Directly copied from cmpriest since I'm not in a good mood.

[kistha]

* I don’t appreciate the attempt to put a woman’s birth control choices in the hands of someone other than the woman concerned. There’s been a great deal of discussion re: the leaked memo and a certain politician’s quest to see birth control reclassified as abortion. We’ve got until September 30 to be heard. Go to Tamora Pierce’s journal for a collection of useful links on the subject.

Thanks Cherie....

Comments

[sgoilear.livejournal.com]

Disclaimer: While I favor a woman's right to prevent becoming pregnant, I'm not in favor of ending the life of an unborn child -- especially since _I_was_ the product of an unwanted pregnancy. And I might have been aborted, if it were legal at the time. So that's where I'm coming from ...

This proposed rule change (http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2008pres/08/20080821reg.pdf) is streamlining/clarifying existing rules/laws -- ones that say you can't _force_ a medical professional to perform abortions.

It's worth noting that the Hippocratic Oath includes "I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody who asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect. Similarly I will not give to a woman an abortive remedy" ... kind of odd we think we should force someone to commit one of those acts now.

They clearly state it's not about stopping abortions; it's about not firing someone if they personally refuse to do it. And really, why would someone go to work at an abortion provider, if they weren't willing to perform abortions in the first place?

The current proposal also includes not discriminating against health professionals for choosing not to perform sterilizations. I'm all for voluntary, informed sterilization! But I don't think some hosptial nurse should get fired, if they tell their department head "I don't want to be involved in sterilizing people, but want to perform all the other duties of this position".

I see a mile of difference between "the State is once again outlawing abortions", and "the State is allowing doctors to choose whether or not they perform abortions, on an individual basis".

[rhienelleth.livejournal.com]

The real problem here is, as usual, ambiguous wording. The re is the possibility that this could be stretched to refuse to issue birth control to women. That is NOT okay, and this is not the first time this issue has been raised.