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Subscribe to RSSRICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia House of Delegates delayed voting on a controversial bill that would require women to receive a "transvaginal" ultrasound prior to an abortion.
According to The Virginian-Pilot, some lawmakers discussed making the ultrasound legislation optional rather than mandatory.
A vote on ultrasound bill, SB484, was rescheduled for Wednesday, but there was no word at what time that would take place.
On Monday, hundreds of women locked arms and stood mute outside the Virginia State Capitol to protest the wave of anti-abortion legislation coursing through the General Assembly.
The silent protest was over bills that would require "transvaginal" ultrasounds of women seeking abortions, define embryos as humans and criminalize their destruction, and cut state aid to poor women seeking abortions.
Also on Tuesday, the Senate voted 22-18 to pass a bill allowing private adoption agencies to deny placements that conflict with their religious or moral beliefs, including opposition to homosexuality. The House had already passed the bill, which only needs Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell's signature to take effect July 1.
North Dakota is the only other state with such a law.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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The Teapublicans are against government interference in our lives except to promote thier socio/political agenda. Keep your right wing, Xitan so called morality out of the law and out of my life. May the force be with all women and minorities in America to protect us against Teapublican bullying.
Damn skippy, this is delayed. To break it down to the basics, this is the government being legally allowed to rape women, and holding their Constitutional right to privacy hostage to a medically unnecessary and unbelievably invasive procedure.
Personhood Amendments, forced vaginal ultrasounds, aspirin between our knees, how about you take all my shoes and chain me to the kitchen sink too???
Everyone is more than entitled to NOT accept abortion. You all are more than entitled to call those who have them names, and pass judgment, and guilt trip them all you want. But you do not get to trample the rights of women because of your BELIEFS. And that's what they are, just BELIEFS. No one, not you or I, or Santorum, or Obama, or the clergy, or the congress can prove when HUMAN life begins, ergo your opinion is based on BELIEF. And BELIEF alone is not enough to justify the trampling of rights.
I know what I believe, but I can not legally or scientifically prove that my belief is correct, so I will never advocate for legislation that infringes on the rights of others, be it for or against abortion, and neither can the pro-life people. That's all we want in return. To be left alone to follow our consciences, and our beliefs. That is the only logical position to take when something is not provable.
Keep your morals, religion, beliefs, and our government out of my body, and let me follow my own heart, which contrary to popular belief, I do have.
Sarah, "this is the government being legally allowed to rape women," When I first saw the story about this law I thought about the legal definition of "Rape": " Rape is the commission of unlawful sexual intercourse or unlawful sexual intrusion. Historically, rape was defined as unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman against her will. The essential elements of the crime were sexual penetration, force, and lack of consent."
Quoting MSNBC's Krystal Ball who is from Virgina
"What they are saying in Virginia is not only do women have to undergo an ultrasound, they have to undergo a trans-vaginal ultrasound. Mandatory state probing, okay. That's what this legislation is talking about."
"It actually meets the Virginia definition of rape. So, the bigger picture here is this is a bigger piece of a whole range of anti-woman extreme legislation that was pushed through the Virginia legislator and really the legislators across the country."
I am not only sickened by these government officials and I am calling for their arrest and conviction on charges of Rape.
John
VIRGINA IS NOT FOR LOVERS, VIRGINA IS FOR RAPIST
Thank you John! We need good men like you to line up next to us on this one!
Okay, as someone who actually understands (not agrees with) some of the more sane people who are pro-life, these bills are NOT THAT. It is literally too much to get into. Simply put, you don't get to vote on science. And if your religion can't include science, then guess what? Your religion is wrong.
All spiritual people do not make up a part of life in their minds, get other people to agree, and then say God hates it. Spiritual people are not mythology followers. Spiritual people resolve the conflicts.
There is no difference between an Al-Quaeda supporter and these religious nut jobs. I have no problem with Religion. I have a problem with crazy people, who use religion to justify their crazy behavior.
Hey Derek,
Has anyone ever told you, you have an AWESOME picture on Newsvine???
P.S. I told you this sh($ was scary.
If I didn't have to pay attention to how unbelievable and scary that this stuff is, I'd blame you. Instead, I'm thanking you for bringing it to my attention to know that the insane people somehow got too far already. The debate is supposed to be about even more rights for women....not even less....
I'm going to start passing laws that make men take some responsibility for pro-life. First one, masturbating is actually illegal. And to enforce that law, every man after age 12 needs to have a camera in his room with a feed to masturbation monitors. Because life clearly starts in the 'sack' before it starts in the embryo. And when you are caught, you will be thrown in jail, fined, and your name put in the paper if your over 18. See? I'm merciful and fair. If you are 15 and masturbate, you just go to juvenile detention...
