Romney tried to block woman from having life saving abortion - "why do you get off easy..."

[Liberal_in_LA]

Judith Dushku is a professor of history at Suffolk University, an outspoken Mormon feminist, and the mother of Dollhouse and Buffy star Eliza Dushku. She's also the founder of Exponent II, a Mormon feminist publication. In 1990, Ms. Dushku's magazine published the story of an anonymous 41 year old woman who experienced a life-threatening blood clot while she was pregnant for the sixth time. The woman was told by doctors that treatment of the clot would threaten the pregnancy, and so an abortion was necessary. The Mormon faith officially opposes abortion except in extreme cases, and women who are members of the church and seek an abortion are required to petition church elders for permission. She and her husband petitioned the Church to authorize them to receive the procedure, and a church elder told her and her husband that the procedure looked like unfortunate but unavoidable.

On the day of the abortion, the couple showed up at the hospital only to be greeted by their bishop, who had shown up, unannounced, to try to prevent her from going through with it, regardless of the fact that a church official with a higher rank than his had already given the okay. The bishop was determined to make his case against the life-saving surgery, and he was a total dick about it. According to a 2007 interview with Dushku, the following exchange occurred,

He said – What do you think you're doing?
She said – Well, we have to abort the baby because I have these blood clots.
And he said something to the effect of – Well, why do you get off easy when other women have their babies?

-------------

The bishop who tried to block that selfish, selfish clotted up woman from saving her own life with a legal medical procedure was one Mitt Romney. The woman he attempted to block did go through with her abortion and lived to see her four teenage children grow up. Her family later left the church.


http://jezebel.com/5851050/the-curious-case-of-mitt-romney-an-abortion-and-eliza-dushkus-mom

[RandySF]

1. This story should get more attention.

[whathehell]

41. Absolutely!...This should be at least as famous as the "corporations are people" line.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. No wonder they left the church.

I'm so gobsmacked by his attitude that I can scarcely figure out what to say first.

What good is a family without its mother? Her four children and her husband needed her.

How dare Romney accuse her of getting off easy? Facing potentially lethal blood clots is hardly getting off easy.

And raising four children is hardly getting off easy either.

She was hardly selfish. Romney on the other hand... was being a right bastard.

[Dan]

5. As a male,

I have always believed that if men got pregnant, we would never have another discussion on abortion rights, because it would be a done deal.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. I'm quite sure you're correct!

It is never an easy decision.

NEVER.

Thank you, Dan.

[monmouth]

8. And over-population would be non-existent...n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. If men coud get pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament.

[hobbit709]

43. And available at every corner convenience store.

[JitterbugPerfume]

3. unfuckingbelievable!!

[FarLeftFist]

4. Dear MSM, here you go. Get on it!

[Liberal_in_LA]

10. MSM knows about Romney's history. "he's evolved since then" will be the word

[Angry Dragon]

6. This part of the article is very telling

'Several years later, Dushku was pleasantly surprised to read that Romney was running for Senate as a pro-choice candidate, and even thought she could lend her support to Romney and his newfound pro-woman political stance. When she visited his office, he told her that he only supported a pro-choice agenda because church elders in Provo had told him that it was the only way he'd win the seat in the liberal state.

Dushku expressed her dismay at Romney's position of convenience, and he replied that he was totally fine with being pro choice for the sake of a campaign, as he had an aunt who died of a botched abortion. The two parted ways unsatisfied, and shortly thereafter Dushku revealed that Romney was the anti-choice bishop who had blocked the anonymous woman from having an abortion more than a decade before. The two friends had a falling out and stopped speaking.'


The question should be asked how much the Mormon church is going to influence Romney if he would win.........

[Bolo Boffin]

17. Wow. Getting permission from the church to be pro-choice for the election only?

That's amazing.

[Ilsa]

32. So, having an abortion to save a mother's life

is immoral, but switching to pro-choice to win an election is cool with the church? No wonder more people are feeling like organized religion is steaming pile of untaxable crap.

[roguevalley]

39. a lot. this is a lifestyle heavily top down.

[Retrograde]

9. I think the only thing Romney actually believes

is that Romney should be president. From the article: Several years later, Dushku was pleasantly surprised to read that Romney was running for Senate as a pro-choice candidate, and even thought she could lend her support to Romney and his newfound pro-woman political stance. When she visited his office, he told her that he only supported a pro-choice agenda because church elders in Provo had told him that it was the only way he'd win the seat in the liberal state."

Why, Mitt, do you get off easy when other women have to live in the real world?

[KT2000]

28. He and Gingrich

have much in common. With Mitt it is not as obvious that he has grandiose delusions but he sure does. Narcissist.

[Brigid]

11. I have only one question:

Why didn't that woman's husband beat the everloving crap out of Mitt Romney?

[xchrom]

13. +1

[Liberal_in_LA]

14. A man that's going to seek permission from church for wife to have abortion is not

going to beat up a Mormon Bishop.

[Quantess]

15. What an asshole!

Also, he doesn't want to disclose his IRS statements to the voting public.
FUCK HIM!!

