Posted on 05/01/2005 7:21:19 AM PDT by madprof98
America's division over abortion deepened further yesterday after a Florida court prevented a 13-year-old girl in a care home from terminating her pregnancy. The girl, known as LG, has made it clear she wants an abortion to which she would appear legally entitled, but has had her wishes blocked by state officials who argue she lacks the maturity to make a decision.
The case pits civil liberties groups against the religious right in clear echoes of the case of Terri Schiavo, the brain-damaged woman whose feeding tube was removed only after a ferocious legal battle.
LG is known to be more than 13 weeks pregnant, meaning that anti-abortion groups know how long they need to force a delay before a termination becomes difficult.
James Green, of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), said: 'This child has made a clear choice; she has expressed it to the judge. There is no indication she is incompetent. We believe this is wrong as a matter of constitutional law and as a matter of good guardianship.'
The girl was due to have an abortion next Tuesday until Florida's Department of Children and Families, the agency responsible for her care, obtained an injunction.
LG has run away from state homes on several occasions, at one point going missing for more than a month, during which time it is understood she became pregnant.
The judge who granted the injunction is furious that the DCF didn't even alert the police that the girl was missing.
Judge Ronald Alvarez said: 'To say I am angry is an understatement.'
LG was taken away from her parents four years ago. Although psychologists have already agreed that the girl does not have any mental problems, the court has ordered another evaluation.
A spokesman for Florida Right to Life said: 'There is a rush to abort. To get rid of the evidence. Who impregnated her? You do not consent to sex at the age of 13.'
The Bush administration, which owes much of its electoral support to religious groups that find abortion abhorrent, described the situation as 'tragic' but believes Florida officials are acting in the girl's best interests. Lawyers acting on the girl's behalf have filed an appeal to let the abortion proceed.
Richard Wexler of the National Coalition for Child Protection Reform said: 'I hope they move very, very quickly because every day is another day of emotional torment for this child and every day the pregnancy continues, it becomes more dangerous.'
Abortion is probably the most politically explosive issue in America. This week alone there were at least two separate rows over the display of anti-abortion messages, with each side accusing the other of hate speech.
On Tuesday, a teenage girl wearing a T-shirt that featured a picture of a foetus' head above the words 'abortion kills kids' was sent home from her school in Tennessee.
The American Life League gave away 15,000 of the T-shirts to be worn last Tuesday, supposedly National Pro-Life day.
Pro-life organisations say they encourage children to get actively involved in the issue because they are "survivors of the abortion holocaust".
Meanwhile, the ACLU sued the state of Ohio for issuing car licence plates reading 'choose life'. It claims this is discrimination because there are no pro-choice plates.
Right.
I'm talking about a poor totally effed up 13 year old child .... and you're talking about some GD movement. May you rot!
ROT I say.
Excellent. I have been getting dismissed because I want to look at abortion from all it's sides. Why do some women feel that is the best option? How do we show them others?
By reducing single parent homes and the number of children "raised" by children we can reduce teen pregnancy and thereby reduce abortion.
You are so right when you say we need to look at the whole social fabric.
You are not alone Mercy. It's sad these people are so vocal in the Republican Party. If national defense or, to a lesser extent, economic issues become less important these people will effectively destroy the Republican Party. They may be close to doing that anyway.
And I'm here too. Just look what I got for defending parents' rights!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.