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Texas HB 36: Informed Consent to an Abortion
One of our own, Juli, recently had the opportunity to argue before the Texas state legislature on behalf of a bill directly affecting information given to women considering abortion.
Some of you might ask what does this have to do with Spiritual Tyranny. Here is my answer. I have been saying for some time that the body of ideas that leads to tyranny are making a gruesome insidious comeback in America and I want you to see how the philosophical premise drives the public outworking. Over the next three posts, I am going to draw your attention to themes already identified in an Arena of Ideas not directly related to Them Who Shall Not Be Named. In this post, notice how Juli preempted the stock dismissal and advocated in behalf of life by advocating in behalf of reason. You all are a very smart readership, so I suspect you will begin to see the application and relationship immediately.
What follows is one individual entering the Arena of Ideas, effectively equipped to destroy lies. This is the testimony of the power of truth to prevail.
Enjoy.
************
April 21, 2009
RE: HB 36 Relating to informed consent to an abortion
Honorable Representatives,
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity today to provide a written statement.
My name is Juli Morrison, and I am a post-abortive woman. In 1994, at 22 years old and a senior in college, I terminated my pregnancy. I currently assist post-abortive women through a counseling and recovery process. My commentary and advocacy is rooted in long standing experience: my own and the suffering of other post abortive women.
My participation with this legislation dates back two years. The testimony I offered then is on record. I was not given the opportunity to see my pre-abortion ultrasound. The screen was less than 4 feet away, rotated out of my sight line. This is how close I was to full disclosure, full and complete information that would impact my pending decision: three feet and 180 degrees. What pain would have been stopped but for that very small distance? What suffering could have been mitigated but for the turning of a ultrasound monitor and the mere mention of my freedom to view the images?
I will never know. I lay on the table as the ultrasound was being conducted in silence. The health care professionals treated me to perfect isolation, offering scarce commentary and allowing no visual or auditory access to my medical information. Indeed, the few questions that I did ask were met with reluctance and evasion.
What was the motive of those health professionals withholding such information? This too is uncertain. But the only way to make sure there is no nefarious motive by third parties is to require such full disclosure.
I argue the sanctity of human life, but not when life begins.
The right to self is the right to the mind. The right to the mind is intrinsic to human life. Without the mind, humanity is reduced to emotional, brutish, aimless chaos. When women cease to have sovereignty over their minds, the stewardship of their body is irrelevant. Women must retain the right to own their mind which is the sum of their decisions.
A just government must defend against third-party intrusion that seeks to filter or limit a woman’s informed consent. I must hearken to an existing legal precedent: Miranda rights. In 1966, wise judicial minds decided that NOT being fully informed of rights put people at a disadvantage. Preventing tyranny is always found in full and entire understanding of individual rights, exercised by people of their own free choice.
I am unequivocally pro-life. I am also unequivocally pro-choice. Life and freedom of choice are mutually INCLUSIVE. All women are endowed with reason and conscience. It is by virtue of this innate ability that freedom of choice exists. Opponents suggest the opportunity to view ultrasound images would be a barrier to abortion. But the real barrier is the sensibilities of others inserted between the mind of an adult woman and access to all available information.
Bill opponents would have us believe that women are patronized by supplying access to ultrasound images because it would be redundant. They seek this bill’s defeat for the cause of an “emancipated” woman’s delicate sensibilities. The irony in this argument is great.
No insult or inconvenience exists to an individual being educated for the first time. No patronizing or shaming exists to a woman being reaffirmed in her studious, researched, and educated understanding. Pretending to be stewards of an adult woman’s mind, emotions, and sense of offence is the height of patronizing. Enforcing ignorance incarcerates a mind and sets humanity on a path that can only lead to shame.
NARAL and Planned Parenthood are advocating that ultrasound images exploit a woman’s emotional state as if female emotional stress negates a woman’s ability to make effective rational choices.
Their logic is grounded in the non-logic of women. I challenge any male on this distinguished committee to advocate this same intellectual premise.
Declaring an adult woman emotionally vulnerable and then taking measures on her behalf is essentially declaring her to possess diminished capacity.
If their would be diminished capacity in this instance, it is not the product of mental deficiencies, nor the introduction of relevant information, but the result of denying a woman access to her medical information.
Full disclosure is a legal requirement in many situations, such as real estate transactions and prenuptial agreements. Its purpose is to balance the power of both parties through equal possession of relevant information. Full disclosure ensures both parties are fully informed about the consequences of any decisions.
The right to self includes the ability of a woman to make decisions that she alone will ultimately sustain. Full disclosure equips individuals mentally for potential consequences. Denying a woman the freedom to participate in the decision making process by filtering information robs her of her future ability to manage the consequences of her decision.
