Alabama passed a law, to go into effect 8/1/2016, that reads:
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. (a) For the purposes of this act, the
term public school means kindergarten through grade 8,
inclusive, of those educational institutions operated
under the auspices of the State Board of Education.
(b) The Alabama Department of Public Health may not
issue or renew a health center license to an abortion
clinic or reproductive health center that performs
abortions and is located within 2,000 feet of a K-8
public school.
Section 2. This act shall become effective on the
first day of the third month following its passage and
approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.
I have included the entire act so that you can see that I didn't cut anything out.
These types of laws have been popping up in state after state for years, all across the country. Many of them make headlines and never get passed, but many get PASSED and never make headlines.
What is the purpose of this law? I will tell you. To make it as difficult as possible for women to access their constitutionally protected right to reproductive health services. Why schools? Why not? There are lots of schools, so if we can't have women's health clinics near schools, and even force existing clinics to shut down, then where else will women go? Somewhere far away where no one can actually reach them in their time of need.
As it happens, in many cases, that time of need is often immediate. It isn't "Oh, I'll get an appointment in a month when I can take enough time off work to get to the clinic, or save up enough money to get all the way out there." No. It is often: "I need to see a doctor today. Or tomorrow." For a VARIETY of reasons, not only abortion. These women might end up going to an ER or a doctor's office, which will spark a whole other spiral of shame from "concerned citizens" for: wasting taxpayers' money, increasing healthcare costs, etc. etc. And this is also not to mention any personal reasons why women may not be able to go to a doctor's office or ER, such as inadequate (or lack of) insurance, lack of money, or not wanting other family members on their health plan to be all up in their grill about their private business.
The goal for these politicians is to make it harder and harder for women to control their reproductive health, until Roe v. Wade doesn't even matter anymore, even if it is still the Law of the Land. Unfortunately, these laws, by and large, affect the poorest and most marginalized women in the country. So who is this helping exactly? It is helping right-wing politicians stay in office by adding this to their resume.
I have friends who feel abortion should be illegal. I actually have never met anyone in my life who *likes* abortion. No one likes it. It is, in some cases, a necessary thing that has to happen for the life and health of many people involved, and it has been this way since the beginning of time.
I doubt the very basics of the abortion controversy will ever be agreed upon by the two sides of the movement. But there is ONE thing we can all agree on, and I would love to see this happen.
I would love to see all of the energy put into all of the bills like these, and channeled instead to a cause that ACTUALLY helps reduce abortions. SHOCKING! SHOCKING that both pro-choicers and pro-lifers (it is *really* hard for me to type that word without quotes around it, which is a whole other topic) actually DO agree on something - reducing the number of abortions is the goal! For everyone!
The problem is that making it difficult or impossible for women to access safe and legal reproductive health services is not the way to do that.
This is how we do that:
- Education.
- Affordable, accessible, and shame-free health care (*ahem* single-payer).
- Complete overhaul in our national attitude toward childcare and parental leave.
All of these are big issues, yes. But I think that both sides agree that the issue at stake is an important one, though their reasons may be strikingly different.
When will this madness end?
