Stage Three: End of Women's Health Program?

February 23rd, 2012, CBS DFW posts Texas Defies Feds on Funding For Women's Clinics. The article states that the health department is going to take action in order to enforce a new Texas law that states funds cannot be provided to "...a clinic that is affiliated with an organization that provides abortions, even if that institution does not provide abortions itself." Some believe that the law is mainly targeted towards Planned Parenthood, one of the main clinics who works with abortion organizations. The state is not able to "pick and choose" the clinics in the Women's Health Program, creating a controversy for those against the law.

This is ridiculous to deny these clinics funding, because help with abortion is not all they provide. Cutting off funding will cut off help to the other population of women who seek help for other health related problems that aren't abortion. It seems as if it is a never ending war with the subject of abortion. For the state to go through all this trouble in order to try and put an end to something they see "inhumane". In order to satisfy their beliefs, they disregard the needs of others. 

The author, Andrea Lucia's intended audience seems to be the women of Texas as her article tends to point out the negatives of the law being passed. There doesn't seem to be much of an argument posed directly from the author herself. I agree with the article posted by the author, that the law will create a variety of problems for many women looking for health support and for the economical factor of the program.

Stage Two: Pre-Abortion Sonogram Law Controversy

February 7th, 2012, The Texas Independent posts an article Judges ruling allows enforcement of pre-abortion sonogram law, written by Mary Tuma. The main Judge who was against the controversial law which requires that women seeking an abortion must undergo a sonogram of their fetus at least a day before attempting to terminate the pregnancy, has taken a step aside and withdrew his fight to stop the law from going through. The only way a person can be opted out from the sonogram is if they are underage, the pregnancy was due to a sexual assault or incest, or the fetus has a medical condition. I mean seriously? This has got to be one of the most ridiculous laws that I have ever heard of. I used to be pro-life, but honestly now that I've gotten older I've come to realize that abortion isn't all that bad. Some of you may not agree with me, but I agree with Judge Sparks when he states, "...requires doctors to attempt to discourage their patients from obtaining abortions, in a variety of ways, even in cases where the doctors have determined that an abortion is, for any number of reasons, the best medical options." The doctor must show the patient images of the fetus, describe in detail the images shown of the fetus, and play the sound of the heartbeat. If someone has made a choice to abort a child, they shouldn't be tortured with "life" into keeping the child. They shouldn't be put on a guilt trip. As the judge stated, " This one-size-fits-all approach seems to be the very antithesis of reasonable regulation of medical practice." Their are various reasons that a person would choose to abort a child, other than those listed under the pre-abortion sonogram law. What if someone happens to not fall under the qualifications to opt out, but have a legit reason to make the decision to terminate their pregnancy? What if they are financially unstable to support that child? This is an important article for others to read, especially the women of Texas because we should be allowed to make our own choices with matters of our bodies and lives.

http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/06/judge-will-allow-texas-abortion-ultrasound-law-take-effect/