as, generally speaking, a lot of people who don't believe in abortion no matter what the circumstances also don't believe in contraception.

It's dire for women who don't have time or money on their side. Or are in the wrong part of the country. What with mandatory waiting times between appointments, lack of actual clinics (some large, rural states have only one clinic), requiring the father's permission, TARP restrictions, lack of coverage, parental consent/notification, etc. It can be very difficult to impossible for women to access abortion.

MissConduct please could you tell us the immediate situation in Alabama for a woman needing to get an abortion? Thanks.

I can't get worked up about when NI is ignored

I actually have seen an increase in interest and outrage at the ongoing situation in NI as a result of the Alabama press coverage- it’s not a question of one or the other.

That’s interesting Miss - what is the feeling of people in America about what is happening in Alabama?

@RosaWaiting

MissConduct please could you tell us the immediate situation in Alabama for a woman needing to get an abortion? Thanks.

The new law has a delay built in and won't take effect until next January, if ever, so for now women still have access to services.

Abortion is still legal in Alabama and Georgia, despite new abortion bans

The first challenge has been made in federal court, to a judge who previously stayed a less restrictive law:

Mississippi law banning abortions as early as 6 weeks heads to federal court

So the legal system is working as intended, and as the article notes, the case will likely take years to work it's way up to the supreme court. These laws are in such blatant conflict with SC precedents that it's almost inconceivable that they'll actually take effect before they come before the SC.

@SmileEachDay

That’s interesting Miss - what is the feeling of people in America about what is happening in Alabama?

National polls show that most people are happy with the status quo, where abortion is only restricted later in the pregnancy, but there are wide regional variation, mostly driven by religious affiliation.

Even in Alabama, most people think the law is extreme.

www.al.com/news/2019/05/alabama-abortion-ban-was-deeply-unpopular-in-2018-previously-unreleased-polling-shows.html

At the risk of repeating myself a bit, no one, not even the authors of the bill, expected it to actually go into effect in the foreseeable future. It was a device to try to get the SC to revisit Roe v Wade.