Crowd silently protests Virginia anti-abortion bills
By Kristin HuntFebruary 20th, 2012, 9:30 pmComments (19)
Over a thousand people gathered outside the Virginia State Capitol today to protest the insane anti-abortion legislation currently up for the vote, including the already notorious bill mandating vaginal ultrasounds on women seeking abortions. The House delayed voting on the ultrasound bill, as well as one which would allow adoption agencies to turn down parents based on sexual orientation, meaning (hopefully) the showing has caused delegates to go sit in a corner and think about what they're doing.
The protesters linked arms and remained silent as legislators arrived for their noon floor session, though their written expressions said plenty. "Keep your laws off my future wife's body," "Virginia is for lovers, not probes," "I am not a [expletive deleted] incubator," and "Say no to state mandated rape" were some of the messages plastered on signs, armbands, and shirts. One stay-at-home mother even wrapped yellow tape reading, "This was a choice" around the baby carrier containing her nine-month-old son. Several Democratic legislators stopped to regard or speak to the protesters on their way into the building, including Delegate Algie T. Howell, who remarked, "God bless y'all. You're doing the right thing."
Democratic Delegate Kaye Kory spoke out against the ultrasound bill during the session, decrying its stipulation that women "submit to involuntary vaginal penetration." She continued, "This body is mounting an assault on the freedom and liberty of women in the commonwealth of Virginia."
Governor Bob McDonnell has expressed support for both this bill and the adoption bill, though an aide said today that the governor would review all measures before signing anything into law.
Keep fighting the good fight, all you protesters. Public outcry got Komen to reconsider its awful decision to cut funding to Planned Parenthood, and hopefully it can get Virginia lawmakers to rethink approving some truly terrible bills. Hey, the wonderful Amy Poehler is on your side. And if the Virginia legislature knows anything, it should know not to get Leslie Knope riled up. I mean, do they remember the threats she laid down at the Model UN meet?
Commentarium (19 Comments)
protesters whose mothers should have been more pro-choice.
well their mothers obviously were and made the CHOICE to have a child.
oh wait, you mean they should have aborted their child? oh you are so clever.
that was sarcasm, btw.
good sarcasm if you feel you have to point it out. I thought all of the choicers were being called anti-life by Hooksexup. So, spaul, if you saw your wife, girl, whatever, in the act of killing herself, would you try and stop her or would you say, "Her body, her choice"? Suddenly the sanctity of life means a little something, doesn't it douchebag? If you don't want to do the time, don't do the crime. Abortion is for those who don't have the stones or maturity to take responsiblity for their actions. I'll bet they love you anti-life assholes in Vegas. "What? I just lost my life savings at the craps table? Do over! Do over!" Because that's the way to learn responsiblity. Gee, you didn't mean to create a life? Get the vacuum and coat hanger. You deserved the chance at life when your parents were surprised by you, but your little accident isn't viable on its own so fuck it.
well that was a crazy mess that you just spewed out. thanks for sharing.
who says we deserved our chance at life? i am in constant doubt over my right to be here, use resources, & occupy others' time. why give a new person the same existential dilemma?
notice that you aren't planning on checking out anytime soon, Rachel.
but more than one million people do every year.
Rachel, why don't you make it one million and one.
pro-life of you.
It's cute how pro-"life"ers are always suggesting that people who are pro-choice should've been aborted. You would think they would see that as a precious loss of life, but I guess it just depends on the person, huh? Dirty hypocrites.
well, i think their intent is to say: "by your own logic, you might not exist. whaddya think about that?"
yes, to which many of us would say..."well, ok. if i didn't exisit, then i probably wouldn't know that i didn't exist thus i wouldn't care. i mean, i wouldn't even be able to care because i wouldn't exist. calgon take me away."
exactly!
What is insane about giving life. It is amazing to me that those who what to kill babies also don't want to kill killers. That's insane.
Right back at ya, lifer. How do you explain that most of those who seem so keen on protecting life in the womb tend to care little about life outside of it for people in need and people on death row?
last time i checked an unborn baby hadn't done anything to deserve to die, unlike a convicted murder who, by taking the lude of another, doesn't deserve to keep his/hers.
what about babies whose mother's die giving birth? fry em!?
Last time I checked, you could not abort babies.
So very very grateful to be British.
Now you say something