posted April 23, 2012 07:12 PM            

Tennessee Conservative Backed Bill Could Criminalize Natural Miscarriages
April 21, 2012
By Stephen D. Foster Jr.

The Republican controlled Tennessee House has passed a bill that would criminalize harming an embryo, which is a group of cells that eventually forms into a fetus. Republicans say House Bill 3517 is meant to clarify an existing law that allows the prosecution of those who harm any fetus. But opponents of the bill claim that it could criminalize women who lose a pregnancy via natural miscarriage.

The Tennessean reports that Democratic Rep. Jeanne Richardson predicted that the bill could lead to the criminal prosecution of women who naturally miscarry, which according to the National Institutes of Health, around 50% of all fertilized eggs terminate naturally before reaching full term, and during the embryonic stage the rate of natural termination is higher.

‘Fetus’ is a term most often used after eight weeks of pregnancy. Before that, the term ‘embryo’ is used. By passing this bill, Republicans are trying to mandate that embryos can be victims of crime, which would basically define embryos as persons from the moment of conception. It’s a sneaky way to pass a personhood law. And since abortion is the unnatural termination of an embryo or fetus, the legislation could be used to prosecute women and doctors for murder. This bill IS an anti-abortion law that could scare women from getting an abortion and scare doctors from performing an abortion, even if an abortion is medically necessary. Women who are raped could also face prosecution for getting an abortion. But ultimately, this bill could give any law enforcement official the power to pursue criminal charges against women who naturally miscarry. And considering that many Republicans think miscarriage is murder, it’s not that far-fetched. Last February, Georgia Republican Bobby Franklin introduced a bill that would require investigations of natural miscarriages. If a miscarriage was found to be unnatural, a women could get the death penalty. That’s the direction Tennessee may be heading. So, if you are a woman who has a miscarriage and your nosy anti-abortion neighbor finds out and tells authorities, a conservative prosecutor who wants to score political points could invade your privacy and put you through a rigorous investigation to see if the miscarriage was indeed natural or not and could even have you arrested on the charge of murder because of the ambiguous nature of the bill’s language.

Tennessee Republicans have already tried to mandate that the names and information of doctors who provide abortions be publicized. That law would have outed not only the doctors, but the women they serve as well. Clearly, Tennessee Republicans are seeking to be the most anti-abortion conservative state in the nation. This is yet another shot fired by Republicans in their war against women.

posted April 23, 2012 11:20 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Aquacheeka:
Republicans are not even humans as far as I'm concerned. They're fascist scum, a notch below Stalin.

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posted April 23, 2012 11:46 PM            

Though all Republicans I personally know have not been happy with the direction of their party since 2010, I presume most Republican voters support them, or their politicians wouldn't keep on doing this.

posted April 24, 2012 03:33 AM            

PixieJane=

quote:

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Just out of curiosity, is there anyone who defends things like this?

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unfortunately yes. The extreme Right, though small in numbers- is very vocal, and powerful because they are so well funded. Many states have had turnovers of existing laws....curtailing freedoms that usually have to do with women and minorities.

These extremists are often fundamentalists..creationists.
Creationists that fully support the death penalty. Many of them live in Texas as Texas killed three times as many death row prisoners as any other state. This fetus love is just that. As soon as you become an adult these fundamentalists loose all interest in your right to life.

What is also interesting is that the impetus came from interpreting an existing law to show that all eggs are potential fetus. Which is why they also want to restrict/ban contraceptives.

You are right about it being intensely depressing, as these groups are successful in their stealth....the media keeps a low profile with them. Time to shine the light on them, they will scuttle like the cockroaches they are with enough light.

posted April 24, 2012 06:00 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Aquacheeka:
Republicans are not even humans as far as I'm concerned. They're fascist scum, a notch below Stalin.

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posted April 24, 2012 06:02 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by aquaguy91:
the thing that doesn't make sense is how would they know you had a miscarriage unless you tell them lol.

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posted April 24, 2012 06:05 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by PixieJane:
Just out of curiosity, is there anyone who defends things like this?

