Savita Halappanavar died a painful death because, according to her husband, staff at a Galway, Ireland hospital refused to perform a lifesaving abortion because of their Catholic faith. Protests were held. Governmental investigations have begun and politicians are considering softening Ireland's draconian abortion laws which force Irish women to travel abroad for abortions. The Irish anti-choice movement, which is defending the hospital and fighting any changes in abortion laws, was recently given warm validation by Fox News host, Mike Huckabee who opposes abortion in all cases. He was joined by his favorite anti-choice gal pal, sweet lil Lila Rose, whose sting videos still haven't destroyed Planned Parenthood. Huckabee and the representative from an Irish "pro-life" group lied about Savita's case. Lila trashed Planned Parenthood and expressed hope that some day, US abortion law will mirror Ireland's. Once again, fair & balanced Fox News provides a platform for anti-choice fanatics who, in this case, are using a tragedy to promote propaganda and lies.
On Christmas Eve, Huckabee reported the death of Savita and claimed that "it was reported by abortion advocates that she asked for an abortion believing she miscarried her unborn baby. Her request is in dispute." Lie - It was reported by the Irish Times, based on statements from Savita's husband, that she requested an abortion when she was miscarrying but the staff refused because their Catholic faith prohibited abortion when there was still a fetal heartbeat.
He introduced Lila Rose and Niamh Ui Bhriain, Founder of The Life Institute a group that, despite its claim that the Irish media is censoring it, still gets lots of press and face time. Life Institute works closely with the Life House Ireland, an American anti-choice group founded by the right wing Thomas More Society which has defended anti-abortion terrorist Joe Scheidler. The Institute is currently under investigation for violating lobbying regulations.
Ui Bhriain said the case was "tragic" and added that Irish maternal deaths are rare and Ireland, without abortion, is "one of the safest places in the world for a mother to have a baby" - a fact praised by the UN. She didn't mention that a European Union court has called on Ireland, the only EU state with a total ban on abortion, to change its abortion laws. She made the ludicrous claim that Savita's death had "nothing to do with abortion" because the "facts tell a totally different story." Lie - There are no facts as the investigations have just started. She claimed that the chief of a maternity hospital said that this case has "nothing to do with abortion." Lie - He did not make a statement regarding Savita. He said that "this case probably does not have a lot to do with abortion laws...it is a clinical scenario..." Ui Bhriain claimed that Savita's death was due to anti-biotic resistant septicemia. She didn't mention that there is a question of whether the septecemia that set in and killed Savita was a direct result of spending days with an open cervix waiting for a miscarriage when the pregnancy, which was not viable, could have been terminated at admission.
Ui Bhriain attacked the Irish media who, she claims, are using Savita's death, "to push abortion on Ireland." Huckabee "understood" that the original reporter backtracked on her story "after the damage was done." Ui Bhriain claimed that the reporter, Kitty Holland, said, on an Irish talk show, that "perhaps the facts of the case may by muddled and perhaps an inquiry into the case will find that Savita never asked for an abortion." Lie: Holland stands by her original reporting and states "All one can surmise is that his [husband's] recollection of events, the actual timeline and days, may be a little muddled... Oh, I'm not satisfied of anything. I'm satisfied of what he told me, but I await as much as anyone else the inquiry and the findings. I can't tell for certain – who knows what will come out in that inquiry?" Ui Bhriain said that the hospital records show that Savita never asked for an abortion. Lie: The records are incomplete and but there were no notes for October 22, the day Dr. Halappanavar requested an abortion.
Lila Rose whined about Planned Parenthood which, according to Huckabee, is behind the publicity surrounding Savita's death. She praised Ireland's repressive abortion laws and urged them not to give in to the pro-choice forces that "hurt women." Ui Bhriain asserted that Ireland, despite its abortion laws, is the safest place to give birth. She accused Planned Parenthood of pressuring Ireland to change its laws and of spreading "global hysteria." Lila pontificated that "we should look up to Ireland" which is "under attack from powerful abortion interests." Huckabee thanked her for all she does "for the cause of life."
There is so much to say but all I can say to Mike Huckabee are the words of my Irish sisters who marched for Savita: We are all Savita. Never again!
From Dublin