I don't have an account over at Huffington, but can someone who does tell julianjenius (who is probably not still following the thread), that they are so wrong about the actual substance of the Roe decision as to be mindboggling?

I blogged about it here.

I left one comment (though it has not appeared yet).

There is just so much either wooly-headed or intentionally dishonest thinking that responding to it all would take all day. For example, they seem determined to misinterpret Jessica's injunction to "trust women" to mean "trust women about everything under any circumstances" (a principle that is easily falsifiable), when of course she means "trust women about decisions about their own bodies because they are the ones that must bear the consequences" (a principle they hardly address, except for a few comments claiming that abortion is emotionally harmful to women (a claim that is refuted by the actual evidence)).

Jessica, I thought you might like this link for an organization that provides money for abortions to low-income women: Women's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project (WRRAP). The treasurer wrote a story for a zine I was reading about what she had to go through to get an illegal abortion, and it was pretty compelling.

Also, if you go here to do online shopping, some of your purchase gets donated to the cause.

I left a comment of support. I don't understand how some people are making an issue of trusting women versus (male) politicians to make the right reproductive choices. We trust people to make their own decisions when it comes to health care (except for the right to die issue, which is separate but related). I think it would be interesting if these supposed pro-lifers (who are anti-quality-of-lifers, in my opinion) adopted all these unwanted children.

Very nice post on the Huffpuff Jessica. ( I call the Huffington Post, Huffpuff :-P).

Though I'm a little turned off by some of those comments.

this one just stuck out at me:

"The average deaths by illegal abortions pre-Roe was right around 40 per in the entire country. And who knows what the real cause of deaths were? Most likely unsterile conditions. Not rusty coat hangers."

bc a rusty coat hanger wouldn't be unsterile now, would it?

I don't have an account either but I'm sending you my support through here Jessica. You're article was spot on and you can tell you're pushing some good buttons because of the comments. Keep up with the fight.

i created an account just to comment on this.

Nice work, Jessica. You did a great job...I think if you hadn't made such great points there wouldn't be so many obnxious misogynists commenting.

they're just mad cause they've been out-thunk by a girl.

Ugh. Seriously, if people are going to comment on abortion or even have an opinion can they at least get their facts straight (I'm referring to the people who made comments on the article)...one person said "why isn't banning late-term abortions a win for choice" hum, because when it was federally banned for a short period of time, there was no health exception which is why it was ruled unconstitutional by the supreme court. Secondly, some idiot said it's just as easy to put a baby up for adoption as it is to "suck a babies brains out"...a) pregnancy isn't easy b) a fetus is not a baby c) abortions don't "suck a babies brains out". Where do people get this stuff from? UGH. I wish I had these people's email addresses.

Thanks to everyone for the support! Nothing like feminist commenters to beat anti-choicers into submission. ;)

I don't have an account and it seems I'm a little late for the party anyway, but given that I've got a similar storm brewing on my own site, it's probably just as well. ;o)

Cheers,

TH

I gave it my best shot, Jessica, and posted just now on Huff. Here's my comment below:

Let's face it. The concern that the vast majority of anti-abortion activists evince for "the babies" begins at conception and ends at birth.

If these people are so invested in the health and well-being of women, fetuses, babies, children, and families, then why don't we see any of their big, powerful, well-funded organizations working for any of the myriad of other issues that would really make a difference in maternal, fetal, and familial health? Where aren't they advocating for universal health care, parental leave acts, drug treatment programs and birthing centers, environmental protection acts, more services for victims of domestic violence, or the movements for living wages and better education?

When are anti-abortion activists going to admit that there aren't two kinds of women--women who have abortions and women who have babies? 61% if all women who have abortions are mothers already--and an additional 24% will go on to have children.

When are anti-abortion activists going to stop spreading lies about "fetal pain" (fetuses don't even develop the neural capacity to feel pain until the third trimester)? Or stop pretending that women feel more regret over their abortions than they do over any difficult life decision? (Please note that over 50% of all marriages end in extreme regret--divorce--and yet I don't see any anti-abortion activists proposing legislation to warn and educate women about that stat.)

When are anti-abortion activists going to admit that this country--thanks in part to their persistent lobbying efforts--puts little value on access to medically accurate sex education or contraception--and that the latter often fails, even when used properly?

When are anti-abortion activists going to give up the pretense of care and admit that they think that sex is dirty and women who have it--married or unmarried--should be prepared to "pay the price"?

So don't give me this "pro-life" spin. it's all about control. The idea that women can and should make their own decisions drives you nuts.