Senator Bray stands as a perfect argument against term limits.

She is irreplaceable, and I can only hope that whoever takes her seat in 2010 is half as strong and half as vigilant as she is on this issue that means so much to Missouri women.

I am sick of Joan Bray and the other baby-killing advocates who use euphemisms like “reproductive rights” and “choice” to promote the willful slaughter of innocent human life. Oh, and Joan, there is no such thing as a “safe abortion.” Just ask the child how safe it is. And if a woman doesn’t want an “unwanted pregnancy,” there is definitely a time and a way she can avoid it: Choose not to engage in the activity that causes pregnancy.

One other thing: I am sick of the United States Supreme Court unconsitutionally interfering with our state’s right to choose to have laws against the evil of abortion. (See the Tenth Amendment.)

Joan Bray is well-named, since she brays like the . . . donkey . . . she is.

Pro Choice

Coerced to give birth?! Does this loon believe the crap coming out of her mouth?

Bray is right on!

Thanks for proving her points, commenter Tim.

“Choose not to engage in the activity that causes pregnancy.”

And what about those women who don’t have a choice? Who are either forced to engage in sex, or are put in a situation where they feel that saying “no” would place them in jeopardy?

HOORAY, Joan Bray!! There are many, many Missourians who feel exactly the same way!

How disgusting that the abortion debate is so often led by A) “small government” Republicans who don’t see anything wrong with EXPANDING government’s role in my body; and B) MEN, who will never, ever have to deal with the consequences of their actions by winding up with another human being inside their bodies.

Perhaps what we need are forced castrations?! These unwanted pregnancies are NOT the work of women alone!

What’s the old Truman line? “I don’t give them hell. I just give them the truth and they think it’s hell.”

Right on, Joan. Right on.

Enough already. It’s not your body. A person should have control over their own body. How many unwanted pregnancies turn into unwanted children? Then the next story you see is mother/father charged in the death of their child. If it’s a crime against God then let him sort it out. Unless you’re vain enough to think you now more than Him.

Bravo, Bray. Bravo. I am so thankful there is a voice of reason in a legislative body full of ignorant old men.

“another human being inside their bodies.” Thank you, North County Nan, for your slip of the tongue and accidentally admitting what everybody knows but the pro-abortion advocates are afraid to say: Yes, that *is* a human being, not just a piece of tissue, that the mother is carrying. Therefore abortion is the snuffing out of an innocent human life. It is not *her* body she is killing but someone else’s.

Sorry if this upsets the folks with two agendas/realities/faces/standards… but this is a COURAGEOUS speech that speaks great truths… she will pay a high political price for it, but it really is one for the AGES !

Anyone supportive of this so-called “woman’s right” needs to bring the argument to the unborn. This girl was aborted, but survived. She wanted to live. WHERE ARE HER RIGHTS, JOAN!!!!!!?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uYDxZlRqx4

Awsome! Wish we had her in the Illinois Senate, imagine what she could say to the Chicago mob in control!

Joan Bray is the disrespectful and diminished one.

How utterly, utterly arrogant for her to say “…your daughters, your wives, your sister, your granddaughters, your nieces will (have an unintended pregnancy).”

Does she really believe that every female behaves as she does? Does every female in the world have to throw their legs open in constant search of genital satisfaction and thus, necessarily, end up with an “unintended pregnancy”?? Are we women all - every one of us - really that stupid? Really??

Joan Bray’s comments betray her own feelings on women’s intelligence and worth in society. Shame on her.

Right on Joan…..you speak the truth and what so many of us feel. Keep up the great work…..You rock!!

What about a man’s reproductive rights? Men have no rights! Men have only 3 methods of birth control: celibacy, a condom (requires the woman’s consent), and permanent irreversable surgery. Women have a plethora of BC options, from pills to implants to IUDs, none of which require her partner’s consent.

If she lies to her partner and says she’s on BC and gets pregnant, it is her choice and her choice alone whether the child is born. If she wants an abortion, she gets it, despite the father’s wishes. If she chooses to carry the child to termn, he pays child support.

How about instead of “a woman’s right to choose”, we start talking about a couple’s right to choose? I know married men who were devastated when their wife lost the child through miscarriage, I assume the pain would be at least as great with abortion. No abortion should be performed without the father’s consent, unless the baby was concieved by rape or incest.

The choice should be with the fetus’ mother, father, doctor, and God. Nobody else should be involved.

Sorry, Charles, but that wasn’t a slip of the tongue. Nobody denies that a fetus may eventually result in a human being. The problem is that the fetus relies on MY BODY to live and grow. It’s not like it’s a free-standing individual from the moment of conception, able to eat and drive and rent an apartment. But thank you for your MALE opinion on a subject for which you will never have intimate knowledge.

Joan is a typical liberal…. if you don’t want a child then take steps to prevent pregnancy… she acts as if women are stupid and irresponsible.
Just because she is blinded by ignorance does not mean all women are stupid…some are republicans.

McGrew, you make a great point.

Clearly, “women’s rights” advocates do not really want “equal” rights. They are too busy enjoying superior rights.

Bray is only a woman and not able to think for herself. Republican
men need to do it for them. The proven thinking of the republican
party is why they now contol the White house, congress and senate!!
They way they back handed tried to go around the stem cell research
and abortion laws made me vote Dem for the first time. Not that I liked
it but to show them I would. Now the appear to be pleading for a 2010
repeat.

i wish people could just SEE that if you applied the same pro choice ideas you fight for to your parents YOU might not even be here! So how is that justifiable?

Joan Bray is the bravest woman I know. Finally, somoene in Jefferson City brave enough to say what most Missourians believe to be true. The pro-lifers screaming their “baby killers” and “burn in hell” rhetoric make most people afraid to say it, but Joan Bray did and she deserves praise for it.

For those of you that liked what she had to say:

Don’t forget her come the next election. Ten or twenty bucks goes a long way if enough people remember.

For those of you who are against choice:

Please, please, work with us to reduce the number of abortions. Making them illegal won’t make them go away. They were around for a long time before Roe. Reality based sex ed, access to contraception - you reduce the number of abortions by reducing unwanted pregnancies, bot by throwing scared teenage girls in jail (while their boyfriends get off scott free). We can work together on this.

“I’m sick of women being treated like they are so stupid that they can’t make their own decisions regarding their reproductive rights and their bodies.”

What about the rights of the baby and baby’s body?

bobco- actually, Obama attacked Gianna Jessen’s will to live pre-election on a TV ad. Very sick. This girl absolutely stunned congress when she testified, and of course you didn’t hear about it on the major news stations.

Testimony of abortion survivor Gianna Jessen before the Constitution Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee on April 22, 1996:

My name is Gianna Jessen. I am 19 years of age. I am originally from California, but now reside in Franklin, Tennessee. I am adopted. I have cerebral palsy. My biological mother was 17 years old and seven and one-half months pregnant when she made the decision to have a saline abortion. I am the person she aborted. I lived instead of died.

Fortunately for me the abortionist was not in the clinic when I arrived alive, instead of dead, at 6:00 a.m. on the morning of April 6, 1977. I was early, my death was not expected to be seen until about 9 a.m., when he would probably be arriving for his office hours. I am sure I would not be here today if the abortionist would have been in the clinic as his job is to take life, not sustain it. Some have said I am a “botched abortion”, a result of a job not well done.

There were many witnesses to my entry into this world. My biological mother and other young girls in the clinic, who also awaited the death of their babies, were the first to greet me. I am told this was a hysterical moment. Next was a staff nurse who apparently called emergency medical services and had me transferred to a hospital.

I remained in the hospital for almost three months. There was not much hope for me in the beginning. I weighed only two pounds. Today, babies smaller than I was have survived.

A doctor once said I had a great will to live and that I fought for my life. I eventually was able to leave the hospital and be placed in foster care. I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a result of the abortion.

My foster mother was told that it was doubtful that I would ever crawl or walk. I could not sit up independently. Through the prayers and dedication of my foster mother, and later many other people, I eventually learned to sit up, crawl, then stand. I walked with leg braces and a walker shortly before I turned age four. I was legally adopted by my foster mother’s daughter, Diana De Paul, a few months after I began to walk. The Department of Social Services would not release me any earlier for adoption.

