The Reproductive Health Act: A Pro-Life Feminist Rant

Tonight at the monthly Lay Dominican chapter meeting I heard for the first time people discussing in person Governor Cuomo's Reproductive Health Act. It's hard to cut through the verbose bill and the vitriol on both sides. Basically, it will make it easier for women to get late term abortions and it will strongly penalize hospitals that refuse to do abortions or make referrals (i.e. Catholic hospitals).

I've written about this less than a month ago, but I'm going to say it again from another angle.

I can think of several circumstances in which this dashing young man would not be here. 

Abortion ends an innocent human life before it has a chance to begin and the blood is on each and every one of our hands. It's not simply on the woman's hands or the abortionist's hands. It is on the hands of all of us who allow this culture of self-centeredness and instant gratification to continue.

I wish I could take credit for this one. I doubt that business would approve of my current use, however. 

We all want a quick fix. Just now, I was really hungry. Instead of reaching for something wholesome that would help me be healthier in the long run, I grabbed whatever was the easiest out of my fridge. We all do this on the bigger issues as well. The education system is in shambles, let's just throw more money at it. We're all getting fatter, let's just ban junk food. Women in poverty who are striving to make a better life for themselves are getting pregnant with unwanted children, let's just get rid of the fetus.

This does not address any of the underlying problems. In fact, it makes the underlying problems worse. I go into this in great detail in the original post, so I won't rehash it here.

If Gov. Cuomo really cared about women, he would not weigh down a perfectly laudable bill (the Women's Equality Act) with an abortion bill that does nothing to help women and will cause the entire thing not to pass. He wouldn't hold laws that protect domestic violence victims, promote equal pay for equal work and stop pregnancy discrimination hostage for his presidential aspirations. If, God forbid, he ever got the Democratic nomination for president, I would gladly split my ticket for only the third time ever in entire my voting life (and I'm quite the regular voter). Heck, I'd happily drive Republicans to the polls.

It is a lie to claim you are pro-women and do nothing to address the underlying causes of abortion. Shame on you, Cuomo! If you really cared, you would not hold the Women's Equality Act hostage. You would not be for the "quick fix." Abortion is not a simple problem, there is no simple answer. Women deserve better and children should not be forced to pay the ultimate price.