The latest event in the slow-but-sure push of a pro-life agenda into the lives of women in our state took place Tuesday at the Capitol.
The Michigan House voted 69-37 to make it a legal requirement for medical clinics that conduct abortions to offer the option of seeing an ultrasound of the fetus to women who are considering having an abortion.
The bill itself likely won't have much effect on a woman's decision to go through with an abortion. We're willing to bet that, upon arriving at a medical clinic for such a purpose, most women would not want to look at the ultrasound. Chances are, they have thought long and hard about this decision, and if they're fortunate, have had the opportunity to discuss the situation with family and friends.
Chances are, she's made up her mind, and that's why she's at the clinic in the first place. Besides, with the ban on partial-birth abortion, a woman can only receive an abortion before the third trimester anyway. About 90 percent of abortions are completed in the first trimester, and if you know anything about the way a fetus looks, you know it doesn't resemble a human being whatsoever during that trimester.
There are some cases, however, in which women might be pressured to get an abortion, or might be so distraught by the situation that they are unable to think clearly and objectively about it before going to the clinic. These women might just be acting out of pure shock and should give the situation a second thought. In this case, an option to see an ultrasound of the fetus would require them to think about it more.
But, offering women the opportunity to sit back and think about how an abortion will affect their lives is not the motive for this bill.
The bill was introduced by State Rep. Dave Robertson, R-Grand Blanc Township, who hopes that if a woman is offered to see, or does see, the ultrasound of the fetus she will not go on with the abortion.
It seems as though the lawmakers supporting this bill wish to make the woman feel guilty about what she's doing. It's a little along the lines of rubbing your new puppy's nose in the carpet where it's just relieved itself. The passage of this bill is telling women in our state that abortion is bad and whoever has one is bad, and that as soon as possible, it will be illegal.
Of course, women should devote an immense amount of energy in their decision about going through with an abortion, but they shouldn't be treated with bias by the government and made to feel horrible if they do choose to go through with one. Which brings us to heart of the issue - what's the government doing in such personal, emotional business anyway?