I have continued in physical therapy for my disability, and after a total of four surgeries, I can now walk without assistance. It is not always easy. Sometimes I fall, but I have learned how to fall gracefully after falling 19 years.

I am happy to be alive. I almost died. Every day I thank God for life. I do not consider myself a by-product of conception, a clump of tissue, or any other of the titles given to a child in the womb. I do not consider any person conceived to be any of those things.

I have met other survivors of abortion. They are all thankful for life. Only a few months ago I met another saline abortion survivor. Her name is Sarah. She is two years old. Sarah also has cerebral palsy, but her diagnosis is not good. She is blind and has severe seizures. The abortionist, besides injecting the mother with saline, also injects the baby victims. Sarah was injected in the head. I saw the place on her head where this was done. When I speak, I speak not only for myself, but for the other survivors, like Sarah, and also for those who cannot yet speak …

Today, a baby is a baby when convenient. It is tissue or otherwise when the time is not right. A baby is a baby when miscarriage takes place at two, three, four months. A baby is called a tissue or clumps of cells when an abortion takes place at two, three, four months. Why is that? I see no difference. What are you seeing? Many close there eyes…

The best thing I can show you to defend life is my life. It has been a great gift. Killing is not the answer to any question or situation. Show me how it is the answer.

There is a quote which is etched into the high ceilings of one of our state’s capitol buildings. The quote says, “Whatever is morally wrong, is not politically correct.” Abortion is morally wrong. Our country is shedding the blood of the innocent. America is killing its future.

All life is valuable. All life is a gift from our Creator. We must receive and cherish the gifts we are given. We must honor the right to life.

LMAO at the “offended” men of “decent committed families” when Bray clearly only “insulted” those with pregnant girlfriends on the side. Go Jack Goodman.

How come the ones against abortion automatically assume the woman with the unwanted pregnancy is promiscuos? “She should keep her legs closed”. What about these poor women who suffer through a rape and they have an unwanted pregnancy because of it. Are they supposed to carry the child of a mad man in their womb to full term and live out that dreadful event over and over. And then they are supposed to love and care for that child of the man who raped them? I think choice is the best answer for everyone. If you don’t want to make a choice, that’s your CHOICE. Leave others to their own business.

Truth hurts gentlemen. Give em hell Joan! Please don’t give up!

“The problem is that the fetus relies on MY BODY to live and grow. It’s not like it’s a free-standing individual from the moment of conception, able to eat and drive and rent an apartment.” –North County Nan

Nan, you have just made the argument for “putting down” those who are “inconvenient” or a burden to us–the elderly, the disabled, the mentally ill or retarded . . . even *any* children, for that matter. Anyone who has to rely on others to live, who cannot eat without our help or provision, or who cannot drive or rent an apartment.

Joan, if it just the woman’s body, why does the unborn have a different DNA structure? What other part of your body has a different genetic code? What about the disresepct given by “pro-choice” advocates to women who are pro-life? Do they not deserve respect?

Every single word Joan Bray said was true. I am beyond sick of the male anti-choice lobby in the United States, and we need more ballsy, outspoken women in power like Bray. What a gem. I have a new hero!

Joan Bray…..you rock my world lady. Thank you for sticking up for us…

After reading Bray’s statement three times, I find myself feeling embarassed for myself and for all women. Yes this is our body and yes we have the right to choose what to do with it, but who are we to put judgement on the quality of life. She states that “women find themselves in a very unhappy, unpleasant circumstance of an unwanted pregnancy,” my only response to this, if you’re a grown woman then you know the consequences of unprotected sex. And if women don’t want to be in those circumstances, then don’t have sex. It’s common sense, use a condom, get on birth control, practice safe sex.
Also, she argues that she’s sick of failure in the prevention of unwanted pregnancies, but the most unwanted pregnancies our that of the youth of America. Mothers, teach your children. Take responsibility and don’t expect someone else to do it for you.
As humans, we have a moral obligation to protect the lives of others. This includes the 6 week old fetus, who has a beating heart the will ability to survive.

What?!? A liberal supporter of abortion using hyper-emotional rhetoric and bigoted smears instead of a rational, moral argument? That almost never happens.

/sarc

Ms Bray of course fails to recognize the female legislators in Jeff City who also oppose her political agenda. Perhaps she’ll use that other stock liberal slur that says they aren’t really women.

The end of a legislative session too often brings out the worst in our reps, but this was way over the top, even for Ms Bray. I hope she apologizes.

pro-choice with girlfriends….ha ha ha ha ha classic burn!

No, Charles, I have not made that argument. I can see the beauty of life in many forms, including my own special needs cousin, and I would never advocate for killing any living human being, even if they can’t care for themselves. But to answer Eric’s excellent question from earlier, if a building was burning, I sure as heck would not be worrying about the petri dishes. A several-week-old lump of tissue is simply not the same to me as a fully formed, living, breathing, born individual, and I think we as a society have plenty of unwanted BORN children to feed and care for before we worry about saving fetuses.

WOW! What an asset Senator Bray is not only to women but to the state of Missouri! She stated her case in a passionate forthright manner and her summation of most of the men voting on this matter is correct. I hope she keeps up the good fight and stays in the Senate for a very long time. Politicians like her are unfortunately a rarity.

Ms. Bray: YOU GO,GIRL!!!! Ever think about running for Todd Akin’s seat?
Dems need a serious candidate…not those two idiots that ran last time.

All babies, whether aborted or allowed to live, are conceived by men. Half of the babies born, and half of the babies killed, are male. Men certainly have a right to speak on this issue, which is a human moral issue (as well as a Tenth Amendment issue), not a “women vs. men” issue. That is a convenient–and sexist–deflection and distraction on the part of the pro-abort crowd. It is Joan Bray who is the sexist.

Im a 60 year old MAN…im against abortion and im pro-choice….so is my 49 year old wife.

You folks are some sick puppies. I’ll never understand the callousness and lack of regret in people that advocate killing babies.

Typical overreactive response from a radical liberal! If someone in my family has an unplanned pregnancy we talk about, provide support and accept that we have a new family member coming in. Thank goodness there are term limits. Government is a service and was not meant to be a career. The choice was to have sex now that there is a pregnancy the choice is now a child. Both parents should have a say in it and its not just a female issue.

Thank you, Senator Bray, for speaking up for women, for families, for choice!

CH — you beat me to the punch when commenting on “nan’s” twisted logic. How many newborns fit her description of not needing assistance to eat, drink, etc? I have a totally disabled daughter and she cannot do any of these things without assistance — and she is 18 years from being inside my wife’s body. Nan - you really missed the boat with your comment.

Way to go Senator Bray. The truth can hurt, thus the strong reactions in some instances, methinks.

Hmm…I wonder how many of the dissenting posts are from men (loosest description). It’s easy to be so “high-and-mighty” when you’re spared the real effects. Gotta love that Y-Chromosome, guys.
Well, I’m male and completely agree that women deserve the right to choose the legality of this issue. Men should get no voice in the issue as they’ve clearly botched the job thus far.
And enough of this “ask the child how safe it is” nonsense. It’s a fetus. You’re not a person until you’re in my phone book!!
And when that happens, it seems like you Anti-Abortion Activists lose interest. I guess it’s the lack of a captive audience.

It is ironic that men are making laws that will never, ever affect their bodies. Kind of like how quickly funds were available for prostate cancer research and treatment, but we’re still years away and millions of dollars away in research for a cure for breast cancer. As it’s been and will continue to be, if women want to find a cure, they have to have tons of fundraisers (Susan Komen) ect….just to move ahead. SSDD. Pro-choice doesn’t mean pro-abortion, it means pro-CHOICE

Wow - what an issue for this country to be split on…. If someone in cold blood killed a 5 year old child everyone would be in an uproar to “hang” the person that did that. But apparently it is okay to kill a baby. Protect yourself if you do not want a baby - I was adopted - I could have easily been aborted - which is why I firmly believe in Pro-Life.

