Abortion – Abortion Clinics, Abortion Pill, Abortion Information

The U.S. Supreme Court took a very interesting step the other day.

Years ago, anti-abortion protestors would surround clinics in the Boston area and harass women as they entered the facility.  In response, the Massachusetts legislature enacted into law a state-wide “bubble zone.”   This was a protest-free zone of 35 feet around the entrances and driveways of the clinics.

The zone was meant to protect women seeking abortion services and the clinic staff while giving protestors an opportunity to exercise their First Amendment rights.  Let me say parenthetically that I totally support the right of protestors to express their opinion, to hold up ugly signs, to scream and yell at anyone they want.  It’s the same freedom I exercised as an anti-Vietnam war protestor.  But the zone was a good compromise for protestors and for women seeking unhampered access to a clinic.

This law was challenged in court and, a short while ago, the challenge made its way to the desks of the Supreme Court justices.  I’m talking about the Supreme Court that is run by Chief Justice Roberts, Samuel Alito and Antonio Scalia, no friends of supporters of abortion rights.

Yet, on Monday the justices turned down the appeal from the anti-abortion protestors which, in effect, affirmed the constitutionality of the law.  This was a clear victory for those who believe that women should have access to abortion facilities. 

The justices did not offer any opinion.   They just refused to consider the case, knowing their action would uphold the bubble zones.

It’s unfortunate that it took years and years of violence, of taunting, of physical intimidation to get these bubble zones established (they are all over the country).   Still, Monday’s development was most welcome.

The pro-choice movement is going bonkers today because President Obama “caved” in to anti-choice legislators in order to secure their votes in favor of the healthcare reform bill.   

Gimme a break! 

By now, everyone knows how hard Obama had to work to get the votes necessary to pass this landmark legislation.  The day of the vote, he will still short of a majority.  Meanwhile, there were five or six anti-choice Democrats who wanted to support the bill but couldn’t commit because they were concerned that it would allow federal dollars to pay for abortions.  

For decades, the “Hyde Amendment” has been the law of the land.  No federal Medicaid dollars are allowed to be used for abortions unless the woman’s life is endangered or the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest.  The rape and incest exception was added in the early 1980’s after a very hard fought battle. 

Despite the accusations of Republicans, there was no way taxpayer’s dollars were going to be used to fund abortions if the health care bill became law.  Obama was clear on this point from the beginning.

Still, despite his assurances, there were some Members of Congress, prompted by the National Right to Life Committee, who were not convinced and they threatened to vote against the bill without an assurance that no abortions would be funded under the new insurance plans. 

Now, Obama could have looked at them in the eye and told them to take a hike, but if he had done that the entire bill might have gone down.  So, he agreed to sign an Executive Order clarifying what he had been saying all along – that no dollars would be used for abortions.  That was an easy one for him and it mollified those anti-choice Democrats who ultimately voted for the bill.  And, tomorrow or Wednesday, that bill will become law. 

I don’t like the Hyde Amendment.  Abortion is mainstream medicine and women on Medicaid – poor women – should be able to terminate a pregnancy with federal dollars.  But the bottom line is we just don’t have the votes to reverse this long-standing prohibition.  And we’re not going to have the votes for many years to come.

Obama did the right thing.  He simply reaffirmed current law and, in doing so, picked up some valuable votes. 

The pro-choice groups should stop whining, stop blaming the President and start working on picking up the votes necessary to reverse the Hyde Amendment.

I was floating around the blog world yesterday and a person who opposes legal abortion screamed at me that “THE ABORTIONISTS ONLY DO IT FOR THE MONEY!” 

Abortion became legal in this country on January 22, 1973 (the same day LBJ died).  Prior to that, there were a handful of states (NY,CAL) that allowed abortion under certain circumstances and there were a few abortion facilities in those states.   So, women from all over the country were flying to those clinics and the staff was working seven days a week to meet the demand.  And, yes, with so many patients to care for, the physicians and clinic owners made a decent living.  That’s capitalism, right? 

Once abortion was legalized more clinics started opening up but, still, because of the incredible demand for the service, those newer clinic were turning a profit as well.    

In the early days, the average cost of an abortion was about $250.  Here’s the kicker:  today the average cost is only about $400.  If inflation were taken into account, the cost would be well over $1,000. 

Think about that for a second.  A woman goes to a clinic, spend several hours doing paperwork, taking medical tests and getting counseling.  She then has the surgery from a licensed physician and is given as much time as she needs to recover.   She is free to come back and discuss any issues that may have arisen.    All of this for about $400 (in some cities, the prices are as low as $230).  Meanwhile, the clinic has to pay for staff, security, compliance with state regulations and medical equipment.   Geez, Louise, you can’t get a root canal for $400.   