Though all Republicans I personally know have not been happy with the direction of their party since 2010, I presume most Republican voters support them, or their politicians wouldn't keep on doing this.

But if anyone keeps up with conservatives sources and see them criticizing (even condemning) things like this (that is since 2010 and remarking on the number of bills attacking women, gays, and separation of church & state and some of them are mind boggling, Taliban-worthy insane) I'd dearly love to see or hear of it (summed up in like a paragraph with source). Thinking that bills like this are POPULAR is not only intensely depressing for me, but downright frightening.

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posted April 24, 2012 06:07 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Node:
Thanks for posting this Lexx. Loss of freedoms state by state have been ramped up the last few years.

PixieJane= unfortunately yes. The extreme Right, though small in numbers- is very vocal, and powerful because they are so well funded. Many states have had turnovers of existing laws....curtailing freedoms that usually have to do with women and minorities.

These extremists are often fundamentalists..creationists.
Creationists that fully support the death penalty. Many of them live in Texas as Texas killed three times as many death row prisoners as any other state. This fetus love is just that. As soon as you become an adult these fundamentalists loose all interest in your right to life.

What is also interesting is that the impetus came from[b] interpreting an existing law to show that all eggs are potential fetus. Which is why they also want to restrict/ban contraceptives.

You are right about it being intensely depressing, as these groups are successful in their stealth....the media keeps a low profile with them. Time to shine the light on them, they will scuttle like the cockroaches they are with enough light.

[/B]

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posted April 24, 2012 06:22 AM            

quote:

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First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.
~Martin Niemöller (1892–1984)

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posted April 24, 2012 06:46 AM            

I don't even have words right now. It just makes me so mad that my body, and every woman's body, is a battleground that others try to own, occupy, and control.

posted April 24, 2012 07:54 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Aquacheeka:
Republicans are not even humans as far as I'm concerned. They're fascist scum, a notch below Stalin.

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When someone targets a whole group this way, it is displacement. Displacement is when you put anger from something else onto a different thing.It is like when a man kicks his dog after his boss is mean to him.

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Passion, Lust, Desire. Check out my journal

posted April 24, 2012 08:34 AM            

Fascists killed 85% of my ancestors and extended family. Lives ended early through outright murder. Please don't equate me with fascism. It's odious.

My family has had three miscarriages, two deaths, and we chose to go ahead with my eldest son despite being urged to abort him. He is now 16 years old.

In any event, I'll be first to say that the law is backed by hidden agendas and makes no sense.

My view is that government has no place in these social engineering issues. As it is, government can't unravel it's own mess (from both parties) and the last thing we need is the government running our lives. But not to get sidetracked.

posted April 24, 2012 09:16 AM            

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Originally posted by YoursTrulyAlways:
My wife and I are conservatives. I am not a Republican and I honestly don't like the Republican party. Neither do I like the current and previous candidate for President. I didn't even like the last Republican President.

Fascists killed 85% of my ancestors and extended family. Lives ended early through outright murder. Please don't equate me with fascism. It's odious.

My family has had three miscarriages, two deaths, and we chose to go ahead with my eldest son despite being urged to abort him. He is now 16 years old.

In any event, I'll be first to say that the law is backed by hidden agendas and makes no sense.

My view is that government has no place in these social engineering issues. As it is, government can't unravel it's own mess (from both parties) and the last thing we need is the government running our lives. But not to get sidetracked.

There are fanatics on both ends of the political spectrum and they are whacked out. I don't see reason for hatred to transcend to broad swaths of the populous. 30% of the country identify with either party, and there is almost 40% of the country that can't stand either party. So, extremism in either direction is not healthy.

