All apologies if this has been diaried. I did a little search and it didn't seem to be. I know this story is a bit sensational and a bit tabloidish and a bit Huffpo (where I found it), but is really something that scared me. And moved me. And made me think. Please take a look beneath the squiggly thing.
I found this in Huffpo this evening: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
Apparently a 14 year old young woman (a girl, really) from Lakeland, FL, Cassidy Goodson gave birth in her bathroom. It wasn't particularly magical, she
ultimately used scissors to pry the baby out of her body and into the toilet.
For whatever reason she then
placed her hands on the infant's neck and squeezed until he wasn't moving or breathing any longer
When the baby was found in a shoebox dead a few days later Florida authorities took prompt action. Young Miss Goodson was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse.
My first thought upon reading this was, wow, it took the Florida authorities six weeks to charge George Zimmerman with second-degree murder. Reluctantly. Hmm. Ok. Sure, this nice baby couldn't fight back the way a scary black teenager like Trayvon Martin could, so . . . yeah. Of course it all makes sense. Nevermind that Cassidy is probably one or all of the following: terrified, in shock, defenseless, and possibly mentally imbalance or impaired.
My second thought was, what does this mean? What does this say about how badly women and girls are losing the War on Women? I'm not saying Cassidy is absolved of all responsibility, but she is 14. And the State of Florida is considering trying her as an adult.
Fourteen, and possibly all you have heard your whole life is abortion is murder. So that's not an option. And the boy? Who knows, he obviously didn't offer any help. What do you do? Maybe you wear baggy clothes. Maybe you engage in magical thinking that it will all go away. Do you go see the fanatics who want you to keep your baby, but will decry you as a lazy, entitled, slut the minute that baby is born? Do you cry every night? You delay, you wait, you . . . go into labor. You cut your baby out with scissors. After that, well . . .
I believe this is evidence that we as thinking, empathetic, and compassionate people are losing an important battle. The Overton window has moved to "every pregnancy should be carried to term" regardless of circumstances. I believe that was possibly ingrained in Cassidy and is ingrained in many girls and women who unintentionally become pregnant. Most girls and women can find a succesful solution--whether it be abortion, adoption, or keeping the child. The problem is the options for girls and women in these situations are increasingly being taken away by a small core of fanatics who are increasingly dominating the mainstream consensus. That is the danger of trap laws and the danger of giving an inch to forced birth fanatics.
In the end, I sincerely hope Cassidy will have a long and happy life. I hope she will one day have a child on her own terms if she likes. And she will not be incarcerated and crucified for this terrible tragedy.
Moreover, she can forget she was a "popular" story in the appalling Huffpo, that is followed by a appalingly wonderful "list of 10 Major Crimes that shocked the nation."
Cassidy, may God, the God of Compassion, Kindness, and Wisdom be with you in your dark hours.