First, Let's Revisit Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade (1973) was a monumental case that established a woman's liberty to choose whether or not to have an abortion. This was the start of legalized abortions. According to Planned Parenthood, prior to this ruling, unsafe abortion practices were the cause of at least one-sixth of all pregnancy-related deaths. This means Roe v. Wade did not introduce the concept of abortions but made them safer.
What Is The Heartbeat Bill?
The Heartbeat Bill, or HB 481, makes abortions totally illegal once the heartbeat of an embryo can be detected which can happen around the five to six-week mark after conception. There is room for exceptions for rape, incest, and medical emergency. Those who violate this law, including getting an abortion in other states, may be imprisoned for up to 10 years.
This Is A Very Short Time Frame
Five to six weeks after conception means one week after a missed period. For most women, having a late period every so often is perfectly normal and not a big reason to expect. Furthermore, even booking an appointment often takes over a month.
Only Affects Women
Legally, the only victims in this scenario are women. Men are not being forced to carry a baby. Men are not being forced to get vasectomies (which are reversible). Men are not legally bound to do anything while women have this law forced upon them. This bill is not pro-life, it is anti-women,
Unsafe Methods
Georgia is currently the state with the second highest mortality rate and this bill will only increase that.
Let's be honest, if people want abortions, they will get them. The Heartbeat Bill will not stop people from using coat hangers or throwing themselves down the stairs. If this bill passes, we will not be stopping abortions, we will be encouraging unsafe methods. As aforementioned, the concept of abortions was not a new one upon its legalization. It merely made safe methods more accessible.
Murder?
The most polarizing discussion regarding this topic is the argument of whether or not abortion is murder
Firstly, according to New Scientist, until twenty-four weeks of development, these fetuses do not have the brain connections for pain signals. Meaning, they may have a heartbeat, but they can not feel pain. Even with an incubator, these fetuses would not be able to survive outside the womb. So, how can this cluster of cells that cannot feel pain or even breathe on its own be prioritized over the life of a living, breathing, self-sustaining human?
The Current Foster Care System
A popular point of argument among anti-abortion supporters is putting an unwanted child up for adoption. While this may seem like a viable option, it's important to read up about the current foster care system.
There is one child entering the foster care system every two minutes according to 2014 data. Many of these children will grow up in this system without getting adopted and then not know how to support themselves after aging out. Additionally, there are many more foster kids than there are foster homes. Many of these homes are abusive and hostile but due to a lack of foster homes, they are often awarded a blind eye. There is also room for a lot of exploitation considering that foster homes get "reimbursement" from the government. Not to mention there is also exploitation going on in the system itself. Foster care agencies are very underfunded which often leads them to team up with private companies and place children in unfit homes. The last thing this broken system needs is more children.
God's Intentions
It is imperative that we separate church and state. America is a place of freedom, a country that should be legally unaffiliated with personal views. It is the "land of the free" where everyone is entitled to practice their beliefs. God's intentions may be the driving force regarding the way many people live, but it has no place in government. It is your right to believe abortion is murder but it is not your right to force that belief onto anyone else.
So, if you are pro-choice, know why you are pro-choice. Support your argument. And if you are someone who is pro-life and supports this bill, ask yourself why. Which child's life are you valuing right now - the unperturbed zygote or a fifteen-year-old being forced into motherhood? When Brian Kemp says this bill is necessary because "all life has value", whose life is being valued? (Hint: the answer is not "everyone's.")
