Their responsibilities

Abortion laws are one-sided, sexist, and of course historically written by male legislators, so it should be no surprise that they target women only. You would think that women had the ability to impregnate themselves with no help from males. Where are the laws holding men accountable? Men can enjoy satisfying their urges and then just walk away. Women, however, are often shamed and “criminalized” if they, too, elect to “walk away” (through abortion or adoption).

According to the Democrat-Gazette, state Sen. Trent Garner, R-El Dorado, has introduced two new anti-abortion bills for 2019, one of which prohibits a woman from seeking an abortion if she fears the fetus has Down syndrome. If we are to have such a law, then let’s expand it to require the father of the child to provide lifetime financial support of his child (because it is not just a product of the woman), and if he refuses, he should be convicted of a crime comparable to whatever the mother would be charged with if she refuses to have or to support the child.

The second bill he is presenting allegedly reflects his caring for the unborn child. What happens to the child and/or all the unwanted children women are forced to give birth to? Who cares about them? If the state is going to demand these births occur, including infants known to have disabilities, shouldn’t there be laws to provide mothers/families with all the assistance needed to rear these children and/or better still, if the children of concern are not wanted by their mother, how many of these caring folks are willing to step up and adopt these children? In the case of unmarried mothers, maybe we should force the fathers to adopt them.

KAY MOTSINGER

Roland