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The backlash to the war on women continues. This week, an Idaho bill that would have mandated ultrasounds for abortion seekers died in the legislature, a victory for women’s rights in one of the most conservative states in the nation.
But the backlash is also getting an assist from a district court in Oklahoma:
An Oklahoma judge on Wednesday struck down the state’s law requiring women seeking abortions to have an ultrasound image placed in front of them and to listen to a detailed description of the fetus before the procedure.
District Judge Bryan Dixon ruled the statute passed by the Oklahoma Legislature in 2010 is an unconstitutional special law, and it can’t be enforced because it addresses only patients, physicians and sonographers dealing with abortions without addressing other medical care.
Oklahoma is one of several states that have passed laws requiring doctors to both perform an ultrasound and provide a verbal description of the fetus before an abortion, while others are considering similar measures. The laws have been on hold in Oklahoma and North Carolina as legal challenges proceed, while Texas’ recently was upheld.
One of the ways we’ve seen anti-choice activists wage battle is through a multi-pronged strategy. They don’t just focus on the legislature, or the courts, or the court of public opinion. They fight wherever possible, and achieve victories along the way. The pro-choice activists need to copy this strategy. After this ruling in Oklahoma, every state with an ultrasound mandate (and think about the logic behind calling a mandate to purchase insurance unconstitutional, but a mandate to perform unnecessary medical procedures on women perfectly fine) should get slapped with a lawsuit. The Center for Reproductive Rights challenged the Oklahoma law, and they should be applauded.
It remains to be seen whether Oklahoma will appeal the ruling.
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To be sure, this ruling will be appealed. To the misogynistic patriarchs who run this state the ladies must be protected from their cognitive inadequacies and not be “tricked” into an abortion. To the fanatical snake handlers their Religious Liberty is invalidated if anyone is allowed to do something they don’t approve of.
On State Constitutional grounds, and as it doesn’t effect the profits of the extraction cartel, there is a good chance the State Supreme Court would uphold this decision. That, of course, would almost undoubtedly lead to a referendum in the 2014 election to amend the State Constitution.
A quick look at Oklahoma’s public health, education, and economic policies show that indeed life is sacred from conception to birth, especially if the zygote is caucasian.
State rape struck down – good
The Oklahoma Constitution is actually quite progressive, a product of the large number of socialists and populists in the state at statehood. In consequence, they may have trouble getting these laws to pass constitutional muster.
Also what blueokie said. I continue to give thanks I left 25 years ago, before the lunatics took over the asylum.
OUTSTANDING!!!!
Now, let’s get Texas and Virginia struck down too.
GREAT GRAPHIC!!!!
You left the USA?
Oh, you mean Oklahoma.
And don’t forget that that the Arizona bill that would allow employers and insurance companies to opt out of contraception coverage for “religious” objections was voted down the other day by the State Senate. Seven Republicans joined all nine Democrats in opposing the bill. This is the bill that originally could have required women to provide a justification to their employer/insurer if the company chose not to automatically allow coverage for contraception.
But anyone who thinks we’ve seen the last of this proposal is hopelessly naïve, as the bill’s supporters, including the Arizona Catholic Conference (surprise!) insist that they’ll be back. Indeed, one of the bill’s biggest backers — not counted among the seven above — switched her vote in order to be able to call for a revote later on (a procedural gimmick we see all the time in the U.S. Senate).
Dastardly, despicable, black-hearted bastards (TM), today’s republican party. They are gonna see a backlash from female voters that will be of epic proportions.
That’s good news for Arizona. It’s hopeful considering how many awful things have passed there.
I don’t know?
According to polling, about half of women fall on either side of the issue.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/118399/more-americans-pro-life-than-pro-choice-first-time.aspx
That poll is 3 years old. Here’s another poll with breakdowns by party, religious affiliation, etc.
I’m not sure if it’s a great poll, but the numbers are different than the one you posted: 55% pro legal abortion, 39% against.