Westerly Sun, February 14, 2023 ||
Facts really do matter and yet time and again people who do not want abortion to be legal at all will outright lie to push their agenda, whether it is opening another fake clinic to spout inaccurate information and pressure people to carry a pregnancy to term or another piece of legislation that pushes lies and harmful rhetoric about abortion. H5047 is a copycat of a bill we have seen many times before that demonizes providers, judges and stigmatizes the people who need abortions, and puts up limits to abortion. This bill talks about the idea of “born alive.” This is a purposely incendiary and deceptive title to try to make people support obstacles to abortion — and perpetuate really insulting lies about providers.
We have seen legislation like this before that meddles with health services and pushes truly ridiculous rhetoric to demean and denigrate abortion providers and people who seek abortion. Bills like this have no place in Rhode Island.
Instead of respecting every person’s decision, anti-abortion politicians are resorting to false rhetoric to distract from their true agenda — to push abortion care out of reach and punish patients and their providers. There are politicians who do not want abortion to be available at all in any circumstances. They create bills that play on the worst lies to restrict or outright ban abortion. We need to oppose H5047 and urge lawmakers to advance legislation that close gaps in access to health services and ensure every person and family in our state is able to plan their families and futures.
Jocelyn Foye, Wakefield
