Rachel Maddow on Brett Kavanaugh’s threat to Roe V Wade (access to abortion in the USA)

[BettyDuMonde]

I think I’ve mentioned before that i’m a bit of a nerd for US politics?

I suspect being one step removed from it makes it emotionally easier for me to follow (because the current Austerity/Brexit/Racism/Sexism cross-party shitshow is beyond depressing).

Anyway, I’m big fan of MSNBC news commentator Rachel Maddow’s news story analysis (the network is unashamedly left-leaning, a caveat always worth mentioning) and this week, the big story in the US is Trump’s pick for Supreme Court Justice, Brett Kavanaugh.

It’s widely believed that if appointed (appointments are life long) and the right case opportunity comes up, Kavanaugh will overturn Roe V Wade - the case that made access to abortion a reality for American women (by restricting the reach of state and federal laws that previously denied it/made it very limited).

Rachel’s recent show is about a case on which Kavanaugh ruled, relating to a 17 year old young woman, held in immigration detention, and how his unreasonable interventions needlessly pushed her into the second trimester before she could access the procedure she was legally entitled to have.

It’s utterly revolting.

Rachel, however, is brilliant (yes, yes, I’m a Rachel M fangirl, I admit it):

m.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy0xA4OKS0g

Ah yes, the legal personhood was that I was referring to, it's bonkers. Unless it has the same responsibilities as a person it shouldn't have the same rights as person, especially when actual people barely get the same rights.

Multiple abortions could be symptoms of a bad relationship but similarly to the point I made up before, the same could then be said for large families. unfortunately, I know lots of stories of women forced to stay pregnant the whole of their relationships too. But I still wouldn't want social services questioning mothers for having 3 kids. At the end it will mean more monitoring for women and less privacy. What might be as reasonable and possibly is already the case (I went to my appts alone and don't remember the content of the questioning) is that women be seen by a doctor on their own at every appt so they can disclose and it be a standard question.

Really not understanding your second sentence, TooMuchPenis. Any chance of a clarification? Agreeing with the second part of your post, yes.

Sorry the first paragraph was regarding the legal personhood of businesses in America, is that what you mean?

Although I can see how "legal definition of personhood" gets confusing on an abortion thread!

Oh yes, I follow you now! Yes, I had assumed you were talking about the 'legal personhood of the foetus' stuff, so I'm glad I asked for clarification!!

Sorry, I should have been clearer, and quoted!

Materialist very interesting and well said. Thank you.