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Glen Brunner's avatar

Excellent piece, Thom, on the legal background of rights regarding abortion, religion, gays, etc. I think the discussion & focus should be on the power grounds that most directly confront the hypocritical Repugs who claim to revere the life of an unborn child yet provide no health care, education, etc. for the child who has already been born. And this should be done via the legal avenue that already mandates that when a government takes control of a person's life--such as a person who is involuntarily incarcerated--, the government is legally obligated to provide food, housing, and medical services for the full term of the incarceration. I therefore propose that the first female of any age who becomes pregnant under any circumstance and is mandated by state or federal law to carry the pregnancy to term against the female's will...should file a lawsuit against the government that mandates such by outlawing legal abortions. I am no lawyer but I'd like to hear from one who knows about the rights of any incarcerated person to have access to housing, food, and medical care while so incarcerated. To me this is involuntarily servitude--and that is exactly what such governmental restrictions are upon a female who does not want to have child but is forced by governmental decree to do so. Under past practice, any unwilling mother has been responsible for the care, housing, food, clothing, & medical needs of the child. The government, however, that outlaws contraception and abortions should be held responsible for providing for 100% of the child's support (in housing, food, health care, and any other essential material needs) until that child is of legal age. The mother should also be compensated throughout this entire period as an indentured servant of the state. The Repugs might think twice about assuming such financial & legal responsibilities if given these conditions

when advocating their restrictions of commonly accepted human rights---like control over one's own body. It will hit them in their "conservative" pocket books where they will scream bloody murder...eh? Enough of the AWOL, dead-beat "Dads" who persist in controlling others !!

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Glen Brunner's avatar

A brief addendum to my earlier comment: I forgot to include draftees into our military as another group who our government is mandated to provide with housing, food, clothing, & medical care as long as the draftee is forced to serve. Women forced to give birth against their will and raise that child until of legal age should receive the same governmental support as draftees.

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