No On Proposition 73
Yes, I am a Republican. Yes I support Governor Schwarzenegger. Yes, I am concerned about abortion and have a hope it would be rare if used at all. But I also believe that sometimes there is a time for government to butt out, and in the case of Proposition 73, this is no place for government to butt in.Proposition 73 would require minors seeking an abortion to get parental consent. In theory, I have no issue with this. But we don't live in a theoretical world.
So many teenage girls are living in horrific and abusive environments. For whatever reason, they become pregnant and could literally find themsleves dead at the hands of a parent or other family member. Having an abortion could be their only option for survival.
I don't believe abortion is the answer for all teenage pregnancies or even most. But there are a small handful of cases where its a matter of last resort, and life and death. I don't want to leave this decision up to the government.
Below, is a very compelling case against Proposition 73 is made by Dawn Alger, wife of Assembly Candidate Jim Alger. Her personal experience drives home what an ill conceived idea Proposition 73 is. Even if you oppose abortion personally - as I do - please think this one through.
October 5, 2005 - Northridge, CA - In a surprising move earlier today the wife of State Assembly Candidate Jim Alger came out against Proposition 73.
Dubbing it the "Incest Protection Act" Dawn Alger, a sexual assault survivor, railed against the Proposition stating that it forces teens that are already in a bad situation, into a worse one.
"I know what it is like to be a victim of incest" Alger said "When I came forward I was 19 and married. My attacker came after me and anyone who supported me for years. To this day my family continues to pay as a result of that. While I wouldn’t do anything different I had a place to go, what would have happened to me if I was 13 and under his roof?"
"Every parent wants their children talking to them. I have a 13 year old and I want him communicating with me, but it isn't the job of the government to force that communication. It is our job as parents to keep those communication lines open with our children."
Alger said she is coming forward publicly out of a feeling of duty.
"I faced my attacker and although it was difficult and came at a high price, I had the support of my husband. There are many young, scared girls who have the option now of going to a friend, teacher, social worker, or counselor, this Proposition removes all of that support structure and mandates one individual be notified. This removes control from a rape victim who is already struggling to regain control of her life that was lost during the attack. Forcing a victim to ask the very person who may have gotten her pregnant for counsel is not the answer. It just isn't safe."
When asked about the portion of the Proposition that allows a minor to seek a court hearing in lieu of parental notification, she responded doubtfully.
"Forcing a scared teenage girl to go to a court, which is scary in the best of circumstances, won't work. Assuming she gets to court, once she is there she has to prove with "clear and convincing evidence" that she is a victim of abuse. What should she do, bring in a signed confession from the man who raped her? That is just absurd."
"This proposition is nothing more than a group of misguided people attempting to force their will on the most vulnerable of our children, those who have been victimized already. I intend to fight for them." she concluded.
Proposition 73 will be on the Statewide Ballot on November 8th 2005.
Posted by Mayor Sam @ 10/09/2005 12:45:00 AM
35 Comments:
Mayor Sam where's the article on Antonio's 100 days or his citywide service? Are you afraid of wht people will post?
All the media is saying the same thing he's good at PR but hasn't done anything.
9:55 a.m., give it a rest! There are actually other things in this world other than trash-talking the mayor of Los Angeles!
Regarding this post's topic:
Mrs. Alger has some serious guts to talk about this sort of thing publicly. I once dated a girl who had been sexually abused, and the effects of that abuse were never far from her thoughts. How would a Prop 73 serve as anything other than punishment for a girl whose had sex with someone?
Proposition 73 has little or nothing to do with keeping parents informed. It is a move to raise the stakes in the game of promiscuity. By throwing away the lives of newly minted "unlucky" girls, Christian institutions will thrive again as the arbiters of "morality".
Women's lives are used in this way in Ireland, and other countrys where organized religion dominates civic life.
It has little to do with the actual preservation of life or the upholding of order in a given family. It has everything to do with someone else being able to enforce their moral rules on your life.
IN TOTAL DISAGREEMENT WITH DAWN!
PRO LIFE!
