Thursday, April 19, 2007
AUGUSTA - Abortion foes in Maine celebrated Wednesday as the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a federal prohibition on so-called "partial-birth" abortions, but they also remained focused on their next priority: defeating a state measure that would provide public financing for abortions.
"Obviously, we're very happy about this decision because this is a particularly barbaric procedure that is medically unnecessary," Rita Feeney, president of Maine Right to Life, said of the controversial procedure upheld in the decision.
Feeney hoped the victory would inspire people opposed to the funding bill sponsored by Senate President Beth Edmonds.
Edmonds, D-Freeport, said she was disappointed in the court ruling but didn't think it would affect her bill. The measure, she said, is not about whether a woman should have an abortion but about helping those who would have to suffer financial hardship to have the procedure.
"It's a fairness issue," she said.
Abortion-rights supporters criticized the court ruling for not providing an exemption for the health of the woman and called on supporters to remain vigilant about further attempts to restrict abortion.
"The health of the woman has become secondary at the federal level, really the ability of physicians to make appropriate health care decisions has been subverted to politics," said Sarah Standiford, executive director of the Maine Women's Lobby.
Assistant House Minority Leader Robert Crosthwaite, R-Ellsworth, expects the court decision to raise the level of the abortion debate as Maine lawmakers consider Edmonds' proposal.
"I think it gets people talking about it," said Crosthwaite, an opponent of abortion and the bill. "It brings it back into the public discourse. But I don't think it's really connected."
The court decision accomplished what Maine abortion opponents were unable to do in the state. In 1999, Maine voters rejected a ban on the "partial-birth" procedure, with 56 percent opposed. Since then, similar proposals have been among the unsuccessful measures submitted in the Legislature to restrict abortion.
Michael Heath, executive director of the Christian Civic League, lauded abortion foes' efforts to get Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito on the bench.
"I think those efforts are going to be viewed by many as having been effective," he said.
About 2,500 abortions are performed in Maine annually, with nearly all done during the first trimester of pregnancy, said Dr. Dora Ann Mills, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Mills said the term "partial-birth" abortion is not a medical one and could be applied to abortions that are not late term.
Abortion-rights supporters are not sure what restrictions their opponents will pursue next.
George Hill, president of the Family Planning Association of Maine, expected some kind of ripple effect to reach Maine.
"There are a variety of different approaches they've been using," he said, including parental notification and making patients look at ultrasound images of fetuses.
Staff Writer Ann S. Kim can be reached at 623-1031 or at:
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"...phobic towards...gays" is Gorio's allegation. Fear of homosexuality is one thing, but spiritual discernment is not fear. It's okay to judge the content of a person's character...without violating that person's civil-rights.
Government shouldn't be allowed to build up its church-state assault on straight society, violating the privacy rights of alleged "hatemongers". For the supposed equal-rights minded experts out there, here's a scenario for you:
government creates a family unit with which to confuse the street. A fed plays the role of parent or foster parent. The fed's job is to mess-up the head of offspring "hatemonger". Thing is, the existence of offspring "hatemonger" brings the government funded unit continuous funding, thanks to the "gay-rights" movement. To create political power for those wonks wanting "gay" marriage? Certainly not to empower "hatemonger", who's straight but slandered as otherwise!
Fact or fiction, seriously, government turning women into properties via "gay-rights" is NOT funny. Especially when those flipped properties could have been powerful straight women. Could have been wives and mothers, instead of homeless women alone on the streets being preyed upon in the system by the church-state "gay" elite evaluators of mental health!report abuse
I'm sure the founding fathers, who were religious, by the way, would have been all over this Soddom and Gomorra-type society the liberals in this country have created.
I'm sure this is just what they risked their lives for. You are absolutely right. Let's throw society right out the window and start all over, giving the liberals the right to do whatever they want without any respect for the good of the rest of the society.
Take a little responsibility for your life for a change. If you are living a life of abhorrent behavior, then turn it around, don't re-arrange the law to fit our lifestyle.
If you don't fit into society, then that's your problem. Don't force society to conform to your degraded lifestyle.report abuse
I'm dismayed by democrats who have shoved agenda after agenda down the throats of Americans for so long, that an entire generation now believes it's normal and acceptable to have abortions, gay marriage, women having children out of wedlock, and the systematic destruction of our country.
Dems, the end does not justify the means. You are among the most hateful group of people ever in this country. report abuse
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