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Well said, Ian

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Passion, Lust, Desire. Check out my journal

posted April 24, 2012 10:47 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Aquacheeka:
Republicans are not even humans as far as I'm concerned. They're fascist scum, a notch below Stalin.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Lexxigramer:
I understand your rage against Republicans.
However I have to say,
there are good people who are Republicans, as are there good people who are Christians.
On the other hand,
there are I feel more evil in both groups when they are right wing control freaks and or preach their political/religious message too loudly.
So it causes me to not trust either group because after all,
the good ones are the ones voting for the evil ones,
or following same book......
knowing full well that some of their groups are indeed extremely evil.
Why are these so called good Republicans/Christians not protesting what the extremists of their ilk are doing?
Why do they continue to vote for and coddle or ignore the evil ones amongst them?
So yeah,
I do understand your rage even though it is comes across as extreme hatred to some here.
What the extremists of the Republican/right wingers/and rabid Christians extremists do and are doing is hateful and yes low down evil of the worse kind.
These extremists are a hateful lot and yes, deserve to be hated for the evil they do.

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I've personally never spoken with a self-identified Republican who was a good person (not racist or homophobic, not hateful towards women who are pro-choice). I've spoken with some good Libertarians, but never a Republican who was open about their political affiliation who I could truly say was a "good" person in the broadest sense. Not saying they don't exist but I've never encountered one in 26 years of life, about 35 visits to the United States, and daily interaction with Americans from across the political spectrum by the glory of the internet, lol.

posted April 24, 2012 10:56 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by YoursTrulyAlways:
My view is that government has no place in these social engineering issues.

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posted April 24, 2012 11:53 AM            

Thank you Lexx for posting this. I think Tennessee is following Georgia when it comes to women's rights. I may be wrong, but I think Georgia attempted to pass the same bill. It's only a matter of time before the rest of the South does the same because there is not enough attention given to women's issues in the media. Not only are women being targeted, but so are gays. In Arkansas, a law was passed that would not allow gay people to adopt children. Imagine how many children are without a loving home because of this prejudice and unjustified fear.

I swear the government is allergic to intelligence. It's like sunlight or garlic to a vampire. It's not Republicans who are the problem. No one can run amuck without people sitting by, allowing it to happen. I've met some certifiable Republicans and Democrats. As crazy as the far right is, so is the far left.

Though I'm a Democrat, I like Republicans such as John and Megan McCain. I didn't vote for him, but his mistake aside, he is one of few officials who uses logic without an agenda at least 89% of the time. Say what you will about him and his daughter, but the two of them represent a percentage of their party who don't go along with the majority. Megan, in particular, is demonized by the right wing media for speaking out against the stupidity of her party. She has said in the past that she and young Republicans want a change within their party.

If you attack the Republican party, then you need to go for the root. The ones who seem hell bent on taking away rights of the under-represented are funded by Evangelical lobbyists. It always comes down to money for funding campaigns and winning elections. Also, if enough people would register to vote and then VOTE in EVERY election we would not be in the trouble we are in. I have spoken to people who make excuses about not voting because they don't support a candidate or their vote won't count. These people do not understand or know what the electoral college is. We vote them in to represent us, the people, and their votes elect the president while ours are called the popular vote. I learned this in junior high school and it surprises me when I talk to college students who have never heard of it.

posted April 24, 2012 02:55 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by YoursTrulyAlways:
I'm both a conservative and a Christian. I don't know about being a social conservative. Like I mentioned, I believe that the government ought to focus on performing its traditional role, which it is already woefully failing. There is no place got government interference in the individual life decisions in an open democracy. Anyway, I don't like labels. Please refrain from suggesting that a certain class of individuals are uneducated or need to be educated. I received the best education one can receive and more than triple my fair share. Please understand that such insults constitute mud slinging and are blatantly unfair.

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YTA, I am by no means referring to you personally. Perhaps you take it as such but if I were to say that conservatives overall are educated less on-the-whole than their left-leaning counterparts, that's not "unfairness," it's actually factually verifiable. I could link to mountains and mountains of data and research conducted over several decades which explicitly demonstrate what I meant, but I don't see what purpose that serves (of course, if you'd like evidence of my assertion, I'd be happy to oblige). That's not to say for a moment that all conservatives are uneducated or that they all received a Bob Jones University education; I'm sure you are extremely intelligent, (you do come across that way), as educated individuals exist within every macro-level group.