Alabama conservatives’ decision to nullify a woman’s right to choose has galvanized the pro-choice movement, in no small part due to the draconian level of cruelty shown by (predominantly) male lawmakers. The new law makes performing an abortion illegal after a “fetal heartbeat” can be detected. This “heartbeat” can be detected around 6 weeks—long before many women even discover they are pregnant. One of the distinguishing aspects of this new law is that Republicans made sure that there were no exemptions for rape or incest. Republican Rep. Terri Collins told reporters, “I have prayed my way through this bill.” Didn’t pray hard enough for my liking.
But this nod to praying and God is something that has driven every aspect of the convoluted conservative Christian position on abortion laws throughout our country. And Republicans across the country have frequently professed their distaste for women and women’s rights, specifically surrounding sexual assault for a very long time. So the fact that conservatives in Alabama are outlawing abortions across the board should come as no surprise. Here are some reminders of what conservatives think about rape.
There was the Republican from Maine, Lawrence Lockman, who explained that if a woman had a right to an abortion, then rape wasn’t rape.
“If a woman has (the right to an abortion), why shouldn’t a man be free to use his superior strength to force himself on a woman? At least the rapist’s pursuit of sexual freedom doesn’t (in most cases) result in anyone’s death.”
View the May 19 article by Walter Einenkel from Daily Kos on the AlterNet website here.