Now let us talk money. Opponents would have us believe that women will pay for unnecessary medical procedures to obtain this information. It is true that women pay more money for abortions, but not for the sake of an ultrasound.
Brief research reveals that the vast percentage of Texas abortion clinics require pre-abortion ultrasounds to determine fetus age.
Why?
Here is where the real issue of money lives. The cost of an abortion is tied to gestational age. Gestational age determines the procedure. Procedure determines expense.
Women pay for the ultrasounds regardless of subsequent medical treatment. Any other medical situation or records would presume a woman’s right to access the information she purchased. To borrow an economic term: The bottom line is she owns the images to which she would be denied access.
A doctor-patient relationship is the legal predicate to professional care owed to a patient. There can be no healthy interaction without a patient’s ability to access personal medical information. No level of trust can be achieved if the patient is placed at a disadvantage intellectually by virtue of limiting said information.
The relationship between a doctor and a patient is not paternalistic. It is an autonomous relationship based on patient rights and informed consent. Investing one party with special authority or management of medical information simultaneously divests the other of their equitable part in the exchange.
In closing: I ask this esteemed body to affirm informed consent to abortion. Pave the way for Texas women to be equipped with all available medical data.
No organization, government or third-party can justly undermine or diminish the capacity of a human being to gain knowledge. To do so is the foundation of tyranny.
I advocate that this legislative body affirm a woman’s right to own the sum of herself: her mind and subsequently her will, emotions, and body. I advocate that you protect the rights and freedoms of Texas women by supporting HB 36.
With Respect,
Juli Morrison
*******
Juli Morrison, a single mom, home schools her son in South Central Texas, while working with post-abortive women and Texas abortion legislation. Throughout 15 years she has been working as a counselor for domestic violence shelter, crisis pregnancy center, and the county jail addressing depression, suicide, alcoholism, eating disorders, rape, divorce, abortion, and sexual abuse. Her passion for freedom propels her to advocate and advance truth in every arena to the minds and hearts of women. She can be contacted at libertyinchrist@live.com
Comments
24 Responses to “Texas HB 36: Informed Consent to an Abortion”
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thank you John for putting this out there…
Amazing that until a few years ago, my abortion was the one secret I planned to take to my grave…yet here I am..totally set free. God more than redeemed my choice of death. How awesome is that…
If having my full name plastered all over the internet today doesn’t illustrate the power of truth to prevail, the power of life over death…I don’t know what else does…
I hope this gives others hope and courage..because if a post-abortive woman can find healing, forgiveness, and peace through the power of truth…anyone can.
Hey Juli,
That was articulate, empassioned and incredibly courageous! May the Lord bless you in every way, May He continue to empower you as you help others in becoming forgiven and set free. Blessings to you be multiplied!!
With deep admiration,
Much afraid (…. but becoming less so!!)
Hey Much Afraid! I’ve been thinking about you and wondering how you were doing…thanks so much for your kind words…so good to see you here
It is amazing that despite the variety of specific sufferings women can endure, there are some basic fundamental truths missing from all their situations…which, in my estimation, is what keeps them broken and in bondage.
It doesn’t help when you have self-professed “pro-women” organizations like NARAL and Planned Parenthood advocating the very ideas that ultimately enslave women…and women have no clue it is happening. That really winds my clock.
NARAL and Planned Parenthood have created their own version of “pervasive depravity”. Sounds soooo familiar….doesn’t it?
Juli, I agree, I see it all the time in the prison setting, broken and bound image-bearers, beautiful hearts but with fundamental truths missing, that keep them coming back, broken and bound….
Additionally, over on survivors they’ve posted a transcript of a msg to pastors on “how to” councel the sheep - Pretty scary stuff, manipulative and exploitive, playing “doctor” by discouraging medications, discouraging outside professional counseling, but when allowed requiring a third party in attendance…. All stuff we know and have experianced,, but somehow when I saw it presented as a “how to” teaching to young pastors,, it just seemed beyond heinous. The result of which for women again,,, leaves them broken and bound…..
Thanks for being a Voice of Truth in all your different spheres…. People are hearing and God is empowering!!
Blessings!
Juli — that was an amazing piece. You are a special lady.
Thank you, Dan….as always you are so kind
My goodness, Juli. What a moving example you are of God’s redemption. Thank God that He has intelligent, caring women like you in place to battle this terrible war. Blessings, my friend!
hey, Gracie..thanks
I found out yesterday that HB 36 is now dead because it failed to make it out of the House before the deadline for the year, but the companion Senate bill (which is identical to HB 36) has passed out of the House committee and will be voted on very soon on the floor of the House (it already passed in the Senate) then it goes to the Gov to be signed, and go into law in September.
please pray the bill passes the vote before the full House of Representatives this week or next…deadline is June 1 when the session ends.
