South Dakota Bans Abortions

The Governor of South Dakota signed into law a bill banning almost all abortions - the exception being to save a women's life. Rape, incest, etc would not qualify for abortion procedures. The bill passed both houses of the South Dakota Legislature by a wide majority. The law takes effect in July. Doctors could get up to 5 years in prison for performing abortions.

Planned Parenthood & other abortion rights advocacy groups are having apoplexy & it is expected that an initiative will be placed on the ballot for Election Day to have voters rescind the new law. Meanwhile, it is expected that some judge somewhere will put a hold on the law. This will entail taking it to the Supreme Court.

What's surprising about the new law is that it is an in-your-face challenge to the Supreme Court ruling of 33 years ago - Roe vs Wade. Unlike other states which parsed their abortion laws to allow exceptions such as rape & incest, etc., the South Dakota law is not playing cute & trying to get around the Roe vs Wade ruling.

We have mixed feelings about the South Dakota law. We think abortions should be restricted - to a point. Though we agree that abortions for convenience sake should be banned, those women who are subjects of rape or incest are already victims & to further their anguish by compelling them to carry to term is wrong.

After the initial crime of rape or incest, if a woman is further devastated by a forced pregnancy, then where is the justice in that? We are not absolutists when it comes to abortion. And we understand the argument about a fetus being an innocent victim also. When there are two victims whose interests are diametrically opposite, the wisdom of Solomon may not even be sufficient.