The fact is that the doctors and staff who work at these clinics have kept their prices artificially low to make abortion accessible to as many women as possible.   They talk to the women, they understand their circumstance and, well, most of them are just plain ole “softies.”   I know some physicians who have gone without a paycheck because their prices are so artificially low.  Indeed, there are clinics that will perform an abortion for free if they feel that the woman is in a truly desperate situation.

Everyone is entitled to make a living and the workers at the clinic deserve the same.  Yes, in many clinics they are “making money,” albeit not a lot.  And, while they are making these sacrifices trying to serve women, they are also living with the possibility that when they are handed that paycheck, a bomb could go off. 

These doctors, nurses, counselors and others could make a better living in a safer environment. 

They are to be applauded for their sacrifice.

A reader recently asked me how she could get involved in the pro-choice movement.

I first need to say that, if you are pro-choice, don’t sit back and think everything is okay in this country.   In 1973, abortion was legalized by the Supreme Court and those who oppose legal abortion remain energized to this day.  And, in many ways they have been successful. 

They have succeeded in restricting accedss to abortion in many states (parental consent, 24 hour waiting periods), federal funding for abortions has been generally prohibited for decades and the balance on the Supreme Court is precarious.   Indeed, rumors now persist that Justice Stevens, the most liberal member of the court, might resign soon.  Before you say “Obama to the rescue,” remember that the President no longer has 60 votes in the Senate so he will have a difficult time nominating an openly pro-choice justice.  Finally, the pro-life movement has successfully stigmatized the abortion procedure, an absolutely ludicrous development since over one million women a year obtain abortions.

So, there’s work to be done.  I also realize that you have a life, that pro-choice people do not wake up in the morning thinking of legal abortion.  Personally, I think about breakfast.  So, I will only suggest a few things lest you get spread too thin:

Make a donation to the Abortion Care Network (www.abortioncarenetwork.org).  The ACN is the only organization whose main goal is to de-stigmatize and normalize the abortion experience. Founded from the merging of two abortion provider based organizations, the National Coalition of Abortion Providers and the Abortion Conversation Project, ACN has created a network of independent abortion providers, supportive allied organizations, and socially conscious individuals who are deeply invested in creating a more positive environment where women who choose abortion, and those that provide care, are no longer harassed or shamed by the choices they make.  Send a check today!

Make a donation to the NARAL Pro-Choice America (www.prochoiceamerica.org) Political Action Committee.  While I have criticized the continual emphasis on the word “choice,” NARAL does serve an important purpose – they contribute money to candidates who are pro-choice.  As we are seeing in the Congress today, the legislative battle over abortion comes down to one simple fact – who has the votes?   That’s what the NARAL-PAC is all about.

If you live near an abortion facility that has protestors, become an escort for women seeking abortions.  Escorts are organized by various organizations in the area, so the best thing to do is to call the clinic and ask them if you can help. 

Speak up!   I’m not saying go into someone’s face and tell them you’re pro-choice but, if the issue comes up express your feelings.  For example, if you go to a town meeting for your local Member of Congress, during the Q&A, ask him or her how they feel about abortion or, if you know they are pro-choice, THANK THEM.   Those in the pro-life movement are quick to express their opinion and the fact that they are so loud gives the impression that they are greater in number.  Do not shy away from your beliefs, tell people you are pro-choice when the opportunity arises.  At times, our silence is deafening and it has hurt us over the years. 

I look forward to other suggestions!

A short while ago, a pro-life person on this blog asked me why women get abortions.  Of course, books have been written about the subject but I wanted to give her the courtesy of a public reply. 

A little over one million women a year get abortions.  Without trying to sound cavalier about it, that means that there are a little over one million reasons.  Every time a woman picks up the phone to call a clinic for an abortion, she has her own, personal reason for doing so.  Every woman has her own individual circumstances that led her to the decision to terminate her pregnancy. 

Sure, it’s possible to generalize.  The woman may have felt that she was too young to have a baby, that she did not have enough resources to raise the child, or that the father has disappeared.  Then there are the even tougher cases, where the pregnancy was the result of a rape or incest, the women’s health or life would be endangered if she brought a child to term, or she discovered a fetal abnormality.  

What is comes down to in every case, however, is that the woman decided that it was not the right time for her to bring a child into the world.  And that is a decision that probably took her a while to arrive at.    

Indeed, when someone asks me why women have abortions, I hear in their voice the assumption that the woman learned she was pregnant one day and an hour later she was on the phone making an appointment for an abortion.  The fact is that EVERY pregnant woman knows that if she did not have an abortion, she would ultimately give birth to a baby.  She considers the possibility of giving birth and having to raise a child.  Of course, many women decide to continue the pregnancy.  But there are others who decide – often in consultation with the father, her family, her spiritual counselors – to have an abortion.     

Last week, I posted a note asking women to tell us about their abortion experience, including why they felt they needed to exercise that option.  The stories are interesting and every story is unique.

A woman becomes pregnant, she knows she could have a baby but she decides to abort it.  That is not an easy decision for anyone. 

Who are we to challenge the reason?

