The “War on Women” is a phrase used to describe Republican policies and proposals which restrict women’s rights, especially reproductive ones.
Republicans counter that the “war” is a figment of Democrat’s imagination. This essay will present myriad examples proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Democrats’ contention is correct.
The evidence is so overwhelming it brings to mind Christopher Morley’s line “There was so much handwriting on the wall that even the wall fell down.”
On January 29, 1998, Emily Lyons was working at her job as a nurse at the All Women’s Health Care Center in Birmingham, Ala. A bomb packed with nails went off. Lyons, a 42 year old mother of two had her shins blasted away, her entire body was riddled with shrapnel and her left eye was destroyed.
She has endured multiple surgeries, excruciating skin grafts and scrubbing of abscessed wounds. What crime had Ms. Lyons committed?
She worked at a clinic that performed abortions.
On May 31, 2009, Dr. George Tiller was ushering at the Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita, Kan.
Scott Roeder entered and shot Dr. Tiller through the eye. Dr. Tiller’s crime? He was the medical director of Women’s Health Care Services which performed abortions.
While these events may not be typical anti-abortion activities, they do represent the extreme factions which exist within the movement.
There has been a marked increase in violence against clinic doctors and staff. Physicians have been harassed at their homes, their faces and addresses appearing on wanted-like posters.
Richard Mourdock, Indiana state treasurer said that “life was something that God intended” even if the pregnancy was due to rape. Dr. John C. Willkie, president of the National Right to Life Committee, wrote that when undergoing rape, the female body can physiologically prevent conception.
He also stated that women can be “frightened tight.” These factually incorrect statements stem back to 1972 when Fred Mecklenberg of the University of Minnesota published an article stating that pregnancy from rape is “extremely rare” and that “rape-induced trauma Impedes ovulation.”
Lies die hard. In 1988, a Pennsylvania state representative said the odds of pregnancy resulting from rape were one in “millions and millions.”
And in 1998, a Republican senator from Arkansas talked about “fear- induced hormonal changes” making pregnancy unlikely.
But among the most inane thoughts about pregnancy are those of Todd Akin who served six terms in the House of Representatives and who in 2012 was the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate from Missouri.
On a radio show, he famously spoke about “legitimate rape.” One can only wonder how he would define “illegitimate rape.” Admitting that he misspoke, he clarified by saying what he meant was “forcible rape” which leads to the question — when is rape not forced? The good voters in Missouri saw to it that Akin did not go back to Washington.
Not to be outdone in the ignorance category, we have the words of Foster Friess.
When being interviewed by NBC’s Andrea Mitchell, Mr. Friess said: “Back in my days, they used Bayer aspirin for contraceptives.”
To clarify, he went on: “The gals put it between their knees.”
Who was this insensitive and politically incorrect person?
A supporter of Rick Santorum for president in 2011, Friess gave over $330,000 to a Santorum super PAC.
Based on the foregoing, I think it fair to say that if there’s an anti-science party, it’s the G.O.P.
Not only do they question evolution and climate change, but they postulate theories about rape which have absolutely no validity.
Arnold Toynbee once said that “history is just one damned thing after another.”
Facetious as this may be, I hold that history is, indeed, a story and it can be a most fascinating one when properly told.
Let’s go back to Eric Rudolph whose bomb eviscerated nurse Emily Lyons.
Violence was nothing new to Rudolph.
In the 1996 Olympic Games held in Atlanta, he planted a bomb which took one life and maimed 111 others. In 1997, he bombed the Birmingham clinic where Lyons worked.
What is instructive in the Rudolph story is the public’s reaction to his crime.
Two country music songs were written about him and many bought a T-shirt which read: “Run Rudolph Run.”
For five years, he evaded law enforcement, a fugitive in the Appalachian wilderness. It is likely that this “folk hero” received assistance from sympathizers in spite of his being on the F.B.I.’s 10 Most Wanted list and the offer of $1 million for information leading to his capture.
The lesson to be learned here is that we are not dealing with one psychotic individual, but with an organized movement of persons for whom violence is an acceptable tactic. How does the Rudolph story end?
The anti-abortion murderer is serving three consecutive life terms in a Supermax federal prison. He is alone 22 and a half hours a day in an 80-foot concrete cell.
The weapons in the “War on Women” are many and varied. The list below is a sample of ideas which misogynists have devised to thwart progress for women.
• Doctors are harassed by having their pictures and home addresses placed on “Wanted” posters.
• Extreme members of Operation Rescue make the case for “justifiable homicide” and use of “lethal force.”
• Money which could be spent on women’s health issues is expended on clinic security.
• Clinics are being forced to close at a rate of 1.5 every week.
• Clinics must meet the same standards as ambulatory surgical centers which can be prohibitively expensive.
• Doctors performing abortions must have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital, but in a “Catch 22” scenario, often these hospitals deny the privilege to physicians who do abortions. Texas put such stringent regulations in effect that, only five of the state’s 42 clinics met the standards. Patients in the Rio Grande Valley have to travel 300 miles to the nearest clinic.
• Some states require an ultrasound before performing abortions.
This is but another obstacle placed in the way of a woman who has made up her mind about the procedure.
• Waiting periods lasting from one to six days are common. South Dakota uses this time to enforce mandatory counseling at an anti-abortion crisis center.
• Some states require women who want an abortion to listen to the fetal heartbeat.
To me, this sounds like “cruel and unusual punishment” interposed by a state which is meddling in the doctor patient relationship.
•Physicians’ scripts are prepared and must be read to women seeking an abortion. The argument in favor of scripts is that it makes for “informed consent,” when oft-times medically inaccurate information is conveyed, such as abortion increases the risk of breast cancer.
• In 1976, the Hyde Amendment authored by Congressman Henry Hyde of Illinois became the law of the land. It prohibited federal funding (Medicaid dollars) from being used for most abortions.
As a result, over 20 million women have been denied this safe, common, and medically necessary procedure.
It is shameful, that most women affected are poor, many black and Latina. We are fortunate to live in a country which values equality except for the poor and minorities!
• Maltreatment of women extends into the military.
In one year there were 20,000 instances or reported rape and sexual assault. In many cases the military have ignored the facts and given the perpetrators a slap on the wrist.
They have not acted on behalf of the victims because they didn’t have to. Company commanders act as judge and jury and until guilt or innocence is taken out of the chain of command, justice will not be served.
All of the above are shameful examples of the successes made by those who oppose women’s rights.
America stands at the crossroads. Some believe that the “War on Women” is over and women have lost. Others like Wendy Davis have not thrown in the towel yet.
Ex-Sen. Davis held a seat in the Texas legislature, and in 2013 rose to oppose a bill severely curtailing women’s rights.
Wearing pink sneakers, for eleven hours she defied attempts to end her filibuster.
While the governor, Rick Perry, was able to call a special session of the legislature and get his Neanderthal bill passed, the example set by Davis inspired women across the country.
I recently came across a hand-lettered sign which read: “Thou shalt not mess with women’s reproductive rights” Fallopians 4:28. I also saw a poster which read: “New Commandment: Thou shalt not write laws pertaining to body parts you don’t have…God.” And so the fight goes on, and try as they may, Republicans cannot turn back the hands of time…Venceremos!
Dr. Hal Sobel
Great Neck
