New Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback received a standing ovation during his first State of the State address when he called for new restrictions on abortion.
Already, the state has a parental-notification law. Most women have to travel to another county to obtain the procedure. Yet -- and this may surprise you -- Kansas has one of the higher abortion rates in the United States.
A new report from the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive-health organization, indicates that the number of abortions performed in Kansas is growing. In 2008, the rate of abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age was 19.2. In 2005, the rate was 18.4.
Kansas' abortion rate is the nation's 13th highest. In Missouri, the procedure is more rare on a per-capita basis; the state's rate of 6.3 abortions per 1,000 women is one of the lowest.
Kansas' abortion rate is roughly in line with the U.S. rate (19.6). But in some ways, the state is a red-state outlier. The Guttmacher Institute says there were four abortion providers working in Kansas in 2008. (Really? Just four?) Of course, one of them was George Tiller, the Wichita physician who performed abortions late in pregnancy. The New York Times described Tiller as the "nation's pre-eminent abortion practitioner."
Tiller was shot and killed while ushering at a church service on March 29, 2009. The murderer, Scott Roeder, argued at trial that he was "justified" to use deadly force against the doctor. Jurors took 37 minutes to convict Roeder of first-degree murder.
Showing 1-6 of 6
Weeeee! Let's defund the school system beyond functionality and then spend time on legislating YOUR religious morality. HOOOOORAY for politics
Too bad there aren't stat's on 2009 or 2010 yet. I bet the number is slightly down now that we're less some providers....
Best to keep abortion illegal and unsafe. That way every right-thinking Christian won't have to know about them.
If babykilling abortionists were in prison like they should be, then people like Scott Roeder wouldn't have to shoot them. I'm glad Scott Roeder did what he did. He blessed us all.
I don't see the big deal here. The abstinence-only education together with Sunday school classes that Kansans favor is sure to bring down the abortion rate, in no time at all, right?
I grew up in Kansas. Funny story: the local baptist preacher's daughter had a smushmortion when she was 17. Why? Because a teenage pregnancy would have ruined his career in that community. That's pragmatism for you.
like
dislike
