How Ultrasound Became Political

[moonshaz]

Editor’s note: This article has been significantly revised since original publication. Please see correction note below.*One of the first measures that Republicans in the 115th Congress proposed was the “Heartbeat Protection Act.” On January 11, a group led by Steve King of Iowa introduced a bill that would require doctors nationwide to “check for

Comments

[lightframes]

I wonder how the "heartbeat" became the deciding line. Why not when ears or lungs are developed?

The Silent Scream is so frustrating. If anti-choice is the correct side of the debate, then why do they need to resort to lies?

[grace_om]

Because a heartbeat carries emotional punch. And sadly we seem to be in a totally feels-based decision-making mode as a culture. The facts that cardiac cells beat all by themselves, and hearts can be stimulated to beat outside the body just don't register or even make the clinging to emotional alt-reality worse. I wonder if these folks oppose heart transplants, given that heartbeat=life in their view.

[lightframes]

Good point about heart transplants.

[stainedfeathers]

I sincerely loathe the emotional arguments made for defining viability. The fact that they chose heartbeat is just a slap in the face to anyone with even the most rudimentary science knowledge. If a heartbeat were the defining character for life then Brain Death wouldn't be a thing! If someones brain dead, their heart is still going but they're dead dead dead. Not alive. Their -organs- and -cells- are still alive but they as a person are not.

/ranty rant rant

[soleiltropiques]

This was a very interesting post, OP.

I hadn't heard about The Silent Scream or the political element associated with the history of the ultrasound.