South Carolina Lawmakers 'Stand Your Fetus Ground' Law

[doggie]

I picture a fetus sticking its head and hands out of a woman's vagina with a glock and busting a few caps into a innocent bystander.

http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politi ... ground-law

Unborn children would receive constitutional rights beginning at conception under a "Stand Your Ground" law that allows women in South Carolina to use lethal force against anyone threatening their fetuses.

The South Carolina Senate Judiciary Subcommittee voted 3-2 this month to expand the state's "Stand Your Ground" law to include protections for unborn babies.

The bill defines an "unborn child" as "the offspring of human beings from conception until birth."

People may use deadly force to protect themselves and others against the threat of "imminent peril of death or great bodily injury" under the state's current law.

Supporters of the "Pregnant Women's Protection Act" claimed that without this law, pregnant women could face attacks that may cause them to miscarry, but that might not justify the use of lethal force.

The "Pregnant Women's Protection Act," sponsored by state Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, was debated at the same time as two other bills that sought to grant personhood to embryos.

Opponents, including organizations providing women's health services, are concerned that the bill is designed to take away women's access to birth control, in-vitro fertilization, emergency contraception and other basic healthcare options.

"It could outlaw contraception, any form of hormonal birth control, and emergency contraception that is usually given to victims of rape," Emma Davidson, a spokeswoman for New Morning Foundation, told Courthouse News.

[polecat]

Unborn children would receive constitutional rights beginning at conception ...

So will every baby conceived in the United States then automatically become a citizen, too?

Gah.

ETA: omg, I'm finally courting!!!

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

So will every baby conceived in the United States then automatically become a citizen, too?

Gah.

ETA: omg, I'm finally courting!!!

More importantly, why does a fetus have more rights than someone from birth to age 18?

[polecat]

More importantly, why does a fetus have more rights than someone from birth to age 18?

Absolutely --

But I was mostly laughing to myself that this is the exact same group that screeches until they're hoarse about "anchor babies" and undocumented immigrants while insisting that embryos and fetuses have constitutional rights. Seriously. wth?

[doggie]

More importantly, why does a fetus have more rights than someone from birth to age 18?

well till it is born then it is a worthless welfare moocher.

[scc12]

soon it's going to be 'every egg a baby,every sperm a human'.no conception needed.

[gezykah]

So basically the supporters of the law are covering up the fact they're trying to take away the rights of women by claiming that violence against women does warrant self defense. Taking a life to defend a fetus is cool but not so much when defending a woman.

[SpeakNow]

I'm genuinely confused. If someone is attacking me so intensely that it could kill a fetus, wouldn't I be able to retaliate in self-defense regardless of whether I was pregnant?

[scc12]

what if someone just thinks they're pregnant? would a home pregnancy test be ok to use lethal force,or would a dr's test be required?

[Toothfairy]

Why are idiots running our country?

[lawfulevil]

This has nothing to do with fetuses, it never does, it's intended to make it even more dangerous to be an abortion provider.

[DGayle]

I'm genuinely confused. If someone is attacking me so intensely that it could kill a fetus, wouldn't I be able to retaliate in self-defense regardless of whether I was pregnant?

MTE.

[slickcat79]

I'm genuinely confused. If someone is attacking me so intensely that it could kill a fetus, wouldn't I be able to retaliate in self-defense regardless of whether I was pregnant?

You would certainly think so:

People may use deadly force to protect themselves and others against the threat of "imminent peril of death or great bodily injury" under the state's current law.

I would classify a forced miscarriage as "great bodily injury" :? But of course it was never about the pregnant woman.

This has nothing to do with fetuses, it never does, it's intended to make it even more dangerous to be an abortion provider.

I'm sure that's the true goal. If an embryo or fetus is a person, and Stand Your Ground laws allow people to protect others against "imminent peril of death", then anyone who kills an abortion provider can just claim they were saving the unborn people from imminent death :evil: Luckily, personhood laws have not been passed even in SC, and I don't expect this one to be different.

[docmom]

It is nearly impossible to cause an early non-medical trimester miscarriage without doing something to the mother that would result in grevious bodily harm. As everyone else has noted, this law is not about protecting women or fetuses, it's an anti-choice bill.

I've always wondered how the "life begins at conception" crowd explain anembryonic pregnancies. These pregnancies (responsible for a large number of early trimester miscarriages) are the result of a genetic defect in the product of conception that prevents normal embryonic development. These "blighted ovums" never develop a functional fetal pole and can never, ever form a human being. So, a conception occurred but a life cannot form...

[smittykins]

I'm sure that's the true goal. If an embryo or fetus is a person, and Stand Your Ground laws allow people to protect others against "imminent peril of death", then anyone who kills an abortion provider can just claim they were saving the unborn people from imminent death :evil:

I'm sure they already have(Paul Hill, at least).

[m0drnmoonlight]

Ugh, the GOP is getting sneaky with their anti-choice bills. Wrapped up in a package of "this'll protect women!" but it's still anti-choice at its core.

Are fetuses allowed to vote if they're considered people? Do pregnant women get to vote twice?

[tankgirl]

Does that mean a pregnant woman can kill a smoker? I mean second hand smoke is a danger to a fetus. If some one serves you under cooked eggs, poultry, or deli meats, you can kill them? Seriously this is so stupid and open ended as to be ridiculous. But it is just to bring it back to no choice for women, isn't? Ugh I agree, freaking stupid people!