If there is one thing the pro-choice and pro-life movements have in common, it is the desire to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, some of which result in abortion.   In the ideal world, every child would be a wanted child. 

The website that sponsors this blog, www.abortion.com, is a directory of clinics that perform abortions and offer other reproductive health services.  And I would suggest that they do more to stop abortions than the average pro-life activist. 

What most people don’t realize is that at these clinics, before the abortion is performed, a counselor will sit with the woman and discuss the circumstances that led to her getting pregnant.  After discussing all the options available to the woman, they will talk about birth control.  

Once that discussion is complete, the counselor will normally offer the woman free birth control.  In most clinics, it is standard to offer her a three month supply of birth control pills (if that is the best form of birth control for that woman).  The idea, of course, is to put the woman on a regimen that will hopefully prevent any more unintended/unwanted pregnancies.  

Despite the accusations of the pro-life movement, most clinics are not anxious to see a woman several times for an abortion.  I suggest that to those that think they are preventing abortions by standing outside a clinic screaming and yelling, the real work of preventing abortions is actually taking place inside that very clinic.

I am going to take today off.  

As a child growing up on Long Island, I remember Sunday was always a “day of rest.”  After church (where I did indeed “rest” through Father Sullivan’s entire sermon), we’d go to the bakery and load up on the carbs.  Then, after the late breakfast, we’d take a “Sunday drive” out to my aunt’s house where my aunt and mother would get sloshed.    Ah, those were the days…

So, today I am not going to write about abortion.  I am not going to write about “choice” or about “life.”  I am not going to pose uncomfortable questions to my friends on the “choice” side and I’m not going to query the pro-lifers.   

Instead, today I will read my New York Times.  I will then go out and buy pansies for my flower box.  I might finally go see “Avatar.” 

Later tonight, I might catch up on some pleasurable reading.  My current craze is (are?) the novels of Theodore Dreiser.  

Then, to end the evening I might try to watch that new show on HBO, “The Pacific.”   And, no, I am not getting paid to mention the show. 

I’ll start chiming in tomorrow.  But, for today, I hope everyone has a good day.  The issue of abortion is a tough one and folks on both sides of the issue mean well.  Let’s take today to appreciate how we can have a civil debate on a medium like this one!

I was bringing my child to her soccer game this morning when I saw a bumper sticker that read:  “Abortion Stops a Beating Heart.”

Being pro-choice, my first response was “oh, geez, another radical anti-choicer.”   But then I started to think a little more about that message and soon came to the conclusion that yes, at some point, abortion does stop a beating heart.

It’s no secret how the fetus develops in the womb.  We’ve all seen the pictures.  If you’ve had a child, you know exactly what I am talking about, especially when you recall your first ultrasound when the technician was showing you the head, the arms, etc. 

At some point, I’m not exactly sure when, the heart starts beating.  And when a woman elects to have an abortion, depending on the stage of the pregnancy, that heart will stop beating.  

So, after thinking this one through my head started spinning.  At first I thought it was because the soccer game went on for nine hours, but more likely it was the realization that a pro-life bumper sticker might be factually correct.

Soon, however, I started to sort it out. 

My thoughts went back to the women, the women that I trust.  They know what they are doing.  They know that they are preventing a life from emerging.  And, yes, they know that at some point that means that a heart has stopped beating. 

It’s all very sad.  In the ideal world every pregnancy would be a wanted pregnancy.  In the ideal world, there would be no need for abortions or the almost equally complicated and sad option – adoption.   Indeed, even giving birth, especially to an unwanted child, is not a perfect option.

The bumper sticker may be accurate.  

But, like most bumper stickers, it insults our intelligence and does not tell the whole story.

I was watching a television show recently where a pro-choice person was asked if abortion was “murder.”

The pro-choicer stuttered and stammered, clearly uncomfortable with the question and possibly the answer in her head.   I think she epitomized the pro-choice movement in general which has stumbled over inflammatory words for many years. 

We know abortion is not “murder” because murder is a legal term and the Supreme Court has sanctioned the use of abortion. 

But is not abortion a form of killing?  

Let’s face it.   Something is alive in the woman’s body when the woman enters the clinic and it is not alive when she leaves. 

How do you define that act?   Can “killing” actually be good (e.g., in times of war, some people support the death penalty)?    

It’s like the use of the word “baby.”  When women call a clinic, they never say “I cannot have this fetus.”   Instead, they say “I cannot have this baby.”   And when it is a wanted pregnancy, from the minute the woman finds out she is telling everyone that she is having a baby.

Or do the words even matter?

At this moment, jurors are deliberating the fate of one Harlan Drake.  

In 2009, Drake shot an anti-abortion protestor who held up a sign of a dead fetus in front of Owosso High School in Michigan.   He also shot another man later on.

Drake, who testified during the trial, admits to the crimes but his attorneys argue that he is legally insane.

Just another example of the craziness that surrounds the abortion issue.