Just a Girl in short shorts talking about whatever

Posted: 04 Sep 2008 06:42 AM CDT

Since it now looks like they can stop the death watch on Sarah Palin's candidacy and start quaking in their boots, the Obama-Biden campaign has decided it better insert America's most divisive issue into the campaign—abortion.

The hideous Rove strategy divided the nation over guns, and cheerleading a god that hates gays and abortion.

Thankfully, up until now, abortion has not been a big issue in this presidential campaign.

In the interest of full disclose---I am strongly against abortion-on-demand —I have been known to participate in "pro-life" ( a term I hate because it implies that women who have had abortions or favor it are anti-life) rallies.

I also think, from a pure legal perspective, that Roe v. Wade was incorrectly decided—the constitution never mentions abortion.

It is necessary for the courts to interpret how the constitutional prohibition against unlawful searches and seizures applies to digital communications that the drafters never could have conceived of. But abortion existed in 1787, it was regulated by state statutes and the common law. The drafters had no intention of sticking the federal government's nose into it.

That said, it is unlikely, no matter how the composition of the Supreme Court is changed, that Roe v. Wade will ever be totally overruled. And even if it was, most of the states are going to allow the procedure. And those who hope for a constitutional amendment—just wishful thinking—politically impossible.

While to me, it is very sad, that we live in a culture where the procedure is accepted as a norm, and there are those who have actually elevated it into something noble, I am not going to make it into any kind of political litmus test---and am sick of those who divide women with the issue---regardless of their side.

So I have been pleased that John McCain has not made it into a big issue, and Sarah Palin, who feels as strongly as I do, did not mention it once in her knock-it-out-of-the-ballpark speech.

But now, Barack Obama, correctly sensing that Sarah Palin is not just some ditzy puff puff hockey mom, who McCain cynically selected as his running mate to pander to women, has decided he better insert abortion into the debate. Democrats always think the only thing women care about is abortion.

So today the campaign has issued a radio ad:

"As a nurse practitioner with Planned Parenthood," says a woman's voice, "I know abortion is one of most difficult decisions a woman will ever make. I'm Val Baron. Let me tell you - if Roe v Wade is overturned, the lives and health of women will be put at risk. That's why this election is so important. John McCain's out of touch with women today....."

Both Sarah Palin and I belong to an organization which some feminists find hysterically funny, called Feminists For Life. Our guiding principle is "Abortion is a Reflection that we have not met the needs of women."

Because the group is nonpartisan, they do not endorse Palin, even though she is a member. And because of that type of post-political attitude they have been able to get the "Women deserve better than abortion" language and women-oriented solutions into the platforms of both parties.

And that is the way we are moving, not continuing the divisiveness for the benefit of the politicians.

For years now, the fervor of the abortion debate has totally split the cause of women. Politicians and militant ideologues of both sides have used the division to split women into divisive camps.

Other issues important to women have either languished, or the division has been used to persuade women to actually adopt anti-women positions. And the whole thing has produced some real lousy anti-women legislation.

Politicians have used the abortion debate to stop discussion of concerns all women have in this area. For years the state legislative agendas have focused on the abortion issue to the exclusion of every other health issue concerning pregnant women and mothers.

Pregnant women are not being provided with accurate information. Where tax dollars are involved they should TRULY be given all information about options currently available under the law. Planned Parenthood should not be allowed to minimize non-abortion options. Anti-abortion groups should not be allowed to solely promote their agenda either, if they are doing it with the public dime.

In March,2007 Lynn Paltrow, one of America's leading feminists, wrote an op-ed piece in the New York Times that rocked both the feminist and "pro-life" worlds.

She said we are never going to agree on abortion, so lets quit letting the politicians on both sides of the fence divide and conquer us in order to avoid addressing those issues which are important to women—such as women's health care, child care and pregnancy discrimination in the workplace.

Ms. Paltrow has founded National Advocates For Pregnant Women, to push this agenda.

Even Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, is on board. Last year she wrote in an article: "The public has grown tired of the divisiveness of the abortion debate and was eager to support policymakers who would focus on common sense ways to prevent unintended pregnancies."

That is where this whole debate is going. In this year of Juno, we are moving beyond the idea that abortion is a sacrament, and are able to agree it is a bit yuckier than spilling pea soup---and not a cool issue at all.

It is a shame that Barack Obama is trying to divide women, when we are finally starting to figure this out.

merda

Quinta-feira, 4 de Setembro de 2008