Let’s take a look at the Alabama Human Life Protection Act which was signed into law on Tuesday by Republican governor Kay Ivey. The bill takes a severe and zero tolerance policy on abortions (with very, very few exceptions) in the state of Alabama. The bill strips women of the right to make their own decisions regarding their very OWN bodies. Such a law is a step back in women’s rights and is deeply regressive. This is certainly not the first Act of its type in the United States as Georgia recently introduced a Bill making abortions illegal past just six weeks of pregnancy. There have been similar abortion bans proposed in a total of 15 states and six of which have already already been enacted.
State Senator Clyde Chambliss spoke candidly on Senate floor in defense of the bill; “What I think is that when god creates that life, that miracle of life inside the womens womb that is not in our place as humans to extinguish that life.”
To which State Senator Linda Coleman-Madison responded “Now you’re in my womb, I want you out.”
Some highlights of this atrocity:
- Doctors who perform abortions could face up to 99 years in prison. The law however does not outline persecution for those women who undergo the procedure.
- At no point during her pregnancy may a woman recieve an abortion. Exceptions will be made for mothers of the unborn child who are at serious risk for health complications or for those whose unborn child will suffer great health complications. The law does not make an exception for women impregnated by rape and/or incest.
State Senator Vivian Davis Figures pointed out to the Senate the population which would be impacted the greatest by the Act during debate with Chambliss “(…) but that’s not your business, that is not your business. You don’t have to raise that child you don’t have to carry that child, you don’t have to provide for that child.”
Such reasonable and sound arguments presented by those opposed to the Bill were met with religious and subjective reasoning from supporting Senators. Despite this the Bill was voted in by 25 representatives of 31 in both chambers. Ivey did not lie when she said “the Alabama Human Life Protection Act (…) was approved by overwhelming majorities in both chambers of the Legislature.”
In a tweet promptly after signing the Bill Ivey said “To the Bill’s many supporters, this legislation stands as a powerful testament to Alabamians’ deeply held belief that every life is precious and that every life is a sacred gift from God…”
The clearly religious and concerningly bias foundation of this piece of legislature was religious, showing an unsettling intersection of church and state. Defenses for legislature such as the one offered by Ivey threaten the credibility of a democracy as clouded political agendas and misguided actions become increasingly prominent. As are any actions based on a politicians own interests and beliefs rather than that of those they supposedly represent. The Alabama Human Life Protection Act will predominantly impact the lives of women and violate their fundamental freedoms. The Bill was met with public outcry and criticism from organizations such as Planned Parenthood and American Civil Liberties Union. These collectives plan to take legal action against the Bill. Fortunately to enforce such legislature it must first be reviewed by the Supreme Court as it directly conflicts with freedoms outlined in federal ruling Roe V. Wade made in 1973. Under the likely request of an organization such as Planned Parenthood a Federal Judge will be left to decide on the temporary effectiveness of the Bill while undergoing litigation.
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/alabama-abortion-Bill/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/15/politics/alabama-abortion-Bill-fact-check/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2019/05/15/alabama-abortion-Bill-mh-orig.cnn
https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/15/politics/alabama-governor-signs-Bill/index.html
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