Mmm - two idiots posted 9:55 and 11:56 and one excellent post at 10:50.
I love that existing lives take a back seat to a few cells ... screw the poor girls and then capitilize on nature. Aren't those people the same folks who mess with nature at every preserve and endangered species there are? On one point nature's way is paramount and on the other - man always takes precident over nature.
Dawn Algers has got my respect - unlike Guvinator.
Dawn Alger is an amazing woman to come forward and talk about this publicly. There hasn't been alot of media attention on this issue which is clearly designed to be the first step in banning abortion.
I am absolutely amazed at her courage in going public. This won't really help her husbands campaign in a heavily Republican district which takes even more courage.
The Democrats are stunningly silent on the issue. It is nice to see someone taking the lead.
Just what we need... Another Alger with a mission.
You go girl!!
Dawn Alger has shown leadership on an issue that is traditionally strong for Democrats, but for some reason they have been silent.
The level of courage it takes for a rape victim to come forward, let alone come forward publicly is enourmous.
She has sacrificed herself for the cause of women everywhere. Dawn is definately someone to admire.
Mayor, didn't see an open thread. sorry. posted here.
Greenspan Concerned About Risky Mortgages By JEANNINE AVERSA, AP Economics Writer
Sat Oct 8, 1:58 PM ET
WASHINGTON - Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan is turning up the volume on his warnings about the potential perils of certain risky mortgages if the high-flying housing market loses significant altitude.
There are signs some companies are getting the message. A few have begun scaling back some types of those mortgages or making them less appealing by raising costs.
Greenspan mostly is worried about homeowners who took out an interest-only mortgage or option adjustable-rate mortgages to buy property they otherwise could not afford. Borrowers and lenders holding such loans could get clobbered if housing prices drop or interest rates rise.
"In the event of widespread cooling in house prices, these borrowers, and the institutions that service them, could be exposed to significant losses," Greenspan said recently.
Greenspan has warned homeowners, lenders and investors that they should not count on similar increases. "History has not dealt kindly" with that kind of optimism, he said in August.
Mayor thank you for giving a little insight in to your thoughts on a very important subject.
I too as a REPUBLICAN don't like the the outcome of an obortion, but do respect the ultimate right to choose by law is the woman's. It's called "women's" rights, not "girls" rights. As a father of both son's and daugthers, I believe I have the right to know and assist any of my "minor" children in any and all medical action. By Law a school nurse or teacher could'nt even give my daugther a "tylenol" without my permission. She can't even get her naval ring without my signature. But some school counsiler, "well" meaning teacher, or over bearing "boy" friend can direct or transport my little girl to a "Family" clinic and have a medical procedure, that in some rare cases have fatal complications, "because I and her mother don't need to know". What a piece of crap! How many well meaning abortion promoting boyfriends have you "women" eventually married and lived happily ever after with? The bloggers say that most girls seeking abortions are incest or abuse victims is not the case, I don't buy that unless you have overwheling evidence to prove that fact. But I am not a abstinance only person, I believe in education and prevention from all fronts at home, at school, and at church (not that I regularly attend).
Of course its hard for kids to face their parents. But a bad report card, a traffic ticket or fender bender, or even a suspension from school, is not the same thing as an abortion. Abortion is not something to bypass parents rights and responsibilities. The Proposition has elements to address ways for "minors" to act in cases of incest and abuse. This is a "Womens rights" issue....a "Mothers right to Know!" at least my wife deserves it.
PS. I there a way to use "spell-check"? Sorry, I got better than a 1.8 , but not in English.
The proposition states that a girl must show "Clear and convincing eidence", in other words not just her word, that her parents shouldn't be notified. As Dawn Alger, an incest survivor herself, stated that is a hard hill to climb absent a confession from the rapist.
The bottom line is you want the chance to intimidate your "little girl" into keeping an unwanted pregnancy and forcing her to live with those personal and financial consequences for at least the next 18 years. Long after she has become a "woman" in your eyes, if she ever does.