To “North County Nan”, do you even realize what you admitted? You spoke of men men not having to be deal with the consequences of their actions by winding up with “another human being inside their bodies”. Do you not see the disconnect in knowing that this is a “human being” inside the mother, and yet advocating that we should be legally allowed to kill her? Furthermore, any biology or medical textbook can reveal that at the moment of conception, 46 chromosomes with 30,000 genes combine to form all the physical and genetic characteristics of a unique new person, totally distinct from both parents. At just 18 days, there is a measurable heartbeat on an EKG, and at 6 weeks brain waves are detectable with an EEG. At about 8 weeks, all her major organs and systems are formed and functioning. These are biological facts derived from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. And almost all abortions don’t occur until 8 weeks or later. Abortion always results in the deliberate death (killing) of a pre-born human being. Well, almost always — there are a few who have survived botched abortions and now live to advocate for pre-born human life (see http://www.giannajessen.com). What kind of a society legally sanctions and approves the deliberate killing of innocent, and sacred human life? Please think about it.

Men have a choice too. Don’t shoot your sperm into a vagina if you’re not certain how the woman feels about getting pregnant. If you’re not willing to have that talk with her, perhaps you shouldn’t be engaging in sexual relations with her. It’s always a good idea to “think before you shoot”. If you aren’t willing to discuss the tough issue of abortion, how do you think you can raise a kid together?

Linda-St.Louis - Don’t argue with us men; argue with those who survived abortions, like Gianna Jessen, and ask them about how they feel about “pro-choice.” Jessen wanted to live, and I’ll bet you so did the other abortion survivors.

See, there goes another nasty Democrat-Socialist running off at the mouth again. They’re always trying to oppress people. They want all women to have abortions. They want everyone to have a ‘Gay’ Marriage. They want to make the wealthiest people pay higher taxes even though wealthy people became wealthy only by the Grace of God Himself.

Republicans would never commit any of those abominations. Republicans are all about freedom - particularly freedom from government. Republicans only want women to do what the Bible commands them to do. After all, everybody knows this country was founded on Biblical law. Biblical law trumps the Constitution any day of the week. So if you don’t want to accept the correct interpretation of the Bible as it’s given to us by acceptably holy Christian evangelists, you need to start looking around for another country to move to - because this is America, where people are free from government oppression unless it has a solidly acceptable religious basis.

Who is this woman/thing? Women have all the latitude in the world to murder their baby. Her made up comments about how she’s “sick of a woman having no options.” WHAT???? Abortion’s legal, in case she didn’t know that. She just wants absolutley no restrictions for women and doctors to have access to murder children and rid women of that terrible thing called motherhood.

I’m sick of people like you Joan. People that have no regard for the child growing inside their mothers. Who have no regard for the pain a child (and a woman for that matter) experience when their face and limbs are ripped off during an abortion procedure. YOU STUPID LIBERALS talk about civil rights and how America so-called “tortured” terrorists. Where’s the civil rights of the unborn to be given life and the freedom from being tortured to death? IF anyone’s sick of anything, it’s this liberal propaganda you, the PD and all the other babykiller advocates out there espouse.

I’m giving her a standing ovation. What guts to speak the truth to the party of hypocrites.

Amazed…which post on here was the person “advocating killing babies”??

Excellent speech Joan!

McGrew - “permanent irreversible surgery”? - That is just not a true statement.

Jaycee - If you do not believe women can be coerced into this, you are living with your head in the sand. It happens everywhere in this world and is a derivitive of patriarchal societies.

Charles - Do you celebrate your BIRTHday or your conception date? And you can be “protected” during sex, but the protection could fail. Your statements really hit home with the name calling. You must be proud!

Civil Discourse - Joan did not say EVERY woman. She was showing a very real group of people who could be affected to better get the audience to understand. There is an old adage - better to remain silent and thought ignorant than to speak and remove all doubt.

Cole - See Charles and Civil Discourse above.

J O H N - But we are here and are using our brains to think logically.

Again - EXCELLENT SPEECH JOAN!

Isn’t “Bray” the sound a jackass makes?

I am so pleased to see that Ms. Bray is standing up for abortion rights. I am hopefull that when every down sysdrome child has been eradicated, we can then turn our abortion efforts to children that may be born with autism. Then when all of the possible autistic children have been aborted, we can then turn our abortion efforts to those black children with cycle cell anemia. Then when all of those potential children have been aborted, we can then turn our attention to red headed children….I dont like them either…..

The United States is NOT a Christian country.

Um…saying that men also have a choice is not attacking men. Noting that men are passing laws that don’t affect their bodies is not attacking men. These are both facts. Guess the fellow who ATTACKED me personnally either hates women or just can’t stand to deal with the facts.

I do not want to tell anyone else what to do with their bodies, but if we’re going to legislate what I can/can’t do with mine, then I DO want the authority to tell others what to do with theirs. Does anyone remember the Golden Rule? Do Unto Others……. If you’re going to force people to do things the way you want, be prepared for them to do the same to you.

I don’t take a stand on abortion because I can’t get pregnant. But that was really a great line. I appreciate someone who has the guts to give a super quote like that. Finally, real politics.

h

The pro-life, home-schooling, McChurch-attending nut-jobs are the reason we ended-up with the worst president & vp in the history of this nation..for two terms! Why don’t we let the people with working female reproductive systems work on this one, and let our government get back to important issues like the economy?!

So proud of her for standing up for women and speaking the truth. She’s 100% right - no man will ever have to face an unwanted pregnancy, so how DARE they try to force women to give birth against their will! There should be available, affordable contraception and access to early abortions for all women.

McGrew - I am confused by your comments
1 - Condom - why does this require a women’s consent? PUt it on if you want to put it on.
2 - Permanent irreversible surgery? What is this? Vasectomy? That’s not permanent or irreversible. My husband had his reversed and I am now pregnant.

If a fetus is a baby then why don’t we give miscarriages at 6 weeks funerals with graves? There are SO many contradictions on this issue. It is not for people to judge. It is the woman’s body and for her to judge.

Sometimes VERY INTELLIGENT women use precautions and birth control and it fails, resulting. Until a person has been in that position, they cannot judge.

A few months ago I heard a program on NPR about a man suing his ex-girlfriend because she didn’t abort the baby and he didn’t feel he should have to pay child support. It’s not a cut and dry issue and those who think it is are close-minded.

I respect Sentaor Bray for standing up for the rights of women.

It’s heart wrenching that we would murder our defenseless babies and refer to it as reproductive rights. God change our hearts.

The only people who think abstinence is a reasonable ”choice” are the same ones who use the rhythm method for birth control. And we all know how well that works. Not having sex is NOT A CHOICE. As a woman who has been sexually assaulted I find these comments extremely offensive, naive, chauvinistic and archaic not to mention just plain backward and stupid. This is a prime example of the justification for the separation of church and state. Stay out of my womb!!!! Thank you Senator Bray.

“Men have a choice too. Don’t shoot your sperm into a vagina if you’re not certain how the woman feels about getting pregnant. If you’re not willing to have that talk with her, perhaps you shouldn’t be engaging in sexual relations with her.” –Linda - St. Louis

Linda, I agree with you on *that* 100%. A pregnancy is always a “team effort” between a man and a woman. Both are responsible for the life of the child in the womb.

Here’s a novel idea, guys and gals: Don’t engage in sex unless you are prepared to have–and raise–a baby. That is the time for “choice.”

Good point, Linda. Why is is so hard for some men to admit that their views on this issue might be entirely different if they had the benefit of personal experience?

Typical libtard narcissistic rants from a loony leftist Demoncrat: “it’s all about ME” “MY body, MY choice.” Yes, females get pregnant. Don’t like it, sue God. You can use whatever euphemisms you want Sen. Bray, but you’re still advocating the termination of another human being’s life. Plain and simple. Painting stripes on a horse does not make it a zebra. Abortion is a killing of an innocent life. Thankfully, Missouri has term limits so our legislature will not be polluted with Bray’s purulent presence indefinitely.

Women do have a choice. Don’t have unprotected sex. It seems very simple to me yet I believe most Democrats want to use abortion as some sort of birth control. In this day and age there is absolutely no reason (short of rape)for a woman to get pregnant if she doesn’t want to. It is irresponsible to believe otherwise.

Why is it that pro-choicers always say that the decision as the mother is being taken away. The mother prior to having sex has the choice to contreception or her partner’s use of the same. That is the choice. Not after a life is created. I’ll bet Ms. Bray has one set of standards for herself and one for her constituents. How ignorant of a statement.

