Tuesday, May 10, 2022

No Way Out

Speculative fiction has a long history of taking the issues of the day and reframing them in a new context with the hope that people will look at them in a new way. Our "unprecedented" times are bringing all sorts of old ways and old thinking back to the forefront. On Tuesdays, I present "what if?" questions. Previously, the intent was as an idea generator. It still is. But now, I ask that you really think about all the repercussions that these ideas will have. If only these were just thought exercises.

What if you were dying and the only treatment that could save your life was illegal? 


"We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." ~Elie Wiesel

21 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. That tweet helped me frame what I wanted to say.

      Delete
  2. Thank you. "They" just don't care to research what they're really enacting. Or, they just don't care, period. Makes me wonder what they'll do with/to women with IUDs. Force them to remove them? How?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's not that they don't care. They're looking for control. It's about power over others.

      Delete
  3. I am pro choice, but sadly, these reasons are a small percentage of the reasons woman get an abortion.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That was a tweet. She had limited characters to make her point.

      Delete
  4. A friend from long ago (now deceased) nearly died from an ectopic pregnancy. It isn't just these life threatening conditions you list. Women may have things go wrong with a wanted pregnancy and may not seek medical attention if they fear they will be prosecuted if they are miscarrying.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The whole thing is a mess. And we were warned. But too many people don't realize that "they" are coming for us all.

      Delete
  5. Oh I would get them, stupid laws be dammed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. But if it's illegal, who are you going to get to treat you?

      Delete
    2. I would find a way or it would just be me

      Delete
  6. There is the ups and downs in something like that....go with someone that does that procedure illegally or die. Chances are with my luck, I would prob die during the illegal procedure so I guess I would just let go and go.....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's a good point. I did not specify whether you would survive or not...

      Delete
  7. I'd get the treatment of course. Survival is the name of the game. At that point, illegal or not, I'd be getting it. Three squares and health care in jail, no electric or water bills, so......bring it on!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The question is: would any of the doctors be willing to perform the treatment?

      Delete
  8. Most laws have clauses of exemption.
    Abortion is a very divisive issue in the US. And recently it has come back to the national centre stage.
    I am not quite aware of the exemption clauses, it at all there are.
    Coming to your question, I would choose the illegal path to stay alive. Maybe that would mean in a prison.

    ReplyDelete
  9. It's not that black and white though. Many states would have limitations, but they'd also have concessions and exceptions, such as when the mother's life is in danger.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. More and more states are showing that they will enact laws that do NOT have exceptions of any kind. Your state already has some pretty scary restrictions on women seeking abortions. State mandated counseling beforehand, a required ultrasound? Pretty much what I would call a plainly black and white issue.

      Delete
    2. Gack! I forgot I have to sign in to not be Anonymous!

      Delete
  10. These are emergencies that need to be treated pronto, so if I’m at a medical facility that prefers to kowtow to authoritarian laws than care to save patients then good-bye to me.

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate your comments.

I respond to comments* via email, unless your profile email is not enabled. Then, I'll reply in the comment thread. Eventually. Probably.

*Exception: I do not respond to "what if?" comments, but I do read them all. Those questions are open to your interpretation, and I don't wish to limit your imagination by what I thought the question was supposed to be.