Georgia Law May Make Miscarriages a Felony: Would This Deter Abortions?

by SodaHead News Posted March 01, 2011 12:00:00

Related Topics: Planned Parenthood, Abortion, Fox News, Death Penalty

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	Yes	56 votes	12%
	No	352 votes	75%
	Undecided	63 votes	13%

First, it looked like South Dakota might pass legislation that could legalize the killing of abortion providers and now Republican Georgia State Rep. Bobby Franklin has once again introduced an anti-abortion bill that would make miscarriages a felony if the mother can’t prove there was no “human involvement” in the loss of the fetus.

According to Fox News, Franklin’s bill would make all abortions – described as “prenatal murder” – illegal based on the belief that all life begins at conception. Anyone convicted of prenatal murder would face the death penalty or a life term. Franklin’s bill does not specify what defines “human involvement” of how the law would be enforced.

Miscarriages, or pregnancies that end on their own within the first 20 weeks, are common, with as many as 40 percent of all pregnancies ending that way, frequently before a woman misses her period or even knows she's pregnant. It’s not known what causes them, but it’s commonly believed that miscarriages are a sign that the pregnancy is not developing normally.

Franklin has tried to introduce the same “right-to-life” bill each session since 2002, but it has never advanced out of committee.

"These proposals do nothing to prevent unintended pregnancies and abortions," said Planned Parenthood Southeast spokeswoman Leola Reis about the bill. "Lawmakers who truly care about women and families should work with Planned Parenthood to increase access to proven prevention initiatives like birth control and sex education."

Do you think this Georgia legislation is unfair?

+13

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michelle March 01, 2011 16:08:31 (edited)

No

+38
This idiot, Bobby Franklin, is just the worst. He's the same grade-A USDA-certified moron who thinks rape victims should be called "accusers," not "victims," and that rape victims should pay for their own medical bills if their rapists aren't convicted. He also thinks that America needs to be changed into a Christian nation, despite how obviously this flies in the face of EVERYTHING AMERICA STANDS FOR. Franklin believes that legislation that is in direct opposition to God's word will bring about the wrath of God - he said in 2010, "Islamic terrorism is not the greatest threat facing America. God is." He also claimed that former President George W. Bush "praises the gods of pagan religions."

This dumbass needs to get kicked out of politics stat.
>> See Replies

The Logical Canadian August 01, 2011 14:57:01
Miranda April 21, 2011 06:10:45

No

+1
Its not the womans fault she had a miscarriage! You can't really prevent it, if the fetus isn't developing properly then its not going to survive-

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Becca March 09, 2011 05:33:34

Yes

+1
it probably would, but it is just ridiculous. there is always a reason for an abortion, some are better than others, but there always is one. why would you want to bring a child into this world that could possibly have a horrible life because the parents either don't want it or can't take care of it properly?

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katieciesielski March 04, 2011 05:01:21

No

+1
ITS NO ONES FAULT IF THEY HAVE A MISCARRIAGE! SERIOUSLY! and it's devastating on most women.. so stupid. that'll never pass. make abortions a felony.. that, women can control!

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Delta March 02, 2011 20:50:02

No

Just the way it reads is weird; therefore, no!

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aymee March 02, 2011 18:54:47

No

+2
Umm, excuse me? How exactly can you make a miscarraige a felony if its a genetic disorder that runs in the family, of you were in some kind of accident in which you lost the child you were carrying? that a bulls**t law to pass.

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askmike to aymee March 02, 2011 19:11:01

+1
But the worst part of the proposed law is it circumvents the protection of the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution. The Fifth protects the accused from the power of the government to compel testimony that may be held against them. The legal standard as a result of the Fifth Amendment is the accused is assumed to be innocent of the charges until the government can prove otherwise beyond a reasonable doubt. The Georgia law would require the woman "to prove there was no human involvement in the loss of the fetus". The proposed law would not allow district attorneys to not prosecute all miscarriages regardless of the cause of the miscarriage and the state would also need the expert opinions of medical specialists who so far have not been able to ascertain the underlying causes of most miscarriages.

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Zuggi March 02, 2011 18:41:15

No

+3

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booboorocks March 02, 2011 18:30:26

No

+2
So if a woman has an abortion she could go to jail but a sexual predator harms a child and he gets slapped on the wrist do the math!

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Treedy March 02, 2011 18:29:55

No

+2
And anyone proposing such a bill should lose his seat.

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nan March 02, 2011 18:17:14

No

So let me see if a woman Miscarries they put her in jail ..What a bunch of Ass Holes him and his cronies are ..What would he do if his wife or daughter would miscarry put them in jail too.. This is the Dumbest thing I've read on this site as of yet..This if just another way for the Republicans to try to make us a communist country..

