Abortion Discussion, Part the Fourth

robindch

Interesting news in from the US in the last couple of days, where on Tuesday, Texas passed a law which empowers private citizens to take civil cases against any women seeking to procure an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, anybody helping a woman procure an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy; or even anybody intending to help a woman procure an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy; and where, should the case taken be successful, requires the defendant to pay a bounty of $10,000 to the private citizen who took the case; and where, should the case taken be unsuccessful, Texas will step in to pay the private citizen's legal fees - in essence, Texas is now offering bounties on its citizens going about their own private medical business.

In response, yesterday, the US Supreme Court - with its three members appointed by #45 providing a strong 6-3 Republican majority - refused to strike down the Texas law, citing that while the applicants had "raised serious questions regarding the constitutionality of the Texas law", they had also failed to address "complex and novel" questions raised by the law without specifying what these blocking questions actually were. So, by a majority vote, 5-4, USSC refused to rule on the issue one way or the other and in default of judgement, would leave the law stand by which abortion is now, by the open use of state-sponsored public predation of private citizens, effectively prohibited in the state of Texas.

Judgement is here:

https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/20pdf/21a24_8759.pdf

Some commentary here:

https://mobile.twitter.com/MaddowBlog/status/1433288292825370624

https://twitter.com/mjs_DC/status/1433278317269028865

Bredabe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117837309#Comment_117837309

Coming to a republic near you if some organisations are given their way.

This is particularly scary as its resemblances of the Ireland I grew up in.

Igotadose

Texas: where a virus has reproductive rights and a woman does not

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117837330#Comment_117837330

Pretty big if in fairness...

PopePalpatine

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117838625#Comment_117838625

Maybe those republics near us are Poland and Hungary?

Hotblack Desiato

The injunction against the law has been refused, but the law's constitutionality has not yet been decided upon.

Although the Court denies the applicants’ request for emergency relief today, the Court’s order is emphatic in making clear that it cannot be understood as sustaining the constitutionality of the law at issue.

Anyway, seems to me that the best way to combat this vile abuse of the law is to abuse it back - every pro-choice American (not just Texans) can bombard the system with dubious reports against Texas anti-choicers with, as far as I can see on an extremely cursory examination, no consequences for themselves.

Kewreeuss

I posted a couple of weeks ago about that video shown in Thurles.

I cannot get over a) some dope in the dept of education authorised the video, actually thought it was suitable; b) the teacher giving the class also thought the same, “ I’ll pop this on now and go for a vape” c) it’s an American video, really rabid sh1te from lunatics who, as usual with Americans, can’t accept that other countries are well able to make their own laws for their own people; d) the video contained lies, is that how they want to “win hearts and minds? e)took 18 months for the dept to decide that it didn’t even merit a slap on the wrist!!

Igotadose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117850279#Comment_117850279

RCC still runs the hearts and minds of the education system in this country, if not 'officially.' No surprise at all at this behavior nor the lack of consequences. No freedom of speech means you can't name names publicly. Is trua é sin

Igotadose

At least Texans won't have as far to travel for abortions now. They're legal in Mexico, the world's 2d largest Catholic country: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/mexico-supreme-court-rules-criminalizing-abortion-is-unconstitutional-2021-09-07/

Hotblack Desiato

Pregnancy tests at the border...? Would not surprise me one bit if some legislators tried it.

wench

The Life Institute are still at it, advertising "abortion reversing" drugs to Irish women

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/15/facebook-and-google-condemned-over-ads-for-abortion-pill-reversal

On Facebook, the platform’s own analytics show that as many as 1.5 million users in the UK and 3 million in the Republic of Ireland could have been targeted by adverts promoting the process, paid for by the anti-abortion groups SPUC in the UK and the Life Institute in Ireland.

Hotblack Desiato

Yeah I heard about a doctor offering an abortion reversal service, although he said it may require several injections over a period of some months.

Sorry/notsorry for the bad taste joke, but that story is the most ridiculous thing I've heard in a long time.

