If you live in South Dakota and you want to terminate your pregnancy, you’re pretty much screwed. There’s only one abortion clinic in the entire state, and it’s located in the southeast corner (in Sioux Falls). So let’s say you live in Buffalo, up in the northwest corner. You would need to travel over 450 miles in order to get to Sioux Falls Planned Parenthood, assuming you can take the time off from work, and have the money to make the journey.
And once you get there, South Dakota’s draconian waiting period and “informed consent” laws kick in: “Wait 72 hours,” they say. “You don’t know what you’re doing.” “Go get counseling at a crisis pregnancy center. They’ll convince you not to do this.” “You’re only going to be sorry later.” “You’ll probably kill yourself, if the breast cancer doesn’t kill you first.”
Under South Dakota law, women who want to terminate their pregnancies are forced to listen to junk science about suicide rates and breast cancer. They are forced to wait 72 hours. And, if the forced birthers get their way in court, women will be forced to get counseling at a crisis pregnancy center (and only a crisis pregnancy center), where they will be harangued by “counselors” whose only goal is to convince women that abortion is murder.
South Dakota is ground zero for abortion laws that make it difficult if not outright impossible for women to get abortions, despite the fact that voters twice rejected South Dakota’s attempt to ban abortion outright, and despite the fact that support for Roe v. Wade is growing.
But facts, law, and common sense go out the window when it comes to making sure everyone knows you really hate Roe v. Wade and abortion rights. And so, sixty House representatives (including seven Democrats) voted for a resolution declaring South Dakota’s support for overturning Roe v. Wade. It is a useless time-waster of a resolution (that will surely pass the Senate), to be sure, but it sends a message.
Message received, South Dakota. You really hate abortion rights.
We get it.
[via Madville Times]
