S.C. abortion ban isn’t about saving lives, it’s about legislating control over women
It’s about control
South Carolina passed a “Fetal Heartbeat” law that outlaws abortions after about six weeks of gestational development. During this period, many women wouldn’t even know of their pregnancy yet; studies show that half of these pregnancies were unintended/unplanned. Consequently, this legislation removes any post-conceptual decision-making from many women.
A legislative focus on ensuring medically-accurate sex education, providing free contraception where appropriate, expanding perinatal care programs, and expanding Medicaid would be demonstrably pro-life. This legislation also overtly discriminates against the economically disadvantaged, as the affluent have always had abortion services available to them even before Roe vs. Wade was decided by the Supreme Court in 1973.
The “Fetal Heartbeat” law is not about saving lives; it’s about primitive-thinking men — and some religious groups — legislating control over women. The woman and any invited significant others and her doctor should be the only ones involved in the decision to terminate an unwanted or unhealthy pregnancy. Policymakers should be concerned about improving the well being of all that they serve, and stop berating, demeaning, and legislating against the competence of women to make decisions about their own reproductive well being.
Roger Sargent, Blythewood
Fetus is human
I was somewhat surprised to find an article in the paper was uncharacteristically inclusive of diverse opinions. The State seems to insert its editorial views when reporting on social issues. The writer quotes Republican women in support of S:1:
Rep. Sylleste Davis; “... I was sharing my body with another person.”
Rep. Sandy McGarry; “This is a heartbeat. This is a living human being.”
Even with these clarifying observations included, the article returns to the text that abortion is a women’s health issue. The presence of a fetal heartbeat makes an abortion a fetal life issue. A fetus is a human being.
The women seeking abortion services do not need health care to correct something or to manage a symptom. The issue is the life of the unborn. A sustained heartbeat defines life. Women’s health care is a distraction and an off topic issue that is used to oppose the pro-life position.
A fetus is human and a heartbeat defines life. That’s the issue.
Thomas Cullinan, West Columbia
Google lawsuit
As South Carolina families and small businesses worry over not having money to make ends meet, our state elected leaders must wisely decide how to spend our taxpayer dollars. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has decided to use his budget to join other state attorneys general and take on Google by filing an antitrust lawsuit. In some states, the expenses associated with litigating the lawsuit case have become exorbitant. For instance, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has already asked for over $43 million in public funds to find lawyers for the case. This is valuable money that is needed for relief during these difficult times. COVID-19 is once again starting to surge in South Carolina, and businesses and residents are both in crucial need of aid that can help them get back on their feet.
Irresponsible spending is always concerning, but dropping millions of dollars on lawsuits against Big Tech during this pandemic is plain foolhardy. S.C. Legislature should promptly move to investigate exactly how much of South Carolinians’ taxpayer dollars are being used on this lawsuit and ensure that our Attorney General is putting our state’s resources to its best use.
Don Weaver, Columbia
SC Recall Bill
I urge our S.C. legislature to support Bill H. 3256. This bill would enable South Carolinians the ability to recall elected leaders if we believe that they have not represented our will. The ability to recall should be a fundamental right for us since we live in a representative form of government. Our state and local officials are not supposed to vote based on their own self interest or understanding. They are supposed to vote based on what they believe to be the will of their electorate.
South Carolina elected Donald Trump as our president and some of us believe that our votes were not honored and the election system was fraudulent. If our votes are not sacrosanct, we have lost our great republic. We stand for the legitimacy of our vote and if our elected officials don’t, we need a method of recourse.
Laura Scharr, Columbia