The obvious "market" for the above is parents/controlling partners who find out that an abortion pill has been taken. 😡 How is it legal for Facebook to take money to advertise the unlicensed use of a drug?

Edit: Thought the ads were only in the US, but no. It's totally illegal to advertise ANY kind of prescription drug in Ireland or the UK.

On Facebook, the platform’s own analytics show that as many as 1.5 million users in the UK and 3 million in the Republic of Ireland could have been targeted by adverts promoting the process, paid for by the anti-abortion groups SPUC in the UK and the Life Institute in Ireland.

Scum. Absolute scum of the earth.

Pherekydes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896521#Comment_117896521

Do the drugs work, though? The wife wants to know, because she'd like to revive the miscarriage she had in 1994.

[Deleted User]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117900406#Comment_117900406

Given that this unfortunate event for ye was part of God's plan, no, it's only designed for events that weren't part of this plan and when people use their free will.

Hotblack Desiato

But wait - I thought that all bad things which all-loving, all-powerful god lets happen were because of free will?

Cabaal

and as expected, an on purpose challenge to the Texas law

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58633515

[quote]A Texas doctor who admitted to breaking the state's new abortion legislation has been sued, in what could be a test of how lawful the mandate is.

Writing for the Washington Post, Alan Braid said he had carried out a termination on a woman who was in the early stages of her pregnancy but "beyond the state's new limit".

Former lawyers in Arkansas and Illinois filed lawsuits against him on Monday.

....Oscar Stilley, a former lawyer in Arkansas who is serving a 15-year federal conviction for tax fraud in home confinement, said he had decided to file the lawsuit after reading Dr Braid's opinion piece. He said he was not opposed to abortion but sued to force a court to test the legality of the new legislation.[/quote]

Igotadose

Saw on Facebooger that something called The Life Institute will be "airing" something called "How Ireland was lost" on 1 October regarding the repeal of the eighth. Expecting the usual actors to be showing up soon to spout. Airing on FB and Youtube

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.abortionrightscampaign.ie/2021/08/29/breaking-barriers-10th-annual-march-for-choice/

The 10th Annual March for Choice takes place on Saturday 25th September 2021. Mindful of public health concerns, we will hold a socially distanced, static rally for free, safe, legal and local abortion access at Dáil Éireann. 

Date: 25th September 2021 

Time: Assembling at 1.45pm, rally commencing at 2pm.

Place: Outside Dáil Éireann, Kildare St., Dublin 2.

The theme this year is: Breaking Barriers. 

Despite the historic referendum result in May 2018, there are still far too many barriers to abortion in Ireland. Mandatory waiting periods, refusals of care, arbitrary gestational limits, limited service provision, and enduring abortion stigma can all delay and prevent someone from accessing the abortion they need. The cumulative effect of these barriers is felt most keenly by those already marginalised, including LGBTQ+ people, migrants, Travellers, disabled people and those living with domestic violence. The ongoing global pandemic has compounded those structural inequalities. Despite the pandemic, at least 10 people a week travelled from Ireland to England to access abortion in 2020. 

In 2021, Ireland’s abortion legislation is due to be reviewed. We believe that abortion should be available to anyone who wants or needs one – free from stigma and shame, without apology or restriction. We will keep marching, working and fighting until all of the barriers to our reproductive rights and bodily autonomy have been broken. Join us on September 25th to show the government that we won’t stand for anything less than reproductive justice for all.

robindch

Sam Marino takes a break from being out of the news to stepping frontstage, being the latest territory to reconsider its 150-year old ban on abortion.

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/san-marino-abortion-debate-heats-up-ahead-historic-referendum-2021-09-20/

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117941025#Comment_117941025

I wonder have pro-choice activists there been pointing out for decades the hypocrisy of San Marinese women being readily able to access abortion in the large jurisdiction next door, and claiming if the pro-lifers really believed their own rhetoric, they'd be trying to stop women traveling for abortions

Igotadose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117941025#Comment_117941025

San Marino legalized abortion. Yay for them!

https://apnews.com/article/abortion-europe-health-religion-italy-f9a1c1c0e4f69156fb551f677f56bcfe

robindch

Aye, and by a huge margin too - 77% to 23%. There'll be no dancing in the Vatican this evening.

