Right stands

by Laura Michaels, DI editorial writer

Abortion is a topic that merits attention, though, at times, it may seem as though the issue has been examined to the point of exhaustion. I was surprised, therefore, to find sparse coverage of South Dakota's passage of an abortion ban barring the procedure, except in circumstances where the mother's life is in danger. For a self-proclaimed "liberal" city, there appeared to be little reaction to a significant law.

The South Dakota law is founded on the idea that abortion is equal to murder. It further spins the issue by pegging women who get abortions as exploited victims, rather than adults making a conscious choice. This is evidenced by the fact that rape victims will no longer have the option of abortion, because the second violent act, after the rape, of abortion is unthinkable according to South Dakota's legislators.

With a Legislature that is 84 percent male, it is not surprising that this law passed with little thought to the consequences suffered by women.

Though this law does not directly affect Iowans, it should serve as a wake-up call and remind us the rights we feel are essential may not be out of harm's way.