“Why don’t we let the people with working female reproductive systems work on this one. . . ?” –bababooey

In that case, Joan Bray, 63, undoubtedly would be disqualified! Now you are restricting political and moral debate to fertile females???

Obviously, I am pro-choice. Its easy to be pro-life. It’s much harder to say, I disagree with what you choose, but it’s your body and your CHOICE. Kind-of takes all the control over that person away, no? Can’t force my personal, often religious-oriented, beliefs on them, bummer.

Interesting that Pfizer is willing to give away free Viagra to their customers, so they don’t switch to a generic form of Viagra during these “hard economic times” (msnbc.com). However, Pfizer’s not offering to give away free birth-control pills, which they also manufacture. So, it’s good to encourage men to have sex, just not to help women prevent unwanted pregnancies. Especially during these “hard economic times”.

Just read on CNN that 40% of all live births in the US are now out of wedlock. And yet, folks keep wanting to crack down on abortions. Is it better to have 40% unwed mothers with brats they cannot support than those women have uncoerced abortion options? Missouri has 2 abortion clinics. Whoo-hoo…what an overwhelming social problem.

Joan gave an excellent speech and spoke an inconvenient truth about men. (The one about wives and girlfriends). The men are jealous of the strident tone of the speech (which, if given by a man, would have said to be “Powerful” and praised) and embarrassed their not-secret is out.

There has never been an abortion without a man involved.
Sex is overrated, anyway. I think Lysistrata had the right idea.

Good for her. Truth always make the guilty squirm.

Senator Bray is on target. The guilty always squirm when they are faced with the truth. Oh Mr Henrickson I suppose if a woman is raped it’s her fault for not keeping her legs closed, huh? And as for state rights, why don’t you move to Texas? I hear they’ll be leaving the union before too long. I’m proud that Senator Bray is speaking out for those who have no voice or money or health insurance. Thanks MO Legislation for another NOTHING year of accomplishments.

If Frabax is against the termination of life then you are against the death penalty as well, right? Life is life so don’t tell me that one is greater or lesser than another. We’re all the same in Allah’s eyes.

As a male, Senator Bray is correct. Most men know someone who when their girlfriend got preganat and they didn’t want to get married or have the responsibility of a child out of wedlock, tried to pressure their girlfriend to have an abortion. This is especially true if the girlfriend is par of an illicit affair. The male mebers of the Senate may stand before the public in pompous indignation with what Senator Bray had to say, but when the harsh light of the media and the public wasn’t shinning on them, they had to admit, what they said was true. So would many of the men who respond to this article. Bravo and many props to Senator Bray for her comments.

I’m so glad Joan Bray is willing to stand up for women, and stand against men who think it is their right and their business to decide what women can and can not do. And her comment about wives and girlfriends….right on target. It’s laughable that anyone who knows anything about MO politicians would attempt to discredit her comments!

She hit the nail on the head right there. More power to her!

“Oh Mr Henrickson I suppose if a woman is raped it’s her fault for not keeping her legs closed, huh?” –Yasmin

If you want to restrict abortions to only cases of rape (which includes incest) and the life (not the nebulous “health”) of the mother, I think that would certainly be a big step in the right direction. That would greatly reduce the number of abortions down to a very small number. Good suggestion! Let’s get Joan Bray to sponsor that bill.

Of course, even in the case of rape, it is not the *child’s* fault for being alive, and there are plenty of childless couples who would be happy to adopt. So, while the only exception I favor is when the life of the mother is at stake, I could see a “permitted in cases of rape” provision as a compromise that would be a huge improvement over the current holocaust.

“Don’t like it, sue God.” - Frabax? Sure, could you give me his phone number and address? Oh wait, you don’t have that handy? Why not? You’re using “Him” as an authority on humanity and morality. Couldn’t find him in the yellow pages, on the net or anywhere. When you speak with him, could you record that conversation? I’d like to hear that conversation.

For those who believe that sex is only for “pro-creation”. 1) If you are married (or widowed or single), do you stop having sex for the rest of your lives when you are no longer able to reproduce? Menopause? Inability to get a hard-on due to age? Or do you buy lubricants and get a prescription for the Viagra? Isn’t that then purely for lustful purposes, which makes it a sin? 2) For those younger, do you ONLY have sex to make a baby during the woman’s “fertile” time of the month? Or do you engage more often for “practice” which would then be only for lustful purposes, also a sin?

When all hyprocrites stop having sex and passing judgement on everyone else, then we will have peace in the land (in other words, it will never happen).

BTW, in European countries, they laugh at the US, the alledged country of “freedoms” over this issue. And yes, I have been to several European countries, several times. This is not an issue in Europe and they have thousands of years of living experience on our country. Perhaps we should try to learn something from them.

Again, women can’t get pregnant without SPERM

Abortion is legal…Get over it people….This decision was made years ago..Let it go and get a life..

Today’s society loves to use semantics to make them feel better about their behaviors and beliefs. Call it Pro-choice but whether you like it or not it is PRO ABORTION…face the reality of what and who you are. You’re a complete idiot if you think pro-life individuals don’t support choice, of course we do, the fact is there is no choice when it comes to this…abortion is sick and wrong. Everyone thinks they can do as they please and no one can say anything to them. No one can tell them what they can and can not do but there are laws against stealing, rape, murder and numerous other actions that are WRONG…just as abortion is inherently evil and wrong…and it is about time we change this sick behavior in our society.

How inconvenient for unborn children that the old men of Missouri have placed such restrictions on the ability of mommy to bump them off.

In Senator Bray’s utopia, her daughter wouldn’t have to ever consider the moral ramifications of killing her unwanted child.

Chris Coleman apparently found having a wife and children inconvenient. Does Joan support his right to “choose”?

“Abortion is legal. . . . Let it go and get a life.” –pwood

Unintended Irony of the Day Award.

“Slavery is legal. . . . Let it go and get a life.” –Great-great-grandpa pwood, 1859

Ms. Bray is an idiot who could only get elected from an idiotic district. How dare she presume that other female members of other legislators’ families will make the bad choice of getting pregnant out of wedlock? I don’t know if Ms. Bray has daughters, but if so I’ll be she threw each of them a “right of passage” party on the occasion of their first abortion. And shame on you, Tony, for showing your bias in describing Sam Lee as “anti-abortion” while describing the other side of the debate by its chosen “pro-choice” adjective. (I hope you don’t delete this post, Tony. Can’t you take criticism?)

I don’t particularly like Senator Bray. Her demeanor can be very elitist and she is too often joined at the hip with a certain crowd of wealthy, snobby, liberal women from U City, Clayton, etc…

Having said that, I think what she said, particularly about the wives vs girlfriends is spot on and very true! There is no shortage of sanctimonious hypocrites in Jeff City, but the worst are the pro-lifers who spend their years in the capitol trying to get in bed with any woman who will have them and then cast their “pro-life” votes and claim to be moral, family oriented men.

It’s a good parting shot from Sen. Bray and certainly not a low blow.

I wish “God” would go on Meet The Pres somday so we could ask her some tough questions.

“If you want to restrict abortions to only cases of rape (which includes incest) and the life (not the nebulous “health”) of the mother, I think that would certainly be a big step in the right direction. That would greatly reduce the number of abortions down to a very small number.”

Charles,

It would reduce the number of *legal* abortions down to a very small number. Abortion has been with us for tens of thousands of years. It has also been illegal for most of that time.

Let’s get real. If you really want to reduce the number of abortions, make the pill free and give it to every girl over 12 without parent consent. The number of abortions would drop in half or more. Instantly.

Ask yourself - are you really about reducing the number of abortions, or are you more about getting people to live a moral life? If your priorities are really with reducing abortions, help us fund the things that work.

Senator Bray,
I think the left wingers like you fail to see that pro-lifers are fighting for the rights of the unborn, male or female, not against the rights of women. Remember, those babies you agree with murdering are females, too. If you don’t want a speeding ticket, you don’t speed. If you speed and get a ticket, you pay for it. If you don’t want to have a baby, you take preventative measures against it (birth control, condoms, abstinence). If you don’t take these meaures and get pregnant, you pay for it. Your arrogance and the lack of value you put on human life is truly disturbing.