That leaves Malta, Andorra and the Vatican itself as the last territories holding out.

Hotblack Desiato

Wonder if there are any women living in the Vatican who aren't nuns?

But hey, nuns need abortion rights too (and the RCC has performed intellectual backflips in the past to permit it)

Abortion may be legal in Italy since 1978 but the RCC dominates healthcare there and, allegedly, hospital authorities threaten the career progression of the minority of ob/gyns who agree to carry out abortions. Maybe some Italian women will have to go to San Marino...?

ohnonotgmail

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117949034#Comment_117949034

apparently there are 32 women living in the vatican, only one of which is a nun.

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117949034#Comment_117949034

There is one apparently

Hotblack Desiato

Well, somebody's got to sweep the church and arrange the flowers and clean the jacks I suppose... (insert world's most massive rolleyes here)

aloyisious

Listening to RTE news reporting that SPUC is taking the UK Govts N.I Secretary for State to court TODAY on the grounds that his actions [to make the NI Assembly and/or the Govt formed from parties in the assembly act to introduce abortion as provided on the UK mainland available for women and girls in NI] are unconstitutional and illegal. SPUC in NI seems to be linked to the DUP by way of Jim Wells, MLA, who opened its new offices in Belfast two years ago. Speaking at the SPUC office opening he said: “It’s a great honour to be asked to this event and I am delighted that SPUC is increasing its presence here at such a crucial time as the fundamental principles of the pro-life movement come under increasing pressure both in Northern Ireland and in London where there is growing support for Westminster to impose abortion legislation on the people of Northern Ireland. That would be a disgrace to democracy.”

It does have its own guidance officer, Liam Gibson. A quote from Mr Gibson in 15 Feb 2019. “The decision comes at a time when the country is coming under pressure on abortion like never before. The result of the referendum in the Republic of Ireland has fuelled the clamour for change from the pro-abortion lobby here. “But we are also facing a twin-pronged attack with the second assault coming from London where the pro-abortion lobby is seeking to use Westminster to impose direct legislation through the House of Commons on the people of Northern Ireland at a time when Stormont - which has devolved powers over abortion law - is suspended.”

The following link refers to SPUC funding the legal action BUT it only opens if you agree to the TACs set up by the newspaper concerned, like with other newspapers. https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2021/05/04/news/pro-life-group-to-fund-legal-action-against-new-abortion-legislation-2309068/

Hotblack Desiato

NI public opinion is in favour of abortion rights so he can feck off with his 'disgrace to democracy'.

RTE:

https://www.rte.ie/news/2021/1003/1250484-abortion-services-northern-ireland/

BBC:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-58807444

What's a disgrace to democracy is him and his chums pushing for a hard Brexit and hard border when NI public opinion is opposed to both...

robindch

What's a disgrace to democracy is him and his chums pushing for a hard Brexit and hard border when NI public opinion is opposed to both...

Well, at least there'll be jobs for them if and when they're booted out of office:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-58733754

aloyisious

There doesn't seem to be any outcome yet in the Belfast court, though I expect it might end up in the UK Supreme Court if the decision is against SPUC. https://care.org.uk/news/2021/10/legal-challenge-against-unconstitutional-northern-ireland-abortion-regulations-gets-underway-in-belfast

SPUC is being represented by John Larkin QC, the former NI Govt AG. Mr Larkin is opposed to abortion and offered his services to the assembly justice committee in Nov 2012 to see if the Marie Stopes clinic in Belfast was operating within the law. He also opposed a change in the law earlier in 2012 allowing same-sex couples adoption rights, arguing that EU regions should have the right to opt out of legislating adoption rights for same-sex couples.

A kicker for the DUP is that in 2009 Ian Paisley Jr opposed giving Larkin the position of AG, sending a letter to Peter Robinson, saying Mr Larkin was unsuitable for the job: "I believe that personality ought to be changed".