It had to come down to this ...

Just read on CNN's page that "South Dakota law bans nearly all abortions". According to the article, it will become a crime to do an abortion and the only exception is on when the woman's health in danger. Anything else (e.g., rape, incest) will be ok. The article quotes the South Dakota governor Rounds as follows: "In the history of the world, the true test of a civilization is how well people treat the most vulnerable and most helpless in their society. The sponsors and supporters of this bill believe that abortion is wrong because unborn children are the most vulnerable and most helpless persons in our society. I agree with them".

Now, whether one agrees with that assessment or not, a law like this (which will take years in court to be decided) once in effect, will drive women and doctors into illegality and across state borders. Laws like this take away a woman's right to choose and put control over their bodies into the hands of some politicians. How women can vote for people like Gov. Rounds is beyond me but I can't help but think that this is another example of where state, politics and religion are not separated enough. If you believe abortion is wrong, don't do it. If one wants an abortion (for whatever reason) provide help not threats. Instead of wasting millions of tax and donor millions now on a lawsuit, the state of South Dakota should rather provide women with appropriate aids. But something tells me they won't. Welcome back in the medieval ages, where women soon will have to go some dark cave to have an abortion done, because what this thing won't do is to cut the number of abortions, it will just make it harder for women and I don't think that is what most of those women need.

All in all, this is the first step of the ultra-conservative people that hope to benefit from Alito's appointment to the Supreme Court. Anyway, I know this post is somewhat unusual for my blog, but things like this bug the hell out of me. And the irony of all of this is that once the child is born, the protection from the government pretty much ends. Just take a look at the state of public schools and education in general. I know it's a naive hope, but I wish the states and all these people would direct their effort into more fruitful endeavors like protecting the environment and bettering education. Imagine what you can do with the millions of dollars you could save by avoiding the lawsuits over abortion, given that the highest court in the nation has already ruled on this.