[Bolo Boffin]

18. Probably a few too many contributions to anti-gay campaigns?

Or anti-abortion efforts?

[LiberalFighter]

16. He was or is a bishop? Really? There should be some focus on that.

[Liberal_in_LA]

20. yes. he was a bishop. Over the Boston area. until he decided to go into politics.

stuff about it on the web if you search

[dimbear]

26. FWIW, Mormon bishops are a lot more common than Catholic bishops.

You can't compare across that boundary. A much smaller deal.

[KT2000]

29. I think Mormon bishops

are more like deacons that Catholic or Episcopal bishops.
Worked with a Mormon bishop who counseled his church people during work hours (federal gov.). He was also having an affair with a woman in the building. His wife had nearly died giving birth to their 8th child.
Religion is a breeding ground for hypocrites.

[Bolo Boffin]

19. Unfortunately, this story will only help him in the Republican party. n/t

[RandySF]

21. Why do Republicans hate women?

[cyglet]

22. Yes, he revealed the real reason people are anti-

abortion and birth control....that you can't have sex without consequences.

[shraby]

23. You left out a word...WOMEN cant have sex without consequences.

For men, they get a pass.

[cyglet]

24. It's an excuse

to keep women down, and the Mormons, Catholics, and Evangelicals all agree on the point. The cute widdle babies are a convenient sacrificial lamb.

[PDJane]

25. I have never trusted Romney.........

And I am not surprised at his attitude in this case.

[Scuba]

27. At least this explains why Mitt only moves diagonally. n/t

[McCamy Taylor]

30. Romney as a Mormon "Bishop" will have some serious problems in the general.

No one wants a clergyman as president in the US.

[barbtries]

31. i'm glad the story's getting out.

what a dick. i believe the LDS is one of the most sexist of religious organizations - i don't want to see any mormon in the white house for that reason.

[DonCoquixote]

33. please keep this recorded

When people keep saying "well Mitt is not THAT hardline." For him to buck higher ups in the Mormons, who ALREADY APPROVED THE ABORTION, shows he has an ego.

[ohheckyeah]

34. Romney's an asshole.

But I can't get over the fact that the couple went to the church to ask for authorization to get the abortion. I just don't understand adults who hand over decision making to someone else.

My niece works for a Christian college and she had to sign a pledge stating she wouldn't watch R rated movies and wouldn't drink. I don't know what else what on the list but she's a grown woman with a husband and child and a college graduate and yet she is willing to have her employer tell her what kind of movies she can watch. I DON'T GET IT.

[tblue37]

35. Maybe it's more about having a job at all in this economic climate. nt

[Doc Holliday]

46. ????

"My niece works for a Christian college and she had to sign a pledge stating she wouldn't watch R rated movies and wouldn't drink. I don't know what else what on the list but she's a grown woman with a husband and child and a college graduate and yet she is willing to have her employer tell her what kind of movies she can watch."

Unless she lives in a very small town, enforcement might be problematical. Does the college have her under 24/7 surveillance or something?

[ohheckyeah]

48. I think it's an honor system thing

and she wouldn't sign it if she wasn't going to stick to it. Now that I think more about it it must have said PG-13 because she "couldn't" go see Avatar and it's rated PG-13.

[Major Nikon]

36. Romney the person and Romney the candidate are two very different people

As a person and a Mormon he was obviously anti-choice. As a candidate for Governor, he was pro-choice. Now as a candidate for the GOP nomination, he's anti-choice again.

Other than showing conclusively that he's a dick, this story also shows that he's a perennial flip-flopper who says whatever he thinks will get him elected.

[coalition_unwilling]

37. Emphatic K&R. Filing in my "Who's the scummiest Repuke of 2012" file - n/t

[roguevalley]

38. since when do adults ask. and when do men have a say

Her husband and her are it on the decision and in the end its really hers alone.

[NNN0LHI]

40. Anyone beginning to see why Romney is the easiest one of these clowns to beat?

He has a record like this as long as my arm.

And it is not a good one either.

Don

[Hepburn]

42. A link to this OP got mailed out to everyone on my email list.

Mitt Romney ~~ what a total asshole...and that is an insult to assholes.

[Remember Me]

44. And THAT is the sound of misogyny --

"Why do you think you get off when other women have their babies (or die trying -- hehe, isn't patriarchy grand)?"

I honestly didn't think he was THAT bad of a misogynist. I obviously was wrong.

I frequent a site where apparently a lot of young Mormon women hang out. OMG, you wouldn't believe the cult of wedding planning and the cult of maternity (especially grotesque in mind because they tend to glorify photos pregnant women's bellies, both clothed and naked -- blech!). It's disgusting.

[backscatter712]

45. Mitt desperately needs to be given an atomic wedgie with his magic underwear. n/t

[rocktivity]

47. I would have said: "Because pregnancies with blood clots are not only not easy,

Last edited Mon Aug 4, 2014, 01:58 PM - Edit history (3)

they're potentially fatal. Now get the hell out of my way -- if you'll pardon the expression!"


rocktivity