Wendy Davis book reveals abortion

[TexasTowelie]

Last edited Sat Sep 6, 2014, 02:58 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: AP

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis reveals in a new campaign memoir that she terminated two pregnancies for medical reasons in the 1990s, including one where the fetus had developed a severe brain abnormality.

Davis writes in "Forgetting to be Afraid" that she had an abortion in 1996 after an exam revealed that the brain of the fetus had developed in complete separation on the right and left sides. She also describes ending an earlier ectopic pregnancy, in which an embryo implants outside the uterus.

Davis disclosed the terminated pregnancies for the first time since her nearly 13-hour filibuster last year over a tough new Texas abortion law.

Both pregnancies happened before Davis, a state senator from Fort Worth, began her political career and after she was already a mother to two young girls.

Read more: http://www.statesman.com/ap/ap/entertainment/apnewsbreak-wendy-davis-book-reveals-abortion/nhG4Y/

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Related thread:
Abbott says he grieves for Wendy Davis family
http://www.democraticunderground.com/107820646

[Thinkingabout]

1. I had heard similar information, backs up why she stool for very long to leave

Abortion clinics available in Texas. Makes me respect her even more.

[Mnemosyne]

2. Brave woman. nt

[littlemissmartypants]

3. My life changed forever during that time.

I stand with Wendy.

#FJL

Love, Peace and the Righteous Fight!
~ Lmsp

[Kath1]

4. I stand with Wendy.

And Texas women.

Sent her a campaign donation and wishing her success!

[appal_jack]

5. She is a courageous truth-teller and principled leader. k&r, nt

[El Supremo]

6. And the Catholics & Repukes want to outlaw these.

The fetuses would have died - and Wendy would have risked her life.

[pnwmom]

13. Catholic theology allows the termination of a pregnancy when the baby will die anyway,

Last edited Sat Sep 6, 2014, 12:25 AM - Edit history (1)

such as an ectopic pregnancy; or a pregnancy in which the mother has uterine cancer and needs to have her uterus removed.

But please don't equate "Catholics" with the "Catholic hierarchy" or with right-wing Catholics. Overall, Catholics are as likely as anyone else to use birth control and have abortions.

http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Catholic/2001/01/The-Catholic-Abortion-Paradox.aspx#

According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, which tracks reproductive health data, non-Hispanic Catholic women of childbearing age are 29% more likely than their Protestant counterparts to have abortions (full study*). The rate is even higher--33%--if Hispanics are factored in. Another way of looking at it: while Protestant women make up about 54% of the population, they account for only 37% of the abortions. Catholic women make up 31% of the population and account for 31% of the abortions.

[yeoman6987]

15. Thank you!!!!!!!!

Your post needs to be shouted on the rooftops so that every good DUer (they all are good) gets the message.

[Kath1]

16. Thank You!

"Overall, Catholics are as likely as anyone else to use birth control and have abortions." - Absolutely right.

I used birth control when I practiced the faith and so did most of my Catholic friends. None of us had a problem with the right to choose, either. Faith is a very personal thing and so are personal decisions regarding your own body. It is only the hierarchy and the far right wing that are vehemently opposed. They are waaaaay out of touch and most Catholic women ignore them.

[BrotherIvan]

23. Yet they give money and support to the institution that is working tirelessly

to take that right away.

[pnwmom]

25. In their opinion, the good outweighs the bad. No institution is without flaws. n/t

[alarimer]

51. Poppycock.

This institution is not flawed; it is evil. Anyone who opposes their policies, yet refuses to leave is complicit in that evil.

Women are not second-class citizens, though they are according to Church doctrine.

[pnwmom]

53. More anti-Catholic bigotry. That's nothing new. n/t

[msanthrope]

31. That is simply untrue. Kindly post the Vatican-approved authority that allows

for this. There is no exception for the health of the mother in the Catechism.

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM

It's why women still die like this in Ireland......
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Savita_Halappanavar

[pnwmom]

39. It isn't an exception for the life of the mother. It is an exception for when

the fetus will die anyway.

[msanthrope]

43. Kindly cite that "exception" in Church doctrine....and, let's reflect on what you

wrote.......