This is a HUMAN rights issue…the rights of boys AND girls. This is not a womens rights issue.

It is awfully “brave” for someone like you (who wasn’t aborted) to fight for the right to have abortions.

Woo hoo Joan! It’s about time someone calls out the holier than thou Republicans in Jefferson City. If those who elect those fools actually saw how they behave at the capitol they would be shocked…go to the library lounge any Wednesday and you’ll see exactly who Joan was referring to…including their girlfriends.

Absolutely no middle ground on this, never has been, never will be. My biggest problem with this issue are the unethical physicians that violate the Hippocratic oath every time they take part in this procedure. They should mind their ethics, not their pocketbook.

Way to go Joan! She is very brave and true. Men - if and when you can get an abortion then you can comment on it. Otherwise, your opinion is moot. Women are USUALLY the ones who take care of the children while the men run out and do what they want to do most of the time. Not all men are like that, but I know plenty of single moms because dad couldn’t take it. If a woman makes that decision, it is her personal choice and right to do what she wants with HER BODY.

So, Bray is sick of disrespect, being treated rudely and dismissively? Treated as stupid and not able to make her own decisions? Tired of being coerced and tired of not having any options? That is a pretty good list of legitimate complaints. Why would you turn around and impose that same list onto someone else? If these human beings growing in women’s bodies had a voice, I am sure they would have the same exact list of complaints Bray has. Bray has a lot of gripes in common with an aborted human being. We all have a lot to be sick about. Abortion as a solution is hypocritical.

I don’t get this “all life is sacred” bit. What about Hitler and Idi Amin and Stalin and other evil dictators and mass murderers throughout history. Do their lives count as sacred?

Those of you who follow religious teachings and who believe such things are trying to make laws based on your religion that will then impose your religious beliefs on the rest of us. What’s with that?

It reads like a wonderful and well-thought-out speech…sounds like it hit a little too close to home for somebody.

So, while the only exception I favor is when the life of the mother is at stake, I could see a “permitted in cases of rape” provision as a compromise that would be a huge improvement over the current holocaust.
— Charles Henrickson
2:52 pm May 14th, 2009

Mr. Henrickson, it is just so darn generous of you to “permit” women who are raped to seek an abortion. Why, that is just so very “compassionate” of you to “grant” them such an option, even though you “don’t approve” of it. I’m sure Elisabeth Fritzl would be so thankful for your kindness after her father raped her repeatedly for 24 years and impregnanted her against her will a minimum of 8 times. I’m sure Ms. Reinhart of Harrisonville, MO would be so thankful that you would allow her such an option after her father raped her for 6 years and impregnated her against her will 5 times! Guess those fathers didn’t believe in abortion rights either. Molestation, sure - abortion, no.

The availability and knowledge of birth control would certainly alleviate many abortions (as Joan Bray stated and is also fighting for). However, knowledge and control over one’s own body is often prohibited as well. We all know the snide comments about how giving access to birth control makes young women into “sl*ts”. What does it make the boys who are having sex with them?

Go Joan Bray, go!

Ms. Bray is a typical Liberal Democrat Generalist. Loves to generalize all men and blame her issue on someone else. We’ll if it’s a woman’s right to choose, then it shouldn’t be a mans obligation to provide child support if she chooses to have a baby out of wedlock. Think on that one.

Brava, Sen. Bray! You go, girl!

It sounds to me as if some of the knuckle-draggers whose outstate “sensibilities” were tweaked are just a little too thin-skinned to be holding public office.

Lord help ‘em if they ever had to give birth or do something else with a modicum of difficulty!

Truth be told! Men can’t deal with it! That’s why women have to take charge of things and make their own decisions!

Joey-
Most of the people that are so “pro-life” are not pro-life, but rather pro-birth and don’t give a rip about that child and his/her possibly single mother and what happens to them after they leave the hospital. That’s what I love about the hypocrisy of the republican party. THey want the woman to have the child, but don’t want to do anything else with it afterwards. And God forbid we actually try tro PREVENT these pregnancies to begin with! Wasn’t it your dear Cynthia Davis who wants to prevent women from getting birth control and condoms at clinics? Talk about a quack…that woman has more than one screw extremely loose!

“make the pill free and give it to every girl over 12 without parent consent.” –pneuma

1) Making “the pill” free would be the decision of the pill manufacturer, would it not? Unless you want to pay for it. I do not. And it certainly is not a power delegated to the federal government in the Constitution to pay for it. But if you guys want to set up your own private organization to pay for free pills, you can do so.

2) I do not believe in dispensing pills, drugs, or medical procedures of any kind to minor children without parental consent. That’s what parents are for.

Ya know….bray is what comes out of the front end of a jackass.

“Men - if and when you can get an abortion then you can comment on it. Otherwise, your opinion is moot.” Keya Murdock

Tonya makes a good point a few posts above yours. Men like Chris Coleman don’t seem to have the same strength of public support as the pregnant women who find their unwanted family too burdensome.

Now if the strident “keep you hands off my body” people would just say those same words to the men taking their pants off…

I’m not going to comment on the senator or the bill. Instead, what I’m going to do is tell you how abortion can affect a man–specifically, me.

When my mother was 24 years old, she had a boyfriend. She ended up pregnant, and when she found out, the boyfriend bolted. She had decent employment, but not good enough to care for a child on her own. My grandmother said she might want to get an abortion. My grandfather said she should get an abortion. Her sister, brother, family, and friends all said the same thing–you should have an abortion, or else you won’t be able to care for the child.

Yet, she went against popular consensus of her family, friends, and the general public, and gave birth to me. I was born into a family without hardly any education, definitively low-income and void of many opportunities. Yet, here I sit nearly 29 years later, having spent six great and honorable years in the United States Navy, and getting ready to graduate from the University of Missouri on Saturday, and also having been accepted into the MU School of Law’s Class of 2012.

Had all the popular arguments in favor of abortion (freedom of choice, low income family, no chances in society, easier life, unplanned pregnancy, etc.) been taken to heart by my mother, she would not have had me. I would not be writing this today, because I would not be alive today. Instead, I would be another discarded child, in the middle of a stack of over 35,000,000 discarded children. Instead, I have a chance to not only better my life, but the lives of my family as well.

You are free to feel the way you feel. But don’t sit there at your keyboard and tell me that abortion doesn’t affect men and that I shouldn’t have a voice on the subject because I wasn’t born with ovaries. That is the most sexist, pretentious position I’ve ever heard. It affects EVERYONE, man and woman, adult and child.

Joan, you are my hero! Have you folks ever noticed that sometimes the ones the complain the loudest are the most guilty. How many politicians swore that Bill Clinton was an animal only to find out they were as well. I’m thinkin’ that if you follow the ones that are vocally outraged by her comments you’ll see the ones who have chosen abortion for their girlfriends so their wives wouldn’t find out.

“Making “the pill” free would be the decision of the pill manufacturer, would it not? Unless you want to pay for it. I do not.”

So you are willing to let hundreds of thousands of babies die a year because you are unwilling to pay a couple of dollars more a month in taxes? What the hell kind of monster are you? You are all for saving babies, unless it is inconvenient for you? You are fine with telling other people that they should suffer for their mistakes, but you are willing to do nothing to help prevent them? Classy.

“I do not believe in dispensing pills, drugs, or medical procedures of any kind to minor children without parental consent. That’s what parents are for.”

So you would be in favor of letting children die because their parents have a religious belief that conflicts with modern medicine (which happens all the time btw)? What the hell kind of monster are you? You really believe the rights of parents to enslave their children are more important than a child’s life?

See? You don’t really care about saving the lives of children. You just think people should live the way you tell them.

Remember folks, in the end, conservatives always lose. If they didn’t, we’d still be living in caves.

Ah, those “responsible, involved” parents who’s kids are having uneducated, unprotected sex and attending “lipstick” parties or who are molesting their daughters (see previous post).

Yes, yes, it’s such a shame they don’t believe in birth-control being available to their children because white girls, between 16-24 are the largest number of abortion seekers each year! What a coincidence! The same people who are saying, “It’s not my child” are the one who’s kids are at the clinic while their parents are protesting out in front of the church!

