As News Hounds Ellen pointed out, Bill O'Reilly was doing his best cranky, old man imitation at last night's Democratic Convention. He was particularly incensed about the consistent defense of abortion rights because he couldn't wrap his overly inflated cranium around the Democratic narrative that our reproductive rights are being threatened. In supporting his claim that these rights are not under assault (AS IF), he made the factually correct statements that birth control is legal and "if you want any kind of birth control device, you can get it." But here's the thing. Thanks to O'Reilly and his pro-life pals, who just hate the idea that those slutty sluts are having wild sex for recreation and not procreation, you may be able to "get" birth control; but your access to it is being made more difficult. Let me splain it to Bill because I don't want him to be confused!
Pharmacists can cite their religious beliefs and refuse to fill birth control prescriptions - a policy that Walgreen's allows. Reports of this happening have ocurred in many states. The devout "pro-life" Catholic (like Bill) governor of Kansas, Sam Brownback, recently signed a law that allows pharmacists, on religious grounds, to deny women birth control pills or emergency contraception. In Oklahoma, a doctor, citing religious reasons, refused to provide emergency contraception to a rape victim. The woman had to go to another hospital to get the medication and the rape kit. As we speak, the New Hampshire"Right to Life" is attempting to deny Planned Parenthood their pharmaceutical license which would impact on its ability to dispense birth control. And if the Bill's anti-choice pals get their way, Planned Parenthood will be defunded which would, most likely, result in closing of clinics where low income women get their birth control.
The aforementioned limitations on birth control are just a small sample of the record number of reproductive rights restrictions that have been placed on women in 2011 alone. If Bill O'Reilly didn't think there is an effort to place impediments on reproductive rights, he was misinformed. But Megyn Kelly did attempt to explain what's happening so he shouldn't be as "confused" about why these uppity women are defending their rights; although given O'Reilly's extreme anti-choice positions, it's apparent that these are rights that are of no concern to Bill who, as a misogynist "traditionalist," would love to take us back to back-alley days.
O'Reilly actually taught history in high school. So he must know that during the "Jim Crow" period, while blacks had the right to vote, they were effectively disenfranchised by restrictions such as poll taxes and literacy tests. There was also the threat of KKK violence which worked to suppress the vote. (Fewer doctors perform abortions as a result of threats to and murders of abortion providers) But according to Bill's "logic," regarding women's reproductive rights, I guess it was no big deal because these blacks still had their voting "rights."
Rant over!
From Media Matters…
“O’Reilly’s claim that women’s rights are not under assault is flatly untrue. In its 2012 platform, the Republican Party explicitly advocates for a ban on abortion. The Republican platform does not even contain an exception for rape and incest.”
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/09/07/bill-oreilly-i-dont-see-any-womens-rights-under/189787
Ironic, isn’t it?
My grandmother was an extremely devout Catholic, a regular at the 6 am mass and always a rosary in her pocket for those moments of peace. If one of us came up, she’d put it away because she didn’t need to be ostentatious: hers was a very deep faith. She had 12 children, 11 of which survived to adulthood.
At age 84, her reaction to the Papal prohibition of contraception was (quoting): “The Pope is a man; he doesn’t understand what it means to have so many children.” She was the most soft-spoken and kindly soul I ever knew: a true Christian.
I’m delighted that contraception and abortion have become such a big issue in this election. Many women who wouldn’t dream of saying anything outright will be on their own in the voting booth.
In Italy, the Church-backed referendums to repeal the laws on abortion and divorce failed miserably because women were on their own in the voting booth. Further, many of those fine-minded conscientious objectors will perform abortions for a fat fee.