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NicoleoUrdes March 02, 2011 17:57:08

No

come on. miscarriage = mis + carriage

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summer March 02, 2011 17:48:51

Undecided

+2
What? How are miscarriages even related to abortions in this way? This law makes no sense! If a woman somehow made herself have a miscarriage, then that would actually be called an abortion. Good Lord...this makes no sense. So undecided is my answer, because this is not a logical question; it's just ridiculous. I think he needs to check himself and go speak to those women who have actually experienced miscarriages. Many women are completely devastated. Imagine many of them being excited to bring a newborn child into this world and lose it. What I'd really like to see is if any women support this law. ..ridiculous.

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Julie March 02, 2011 17:46:21

No

+1
OMG. Could these lunatics get any crazier???

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Jeok March 02, 2011 17:25:23 (edited)

Yes

+1
He doesn't have to care about women, he's got his own little boy harem and they can't get pregnant. See Pedaphile below. IMHO Thank You For Your Indulgence

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Tits IS... to Jeok March 02, 2011 19:24:14

he does sort of look a bit -- freaky.

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Jeok to Jeok March 02, 2011 19:30:39 (edited)

What happened to the picture I had posted? I, also, had above pic with pic of Bobby Franklin. Censorship is alive and well....

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AP March 02, 2011 17:19:09

No

+3
If deterring abortions is the goal...this is the worst way to go about doing it. How out of touch can you be? Bobby Franklin must be living in some sort of crack-filled bubble.

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Arrow the Anti-Con March 02, 2011 17:05:33

No

+2
This is so stupid I cannot believe it!!! What is the the United State or Saudie Arabia? This women hating bastard should have been an abortion, I'll tell you that!

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Eddie--... to Arrow t... March 02, 2011 17:13:29

+3
His mother dropped him on his head as a baby?

It's the only logical think I can think of... either that or he really is that stupid.

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Arrow t... to Eddie--... March 02, 2011 19:44:36

+1
Yea, or he's sniffing the wrong glue. Or maybe Satan is telling him to.

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Eddie--... to Arrow t... March 02, 2011 19:58:46

+1

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Shadow13 March 02, 2011 16:50:44

No

+5
So let me get this straight, if a woman miscarriages due to a congenial defect she will be held liable?
Listen if you want to address the issue of abortions, then remember that simply outlawing it won't work only subject women to back ally chop shops. Address the real issues that influence women, financial security, quality of life, address the issues of the sexualization of women, the adoption system, and many others. People suffering with infertility pay hundreds of thousands of dollars on fertility clinics imagine if they instead decided to adopt.
Our society imposes conditions in which women must decide between survival and children. Survival has always been the stronger instinct. Until we address things so both can be achieved we will continue with abortions in society. The irony is that the most ardent opponents of abortion are the most ardent opponents of social progress, think about it.

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Dixienc to Shadow13 March 02, 2011 18:00:04

Did you even read the bill? Probably not...it states very clearly ONLY if the woman can't show the miscarriage was not helped along by another person. Any woman that has a spontaneous miscarriage will have it from her doctor that it was an actual miscarriage. Sheesh...you people love to twist and turn things to mean totally different than what they mean. I have known of women that took drugs to bring on a miscarriage...did everything wrong they could think of to cause a miscarriage because they couldn't afford an abortion. THESE are the types this bill pertains to.

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askmike to Dixienc March 02, 2011 18:26:36 (edited)

+3
There is a time and case-tested tenet in the American judicial system that the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty. In addition, the Fifth Amendment stipulates that the government may not impose its force to compel an accused to testify against himself. The proposed Georgia law stipulates that in every case of a pregnancy miscarriage that the woman must "prove there was no human involvement" and in court protocol, the accused does not have to prove any allegation whatsoever. The onus of proving guilt is upon the state. The fetus is of course inside a human, it is not inside a container on a shelf. If the fetus is miscarried it is of course due to "human involvement", regardless of the specific cause. Under the proposed law a woman who miscarried her fetus as a result of having been in a car that was hit by a drunk driver who ran a red light, the woman who miscarried would be required to prove in court she did not arrange to have 1) the other driver get drunk, 2) that she did not intentionally arrange the collision, and 3) that she did take sufficient action to avoid the collision. All of that testimony that would be required of her would be in violation of the Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution; under that provision the accused does NOT have to prove a single thing in court.

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Shadow13 to Dixienc March 02, 2011 20:13:37

+1
The very problem of this law is that it ignores the concept "innocent until proven guilty" one is automatically "guilty until proven innocent." It also ignores the possibility of lifesaving procedures, accidents, rape/incest, economic and societal conditions, and the fact that it would effectively outlaw several forms of contraceptives and emergency contraceptives.
It will only further the goals of the prison industrial complex and cost the people more in lost productivity and incarceration expenses.