If you need a Constitutional Ammendment to force your daughter to talk to you, something is terribly wrong in your home already. If you don't, then this law doesn't apply to you anyway so why must you force your opinion onto some girl who CAN'T go to her parents for whatever reason?
3:30 anon
Who are you to think I "intimidate" my daughter on subjects we discuss. Are you that "biased" to think that "our" decision (my daughters, my wife's, and mine)will completely eliminate the abortion option just because a (R) is on my voter's pamphlet. Maybe to should open eyes and see there many people (parents) in the middle of this issue. As for Clear and Convincing Evidence, I have no problem with an independent responsible person such as a judge to make a sound decision whether there is merit to the claims. Right now no one questions, no challenges the claims fact or fiction or just plain immaturity. One of the main things of this parental notification will make sure which ever decision is made the best medical assistance will be available for anyone's "little girl" and there will be someone there to support her emotionally also. This is not a 24 hr flu we're talking about. But I also believe that parental notification also will help the situation where the "boy" or "adult male" whether it be "un-wanted" (a term I don't think any human being should be called), incest, rape, or just nature, gets away with no accountability for the pregnacy that has occured. Under the current situation, if solely left up to minors, how many "little girls" will be tramatized by an irresponsible "boy" or by predatory "adult". If my son was behaving in a irresponsible manner I would want to know also. As for 18 years of financial consequences? Is that what you thing of raising a child boils down to? Are you only concerned on the costs or should you be concerned on the quality of life this child could experience? I hope your children will be responsible members of the community and not just a financial burden waiting to be release into society at 18. Finally I think every parent whose's lost a child or one who's child has been tramatized, would have liked one more opportunity to have input in to their actions whether it be, buckling your seat belt, not drinking excessively, experimenting with drugs, going out alone, playing in the street, or even having..... an abortion.
ubrayj02: I hope that is an old picture. If not "Get a hair cut" :-)
I'm voting against this proposition. I can't imagine that government intervention improving matters when a teenager is pregnant and fears telling her parents about it. If mom and dad don't even know their daughter is pregnant, well, maybe they've already had their chance....
"I know what it is like to be a victim of incest"
"what would have happened to me if I was 13 and under his roof?"
"Forcing a victim to ask the very person who may have gotten her pregnant for counsel is not the answer."
So if I read this right, Dawn Alger has come forward and publicly stated she was raped by her father. I wonder if he appreciates her making this public.
Anon 4:31
Your a moron.
If YOU want YOUR daughter to talk to YOU about her pregnancy, YOU can tell her to.
But where the HELL do YOU get off telling ME that MY child MUST call ME????
Wow...Wacko Walter makes sense for a change!
Hey 5:12 anon
He raped his daughter. Somehow I don't think that Dawn gives a rats ass how he feels about her going public.
Frankly I can't understand why you would care either. The man is a pedophile and a rapist. He shoulld be run out of town, not even remotely defended.
Jim, was that Dawn with you yesterday at your booth in the Commerce Street Fair in Tujunga?
Timing sucks but if it was her, she's pretty hot! Sorry to here what she has been through. Props to her for using her tragedy to help others.
If you vote Yes:
At least you'll get "notified", you can "choose" to support your daughter in this time of emotional need, or you can just let her handle it alone. At least with this proposition it will be up to you answer the call make an approriate decision for your family (what ever way you want to go, I'm not dictating to you how to handle it).
Or we can just stay status quo....vote no.
You can let her girl friends, her boyfriend, or some guy down the street she thinks is real cool,.....
make that decision for you.
Hmmm. One idiot moron posted at 1:11
Life is too short stop eliminating humans.
After the rally, we delve into the side streets, which happen to be mere blocks from Pacheco's home. Huizar is wearing khaki pants and a light colored shirt, the sleeves rolled up two folds. Walking with Huizar are three volunteers who quickly fall into a routine: Toting ledgers that list names and addresses, they knock on doors where the resident is classified as "Undecided" (no need to waste time if a voter is already Yes or No). The volunteers work both sides of a block simultaneously; if no one is home, they leave fliers. When someone answers, they call Huizar over.