You seem to be saying there is no exception for the life of the mother in the RC.

Who would practice such a thing?

[pnwmom]

44. I'm not defending the Church's position. I just mentioned the same exception

that you were aware of, the double-effect exception. The only difference is that I didn't use that terminology.

[msanthrope]

45. I'm not asking you to defend it....I'm asking you to cite your claim

as to what RC doctrine is.

I looked at the Catechism. I looked at Humanae Vitae,and I cannot cite your claim.

Abortion, even therapeutic, and/or direct, is absolutely forbidden.

[pnwmom]

46. You already stated it yourself -- the double effects exception. n/t

[msanthrope]

47. Um...no. There is no "double effects" execption to abortion. You seem to be conflating

the exception to sterility...if a woman had uterine cancer then she could have a hysterectomy, rendering her sterile, because sterility is not the primary objective of the therapeutic treatment.

There is no such exception for abortion. If there was, you would be able to cite it.

[pnwmom]

49. It is a type of pregnancy termination. If a tube is removed with an embryo inside, that pregnancy

has been terminated.

From the Chicago Archdiocese, this addresses the termination of ectopic pregnancies:

http://www.catholicnewworld.com/cnwonline/2009/1108/3.aspx

The Oct. 25-Nov. 7 edition of this paper included a column by the neuroscientist - priest Father Tad Pacholczyk. It addressed the morality of three approaches (two surgical and one pharmaceutical) used to resolve the lifethreatening, often fatal tragedy of pregnancy attachment outside the womb. (extrauterine/ ectopic pregnancy).

He asserted that only one — a surgical approach — is morally acceptable and the other two are morally objectionable.

His opinions do not represent the teaching of the church nor mainstream moral thinking faithful to the magisterium on this topic.

SNIP

While some commentators like this neuroscientist- priest are free to note their reservation on this or any other matter, church teaching supports a broader perspective. Some may not agree with the moral calculus used. However, it has served our magisterium and others within the church well.

Catholic mothers, physicians and nurses are morally free to use the two surgical and pharmaceutical approaches when it appears the pregnancy will not resolve itself naturally. In doing so they witness to the Gospel of life in using their God-given talents to respect life even when it cannot be preserved.

[msanthrope]

57. Exactly.....this is not actual Catholic doctrine.....

His opinions do not represent the teaching of the church nor mainstream moral thinking faithful to the magisterium on this topic.

How can you represent this as allowable under Catholic doctrine??

[Tumbulu]

58. Oh goodness, such a nice series of posts

revealing such great hatred and obtuseness.

You don't get it that most Catholic women do not follow any of these sexist doctrines?

What don't you understand about this?

[msanthrope]

59. Indeed...accurately stating what the Catholic Church's doctrine is is hatred?

As for individual Catholic women I do not make windows into their souls. I care not what they do for it is not my business.

But what is my business is when their religion attempts to influence the politics of my secular state.

[pnwmom]

61. You didn't state it accurately. You turned the article upside down. n/t

[msanthrope]

62. By quoting the article itself? Hardly. nt

[pnwmom]

65. By misidentifying the person you quoted out of context. n/t

[pnwmom]

60. You misread this completely. The person the article is CRITICIZING doesn't represent

the teaching of the church. That is the person, Father Tad, who says that there is only a particular way to end an ectopic pregnancy, which is through a surgical removal of the tube.

The actual article was an official writing by the Archdiocese, and it says that Father Tad's opinion is too narrow and doesn't represent official teaching. The Archdiocese, in line with official teaching, says that an ectopic pregnancy can be ended either through surgical (removing a tube) or pharmaceutical means.

Again, from the article I just linked to:

While some commentators like this neuroscientist- priest (Father Tad) are free to note their reservation on this or any other matter, church teaching supports a broader perspective. Some may not agree with the moral calculus used. However, it has served our magisterium and others within the church well.

Catholic mothers, physicians and nurses are morally free to use the two surgical and pharmaceutical approaches when it appears the pregnancy will not resolve itself naturally. In doing so they witness to the Gospel of life in using their God-given talents to respect life even when it cannot be preserved.