Oh, don't forget the contraception war going on right now. Don't want insurance to cover birth control? Ok, I'm cool with that....as long as you take Viagra out of insurance coverage. Won't need birth control if you can't get little Johnny to dance for ya :P But seriously, glad to see sane people here. If I didn't know any better, it almost sounds likes we're going back to the '60s.
Ummmmm..............Transvaginal ultrasounds are ALWAYS done in the first and second term by abortionists before the abortion to determine how far along the baby is. The ONLY thing they are squalling about is that they have to actually let women SEE the baby now.....calling it rape is absurd, unless the abortionists and abortion supporters are willing to admit they've been "raping" women before their abortions for decades. You people are unbelievable.
Whether the woman has one, and whether she wants the results, should be a personal choice between her and her doctor. The government has no place in that decision.
If it is necessary for the woman's health or to determine the gestation of the fetus, or for any medical reason the doctor will inform the patient and perform one with the consent of the women. Again, that's between her and her doctor, if it is medically necessary.
This is the government mandating what goes on between a woman and her physician. Please explain how it's too intrusive for businesses affiliated with the church to even offer contraception, but this is okay?
I do not know if you are being deliberately obtuse or if you truly are unintelligent, but you seem to not understand. IF A WOMAN IS GOING TO HAVE AN ABORTION THE ABORTIONIST DOES AN ULTRASOUND. PERIOD. It has always been done that way, to determine how far along the baby is. If they are in early trimesters, they do transvaginal. If later, then they do an abdominal. The only difference this bill is that now they have to let the woman SEE the baby. And calling it rape means you are calling all abortionists rapists since they routinely do these ANYWAYS. The ONLY reason the pro-aborts are screeching like this is because it gives a woman more information to make a more well informed CHOICE.
VAginia! What a state to be in when your pregnant! Must be a TRANSVAGINIAL EXPERIENCE! Bring your whole Family of Girls!
I suspect the expression of opinion that can be heard by all now due to the Internet may actually be making a difference. Not only can women be free to express themselves, but men can do the same without others labeling them. This is an election year, the only time the rights of abortion and guns seem to come to the light of day. Issues are so done and over with. It is now the time to tell our so called leader want a be's what we need to get this country back to prosperty and integrity. Maybe the public is tired of being treated like they are children, idiots and sheep by the politicians.
Hey the last I heard, a foreign object being inserted into a woman's vaginal with out her consent, was rape.
I have one question.If being gay is so O.K. especially with the gay (community) why are they so negatively affected by actions of the straight community.All people have been called names at some time in their life but they did not jump off a bridge.If you are gay and think It's O,K,where's the beef?,unless you yourself think Its disgusting.I'm straight and you can call me straight until hell freezes over and its not going to bother me one bit.
What you all don't seem to realize is that Planned Parenthood uses ultrasounds and transvaginal ultrasounds all the time. They NEED to do them to consider the age of the child and figure out what kind of abortion they are going to perform considering it's gestational age. There is nothing "rape" about this..PP is already doing it and so are other abortion clinics.
The reason the protestors are complaining it because it will require the MOTHER to SEE the ultrasound so she can get all the information before she gets that abortion. PP doesn't want her to SEE THE ULTRASOUND WHETHER VAGINAL OR REGULAR!!! why? because they are not a fan of informed consent and they are afraid the pregnant women will change her mind and not get the abortion...and then..Planned Parenthood will lose their money!! and money is what PP is all about. not women's rights.
PP has been known to shove women back so they can't see it, They've been known to give false information to a women just to convince her to get an abortion. In fact, we have documentation from Carole Everett of girls getting charged for abortions who weren't even pregnant!!!!! This is why we need the ultrasound bill and I am a Virginian who supports it. Those protestors out in Richmond KNOW that ultrasounds are what they already do...yes, ma'am, they KNOW THAT...what they don't want is women being allowed to LOOK at them and hear that heartbeat..
in my opinion...Abortion is rape! Just look at websites that show the instruments they put into women to tear their babies to pieces (often damaging a woman's uterus as well) Sorry folks but you are all barking up the wrong tree. I have encouraged my legislator to vote for it and I know he will. Abortion hurts women and it's time to stop it. (PP doesn't help them after they are injured anyway..) If something goes wrong, they tell you to go see your doctor...b/c the PP doctor doesn't want to be liable for the damage! Wake up America and learn about abortion before you go calling it a choice.