I posted this link to social media earlier today:
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/07/south-carolina-abortion-law
South Carolina state senators introduced a bill that would make it illegal to provide “information [about how to get an abortion] to a pregnant woman, or someone seeking information on behalf of a pregnant woman, by telephone, internet, or any other mode of communication.” It would also be illegal to host or maintain a website, or provide access to a website, that includes such information.
And almost immediately, I had people responding that it was "just" meant to protect people from half-baked herbal or traditional methods of abortion.
Which, y’know, I hear that concern. I’m personally very skeptical about the various methods of DIY birth control that are floating around out there.
That’s not the point of the bill, but it was sure as hell implied to be.
On purpose.
It’s real damn simple.
- If those politicians were concerned about women having access to safe and reliable medical information or procedures, they’d stop banning abortions and protect access to contraceptives. The GOP explicitly is against both at this point.
- They’d be introducing bills going after all the other snake oil salespeople out there, which have a FAR greater harmful effect on our nation’s health. Whether it be GOOP, "Doctor" Oz, Alex Jones, or any of a bazillion MLM schemes or "supplements"…but this is the only one that requires such a massive (and technologically ignorant) overreach? (And from the "small government" party, no less, huh?)
Any concerns about "alternative methods" was added simply to provide a veneer of respectability to their religious agenda.
It’s a plausible story to make regular, reasonable folks – people like you – be able to pretend for a moment that maybe it’s not as bad as it seems. That surely it must be "mock frog".
But it’s not.
It’s the same tactic the Indiana AG used – though he slipped and said the quiet parts out loud.
They are counting on you to be distracted by that "sensible" veneer over the toxic filling.
After all, if they took the bones out, it wouldn’t be crunchy. [1]
[1] A la Wizzo Chocolates. https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2odo4b
Featured Photo by Charisse Kenion on Unsplash
Must view with x-ray vision all frogs, wooden horses, etc., sent by republicans.