[msanthrope]

63. Again....show me the Vatican-approved doctrine that supports this....because this isn't

coming from Rome.

[pnwmom]

64. This is official Catholic doctrine, even though it happens to be

spoken in this case by the Archbishop of Chicago, rather than the Vatican. The Bishops, collectively, are the "teachers" of the Church, and their position is fully in line with the Vatican.

You, like many non-Catholics, have a misunderstanding about the nature of the Catholic hierarchy.

[msanthrope]

66. As a Jesuit-taught novitiate at one point in my life, madam, I assure

you that I know hierarchy and doctrine quite well, and unlike you, I am familiar with the actual documents that govern your faith.

It is you who have failed to cite actual Catholic doctrine that supports your claim. Articles don't cut it. You and I both know that.

The Catholic Church is not governed by Internet articles.

[pnwmom]

67. You, as a supposedly Jesuit-taught novitiate, are in the perfect position to do your own research,

since you don't trust an official statement from the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Regular Catholic laity don't comb the documents of the Vatican looking for Church doctrine; they get them from the Bishops, the teachers of the Church.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop_(Catholic_Church)

In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of holy orders and is responsible for teaching doctrine,[1] governing Catholics in his jurisdiction,[2] and sanctifying the world[3] and representing the Church

[msanthrope]

69. Wikipedia is where you go to to learn about your religion? Try this....

The foundation of your entire religion is laid out in the catechism, the creeds, the papal bulls and encyclicals.

I find it interesting that you need a man to interpret for you what those documents mean. I also find it very interesting but you can not site a single primary church source for your claims regarding reproductive doctrine.

Because of the doctrine of the Catholic Church and the influence of the Catholic bishops in Latin America, countries like Chile feel safe and comfortable banning abortion even in cases of ectopic pregnancy....

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/27/abortion-rights-latin-america

what is particularly disgusting is that this state of affairs is aided and abetted by Rome.... the lack of comment by the Pope on the issue of ectopic and non viable pregnancy is disgraceful.

[pnwmom]

70. They are the foundation but they don't address the specific details of every moral decision.

The official document from the Archdiocese of Chicago explains how the Bishops apply broader Church doctrine to specific types of terminations of pregnancy.

I don't agree with the Church's abortion position but I also don't agree with people like you who deliberately misstate it. And no one is a Pope or Vatican-worshipper like a non-Catholic or an angry ex-Catholic.

[LeftyMom]

37. Catholic theology only allows for "double effect" if the tube or uterus needs to be removed,

the pregnancy can go with it. You can't just do an abortion to save a woman's life without also removing part of her body. So for all of the many reasons to do so the woman would still be at risk.

You're misstating the teaching, and doing so is dangerous because the teaching itself is misogynist and dangerous.

[pnwmom]

40. I said the same thing you are saying. If the embryo/fetus will die anyway, because the

pregnancy can't continue in the tube or the cancerous uterus, then the termination will be allowed.

I didn't say that abortion in general was allowed to save the life of the mother.

[greiner3]

42. My ex had a sort of rare condition only found in her 20th week of pregnancy.

No need to provide what autopsy found other than 'some unidentifiable fetal tissue found'.

The mass was pre cancerous and her quack of a gynecologist (some years before he was convicted of having sex with a 13 yo patient but kept his license and served 'probation') had not checked for a fetal heartbeat.

She had emergency surgery, which may or may not be legal if Republicans have their way, and the mass was removed, her uterus scraped.

She had 2 more children after that scare and all are doing fine today, 30 years later.

BTW, the condition was said to be a 1 in 50,000 and mostly occurs in women of Asian descent, which she is and/or exposure to Agent Orange, which her father was, but only after she was in elementary school.

[valerief]

48. Ah, Catholics.

[sheshe2]

7. A brave woman made a heartbreaking decision.

I stand with Wendy!

[Kath1]

18. Indeed!

And she is fighting for every woman to have the same access that she had. Bless her!

When she finished her "stand" and gave the peace sign to all the supporters in the gallery - wow - a beautiful moment.

I STAND WITH WENDY!

[sheshe2]

20. I loved watching her, Kath.

She is a Shero! May she win, dayum, I hope it is so.

