Um…so?
Published by Lisa Kansas November 11th, 2008 in Godbaggery, Obamarama, Reproductive Rights, for realsThe nation’s Catholic bishops are expected to issue a statement Wednesday pledging cooperation with president-elect Barack Obama on numerous social issues but vowing all-out opposition to any law or executive order he may sign advocating abortion rights.
Did I miss the part where America became a theocracy? Specifically a Catholic theocracy? oh, it isn’t? so, we’re supposed to care about this because..?
To Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago Thomas Paprocki, that would precipitate a cascade of disasters: It would “nullify all conscience laws” allowing doctors, nurses and others to object to abortion, and would require abortions to be performed by all hospitals — which could lead to ending obstetrics services in all Catholic hospitals, even to closing the hospitals entirely.
“Any one of us here would consider it a privilege to die tomorrow — die tomorrow! — to bring about the end of abortion,” said Auxiliary Bishop Robert Hermann of St. Louis.
No, nooo! Don’t throw us into that briar patch, Brer Fox! …er, I mean, “Yeah, don’t do that! We couldn’t stand it if any of those things happened!”
A privilege to die tomorrow eh? Maybe they should put their money where their mouths are.
So, there are no Catholic hospitals in the large number of countries where abortion is already legal? Like, say, Canada? Where I am now? An there’s a Catholic hospital a few kilometers away? Where they don’t perform abortions? Which is why we have the Morgentaler Clinic? Hello? Anybody?
Wait, it’s already legal in the US to. So they’re worried about the Mexico City rule? How the hell does that lead to any of the stuff they’re talking about?
I don’t know what Barack will do without the support of America’s influential and increasingly-relevant Catholic bishops. If there’s one faith that’s growing around here, it’s Catholicism. Or not.
From the article:
Gosh, I can’t imagine how anyone could be irked by the notion of “authority,” particularly “the authority of the Catholic church.” It’s not like they’ve ever used that authority to pursue, say, centuries of ignorance, oppression, imperialism, and mass murder.
The Freedom of Choice Act would render illegal at the federal level a lot of the restrictions on abortions that states have enacted. Specifically, it prevents governments at all levels from “denying or interfering with a woman’s right to choose (a) to bear a child, (b) to terminate a pregnancy prior to viability, or (c) to terminate a pregnancy after viability where termination is necessary to protect the life or health of the woman.” Additionally, it says that governments may not “discriminate against [a woman's right to choose] in the regulation or provision of benefits, facilities, services, or information;” i.e., governments can’t require ultrasound technicians to say, “Aww! Isn’t it cute? Coochie-coo! Coochie-coo! It’s sooooo cute! You know, babies in the first week of pregnancy can feel pain. Intensely. Much, much more intensely than you,” and though they may regulate abortion providers as they do any other medical providers, they can’t, say, require that abortion clinics use instruments made of solid gold, or tax them at 20 beeeelion percent.
Of course, the bishops—along with evangelicals—don’t want women to ever have abortions, aren’t particularly interested in supporting reproductive justice for women from oppressed groups who want to raise children, and they are impressively unconcerned with the mother’s health. Also, legally requiring doctors to terrify their patients and placing untenable burdens on abortion providers are some of their favorite tactics, when legislation fails or is insufficient (and of course, until Roe v. Wade is overturned, laws can never be sufficient).
So they are, understandably and insanely, opposed.
“The nation’s Catholic bishops are expected to issue a statement Wednesday pledging cooperation with president-elect Barack Obama on numerous social issues ….”
They might start by arguing why they should be able to keep their tax-exempt statuts after their campaign of political agitation in California on Prop 8. That doesn’t pose the same level of threat that their agitation on abortion does - marriage equality is basically an adminstrative and tax issue; abortion is a life-path issue - but getting slapped on that might soften them up for this fight.
Lisa, you’ll love this one.
“Did I miss the part where America became a theocracy? Specifically a Catholic theocracy? oh, it isn’t? so, we’re supposed to care about this because..?”
Believe it or not, Catholic people do make up some portion of our society
Just like women, men, blacks, asians, democrats, republicans, etc…
Religious people are entitled to an opinion and a voice just as much as any other group.
Did I say in there anywhere that religious people are not entitled to an opinion or a voice? Or was I simply expressing my own opinion and voice?
“Any one of us here would consider it a privilege to die tomorrow — die tomorrow! — to bring about the end of abortion,”
When I went to get my abortion, there was a mopey protester wearing a sandwich board that said “Let me experience the violence you intend for the children.”
They are just oh-so self sacrificing, whereas women and abortion providers are just selfish monsters.