Life Links 11/28/12

Abortionist Willie Parker and other Mississippi abortionists were unable to obtain admitting privileges at any hospital near Jackson, Mississippi so the state's lone abortion clinic has filed suit to prevent the state of Mississippi from enforcing the law which went into effect in July. 

The bill's sponsor, state Rep. Sam Mims, R-McComb, said the clinic has had ample time to comply with the new law. He also denied the clinic's claims that the law hands over control to the hospitals, whose application denials could force its closure.

"The legislature doesn't control what hospitals in the Jackson metro area do," Mims said. "They have their own committees and bylaws set up, and they have to make the best decisions."

Mims said it's up to the judge now.

The clinic's providers already are board-certified ob-gyns, but only one had admitting privileges at the time of the law's passage. That physician provides only limited service at the clinic, Bernyk said. Those who provide the majority of procedures, including Dr. Willie Parker, were denied privleges after a months-long effort by the clinic to obtain them.

Why does Planned Parenthood's Jill June think seeing 4D ultrasound images will shame, coerce or make a woman change her mind about getting an abortion?  It's just a clump of cells, right?

An anti-abortion group wants Nebraska lawmakers to pass legislation that requires four-dimensional ultrasound images of human fetuses to be posted on a state website.

So-called 4-D ultrasounds take images of the fetus from several angles, showing such things as facial features and capturing movement.

Jill June, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, said women should have all the information they need to decide whether to have abortions.

"Such information should support a woman, help her make the best decision for herself, her family and her circumstances, and enable her to take care of her health and well-being. Information should not be provided with the intent of shaming, coercing or making a woman change her mind," she said.

For some reason the editorial board of the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel thinks a poll showing the public favors more restrictions on abortion is a good argument against adding more restrictions to abortion.

Public polling shows that most people in the U.S. favor the idea of legal abortion. A CBS News/New York Times poll in September is typical. It found that 42% thought abortion should be "generally available," while 35% said "available under stricter limits" and 20% said "not permitted."