“Pretending to be stewards of an adult woman’s mind, emotions, and sense of offence is the height of patronizing.”
Juli - You are a truly bold and articulate woman. May God continue to bless you.
hehe, thank you Unassimilated…honestly, if you knew me better you’d know the boldness is rather recent..I lost much of it during my SGM stint actually..it has only come back since I left last year. Hard to be bold about anything when you are always reminded that you are wicked, you know?
I see the readers of this blog (most of them I’d suspect) as exactly the kind of people tyrannical groups (of any sort, such as NARAL, SGM, etc.) fear the most: healed, bold, passionate and informed…what a dangerous combination.
Actually this combination has all the things tyrants seek to quash in you - and for good reason. When those things rise up in us, liberty itself rises up.
and as John would say…YEEHAW!
Unassimilated… Welcome to the party!
and yea… yee freaking haww!!
Juli,
Well said! I think YOU should rule the world!
Well… if she has zeal and concern she is qualified to be first among equals. And that means she has the grace to govern.
there is some room at the top… but it is very limited.
>snicker<
Yes John, but is she bald? For that matter, are YOU bald?
I have to say, whoever thought up the phrase “first among equals” was a master at manipulating thought. If the equals are in line, then obviously they are not equal! I learned that in first grade, when the head of the line got all the good stuff at lunch. At the time, my name ended with a “W”, and I can tell you that I was NOT equal with the first in line. I had to wait while my stomach rumbled, settle with the leavings (who remembers those little cartons of milk?), and rush through lunch to be done on time. Being a “W” meant I was always last to be chosen, last on the name roster, and last in line for bathroom breaks.
Fortunately, I married a “B”, raising my status to second in line. The air is quite nice at this end of the line. So, I say again, one cannot be first among equals without being FIRST!
Not Bald… lots of hair… grey but lots of hair. Thanks to genetics I will probably never loose my hair.
The first among equals thing is syncretism of Greco Roman political thought into Christian Theology. I find this particular historic detail… hysterical. I have a book coming someday. Beware of Greeks bearing sound doctrine. HAHAHAHAHA…..
BU-WA-HA-HA-HA.
Gee - I thought the Greeks were a bit wiser than that. To tell someone “We are all equal, but I’m first” is really dumb, and that Christian Theology adopted the idea is even dumber. Even a first grader at the end of the lunch line knows just how DUMB that saying really is in literal terms. “If I’m equal, hows come I didn’t get a slice of the sausage pizza like those in the front of the line, and hows come I didn’t get equal time to eat my mystery meat casserole?” Amazing what sort of nonsence we will ingest simply because a leader assumes authority over us and therefore must know everything.
Down, Kitty. I’m finished.
hey Canary, you crack me up!
Did you have soy burgers when you were in school? I can still taste those nasty things in my mind…yuko. And then they told us, “No, it’s beef, just eat it.” And, compliant child I was I didn’t put up a fuss or call them on it (yeah, believe it or not I was compliant way back then)
ah, the days of cafeteria room tyranny…sounds like a title for a children’s book.
Children have an amazing capacity to figure things out and see the obvious in reality without many presuppositions…I learn so much from my son! His questions and comments are so pure, so honest, and so hard-hitting…
if I tried to pass off a soy burger as a beef burger to him, he’d laugh in my face and say “Mom, you really gotta lay off smoking that crack!” hehehe
I just have to say that as friend and editing cohort of the afforementioned author I am very proud of the thought and careful articulation that went into this piece. It made me think! Way to go John for starting to help us see the bigger picture in that all bondage and ultimate slavery comes from the forces of evil and that it is not limited in it’s forms of hostile takeover. This is war people!
Anony!!! Saber rattling at its best!!!
hey Anony, my dear editing cohort - thank you
John..your explanation was excellent….The Puritans come to mind in terms of this tribalism…
He-he, Juli.
No soy burgers that I know of…just a lot of mystery food (was that something moving on my plate?). I spent two years in England during high school, and that cafeteria was an adventure. Spotted Dick? What the heck????
Isn’t it great that we can teach our kids to think for themselves? Maybe they will avoid some of our mistakes. I’ve given my two oldest sons this site. It is right up their alley, since they appreciate satire even more than I do. Politically incorrect are they, and proud of it!
Canary…
: ) well… if your kids are politically incorrect they are gonna love the post on the horizon!
Tell them to tune in… same bat time… same bat channel.
I will, John. They’re gonna’ love it!