Here’s something to ponder on a cold Wednesday morning….
We tend to think of the battle for abortion rights as being fought in federal courts, on the big stages where decisions are made that impact us from coast to coast. The reality is that the real skirmishes are being fought far below the radar, in statehouses and city council chambers. In Utah, f’rinstance, they’re gradually doing away with the ridiculous notion that women should be able to exercise control over their reproductive functions. Those of us who support the right of women to control their bodies tend to focus on Roe v. Wade as our touchstone. Don’t get me wrong, Roe v. Wade was a wonderful moment in our history and a shining example of fair and right-thinking jurisprudence, but that was 1973, if memory serves. In the intervening 37 years, anti-choice forces have long since determined that the best long-term strategy was not a full-on frontal assault, but a patient approach that nibbles around the edges. History has borne them out, as little by little oppression is being restored to the legal landscape…and it’s barely even been noticed. As is often true in history, victory accrues to the patient and the persistent. Zealotry really can be its own reward.
Should the current trend hold, and there’s little reason to think it won’t, we may well wake up one morning to the realization that women really ARE the property of men, and the idea that they should be in control of their uterus is yet another quaint Liberal notion slowly destroyed by the American Taliban. A little bit here, a little bit there…and pretty soon it’s all gone. Time to wake up and smell the cat litter, don’tchathink??
