I'm an author. I write and sell books. One of the tenets of marketing your books is not to take political stands, for fear you will alienate a good segment of your audience. But my former state, Texas, has gone too far by passing a law that allows anyone to sue anyone who helps a woman get an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. And if the lawsuit wins, the tattletale gets a minimum of $10,000.
For example, if a neighbor drives a woman to get an abortion after six weeks, another neighbor can sue the driver for aiding the pregnant woman's "crime." If a doctor advises a woman to get an abortion at 16 weeks because a sonogram reveals that the fetus is could not survive outside the womb, everyone involved can be sued if she gets that abortion, even her consenting husband. If a teen girl seeks an abortion at 12 weeks because she finally figured out she got pregnant after her lecherous uncle sexually abused her, the teen, her parents, and the doctors can be sued, but not the uncle if he told her NOT to get the abortion.
To help you understand what's going on, the text in quotes below was taken from the Planned Parenthood website and is used without explicit permission, but I hope they will forgive me. (Just notify me, and I will remove.)
According to Planned Parenthood:
"You have a constitutional right to abortion in Texas and all 50 states. But as of Sept. 1, 2021, most people in Texas won't be able to get an abortion because of a new, extreme law that bans abortion around six weeks of pregnancy — before many people even know they're pregnant. Texas already has far too many abortion restrictions that make it difficult to access safe, legal abortion in the state. This law makes things even worse: it encourages private citizens to sue abortion providers as well as anyone who helps a person access an abortion in Texas after six weeks.
"Here are the facts about the new abortion ban in Texas:
The harmful law is sometimes referred to as Senate Bill 8 (S.B. 8).
S.B. 8 bans abortion at around 6 weeks of pregnancy — before many people even know they’re pregnant.
S.B. 8 allows people across the country to sue anyone who helps someone get an abortion after six weeks in Texas — including doctors, partners, friends, family members, or abortion fund volunteers.
S.B. 8 offers a $10,000 minimum reward for every successful lawsuit.
S.B. 8 is the harshest, most extreme abortion restriction in the country; and it's the first 6-week ban that has been allowed to take effect.
"That means ANY person — such as a partner, parent, nosy neighbor, random stranger, or anti-abortion protester — from ANY state can sue a person they believe helped someone get an abortion in Texas after 6 weeks. In exchange for their vigilante action, they collect at least $10,000 (plus legal expenses) from the person they sued for each successful claim. This abortion ban will block most safe abortion services in Texas and could also lead to the harassment of health center staff, patients, and anyone who helps a person get an abortion.
"Reproductive rights advocates, including Planned Parenthood, are fighting S.B. 8 in court and are working to stop the abortion ban. We’ll keep providing updates as the situation unfolds.
"Want to help protect abortion access in Texas and other states?
Sign the pledge to call on leaders nationwide to say "no" to abortion bans: Simply text SB8 to 22422 or visit wearepp.org/SB8
Make a gift to Planned Parenthood to support patients by making sure they know their options, by directly funding access to abortion out of state, and by fighting in court to overturn this assault on our most basic rights. Simply text “Texas” to 22422 or visit wearepp.org/Texas
"To learn more about Texas's S.B. 8 law and how to get care, call 1-800-230-PLAN."
Bottom Line from My POV
The current Texas Governor, a blithering extremist named Greg Abbott, says that he is all about freedoms ... freedom to not wear a mask when you grocery shop, even if you have Covid 19; freedom to purchase and carry a gun without any training or permit; and one of his faves, after a falling tree limb crippled him for life, freedom to cut down large trees on your property, even when local laws do not permit.
But, it seems that Greg Abbott's freedoms end when it comes to Freedom of Choice for women or Freedom to Vote, if you cannot vote in person or simply want to drop off your ballot after work, vote by mail, and vote online.
I urge Texans to vote Greg Abbott and his Nazi pals out of office in future elections, and I urge all Americans, gosh, all people anywhere to donate to Planned Parenthood to help them fight these anti-freedom laws in court.
Teenage girls should not be forced to have their uncle's baby. Heck, teenage girls should not be forced to have anyone's baby, so I applaud Planned Parenthood for making sure we do not go back to the coat-hanger days of yesteryear.
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