Women's Rights Prevail in South Carolina

One of the most fascinating political stories in recent weeks was that five women Senators in the South Carolina legislature, three of them Republicans, gave the bird to men trying to control women's lives. From the Senate floor one said to the men in the House and Senate Chambers, "We women do not need your protection."

A prolife student group left plastic backbones at the doors of their offices asking the women to get "backbones." The women took the "gifts" to the Senate floor and held them up. "I had a backbone before," one said, "Now I have two."

The men in the S.C. House and Senate are still trying to get a six week ban on abortion. A day or two ago they reintroduced the six week ban with the usual provision of arrest of anyone helping women arrange and abortion and medical people give abortion services. The new version exempted women from any prosecution. Reading about the five women, I'm certain they will give the bird to that phony bill as well.

All five women testify to being devout Christians and refer to themselves as "prolife." Anti-abortion politicians and operatives have been making false statements for decades about "saving lives." Now the truth is seeping through the culture--these operatives have always been for saving the lives of fetuses but sacrificing lives of women. They have never been about saving all lives. The entire foundation of their political case is crumbling. 

The S.C. House passed no abortion bills over and over again this year. Every time a bill was sent over to the S.C. Senate the women held out against it. Now, South Carolina abortion clinics are hosting patients from other states. About one half are from out of state.

Anti-abortion preachers, priests, politicians and worshippers would do well to play the long game. The long is to establish yourselves as honest brokers. To gain that trust you need to stop saying things that are either entirely untrue and unsubstantiated. It is not true that abortion is more dangerous than giving birth. The opposite is true. It is not true "science agrees one fertilized cell is a human being." This latter is a religious opinion and to gain the trust of the public you need to acknowledge this.