Kansas House Considering Abortion-Related Bills (Free Sonogram)

Kansas City Star ^ | DAVID KLEPPER

[nickcarraway]

Abortion clinics would be required to let women see a free sonogram of their fetus under legislation pending before Kansas lawmakers.

The measure is one of at least four abortion-related bills now before the Kansas House. While it may be overshadowed by state budget deficits this year, abortion remains a potent and perennial subject in the Statehouse.

The proposed Woman’s Right to Know and See Act would require abortion clinics to offer more information — in pamphlets and videos — regarding stages of fetal development. It also would force abortion providers to offer women the option of viewing a free sonogram of the fetus.

Clinics also would have to post signs noting that coerced abortions are illegal.

At least 12 states, including Missouri, have similar sonogram bills pending in their legislatures. Another 12 states have sonogram laws on the books.

The Kansas bill’s sponsor, Rep. Lance Kinzer, an Olathe Republican, said his bill is an attempt to reach middle ground with abortion-rights supporters. No women would be forced to view a sonogram, he said. The idea, Kinzer said, is to make sure women have complete information before choosing abortion.

“What better way to actually provide her with accurate information than allowing her to see what her actual unborn child does look like,” he said. “… I don’t see what the possible objection is to that.”

But the objection from abortion providers is that they contend Kinzer’s bill would be another attempt by government to insert itself into a personal decision.

“Women are best served when they’re able to make the decision by themselves and their families without government interference,” said Julie Burkhart of ProKanDo, an abortion-rights group founded by Wichita abortion provider George Tiller.

Planned Parenthood already offers free sonograms to woman seeking abortions, according to spokeswoman Holly Weatherford.

[madprof98]

Planned Parenthood is offering only free sonograms? Well, I hear Tiller’s operation also offers free family photos with the dead “fetus” in baby clothes—before the tiny carcass is tossed into the incinerator out back.

[Constitutions Grandchild]

I think that’s a wonderful idea. In fact, I wish they’d made a video of the incident in Florida - gore and all - and asked everyone contemplating an abortion to view it. It isn’t that I wish to be cruel, it’s just that we have bundled up the procedure in tidy, sanitized language and tied it up with a big pink bow to the point that the procedure is thought of as a painless, simple solution to an unwanted pregnancy.

If a woman can look at a sonogram and see an abortion performed, she would be able to make an informed consent. No one should be forced to make a decision of such import and not have all the facts. If a woman still wants an abortion after seeing all the material available, then she has more guts than I do, and she probably is quite serious about having one.

So long as no Christian hospital is forced to do the procedures against the staff’s consciences, then I say, Board Certify the Abortionists, make it safe, clean and legal and list them under “Abortionists” in the Yellow Pages. That way those of us who truly believe cooperation in any way with the act would be a violation of our beliefs would not be forced to involve ourselves.

Those organizations who will offer alternatives to the abortion should also be allowed to give information and resources to the women who are contemplating the procedure. Then, it’s totally up to the pregnant woman.