Our worst fears came true last Friday. Under the pressure of the Texas Conservative faction and pro-life special interest groups, HB 2 passed with flying colors. With a resume including an infamous filibuster and rallies almost everyday, HB 2 has stirred a buzz among the Texan community. Among the elated community lies conservative columnist Noemie Emery that argues about the importance of HB 2 to eliminate further murders (aka abortions)- citing the infamous Gosnell as a prime example of the apparent horrors of abortion clinics. In Emery's world, abortion clinics are all run like Gosnell's clinics. The Gosnell clinic constituted as a nasty, mismanaged, "murder-house" that no one justifies.
The Gosnell clinic is a prime example of the hardship that women face daily in regards to accessible care. Gosnell served a plethora of women in a state with harsh rules regarding abortions. He performed countless abortions using unsanitary tools and utilized preferential treatment of white women. What happened to the women under Gosnell's care is EXACTLY what happens when states push for extensive abortion regulations- women who are desperate for urgent care go to black market abortion clinics putting their health in major risk. Why is it that conservative members, like Emery, seem to forget disregard the fact that they are the ones that cause women to turn the black market out of desperation. It is strict abortion rules themselves that force the destitute and desperate to put their lives at risk under back-alley abortion clinics.
It is a story we know all to well.
Furthermore, Emery's harsh assertions are all based on ONE aspect of HB 2: the 20-week regulation. Contrary to popular belief, even "pro-choicers" realize that there should be a reasonable time limit on when to get abortions. To most, a 20-week limit is reasonable. HB 2 constitutes more than a 20 week limit. There is one thing that needs to be quite understood: You can be Pro-Life and STILL be against HB 2. The consequences of HB 2 outweigh any benefit of setting a 20-week regulation. The forced closure of hospitals- leaving only 5 open in ALL OF TEXAS-will only create only leave women without access to care.
None of the consequences of the bill are addressed in Emery's "opinion article." She never once discusses the impact lack of accessible care will have on Texan women. Rather her focus is on semantics, regulations, and demeaning pro-choice advocates.
With the passage of HB 2, the female voice has effectively been silenced. But I urge Texan women to fight for accessible care. Hospitals do not ONLY provide abortions, but also preventative care such as monograms. Let your voice not be silenced.
"I think in many cases, your morality is deeply lacking if all you want is a child born, but not a child fed, not a child educated, not a child housed. That's not pro-life. That's PRO-BIRTH."
-Sister Joan Chittister
To read Emery's full article go to: http://www.texasinsider.org/texas-brings-abortion-rules-in-line-with-civilized-world.
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