SMC-
That’s a wonderful story! But you said the key word–CHOICE! I don’t think any pro-choice person would wish an abortion upon their worst enemy, it’s such a tragedy no matter how you look at it. Good for your mom, though. She sounds like a tough cookie!

I agree with Joan Bray. If we men could become pregnant the laws would be different. If I were a Mo state represenative she would not have offended me! Keep up the good work Joan!!

B R A V O!!! It’s about time someone said it!

pneuma–you’re wrong. Read your Bible. God wins in the end.

She hit the nail on the head with the “pro life for their wives and pro choice for their girlfriends” comment. The hypocrisy coming out of Jeff City on this issue and many others among conservative lawmakers is staggering. I can picture those old men scratching their heads (and other things) when she said that. Truth hurts.

Lisa,

Not a Christian. Your fairy tales mean nothing to me, just as I’m sure mine mean nothing to you.

SMC…….Very good story and you shall make a positive mark on many with your comments. Good luck on your great future…..Semper Fi.

Why does the pro-life community only consider the human life sacred before birth but not after? The pro-life community sees nothing wrong with sending our men to war, but that kills. There are more lives lost with war than abortion. This is inconsistent. I don’t see any members of the pro-life community getting personally involved by offering to adopt unwanted children or helping women who can’t afford children get birth control. Perhaps the hypocrisy and inconsistency with the pro-life community is what turns off the pro-choice community. I think pro-life needs to get its act together.

As any good Christian knows, the time to destroy a child doesn’t occur until AFTER it’s born. It’s murderously evil to abort a blastocyst or fetus before it takes actual human form, but once a child has been born - and especially after it has learned to walk - God and His true believers don’t really care anymore.***

So if the mother and/or father can’t afford to feed the child or if they abuse the child, well, that’s just tough. The religious don’t want to take a stand against the destruction of actual children, just “the unborn” - a term which they somehow believe means “human child” instead of “fetus”. After all, after birth, any effort to help desperately poor and unprepared parents is simply too expensive, and saving a child from abuse by parents who are unfit is too controversial (unless the media gets involved and causes avoidance of help for the child to be even more controversial).

Please don’t let this situation change, though. The astounding over-the-top hypocrisy of the holy lunatics is just too perfect. What would human society be without it?

***If you don’t believe this, a little research into the births, lives and entirely unexplained ‘disappearances’ of tens of thousands (at minimum) of American children of the 19th and early 20th centuries will be instructive. Such disappearances were simply not investigated, presumably because someone might discover what nobody really wanted to know. In recent years, of course, old unmarked graves have begun to turn up unexpectedly on farms all across the midwest and prairie states. It seems that ‘disappeared’ children who must have ‘run away’ didn’t quite disappear after all. They were simply very very late term abortions.

SMC - you are a great man. Hopefully your comments will shut up the morons that post on here. Who knows, your comments could have saved a few lives today. Semper Fi, my brother.

Mona Lisa…you don’t? I do. My sister has 2 biological children, and 1 foster that she is getting ready to adopt.

I was 21, still in college, when my wife, 19, got pregnant. We had the baby, too.

Are you claiming to know all people of the pro-life persuasion? Surely not after your moronic claim that you don’t see “any pro-lifers” helping to take care of “unwanted” children.

Good for you Joan, and thank you, I loved reading this article! I have said this for years, although my version includes daughters in the pro-choice view and constituents in the pro-life view. Thank you for telling it like it is. Missouri politics are one the worst ‘old-boy’ networks around!

Thanks you for standing up for choice. No women in her right mind would want an abortion. It is always a difficult and heart wrenching decision If a women believes that it is a sin then don’t have one. Do not impose your personal beliefs on people that do not share them.
Do not judge others unless you have walked in their shoes.

sicktodeath-

I wasn’t trying to comment on “pro-choice” vs. “pro-life”. While I am obviously pro-life, the point of my comment was not to pontificate on that position. It was to illustrate that, contrary to the posts of some here, that abortion affects both sexes. Coming from my point of view, there is no way that one can honestly say that abortion does not affect men, and that they should have no input on the matter whatsoever.

Mona Lisa….you must be the most ignorant person in the world. Honestly…you think people who are prolife don’t adopt…honestly? You don’t know the compassion of true prolife individuals you’re one of many that hear prolife and tune out because you only care about yourself and your beliefs…you selfcenteredness is what has lead to you proabortion stance. And clearly you ignore the statistics of abortion because millions upon millions have been killed. Try education instead of closemindness…and i’ll put that to all of you proabortionist…think about reality and not just your selfcentered do as you please attitudes. By the way, I’m a woman…a working mother….only in my 30’s…and I’m PROLIFE

MonaLisa: Keep your head held high. As someone who is pro-choice, you will always be under attack. Just know you are not alone.

SMC - I am very happy for you and your Mother. Again though, that was her choice and a very hard one she had to make. I respect the strength she showed in standing up for her own decision, especially when it wasn’t one her own family supported. I fully support her choice, as it was NOT MINE TO MAKE and that is what makes me pro-choice.

Joey - when MonaLisa said she doesn’t see “any pro-lifers” helping out those “unwanted” children, perhaps she was referring to those she knows personally. I sit here, surrounded on 3 sides with pro-lifers, none of whom have adopted any children. The four of us have agreed-to-disagree on this issue, although in truth, that means I support their choices (even if I disagree with it) while they still don’t support anyone’s who choice is different from theirs. It’s so much easier to sit in judgement of others than to say, I’m not in your position, it’s not my body and it’s not my decision to make.

pneuma–the downside to believing your fairytale is a little bigger than believing mine, don’t you think?

Mona Lisa you are absolutely right…just like Sen. Bray. Pro-lifers are so intent on “saving” these unborn fetuses, but once they are born to families that can’t take care of them, they’re done. They want nothing to do with the social programs to help families in need and believe children from single parent households are the tumor of society. Abstinence is not realistic…heck, if conservative golden-girl Sarah Palin’s daughter is having sex as a teenager, abstinence-only education supporters are in trouble. Pro-choice is NOT pro-abortion. That is no one’s first choice under any circumstance. But, if a woman is given all options and abortion is her best choice, then, no one can take that away from her. You guys have tried for years to strip our rights away and it hasn’t worked. If you would like to see abortions fall by the wayside, then stop protesting when schools want to provide condoms and realistic sex education, and stop protesting the morning after pill. My body, my choice, end of story. Thanks, Sen. Bray for bringing some logic to the senate floor.

Lisa,

No. That has to be the stupidest thing I have ever heard. You might as well say “my god can beat up your god”.

Right on Joan Bray! She said some things that many women are afraid to express. I love how she is standing up for women’s reproductive rights. I’d be damned if some man were going to tell me what I could or could not do with my body. The men are the ones getting these laws passed and making it harder for women to get abortions.

“I’m sick of a bunch of men around here, year after year after year, piling up restriction after restriction after restriction on women who found themselves in a very unhappy, unpleasant circumstance of an unwanted pregnancy.”

“Sorry, Charles, but that wasn’t a slip of the tongue. Nobody denies that a fetus may eventually result in a human being. The problem is that the fetus relies on MY BODY to live and grow. It’s not like it’s a free-standing individual from the moment of conception, able to eat and drive and rent an apartment. But thank you for your MALE opinion on a subject for which you will never have intimate knowledge.”

You’re reasoning is so flawed here it makes me laugh.

By you’re opinion, I should be able to decide if my two year old should live, with no repercussions? And all those dumpster babies weren’t crimes?

Get real. I’m tired of women crying “it’s my body” and “what about rape and incest?!?” Look up how often that’s the reason for abortion, as opposed to the immature mistakes of idiotic people.

Go Joan!! I wish we had more people like you in government. Thank you!

joan bray ROCKS!

interesting trend:
male bloggers indignant, female bloggers energized.

how ’bout if i get to tell MEN if/when they should be castrated?

only then will i consent to let a guy tell ME if/when i give birth.

i hope her speech goes viral.
joan bray ROCKS!

