Okay. So I'm slow. Since the attacks started, I knew it was political, but I couldn't understand why it was so stupid. Why introduce ultrasounds, and doctors lying to patients, and personhood, and breast cancer/abortion link, and explanations from a pregnancy counseling center, and 3-day waiting periods? Each state was seemingly trying to outdo the others.
Today I read Gail Collins' column, and there was my answer. Damn, that woman is smart. This is the sentence that caused the smack-on-forehead moment:
I suspect this is at least in part because politicians in some states are being forced to stretch to find new ways to torture women who want to end an unwanted pregnancy. It’s sort of like gun control — once your state already has guaranteed the right to wear concealed weapons into bars and churches, you’re going to have to start getting really creative to reaffirm a commitment to the Second Amendment.
They've won elections by putting these referendums (referenda, neither is correct) on ballots of important elections. They can't outlaw abortion. So, they'll just make it more difficult to obtain, so the right-wing crazies will be sure they still care.
But all these other issues coincided with the abortion attacks, making them look like they really hate women. Or maybe they do hate women. And we womenfolk are not happy.
So, let's agree to always report these abuses, but quit letting them get under our skin. They're just trying to win elections, and they expected that we would allow them to use us for that purpose. But they were silly to think that was ever going to happen.
Anger causes paralysis. We need action. Call them, post requests for medical advice on their Facebook pages, write letters to the editor of your paper, talk about it in line at the supermarket. They have voted to embarrass and humiliate your sisters. Let 'em have it.
This diary is open to whatever suggestions you may have for this counter-attack.