OMFG! What in the fucking world is wrong with these people???????
Rep. Rick Berg (R-ND), the candidate for Senate from North Dakota, once voted for a bill that would have made any woman who obtained an abortion guilty of a homicide crime — even if it were in the case of rape or incest. Indeed, the bill Berg supported does not even contain an explicit exception if an abortion is necessary to save the woman’s life.
In 2007, Berg was among the small number of state representatives in the North Dakota House whosupported the measure. It also would have imposed penalties on doctors and anyone else who “aids, abets, facilitates, solicits, or incites” a person into an abortion:
A new section to chapter 12.1-16 of the North Dakota Century Code is created and enacted as follows:
Intentional termination of human life – Preborn children. A person is guilty of a class AA felony if the person intentionally destroys or terminates the life of a preborn child. A person that knowingly administers to, prescribes for, procures for, or sells to any pregnant individual any medicine, drug, device, or other substance with the specific intent of causing or abetting the termination of a preborn child is guilty of a class AA felony. A person that intentionally or knowingly aids, abets, facilitates, solicits, or incites a person to intentionally destroy or terminate the life of a preborn child is guilt of a class C felony. For purposes of this section, “preborn child” includes a human being from the moment of fertilization until the moment of birth.http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/09/04/790351/gop-senate-candidate-supported-life-sentences-for-rape-victims-who-obtain-abortions/
So basically here is an entirely plausible scenario where this legislation could play out and what it's end result could/would be:
John and Mary Citizen's (let's call her Jane) 18 year old daughter goes off to college. One night at a frat house party, Jane Citizen has a wee bit too much to drink and goes and passes out in a bedroom. An unknown, drunken frat boy follows her in to the room and rapes her while she's passed out. Jane Citizen wakes up, realizes what has happened to her and is so embarrassed and upset that she keeps the incident to herself - telling no one. A short time later, Jane decides to do a pregnancy test on herself and realizes that she is indeed pregnant and is absolutely certain it was from the person who raped her. Jane Citizen is now desperate. She contacts her parents, tells them the story. They contact and report the incident to the police, but the damage is done. After a long, heartfelt talk with her parents and personal physician, and perhaps even clergy, Jane, with the support of her family decides to get an abortion. Jane's father and mother take her to a clinic and have the procedure performed.
Under Rep. Berg's legislation, Jane citizen is at that point subject to arrest and lifelong incarceration for not wanting to bring her rapist's zygote to full term. In addition, her parents and her physician are subject to the same arrest and incarceration for "knowingly aiding, abetting, facilitating, soliciting or inciting (advising)" Jane to seek the abortion procedure - as would be the abortion provider and clinic workers themselves.
Now - consider - in the U.S. - there are approximately 35,000 cases of rape each year (reported cases) that result in the woman, or in some cases even minor female, becoming pregnant from the rape.
Are these fucking right wing nutcases saying that they are willing to begin arresting and tossing rape VICTIMS, plus anyone who counsels them (physician, rape counselor, etc.) or advises (parents, friends, family members) in prison for life for assisting that female VICTIM in procuring a medical procedure that the United States Supreme Court has deemed legal?
Yes - that is exactly what they are saying they want to do. Anyone else see what's wrong with this picture??
I have decided to cease referring to these teabagger Republicans like Nick Berg as "right wingers." They are much more than that. They are extremists and radical authoritarians. They're claims of love for the Constitution are as hollow as their skulls. They represent an imminent threat to freedom and democracy in this country and they need to be kept as far away from the levers of government power as is humanly possible.
Thankfully, in 2007, saner minds prevailed and that pernicious bill, which now would be Senator Nick Berg voted for, was defeated. But the bottom line is that this man has no business being in any position of power, what with ample evidence to show of just how ruthlessly he would wield that power. Knowing the conservative bent of North Dakota, I don't hold out much hope that this goose-stepper will be defeated, but I do believe the sane and reasonable people of the state should make it their top priority to ensure this sonofabitch never sets foot as a legislator in the Halls of Congress.
----TFG
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