1864 Mentality in 2024
Janet Kuypers
4/20/24
After I’ve fought sexism and objectification
As an acquaintance rape workshop facilitator,
I’m then carted off to these southern states to
Witness a healthcare right that all women had
All my sentient life, taken away by the courts.
Wait, it wasn’t taken away, but an Entertainer-
In-Chief who once supported abortion rights
Said he changed his mind, then stacked the U.S.
Supreme Court with conservatives who used a
Southern state’s law to overturn Roe v. Wade...
Now states can choose to take women’s rights.
What I didn’t know was what would befall us, with
This assault on women’s rights by southern (and
Once slave-supporting) states. So, after over a
Year of seeing this cruelty first-hand in Texas,
Writing a Testament and sharing these stories in
Arkansas and Illinois bookstores, cafes and bars,
A part of me thought my work was done — but
What did I accomplish, when shouting from roof-
Tops & publishing a book you hope someone will
Read won’t change the mind of any Christian
Zealots who believe in life at conception (though
Neither their government nor their church agrees).
So yeah, I probably didn’t imagine I was alone,
But when I recently saw a t-shirt that said,
“There goes Arizona... trying to out-Florida Texas!”
That’s when I realized that we all know this has
Gone too far.
Because I could rattle on about religious people
Being the cause of this catastrophe for women,
But remember when I dropped that hint earlier
About slavery? Well, even though Arizona wasn’t
A state ‘til 1912, back then they were “confederate
Arizona”, for in 1864 (as in the drafting age of 18
plus the Beatles crooning the song “when I’m 64”),
Right smack-dab in the middle of that there Civil
War, is when they passed a law that all abortions
Were illegal — except if the woman’s life is in
Danger. Now, this antiquated law was blocked
Since Roe v. Wade, though some republicans in
Political office in Arizona on record said they’re
Pleased to be in a state where this law exists.
But now, thanks to that splendid (I mean devious)
Roe v. Wade overturning, one republican pushed to
Reenact it. Remember: this law was made during the
Civil War... Before women gained the right to vote
(1919, long after women could have a say on this,
though what difference does it make when even
women in religion and politics support this law...)
BBut fine, talk about “health” instead, and support a
Law enacted before penicillin was even discovered
In 1928 — why not use laws so old, without health
Knowledge.
But, wait a minute, I’m not here to tell you to be a
Slave-supporter, or to be religious, or conservative,
As this has just rattled my brain too much (praise
Science that I can’t have shaken baby syndrome).
What should catch your eye is that far-right-types
Have supported this repression — until everyone
Votes against it, and they realize it’s approaching
Election time. That’s when the headlines come out:
“Arizona republicans denounce revived 1864
Abortion ban” from the Guardian1 , “Republicans
Splinter Over Repeal of 1864 Abortion Ban” from
The New York Times2 , or ABC News’ “Ignoring
Trump...”3 I’m not even going to continue that one,
Because even Trump wants to seem more moderate
To help increase his base in an election year. So...
Remember: people’s ethics will change at the drop
Of a hat if it has anything to do with politics, and
Their selfish effort of trying to win the masses over
So that you can be the only one with the real power.
1 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/17/arizona-republicans-block-abortion-ban
2 https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/17/us/arizona-abortion-ban-repeal.html
3 https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/ignoring-trump-arizona-republicans-move-fast-repeal-1864/story?id=109389205
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