The first person to open the door is a Venezuelan woman who can't vote, and the next is a 50ish man who, when Huizar asks for his support, is noncommittal. The third home, where a woman in her 70s comes into the driveway, is a gold mine. She smiles at Huizar and scowls when Pacheco's name comes up. "I don't like him. He was the councilman and he didn't do squat," she harrumphs. Then she brings up Villaraigosa, who has endorsed Huizar. "He didn't do anything either."
http://www.ladowntownnews.com/articles/2005/10/10/
I think Dawn Alger is an incredibly brave woman.
Jim is lucky to have her.
I will be most certainly voting against Prop 73 and I'm glad to see that there are Republicans opposed to this as well. I am also glad to see Dawn Alger speaking out on this. Jim Alger sounds like a great guy, I think he'd be the one Democrat who could make a race in the 38th district.
Having worked with abused children and specifically sexually abused children, I can argue from experience that this law does NOT make sense or good public policy.
The level of sexual abuse and intercourse by relatives and close family friends is terrible. In LA County alone, roughly 25% of the nearly 30,000 kids in the Dept. of Children & Family Services has been sexually abused. That's over 7,000 children, mostly girls - ALL NON-CONSENTING MINORS. And these are just the kids who have been identified and brought into the child welfare system!
If you think pregnancies aren't occuring at a high rate, then you just don't want to face facts.
As a parent with ONLY daughters, I trust that they would come to me if they were pregnant. But I know this is not the case for many young girls whose parents would shame them into going to a back-door clinic and doing it the old fashioned way - with a coat hanger. That's the greater medical danger - girls NOT GETTING PROPER MEDICAL TREATMENT AND DYING FROM IT!
I agree with the last poster who said Dawn Alger has taken leadership in her quest to help children and victims of abuse.
The Democrats don't even include this initiative in their mailers, they have abandoned women on this issue.
Once again it took a political "outsider" to take the helm. This is precisely why I will vote for Jim and not Lyn Shaw. She chairs the Democratic Womens Caucaus and is supposed to be the point person on this issue but couldn't even get DPSFV to go along with it. No leadership skills at all, and no involvement in the issues.
Jim, tell your wife that once again an Alger has made us proud. What's next? Is your son going to save a busload of abandoned puppies? =)
This is a very important issue and the Democrats should be ashamed of themselves for not making a bigger stink over it.
Dawn Alger has certainly made a very compelling case as to why we should vote "NO" on this proposition.
The government needs to BUTT OUT of our PRIVATE lives and these so-called "pro lifers" (until it comes to the death penalty and/or guns then their all "pro death")need to stop trying to FORCE their will on everyone else.
I am sure "Operation RESCUE" will now picket in front of Dawns house and terrorize more people for daring to speak out against this BS.
In a conservative district like the 38th this was definately a risky move for the Alger's. Then again, that is nothing new to them. They seem to both stand up for what is right, from what I can see at great personal cost.
Talk about a breath of fresh air.
Thanks to anon 9:11 for addressing what very few are. Long before Roe v. Wade was decided, women were getting abortions - against the wishes of their parents, husbands, and the law. Abortions in alleys, living rooms, and the like performed by people who didn't even have an MD necessarily - or by themselves with a coat hanger in the bathroom! Many of whom died as a result. My point is the law has never eliminated the practice, and this law won't either! If a young woman feels she can't discuss it with her parents - for whatever reason - and feels an abortion is her only option, she'll find a way to have it done. As a parent, wouldn't you rather have a child who couldn't talk to you and had an abortion without your knowledge and you possibly never found out than have a child who couldn't talk to you and you found out at her funeral?
Dawn Alger has shown a great deal of courage to put herself out like she has. She is talking for the thousand of scared girls who can't.
Anyone who is so power hungry as to force their daughter to talk to them, let alone force my daughter to talk to me, has some serious issues.
Deal with your own house and stay the fuck ot of mine!
You are all missing the point here. Dawn has disclosed a traumatic incident. She is sacrificing herself for the benefit of others, but abortion is not the solution.
