From My Corner: July 1, 2022

The abortion fight

There was no constitutional right to an abortion!  Women were living a lie for 49 years. More details to follow.

Usually, this column doesn’t go into national issues because local news keeps me busy enough, but a few months ago, I volunteered to collect signatures to place the question on the November ballot, “if a child is born alive, all reasonable steps, in keeping with good medical practice, shall be taken to preserve the life of the child born alive.”

Unfortunately, even though we collected the proper amount of signatures and everything was in good order, the attorney general refused to allow it on the ballot based on some language technicalities.

With the Supreme Court taking a stand on such a sensitive matter, there is a need to expand as to what that means.  This measure was not to make abortions illegal but just to allow states to decide individually whether they should allow it.

This has always been a hot subject and the result to their decision was exactly what we expected.  The explanation offered clarifies that the Constitution of the United States does not mention “abortion” anywhere and it was an error treating it the way the Court did 49 years ago because it was wrongly interpreted as a constitutional protection.

Each Amendment of the Constitution is very specific; whether freedom of the press, religion, or speech, it leaves no doubt.

Another controversial issue is guns and it is also clear when it said “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”  That’s another struggle for advocates of gun rights because the Second Amendment is very clear.

And anything not appearing in the Constitution should be handled by the States which is what this decision will motivate.  Some states prohibit abortion while others have not decided which way to go.

Now, by placing it on the ballot, the people will have to voice their preferences.  Yes, women were provided federal protection but it didn’t belong there.

If your state doesn’t allow abortion, you can always travel somewhere else to have one.  Some employers have already included in their benefits plan to pay for those expenses.

So, there’s no constitutional protection for women wanting an abortion.  In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, abortion is legal up to the 24th week of pregnancy although the number of abortion clinics here has sharply declined in recent years: From 78 in 1982; 64 in 1992; and 14 in 2014.  In 2014, there were 19,354 legal abortions.

Among the misleading things I have heard, was a statement about the Supreme Court from SEIU-32BJ President Kyle Bragg, “A corrupt, illegitimate, and radical…”  That also reminded me of Maxine Waters, a US Representative in Washington who said “The Hell with the Supreme Court!”

The president of Catholics for Choice, Jamie L. Manson alleges that it was done for religious motives.

Those voices of ignorance only arouse animosity and violence.  They are talking about the Supreme Court, the maximum opinion when it comes to interpreting the Constitution, which is the document ruling the country.

We should take a step back, a deep breath, and reason things out.  Nothing has changed for us and probably a new industry will be born in the form of abortion tourism.  The government is considering Alexandra Ocasio Cortés’ idea of placing abortion clinics at national parks.

 

What was she thinking?

I don’t like censorship in any form but there are times that people thrive on vulgarities and unbecoming language to express a thought or idea which rubs me the wrong way.  It is at those times when I wish someone would teach them a lesson or tell them to knock it off.  That’s when the fact-checkers come into action.

Censors at YouTube, the popular video hosting service now owned by Google, have removed an advertisement paid for by the Massachusetts Republican Party highlighting incendiary comments made by Maura Healey amid the rioting and destructing that occurred in American cities during the summer of 2020.

“We wanted to let you know our team reviewed your content, and we think it violates our Community Guidelines,” read the email.  “YouTube does not allow content that contains mature or violent themes where there is a clear intent to target younger minors and families.”

The video, which had recently begun generating thousands of views, features raw footage of rioting and destruction and begins with a narrator recalling how “our cities were under attack, from coast to coast, businesses were burned, livelihoods were destroyed, while 25 people died.”

The video then directs attention to the mayhem that occurred in Boston on May 31, 2020, and Healey’s subsequent description of the looting, fires, and damage that resulted: “Yes, America is burning, but that’s how forests grow.”

Maura Healy is running for governor of Massachusetts; with that nonchalant attitude towards street violence, we don’t need to add to the lawlessness abounding in this country.  We are seeing the examples imposed in New York and California by easy-going legislators and prosecutors.

 

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