Barack Obama's First Presidential order Regarding
The Freedom of Choice Act
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Barack Obama's opposition to the Born Alive Act
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Eduardo Verastegui
Hablar del Aborto
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to view Eduardo's video
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GOVERNOR BLAGOJEVICH,
ILLINOIS MOTHERS AND FATHERS WANT TO KNOW,
WHY AREN'T YOU PROTECTING OUR DAUGHTERS?
Governor Blagojevich
The Thompson Center
100 W. Randolph
Chicago, Illinois 60601
Dear Governor Blagojevich,
A few weeks ago your spokeswoman, Abby Ottenhoff, articulated your untenable position defending the sad fact the State of Illinois is still one of only six states in our nation that fails to protect the interest of a minor child by requiring that their parents be notified before a minor child can be subjected to a surgical abortion. Underlying this misguided policy is an assumption that an abortion is somehow inherently good for the child such that the child should be protected from their own parents who may counsel the child against the abortion. You entrusted the welfare of our children in the hands of the abortion provider as if a stranger with an extremist view of the benefits of the procedure will care more about the welfare of the child than the child's own parents. She said, "The governor does not support such a notification law because he believes minors who become pregnant after they were raped by a step-father or other relative should not be forced to tell a parent or a judge." This statement reveals that protecting young girls, or allowing mothers to protect their young girls, is not on your priority list.
The stated reason for opposing parental notification is irrational. Reason dictates that a rapist would not advocate against the abortion, but would support the abortion to avoid being found out. As mothers, we are horrified by your lack of interest in protecting our daughters. By not enforcing legislation that would prevent sexual predators from so easily removing the evidence of their crime you are really protecting them, not our children. If you really wanted to protect children, you would support and enforce the reporting of the very rape about which you claim to be concerned. You would aggressively enforce the legal requirement that abortion providers obtain and report the identity of every man who impregnates the minor girls who seek abortions. If our daughters become pregnant as a result of such heinous victimization, they certainly should not have to be re-victimized by a system that enables their attackers to get away with the crime.
You seemed very adamant about protecting our children last year when you advocated legislation requiring parental consent "especially" for children seeking tattoos. You indicated that this was necessary because tattoos are permanent and will impact them for the rest of their lives. Certainly a young girl between 9 and 14 choosing to have an abortion without parental consent has consequences equally if not more far-reaching. In Casey, The U.S. Supreme Court stated that it is foreseeable that if a pregnant mother is not told about the status of the unborn child, but learns about it after the abortion, she will suffer devastating psychological harm. Couple that harm with the damage already endured by minor girls who are seeking an abortion for the reasons you suggest, and you can see why we demand that this decision not be made by scared under age girls without our input - they are our children.
There are other issues of great concern to us in terms of protecting our young daughters. Among these is the fact that abortion is a "surgical procedure" which has inherent risks. There are a number of well-documented risks associated with an abortion procedure:
- A high rate of future miscarriages or infertility.
- Depression
- Drug and alcohol abuse
- A documented link between abortion of a first pregnancy and an increased risk of breast cancer later in life
- Additional pregnancies will also bring pre-mature births and cerebral palsy
- There is also a 6 time higher suicide rate compared to full term pregnancies
A clinic in Illinois provided us with a list of risks from early surgical abortion:
- Incomplete procedure - Pregnancy tissue left inside the uterus may lead to excessive bleeding, infection, or both. If this occurs, aspiration may need to be repeated in a clinic or hospital. Other tests or treatment may be necessary.
- Blood clots in the uterus- Clots may cause cramping and abdominal pain. Aspiration may need to be repeats.
- Infection of the uterus - Most infections are easily identified and treated with medications. However, there is a small chance that repeated aspiration, hospitalization, or even surgery might be necessary to treat the infection.
- Failure to end the pregnancy- sometimes the abortion fails to end the pregnancy. If the pregnancy is in the uterus, repeated aspiration is recommended. If the pregnancy is ectopic (developing outside the uterus), it requires immediate attention. Some cases may be treated with medication; others may require surgery.
- Excessive Bleeding (hemorrhage) - This may require treatment with medication, repeated aspiration, blood transfusion, or surgery - including possible hysterectomy (removal of the uterus).
- Injury to the cervix - A cervical tear may be treated with medication or rarely with surgical stitches in the cervix.
- Injury to the uterus or other organs- an instrument may go through the wall of the uterus, which could damage internal organs such as the intestines, bladder, or blood vessels. Treatment may consist of observation or abdominal surgery. There is a risk of hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) Scar tissue may develop inside the uterus, which may require treatment.
- Allergic Reaction - Some women may be allergic to the local anesthetic or to other medications used. All medicine and drugs may cause serious reactions alone or with anesthesia. It is important that you tell your clinicians about all drugs you are allergic to or are taking.
- Death- Death from vacuum aspiration abortion is extremely uncommon.
We as parents must sign a release for treatment form every time we take our children to the doctor. Our daughters cannot be given so much as an aspirin from the school nurse without our notification and consent. Why can they have a surgical procedure with the documented risks listed above without the same release? Why is this medical procedure exempt from our permission?
The potential for physical, emotional and psychological harm when a person undergoes an abortion without good information beforehand is of particular concern. Especially in light of the ABSENCE of a "Woman's Right to Know" law in Illinois, which could provide basic information so that they can make an informed decision. If clinics do not have to provide "women" with detailed information about the risks and consequences of this decision, they obviously do not have to provide that information to our young daughters either.
Governor Blagojevich, it is said that a woman has the right to choose what will happen to her and to her body. Whether we agree with this or not, we must respect the fact that it is the law of the land. We cannot, however, accept the fact that our 9 to 14 year old children are "women" who are capable of exercising that right. While the courts have determined the right to an abortion, our rights as parents to care for and protect our children are the concern here. It is these rights that we are unwilling to give up. We submit that these children are not old enough to make this decision. And we parents should, therefore, be allowed to do so by Illinois law.
Governor Blagojevich, we urge you to reconsider your position on this issue. Please think carefully about the impact your decision will have on the people you are elected to represent. Please look long and hard at this issue, and then do the right thing-help parents protect their children.
Sincerely,
Yvonne Florczak-Seeman
Founder of Time to Speak
On Behalf of Illinois Mothers and Daughters
1(866) Time 2 Speak
www.TimetoSpeak.org
Please contact us to get involved with an army of women who know the truth and who know that it is time to speak.
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