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aymee to Shadow13 March 02, 2011 19:05:36

+2
Kudos to you. This really is the wrong way to go about preventing abortion. And in my opinion, unless you played some roll in its creation, men (who cannot carry children) should not be the ones making the decisions about abortion. Im not saying i think abortion is a good thing, im undecided, but think about it; if a woman gets pregnant and cannot financially support that child, isnt it better for the child if it doesnt exist? This is the point where people would argue to put it up for adoption. Ok, im in agreement with you on adoption conditions, and i would not even consider having a child if i thought he would end up sitting in an orphanage where he could possibly be mistreated or sexually abused and what kind of life is foster home jumping? IDK. . .im just throwing out scenarios.

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Shadow13 to aymee March 02, 2011 20:07:24

+1
Pro-life groups demonize the pro-choice groups by saying we advocate abortions. Many of us find the practice just as deplorable, however we do realize that the woman must be able to evaluate her condition of life and determine what is best, and she is the best choice to determine that, not some fat white guy living in the suburbs off of a trust fund. The choice will always be there legal or not, but we can address the influences of those choices to make them evident.

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aymee to Shadow13 March 03, 2011 04:47:04

+1
Very true! Well said:)

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☽✪☾ℬlue♥ℛaven☽✪☾ March 02, 2011 16:35:13
tutu110 March 02, 2011 16:21:26
Ozzyboy March 02, 2011 15:55:09

No

+4
Put this guy's name on the list to oust in the next election. A miscarriage is an act of God, an abortion is an act of man. What a looneytoon. As if we don't have enough problems with politicians already!

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nyakgala March 02, 2011 15:36:12

No

+2
All respects these men should not be talking like that. A woman can lose a baby for different reasons. It could simply be a reason of the womans genetic body or the function of her body. I understand some women abuse themselves during pregnacies by drinking and drugs some of them give birth to babies with defects as a result of their lifestyle. However to make miscarriage a crime is a bit crazy, how about we make getting a woman pregnant and leaving her with nothing a crime as well.

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Veritas March 02, 2011 15:34:21 (edited)

No

+7
As a mom who had trouble carrying my babies to term and had devastating miscarriage's, I find this truly offensive.

There is nothing worse than laying there on the ultrasound table when the technician who is usually chatting about "Oh there is the baby's heart, etc." is completely silent. Then the next words you hear are: "Excuse me . . . I need to go get the doctor." You're just laying there in the room knowing that your dreams are about to be violently crushed.

What a freakin' idiot Bobby Franklin is. I'm not normally a violent person, but a Gibb's slap is in order.

Oh, one more thing . . . . On one of my pregnancies that did not go to term, there was HUMAN INVOLVEMENT. I developed a severe sinus infection with a temperature over 101. Allergic to penicilin and had to take a Class C drug. My doctor informed me that though there was a risk in taking this drug to my unborn child, running a high temperature every day wasn't healthy either. Had just made it to Week 13 and had finished the prescription two days prior to the miscarriage.

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Miaow to Veritas March 02, 2011 17:25:25 (edited)

+4
And if you live(d) in Georgia and this passed into law, you'd face death or life, as the medicine you took for your fever may have hastened the miscarriage. Case in point, I'd say. Please consider writing about it to any Georgia State politicians you can find address of.

Losing one's pregnancy is traumatic enough even without the need to face criminal charges for it.

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Veritas to Miaow March 02, 2011 18:04:39

+3
Thank you for your kind and compassionate words. It took me a day or two to decide to take that drug. I can't tell you how devastated I was. I took six years before I tried again. I have two beautiful children now that I thank God for every day.

I will also take your advice and send my thoughts to the State of Georgia.

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Dixienc to Veritas March 02, 2011 18:01:09

+1
This bill does NOT pertain to women in your situation. Get a grip here. Stop reading what LSM wants you to believe and really pay attention. Sheesh

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Veritas to Dixienc March 02, 2011 18:05:46

+1
Than you for your kind words. I will take them under advisement. Kindly . . .

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askmike to Dixienc March 02, 2011 18:34:11

+4
"...would make miscarriages a felony if the mother can't prove there was no human involvement in the loss of the fetus". The bill DOES pertain to women in her situation because she would be required to prove in court, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the choice she made took the absolute welfare of the fetus into consideration. Every miscarriage in the State of Georgia would be adjudicated in a court of law due to equal protection requirements; one woman accused could site cases where the state did not indict if the state did not treat every miscarriage as a potential abortion.

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Veritas to askmike March 03, 2011 17:19:23

THANK YOU.

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