[Kath1]

21. Love her!

I'll be throwing a party here in MD if she wins!



I borrowed your graphic. I love it. Truth.

Peace always....

[Faryn Balyncd]

8. She is a brave woman. (One who happened to be a Republican at the time.)

She courageously dealt with the tragic reality she came to face.

In the 1990's, when she was on the Fort Worth City Council, Republicans were somewhat more diverse than at present.

[mountain grammy]

9. She made a personal decision as an American woman that no one else should make or judge.

I stand with Wendy!

[SoapBox]

10. And the terminations were her's to make...and not a decision forced upon her by

angry, dictating men.

You Go Wendy!

[LittleGirl]

11. And those were safe and legal

Don't forget that.

[Kath1]

19. "safe and legal"

As she supports. As it should be, always.

[LittleGirl]

29. That's my take on it. eom

[pnwmom]

12. The ectopic one shouldn't even be called an abortion, since the uterus wasn't emptied of any embryo

and the embryo couldn't have survived in a fallopian tube.

But good for her for coming forward and demonstrating why a woman's right to choose is so important.

[LeftyMom]

38. The anti-abortion fringe thinks that it is.

That's why in countries where they hold power women have to lay in hospital waiting for their tubes to rupture before they can be saved.

[yallerdawg]

14. Never an easy choice...

but should always, always be a choice.

As a safe medical procedure between a patient and her doctor.

No ifs, ands, or buts.

[AuntPatsy]

17. Absolutely and without question!!!!

[SunSeeker]

22. K & R

[davidpdx]

24. I stand with Wendy

I've donated to her campaign and am rooting for her.

[Judi Lynn]

26. Best wishes to Wendy Davis. She makes Texas look so much better. n/t

[charlives]

27. Yes but...

"Overall, Catholics are as likely as anyone else to use birth control and have abortions." Maybe so, BUT when catholics do this it goes against their own catechism. Just because most catholics don't follow their club rules doesn't mean the club and their rules are right. They are using YOUR money to fight pro-choice. Stop giving it to them.

[Gothmog]

28. This was a very personal and tough decision

My wife and I would have made a similar decision. I respect Wendy for telling this story

[CTyankee]

30. I defy Abbott to make an issue of this...

this is really personal and I'm sure a lot of women voters in Texas would be repulsed to see some man excoriate a woman for doing what she did. They will probably look at this and say "go to hell" to Abbott...

[riversedge]

33. Abbott is too cowardly to debate Wendy....

He will prob. not make an issue of this. But you never know what RW stupid will do!


Republican Greg Abbott Backs Out Of Only Statewide TV Debate With Wendy Davis #TeamWendy via http://www.khou.com/story/news/loc

[CTyankee]

35. there will be a slimy ad, tho...

it was smart of her to come forward and volunteer the information and clearly frame the issue truthfully.

[onecent]

32. I HOPE and PRAY this woman wins. We need someone to stand

up and keep politics and old men out of our uterus'. You go Wendy!!!

[riversedge]

34. Abbott has the money...

and is way ahead in the polls. But......never say never. She is a fighter.

[Rozlee]

36. I will be proud to call you my governor, Wendy.

The last decades of Republican repression have brought Texas women down. We need a champion for us in our state in the worst way.

[DamnYankeeInHouston]

41. I stand with Wendy.

I hope the repugs cant steal this one.

[TexasTowelie]

50. Response from Abbott

http://www.democraticunderground.com/107820646

[alarimer]

52. Unfortunately in Texas, this is political suicide.

Although perhaps covering it up and having it come out later might be worse.

[Faryn Balyncd]

54. That is far from clear.

She has been falsely smeared as "abortion Barbie".

But her reality sheds light on the tragedies for which the smear-mongers have no solution.

What the effect of focusing on real human tragedy instead of right wing caricature seems far from certain.

[CTyankee]

55. I think Abbott would face a real backlash from Texas women if he criticized Wendy's

description of her abortion. It is a tragedy and the women voters in TX would regard it as such and hate abbot for it.

[Faryn Balyncd]

56. I think ypu are correct.

[LisaL]

68. Was she supposed to have died from an ectopic pregnancy?