I think every man should put a muzzel on when it comes to this topic. I believe only women should be allowed to vote and decide this issue, let girls fight it out, no male input needed here.
Ya know, I wouldn’t be afraid of deciding if it was only my body but when it comes to deciding the outcome of a mom or baby, well, it just seems fair to let the pregnant person decide.
I honestly trust she’ll do the right thing for the situation, and if she doesn’t she’s the one who will pay the price emotionally, me a little but her a lot more. Besides I trust most women will try to make the right decision, after all, I trusted my mom long before I trusted anyone else. Looking back at it now, when I was too young to feed myself, she nutured me and never killed me, Nope, she was cool! Oh now, she threatened a couple of times to end my life right there on the spot, mostly when I was older but I don’t think she ever really meant it… she cared for me long before I was born, and still does today. I guess she actually loved me and wanted me…she’s a good woman, and she’s an awesome mom too. Not all women are though, some might be good women, but not all of them are good mom’s….so there you go. I better put my muzzel back on now. see ya

Thank you, thank you Bray!! It is about time someone starts speaking up. As a mother of three I stand by a woman’s right to choose! And I want that same right for my daughters and possible future granddaughters and any other woman who finds herself with an unwanted pregnancy. Get out the information on sex, birth control, AIDS, STDS, emergency contraception, and yes, medically safe and available abortions.

Every society that chooses to worship itself eventually crumbles.
Selfishness is what put our economy on the verge of collapse.
The self-centeredness of the Joan Brays of this country will not strengthen us or make us better. They are our prophets of doom.

When it comes to “self-centeredness”, I believe the pro-lifers take the cake, not those who are pro-choice.

A person who is pro-choice is willing to support your position, even if it disagrees with their own personal beliefs. For example, a person might not support abortion, but chooses to be pro-choice because they don’t believe the government, nor any other individiual, has the right to make decisions about another person’s body. They wouldn’t choose an abortion for themselves, but they won’t sit-in-judgement of someone who would.

However, pro-lifers, per these posts, are always willing to pass judgements on others, no matter the reason or situation that led that person to choose an abortion.

I don’t think it gets any more “self-centered” to believe that YOU have the LEGAL RIGHT and MORAL AUTHORITY to make decisions about what other people should do with their bodies. And don’t throw God up to me unless you can produce him/her to validate your argument.

All the pro-lifers let’s hold our head up high too…and continue to standup for what we believe in even though we are under constant attack! I just don’t get the arguement “not my choice” “can’t tell someone else what do to”…really…that happens all the time because if we didn’t we wouldn’t have laws we’d have anarchy. When something is wrong there are laws to against it I don’t get how and why the proabortionist can just ignore the facts of abortion and the reality of it, if you did you wouldn’t support it.

Ms. Bray,
It’s your body true enough, but what about the body growing inside you? Even if you don’t believe in any god whatsoever, the science of it is indisputable…the merging of sperm and egg, each with their 23 chromosones, results in a complete person of 46 chromosones. It happens at that instant; hair and eye color, skin tone, left or right-handed. All that is left is the growing.

And if it’s not a complete person, why can pregnant mothers be charged with endangering their child if they drink or drug?
Why can someone who kills a pregnant woman be charged with two murders?

Don’t like abortion? Then don’t have one…Don’t like slavery? Then don’t own one….Don’t like Jews being incinerated? Don’t be one.

To go along with the trend of what people are thinking on here…
Ok, so you all believe that it’s better to kill the kid, and not give them a chance at all, then to see how it makes out?
Second off, how many people in our country are really in capable of raising or providing for a child?
You don’t make any sense. If I were to stop you from doing something now, because I thought you were unable to succeed, would that be fair?
Give me a break. You know what, I would rather have a snowballs chance in hell then no chance at all.

Polly1: “Don’t like Jews being incinerated, don’t be one!” So, denounce Judism or it’s okay to be burned to death? Yep, you’re definitely a Christian, although I thought burning “heretics” was out-of-fashion!

30, female and pro-choice.

Joey…I’m sure you are happily married. Good for you.

How does the saying go? “If men could get pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament…” Okay, maybe not, but it would be a heck of lot less controversial. My thanks to the men on this forum who aren’t just giving knee-jerk mock-offended responses, but actually thoughtful, fair reflections, whatever side they fall on.

I’m admittedly very uncomfortable with the idea of abortion, but I’m also not for criminalizing a girl who might seek one, nor the physician that provides it. I’m also curious to know why, if it’s “murder,” plain and simple, why do women who were raped get to have one? That child is no less innocent than one resulting from a consensual one-night-stand. I actually admired Sarah Palin for remaining firm on that point.

Speaking of the Palins, however, let’s get real, and prevent abortions as much as possible with education and information to teens about birth control, because “abstinence education” and “virgin pledges” ain’t working.

Thanks, Joan, for calling BS on the good ol’ boys’ club. That takes guts!

Linda loo from st. lou,

the old battle cry of the pro-aborts was….if you don’t like abortion, don’t have one… I merely took that obscene extreme to the ultimate extreme. How you garnered anti-semitism from that eludes even me.

Linda-St.Louis,

Your tolerance of my viewpoint is gratifying. Thank you for affirming my right to choose life.

I must say, though, I am puzzled by your effort to equate my compassion for the life of another with self-centeredness.

You are correct that it is not my right to exercise moral authority over another human being. But certainly it is society’s right to determine what moral truths will be converted to law. You and I would agree that the young Coleman boys should not have been strangled. Yet would you be fully supportive of the viewpoint of anyone arguing that those killings should be legal?

I suspect you would draw a line and be intolerant of many things, including a child’s murder. My beliefs do not permit tolerance for killing a child in the womb. That doesn’t make me more selfish than you. And it certainly doesn’t make me more selfish than one making a choice of convenience.

I retired from the state department but at one time had to travel to Jefferson City on a regular basis. It was easy to predict which department would receive the highest funding from “the boys” by assessing whom was seeing whom. Yes, they were married. And yes, many of the guys were in the most powerful positions.

Even though you may not agree with her stance on pro-life, good for Joan to blast the ethical culture of the capitol.

Show of hands…how many who want abortion to be illegal are married…and visa versa.

Me: unmarried; Keep it legal.

Good for you Bray. Way to have the guts and stand up for CHOICE. As a society, once we have figured out how to care for all the unwanted/abused children up for adoption and in foster care, they you all can start worring about bringing along more unwanted children.

Or you can all just start having sex with only your spouse and ONLY to procreate.

Though I am against abortion, the wife/girlfriend comment was funny - and probably pretty accurate.

I don’t doubt that some men are pro-life with their wives and pro-choice with their girlfriends. I do doubt that those girlfriends are victims. While they certainly have to pay the price for an unwanted pregnancy, the woman is more often than not a willing participant in the act of conception. Also, it appears that Joan is suggesting that women don’t want to be pregnant,

“No man in this body will ever have an unwanted pregnancy.

But, mark my word, your daughters, your wives, your sisters, your granddaughters, your nieces will.”

In my experience, that is true in some but not all cases.

Bray is playing up the “us against them” angle to gain support for her position. She is compensated for that position by wealthy contributors. Bray is not a hero. She is a well-paid spokesperson.

Polly1: I garnered your anti-semitism from your own quote, which I “quoted”. Your quote reads, “Don’t like Jews being incinerated, don’t be one!”.

Even though it’s easier to label people in a hateful manner to support your cause, you don’t have to be “pro-abortion” to be “pro-choice”. There is a difference, even if you and all the other pro-life supporters don’t want to admit it.

I would consider you “pro-life”. I don’t try to be insulting or hateful by coming up with names like “pro-rapist” or “pro-child molestor” for those who don’t care about the victim, forcing a woman to be reduced to nothing but a uterus for 9-months of incubation against her will.

I think my earlier comments were misinterpreted so I am going to try to straighten out the misunderstanding. I am pro-life, but a lot of what I see in fellow pro-lifers I don’t like or agree with. My pro-life stance is not just anti-abortion but also anti-war. I honestly think the reason a lot of pro-life people have no problem with sending a boy/man to war to get killed is because war doesn’t involve a sex act. If it’s a sin to kill before the child is born, murder by war is too. If it’s a sin to kill a child whose face you ahven’t even seen, why nto a sin to kill that same child 20 years later after you ahve raised and nurtured and loved the child you gave a life? Only to support a bureaucracy in taking that life away?

