Urgent Action Needed.
I'm really tired of making this post.
For all y'all who thought, "Well, I'll do something when it becomes official," it has become official, and it is time to get off your fucking ass:
The Bush administration officially proposes conscience rule for doctors who don't want to do their fucking jobs.
This does not just apply to doctors -- surgeons, anesthesiologists, etc. -- but to anyone involved. Nurses, equipment wranglers, the dude who monitors the machine that goes "bing!", anyone. Anyone could walk away at any time from a woman who is simply trying to live her life the way she thinks most wise.
Clinics that receive government funds would have to abide by this rule, and could not fire someone for not doing their job, even if they are the only person in a hundred miles who could do it. Even if it is the only abortion-providing facility in the state.
There are no provisions for assisting women who have been denied -- none. No statement that a doctor must help the woman find another doctor who will help her. No offers to help with transportation, should a woman need to go to a different city to get help. Nothing. We get nothing. We are their patients and we are not only being put behind our employees' consciences, we are being left with nothing as recourse.
"Nothing in the new regulation in any way changes a patient's right to any legal procedure," [Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt] said, noting that a patient could go to another provider.
No, you fucking idiot, it doesn't change my right to do it, but it is going to mean that thousands upon thousands of women are not going to be able to do it.
You don't have to make a thing illegal to make it impossible to fucking get, and that is the effect this is going to have. That should scare the shit out of every single one of you who values their ability to do as they wish with their bodies.
This is the rule. Not the draft, the actual rule that will go into effect if we do not act to stop it and act now.
The rule goes into effect in 30 days.
We have one month to stop this.
Do something.
Planned Parenthood is fighting this as hard as they can. Make a donation here.
Write to your legislator, telling them you oppose the rule, and asking them to fight it.
The public is encouraged to comment on this. You can send your comments to consciencecomment@hhs.gov. Make sure to use “provider conscience regulation" as the subject line. All comments will be published for public viewing. So, maybe don't swear or include personal information you don't want available to the public. There are other ways to contact them as well. They are listed
on page two of this document.
It does not matter how articulate you are. It does not matter that you are a man, or not political, or too busy, or whatever. What matters is that we speak out now so that our voices, the voice of reason, is heard. If they pass this abominable rule, do not let it be because you sat by and said nothing. Now is the time to go dig up all the comments you left on his blog and send them in.
Go and do something. Goddammit. Go!
This is me on my knees, begging. Please, even if every other woman you know means nothing to you, do it for me.
Edit: HEY! Pro-life, devil's-advocating would-be commenters!
You're not a genius, you're saying nothing new, you're not convincing anyone, and you're wrong. Take it elsewhere, like to your own journal. I'll ban you if you comment.
For all y'all who thought, "Well, I'll do something when it becomes official," it has become official, and it is time to get off your fucking ass:
The Bush administration officially proposes conscience rule for doctors who don't want to do their fucking jobs.
This does not just apply to doctors -- surgeons, anesthesiologists, etc. -- but to anyone involved. Nurses, equipment wranglers, the dude who monitors the machine that goes "bing!", anyone. Anyone could walk away at any time from a woman who is simply trying to live her life the way she thinks most wise.
Clinics that receive government funds would have to abide by this rule, and could not fire someone for not doing their job, even if they are the only person in a hundred miles who could do it. Even if it is the only abortion-providing facility in the state.
There are no provisions for assisting women who have been denied -- none. No statement that a doctor must help the woman find another doctor who will help her. No offers to help with transportation, should a woman need to go to a different city to get help. Nothing. We get nothing. We are their patients and we are not only being put behind our employees' consciences, we are being left with nothing as recourse.
"Nothing in the new regulation in any way changes a patient's right to any legal procedure," [Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt] said, noting that a patient could go to another provider.
No, you fucking idiot, it doesn't change my right to do it, but it is going to mean that thousands upon thousands of women are not going to be able to do it.
You don't have to make a thing illegal to make it impossible to fucking get, and that is the effect this is going to have. That should scare the shit out of every single one of you who values their ability to do as they wish with their bodies.
This is the rule. Not the draft, the actual rule that will go into effect if we do not act to stop it and act now.
The rule goes into effect in 30 days.
We have one month to stop this.
Do something.
Planned Parenthood is fighting this as hard as they can. Make a donation here.
Write to your legislator, telling them you oppose the rule, and asking them to fight it.
The public is encouraged to comment on this. You can send your comments to consciencecomment@hhs.gov. Make sure to use “provider conscience regulation" as the subject line. All comments will be published for public viewing. So, maybe don't swear or include personal information you don't want available to the public. There are other ways to contact them as well. They are listed
on page two of this document.
It does not matter how articulate you are. It does not matter that you are a man, or not political, or too busy, or whatever. What matters is that we speak out now so that our voices, the voice of reason, is heard. If they pass this abominable rule, do not let it be because you sat by and said nothing. Now is the time to go dig up all the comments you left on his blog and send them in.
Go and do something. Goddammit. Go!
This is me on my knees, begging. Please, even if every other woman you know means nothing to you, do it for me.
Edit: HEY! Pro-life, devil's-advocating would-be commenters!
You're not a genius, you're saying nothing new, you're not convincing anyone, and you're wrong. Take it elsewhere, like to your own journal. I'll ban you if you comment.