PBS program looks at Mississippi's last abortion clinic

sun-sentinel.com ^ | November 8 2005 | By Connie Lauerman

[WKB]

In the past two years, Mississippi has passed legislation on fetal homicide prosecution, new clinic regulations and requirements to report abortion complications. Only one clinic in the state now performs the controversial procedure.

[Salvation]

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Thank You Bishop Rhoades: A Personal Account of An Abortion Protest With A Catholic Bishop -- still praying -- Harrisburg, PA

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PBS program looks at Mississippi's last abortion clinic

[kemathen7]

I should add a comment to that ...

I was expecting a hit piece on the pro-life movement, and I didn't get that. I still think it was a little weighted toward the anti-life side, but it wasn't the "PRO-LIFERS ARE CRAZY CHRISTIAN KOOKS" show I expected. I can honestly say I learned something new.

And hearing that lady say "we're losing" was SO worth watching.

[Question_Assumptions]

A. Abortion was not on their radar. A multitude of issues face people who are living in extreme poverty that have nothing to do with abortion access.

Marie Antoinette's line about eating cake comes to mind here. "Poor women are concerned that they don't have access to adequate healthcare in doctors offices and hospitals!" "Well let them go to abortion clinics, then."

[onyx]

They're admitting they're losing --- I am smiling too.
Thanks for your excellent commentary.

MUCH APPRECIATED.

[Phlap]

There are medical conditions(apart from being pregnant)that can make an abortion necessary and no law should stop a doctor from performing one. But there should be a law that makes it a crime to end a pregnancy without any medical condition apart from pregnancy.

[Question_Assumptions]

Oh, I agree. I definitely support a "life of the mother" (in the sense of a real, rather than statistical threat) exception to any anti-abortion law and think that determining exactly which health conditions (again, real, rather than statistical concern) might also warrant giving that choice up to the electorate via legislation.

[OriginalChristian]

'If a non-biased news organization covered this,...'
Does such a thing exist?

[BigSkyFreeper]

Onyx, is this the only place in Mississippi where someone can get an abortion, or is it the only place where someone can get it done on the taxpayers' dime?

Nevermind the fact that this left-winged caca paraded across the screen in the name of "objectivity" is taxpayer funded as well.

[WKB]

Which one of those is the contraceptive and which
is abstinence?

[AmishDude]

What? That's remarkable. A PBS program not about homosexuals. Amazing.

[SuziQ]

On the other hand, there are many places across the country like Mississippi that are very rural and a lot of women do not have access to abortion and the women are very conflicted about it.

The more crucial situation is that women in rural areas of MS don't have access to decent pre-natal care because all the Ob-Gyn's have been run off on account of exorbitant malpractice insurance premiums. When the poor folks in MS stop getting talked into suing folks by fast talking lawyers, they might have better health care all around.

[hershey]

Violins played full tilt for these hapless women forced to have children. They're too poor to do anything else. Birth control? Evidently not an option. Talk about a biased program.

[Monitor]

There are medical conditions(apart from being pregnant)that can make an abortion necessary and no law should stop a doctor from performing one. But there should be a law that makes it a crime to end a pregnancy without any medical condition apart from pregnancy.

Agreed, sort of.

Having taken a concealed carry class, which involves much discussion on the legal limits regarding taking someone's life, we were given four conditions which must be met:

1) Be a reluctant participant - do not proactively escalate the situation.

2) I must be reasonably in immediate fear of death or great bodily harm.

3) No lesser force will do.

4) Retreat is not practical. I think the same principles should apply to abortion, as in:

1) Be a reluctant participant - do not proactively escalate the situation by having consentual sex without birth control.

2) I must be reasonably in immediate fear of death or great bodily harm to the mother.

3) No lesser force (surgery, drugs, etc.) will do.

4) Retreat (keeping the baby, adoption) is not practical.

[Niteranger68]

Which one of those is the contraceptive and which is abstinence?

Actually.....

Contraceptive

Abstinence

[dixiechick2000]

This part of the interview really surprised me.


"Q. Did anything surprise you as you worked on this documentary?

A. What was surprising to me is how "unextreme" the [anti-choice activists] were. They really seemed very open to discussion. But when it comes right down to it, they have very strong points of view. They have their eyes on the ball, they know exactly what they want and they're going after it.

There still are true extremists out there, but many conservative Christians figured out a way inside the system to push for these types of laws and they've been successful. They don't feel outside of the mainstream anymore.

Q. Does Roe vs. Wade still matter?

A. What we found is that certain states have been so active [about restricting abortion locally] that they certainly have diminished the importance of Roe v. Wade."


I'm glad Mississippi is down to just one abortion clinic.
That makes me very proud.
Now, if only that one can be gotten rid of...

[dixiechick2000]

I guess there is one in every bunch.

[dixiechick2000]

LOL!

That is MUCH better.
Though, the bottom one works 100% of the time. ;o)

[Cedar]

"I've argued this with my liberal friends for years. It is not the *poor* who are getting abortions. They cost too much. It is rich white girls getting abortions."

I've been a sidewalk counselor for the past 7 years (we hand out pro-life literature outside abortion clinics and talk to people -- if they want to talk).

At two different clinics I've counseled near -- since you mentioned race -- I would say the girls going in for abortions are 65% black and 35% white.

And few of the girls appear to be wealthy. They are usually middle or lower income, both races.

Sometimes the boyfriend comes along and is probably paying for the abortion (or at least paying part of it).

Other times a family member comes with the girl, and they too are probably helping to pay for the abortion.

Oh, and as a side note, in all these years I've never seen a smiling face on a girl after she's had an abortion. Every one has a deeply sad expression when leaving the clinic.