One solution is the death penalty for rapists. This will eliminate the problem. At this point the rapists are not scared, they get away with it with at most, minimal time in jail. Scare them, show them this will not be tolerated and the horrific act can be stopped.
Abortion will not stop the rapists in the future, it will help them continue.
Prev. Anon, the Death Penalty will cause trouble for many liberals. They are the open minded incest problem.
The Dictator
Abortion and teen pregnancy has declined in California by 40 percent since the 1990s.
Research tells that more than 70 percent of kids already tell one of their parents before having an abortion.
It seems to me that a constitutional amendment is drastic approach. We are locking in a permanent, statewide, one-size-fits-all mandate. That's really troubling. It's not just some little law. It's a constitutional amendment that applies to every family in California. Forever.
Parents want to do what's best for their children. I know I do. And parents want to work it out themselves. Amending the constitution is not going to help parents build better families.
To the poster who wrote that this law will eventually notify him or her about her child's abortion, here's a quarter and go buy a clue!
For pete's sake, wake up and smell the Venti. If this law passes, guess where your daughter will go? Nevada or Oregon, just to avoid telling you. In the meantime, she'll put herself at risk waiting and traveling to get this procedure.
Teenage Behavior Patterns (Guttmacher Institute)
• Research shows that more than six in 10 teenagers in states without a parental consent requirement already inform one of both of their parents before having an abortion. The proportion of teens who inform their parents is approximately the same in states with and without such requirements.
• Research suggests that parental consent requirements can have potentially serious adverse consequences associated with delayed access to timely medical care among teenagers who put off the task of informing their parents or decide not to involve them at all. Teenagers typically detect their pregnancies later than do adults and legal obstacles that create impediments to timely care are likely to result in later abortions, which are significantly more dangerous to a woman’s health and more expensive to obtain.
• Other potential drawbacks of the parental consent requirements include the need for the minor to muster the will and resources to plan a trip to a state with less restrictive abortion laws.
• Studies of three states — Missouri, Minnesota and Mississippi — conducted between 1978 and 1993 found that minors had later abortions following the enactment of a mandated parental involvement law than was previously the case.
• Research has shown that teenagers who give birth have worse maternal and child health outcomes than teens who postponed childbearing, and that these young women are more likely to be poor and achieve at lower levels in education and the workforce.
Supporters of teen access to confidential health care in the medical community include: the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Physicians, the American Medical Association and the Society for Adolescent Medicine.
Hey Algerites! Your insane writings about your chosen elected if there are any out there, are as transparent as can be.
Search this site for the word definately instead of the real word, definitely and you will see that every post is about Alger meaning that the person who can't spell definitely right spends 90% of his or her waking hours cheerleading Alger on this site.
DPSFV chose a NO endorsement on Prop 73 so I think you have them confused with the Alliance for a better America.
2 different organizations. Get your facts straight. And don't type the same wrong number over and over and over again.
I am not sure which is worse, your insane rants against Alger and his family or the fact that you’re up at 2:30 am searching Mayor Sam for misspelled words because you hate him so much.
DPSFV voted no... BIG DEAL they then sat on their hands and DID NOTHING.
Here is my complaint about the 2 or 3 Alger haters out there. I don't know the guy, or his family (I have only met him at different events) but he has affected my life in a positive way. Fighting the DWP, forcing Greig Smith to back down over Wal Mart, making us all look good in Mississippi and so on. Now his wife has sacrificed herself for the sake of my daughter’s rights, and those are just the things I know about. You don't put up an alternative. All you do is bash Alger and on this blog we know better. Is Alger perfect? Of course not. I so happen to know a few morsels about him that I am sure low-life’s such as yourself would love to beat him over the head with but that is all you are, a lowlife who has nothing better to do than try and tear someone down.
Given the amount of misspellings on mayor sam, it would not surprise me in the least to see more than one person incorrectly spell the word definitely.
Oh, and it is the "Alliance for a Better California" so get YOUR facts straight.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home