Business as usual…

(Trent Nelson | Tribune file photo) Sen. Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, in the Senate Chamber in Salt Lake City on Thursday Dec. 12, 2019 as lawmakers hold a special session focusing on tax reform.

I hate January and February here in Utah. No, it is not just the snow and cold, it is the fact that our churchislature, I mean legislature run by the church, I mean legislature is in session. Just as you would expect, stupid bills are rolling by every day.
The latest is an abortion ban that would only go into effect if Roe v. Wade were to be struck down by SCOTUS (which given the Republican court-packing is possible). I am not here to explore that if you want those discussions look at a law blog. I am the least happy with the fact that we are once again using our spirituality to regulate women’s’ bodies.

Abortion is and always should be an individual decision that a woman makes without; A legislature, a congress, Mike Pence and “mother,” men, transvaginal ultrasound, a 72 hour waiting period while they force you to watch the anti-abortion lobby’s propaganda (yeah this is in Utah’s law now), a restriction on termination if the baby has a genetic error (that is part of required prenatal testing), and last but not least a pregnancy as a result of a rapist (incest is rape too since it lacks consent).

The reason for legalizing abortion was to make it a safe and clinical procedure. Yeah, that’s it. When Mr. Justice Harry Blackmun wrote the majority decision in Roe v. Wade, he called upon his son and his colleagues at the Mayo clinic. See Justice Blackmun’s son was a doctor in their home state of Minnesota. Harry was torn about this decision as he did have issues with the termination of pregnancy. His son impressed upon Harry that while abortion may or may not be wrong, it should be in a clinical environment, not in a “back alley” somewhere. Harry’s carefully written opinion gave us a reasonable position and, most importantly, safe abortions.

Folks, it’s not your decision, it is the woman’s. Do I need to say that again and again and again? It’s my job as a medical provider to ensure that the woman is well informed (not propagandized) about the consequences of the procedure. The medical consequences, not the imagined consequences that your projected spirituality is thrusting (heh) on her, are a risk to her health.

I am disturbed that we would place a requirement for an unnecessary procedure (transvaginal ultrasound) as a requirement, but what bothers me more is the 72 hours of propaganda. The decision to have an abortion is tough because it is an individual one. So a woman who is already making a tough decision is sat down and required to your religious, unscientific bullshit to further the emotional burden. You know that even Jesus would think you are an asshole for doing it.

Sen Dan McCay (R), Riverton, said he sponsored the legislation because he “was prodded gently by [his] loving wife,” said that the government’s primary function is to protect life, and that a person’s rights end where they cause pain to another person.

“I can’t sleep at night for the definition we currently have for a baby,” he said.

Oh, bullshit. Your wife, who has a birthing fetish. Also, it’s a fetus (virtually a tumor), not a baby.

In all of this, there is some levity, thanks to my Senator Luz Escamilla (who is Mormon by the way) attempted to place an amendment in the bill which would prevent male ejaculation that occurs outside of the vagina especially from masturbation.

“My amendment, what it does, is make sure that men play a part and are accountable for their actions as well,” Escamilla said.

Go, Luz! Of course, the men freaked and jumped on their “moralistic” soapbox. Ya know because they can’t stand it when someone tells them what to do with their weiners.

The most critical piece of abortion has no voice. Yep, the woman.

I am a dude, and honestly, I took the attitude years ago that this is not, and will never be my decision to make. I have no right to force an opinion on anyone; this means not only abortion but ANYTHING. As a medical provider, I should objectively inform someone about the risks and benefits of a procedure and support my patient’s choice. I have found that maybe this should apply to the rest of life. Stop being a bunch of Gladys Kravitz (Google that shit) and keep your eyes and your attitude at home.

Abortion will most likely hit the podcast this week, so stay tuned.

Be the kind of person your dog and your mom hope you are.