New South Dakota Law Requires Religious Lecture Before Abortion
Written by Christopher Thielen in News, Opinion at March 25, 2011
On March 22nd, Governor Dennis Daugaard signed a bill introducing some of the most repressive requirements on women seeking abortion:
- A 72-hour waiting period
- Mandatory lectures and risk factor discussion at a “crisis pregnancy center”, usually run by Christian groups
- Patient must divulge the name of her doctor and the reasons for her abortion
- No exceptions, not even for rape, incest or potentially fatal carriages
The anti-abortion movement is largely a religious one, stemming from views on what a woman’s role should be and the sanctity of life. A law requiring women to consider Christian views violates our freedom of religion and woefully misinterprets the psychological and social factors involved with abortion.
