For the last few weeks I've been visiting family and friends in Louisiana, where I grew up. I love it there - friendly people, good food, a by-god crawfish boil. The only problem is that I ended up staying longer than I expected to, with no cell-phone service or internet access, all because I read the news.
Everybody knows the South isn't exactly the most rational place in the world, and the bayou state, in particular, is well known for it's corruption. Politicians play games while poverty rises, New Orleans is drowned, and women and children starve. Ignorance is rampant, especially among the most vocal residents - the conservative, republican, god-fearing rural folk. I ignored this successfully for many years, but now, for my sisters' sake, I'm paying attention.
You see, while I was in the state of my birth, a news article tucked away on a back page of some paper or other caught my eye. I can't recall what the rag was, because I immediately threw down the paper and stomped it repeatedly after reading said article, which informed me that the state Senate had just passed SB33. The next stop for the bill is the House Criminal Justice committee (it is scheduled for May 17, to the best of my knowledge). SB33, for those of you who don't know, is a total ban on abortion in the state, authored by Sen. Nevers (D - Bogalusa). The only conception it contains is for the life of the mother. Before the bill left the Senate, it was damped down a little, so it is now a trigger law, effective as soon as Roe is struck down. Now, there is already a trigger law on the books in Louisiana (and, no, I'm not talking about the 1991 law that was struck down as unconstitutional, although I wouldn't put it past the anti-choicers to bring it up), so what's the difference? The difference is that SB33 contains no exceptions for rape, incest, fetal abnormality, or health of the mother. I knew Louisiana was starting to feel a bit more tropical, but I didn't think it had turned into El Salvador yet.
  Having just seen a similar measure die in Mississippi's legislature, the thought of this bill becoming law is appalling to me. C'mon, Louisiana, you can't be dumber than Mississippi, for god's sake! My little sisters all live in Louisiana, as well as many of my friends (most all of child-bearing age), so I had a little extra impetus to get me off my butt and moving. I attempted to reach NARAL, NOW, and the ACLU in the state - I had no luck with any of them. I blame it on voice-mail and crappy cell-phone reception. I contacted Planned Parenthood in Baton Rouge, and met with their public affairs representative, Julie Micklebury, yesterday afternoon. She was very helpful in broadening my understanding of the proposition and forming my arguments. I also spoke over the phone with one of the physicians from the Delta Clinic, also located in Baton Rouge. The Delta Clinic was less informed than Planned Parenthood, but expressed an interest in aprising their patients of attacks on women's health. I meant to go over and discuss this with them, but, unfortunately, had no time.
Yesterday afternoon I went to the capitol, finally, after a great deal of research and calling around. I had already spoken with a few representatives, but wanted to speak to them face to face. It was a good idea, and very heartening. I brought with me a copy of SB33, a few other papers I had printed regarding the legal status of abortion in Louisiana, and pictures of my little sisters. Some of the representatives expressed dismay that there was no rape exception, and disgust at the lack of an exception for incest. Representative Eric LeFleur (D - Ville Platte), in particular, impressed me by talking about the lack of an exception for health of the mother, and asking how ectopic pregnancies would likely be handled. Overall, the impression I got from the members of the Criminal Justice committee was that there is no way this bill will pass without drastic changes.
Which is all well and fine, but I don't want it passing at all. This is a stunt similar to what went down in Mississippi not so long ago. In the aftermath of Katrina and Rita, a whole lot of people packed up and left. Most of those people were constituents. A big chunk of them aren't coming back. And the ones who are coming back are by and large the more well-to-do, so... well, maybe the democratic legislators in Louisiana aren't so sure of reelection as they would like to be. So they are tossing their newly conservative contituencies a bone.
Will it pass? Maybe, maybe not. If it dies, great, but if it passes, there is always that "trigger". The thing that the legislature needs to learn is that we are tired of shell games and bluffs, especially when they involve our health. The one common theme among everyone I spoke to, whether in person or over the phone, was surprise - surprise that an individual would take up her time with this, surprise that a young girl would join the crowd of lobbyists, surprise that an unaffiliated woman cared enough about her body and her rights to speak out.
If more people would do that, we might actually have representatives who represent us. Is an hour of your time to much to ask for such a prize? Call them!
The Members of the Criminal Justice Committee (with phone numbers!):
Daniel Martiny (R-Metairie) 504 834 7676
Alex Heaton (D-New Orleans) 504 865 0751
Damon Baldone (D-Houma) 985 876 8872
Beverly Bruce (D-Mansfield) 318 872 1666
Roy Burrell (D-Shreveport) 318 676 7137
Don Cazayoux (D-New Roads) 225 638 8725
Donald Cravins Jr. (D-Opelousas) 337 943 2407
Charles Dewitt (D-Alexandria) 318 442 1513
Eric LeFleur (D-Ville Platte) 337 363 5019
Jane Smith (R-Bossier City) 318 741 2825
Warren Triche Jr. (D-Thibodeaux) 985 447 0999
Mack "Bodi" White (R-Denham Springs) 225 791 2199
Ernest Wooton (R-Belle Chasse) 504 393 5649
You can reach any of them at 225 342 2456