Say you're a 14-year-old girl and you're pregnant because your father raped you. And say that you live in a state that requires parental notification. Under a bill passed by the Senate yesterday it would be a federal crime for a supportive friend or family member to help you get the abortion you need, even if your life is at stake. That's right, even in cases of rape, incest, or the life of the mother, a majority of the House and Senate have voted to allow parents, no matter how culpable or abusive they may be, to prevent pregnant minors from obtaining the health care they need.
It shouldn't even be surprising that this bill is called the Child Custody Protection Act; their approach to naming legislation has long since become so cynical that it barely raises an eyebrow.
What I want to know is this: what to Tarrant and Rainville think of this legislation?