Also, I am all for prevention in order to avoid the issue of abortion completely. As much prevention as possible. What happens to unwanted children is sickening.

The pro-life people personally known to me have made what I consider very insensitive comments about “if you want to play you ahve to be prepared to pay” that sort of thing. That’s why I think their pro-life, anti-abortion stance is connected to guilt feelings about sex, isntead of being truly pro-life all the way down the line. It’s inconsistent, and the pro-life people I personally know not only have no interest in adopting unwanted children, they joke about it.

So I hope this clarifies what I said earlier, and I still thinkt he pro-life community is hypocritical and inconsistent in many ways, and they need to get their act together.

Kudos to Joan Bray for speaking out on behalf of Missouri’s women!

Way to go Joan!, It’s my body and I’m tired of the MEN determining what I can and can’t do with my body for the convenience of them.

Bray is a loser!

tedhose: I was not speaking to you directly in my position on self-centeredness, I was responding to a post by Carol. Nor, honestly, do I believe all pro-life supporters are bad people with bad intentions.

It is an unpleasant position to be pro-choice, but I am. In the end, I believe that is what the argument comes down to, when do you believe a child exists and what you’re comfortable with. Each side has it’s own “reports”. I am not a scientist, nor am I a higher-moral authority than the next person; therefore, I am not the one to judge. If one believes in God (or any other higher authority), then a woman who has an abortion shall answer to him/her.

Yes, society determines our laws. Making abortion legal came about after many, many women had to die rather than carry an unwanted pregnancy. People forget those who supported making it legal were often the families of women who died desperately trying to end their pregnancies. At that time, society said, wait, our Mothers, Sisters, Aunts, Friends, etc. shouldn’t be dying from back-alley abortions. Who doesn’t still feel that way. Women should be forced to die instead of terminating their pregnancies? What’s pro-life about that stance? Only babies have value? It’s a horrible argument to have to debate. Sometimes there are necessary evils in the world. My belief is let’s all help PREVENT abortions through education and birth control, that way, NO ONE HAS TO DIE!

She is SO right, and most clinic workers who deal with the results of these guys’ hypocritical actions have stories to tell. There was a high-ranking nun (as high as women can rank in that penocentric institution) who used to say…if men could get pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament. Hiding your heads in the sand and getting all self-righteous when a truth is mentioned does not help anyone. Perhaps YOU yourself are not the unproud parent of an upcoming child that you do not intend to keep, or tell society and your spouse about, but thousands are each year. And as we know, these folks most anti-choice often set up life conditions that only kill infants a little later in life. Most will not adopt. And most walk right by homeless urban kids each day without blinking an eye or helping.

“are you really about reducing the number of abortions, or are you more about getting people to live a moral life? If your priorities are really with reducing abortions, help us fund the things that work.”

pneuma - thank you for so eloquently raising the REAL question behind this issue. If all of these so-called Christian Republicans REALLY wanted to reduce unwanted pregnancies, they would be open to a more comprehensive and (yes) empathetic solution. People are going to have sex - it is a biological need. So why not equip them with all the necessary tools, including the option of abstinence, to deal with it responsibly?

If you’re not open to that, your motive truly is more about judging people than preserving and respecting life.

Mona-lisa

I hope that you don’t get your opinion of other pro-lifers based on internet posts. Like it or not, internet posts on all subjects are reckless, cruel, insensitive and often unsubstantiated. The pro-life families I know (8) account for 11 adopted children among 5 of the 8 families. The remaining 3 families are younger, and may still adopt. Many volunteer and or donate to women/children’s shelters such as “Our Lady’s Inn”.

That being said I don’t think pro-lifers should back away from stating facts about human development and the real consequences of abortion. We should never however condemn or insult a person who has been involved in abortion, instead we should have compassion for them. They are usually having it do to pressure from others, including those who argue convenience and life style over the life of the unborn baby.

“Forced to give birth”, “don’t have the right to make decisions regarding their body and reproductive rights”, “…… through sex education, contraception…….”. Bray, you must be kidding. Never in my 65 years has there been so much information out there about how not to get pregnant, multiple otc choices for birth control not to mention Rx for birth control, tubaligations and how about abstinence for teenagers? Education and birth control methods are everywhere one looks and reads. The percentage of births to unmarried women was reported today to be 40%.
So much for all the new birth control measures & education. Women can be in control of their bodies. But the baby that’s aborted has no control or vote over it’s body. It isn’t the woman’s body being discussed. It’s the body of the child she is carrying.
And if you want an abortion, they aren’t hard to find or get. I don’t know where you live, Bray, but in the St. Louis Metropolitan area, it’s an easy thing to have. What do you mean, “all the restrictions and barriers” ? What steps, exactly, “would in fact reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies?” That’s a might strong statement. What is it that isn’t already available?
Just for the record, I don’t want abortion to be illegal, because it would create a terrible back-alley, deadly environment for women who make this decision. However, I am so sick of listening to women shreik about it being their “right” to have control of their body. First, you DO have control of your body. If you don’t who does? Second, try to control that reproductive gift that so many would love to have and don’t. It’s a miracle to reproduce. So, try to remember a life, tiny as it is, will be snuffed out. Stop the propaganda about it not being a “life” or a “human baby”. Yes, it is. Let’s at least accept the honesty of the act; of the choice.

So all of you against abortion…how many children have you adopted?

Or is that not your problem to make sure the kid has a good life…just the fact that it’s born…

How about helping a mother with her bills (you know, when they can’t afford them) through their pregnancy. How about a fund maybe, or an agency that helps them get through it…when you’re young it’s scary to have a kid alone…but not nearly as much if you’re married.

Then you can happily say you helped prevent an abortion (ie, you know, innocent kid being sent to hell).

The state needs an enema! It should be a great place-but its being clogged by right wing, small town extremists who care more about stem cells than about the hard working people of both parties who are facing disaster.

We’ve got water, are a transportation hub and there are great reasons to live here-but why do virtually all our smart kids leave town-Why would you want to open a new business here?

This is a state where the legislature believes that life begins at conception and ends at birth.

And I’ve got a good idea for all the legislators who are outraged at Senator Bray-Go to the floor of your chamber and state that you have never cheated on your spouse while you were in session-and challenge her to do the same-A good idea would be to have the leader of the Republican Party Senator Kit Bond go to the stairs of the capital building and throw down the guantlet. His moral example would be a guiding light to all of the conservatives in the state.

Pray and/or go to church 24 hours a day if you like. That’s your right. But it’s my right to keep your religion out of my government.

You go, girl!

I am SICK of Joan Bray… I am SICK of the lot of you who (would) murder unborn children… I am SICK that so many women can’t keep their legs closed OR pop a pill before they get it on… I am SICK that so many of you cry the rape “if” when it only counts for less than one percent of unintended pregnancies… I am SICK of the selfishness of this present society… I am SICK that you are killing off so many of our children that we fill too many jobs with illegal immigrants. I am SICK that you would kill an unborn baby but fight to the death to save any animal… I am SICK of liberal politics and the socialism that Obama is trying to engulf our country in… to include the murderous streak on our future generations.

You’re a sick puppy tess, get some help…it’s not the end of the world…G-d is in control.

From here afar, it sounds like Mr. Goodman was grandstanding. It’s a fine tradition, but shouldn’t be taken seriously. I don’t find anything she said so offensive. There are different viewpoints as to when human life begins. Get a grip, folks. And Tess, take some medicine.

Hydra: In 2005 I worked near downtown with a young woman, whose father also worked where we did. She was 22, living with her parents because she’d gotten pregnant at 17 and couldn’t support herself and the child. Baby’s Daddy was “out-of-the-picture”, didn’t want to be a dad at 17. She was having sex with condoms (usually) but too AFRAID to get onto birth control because she could NOT get it at her local phamacy in Eureka, MO.

She was 100% convinced the phamacist would tell her parents. I told her that was against the law, but she said the majority of the pharmacy workers went to church with her parents and had “told on her” when she bought her EPT test there.

I gave her the information of a clinic off Highway 55 where she could go. She had the prescription filled at a Schnucks pharmacy in the city and kept them hidden in her desk at work and only put them in her purse on the weekends. She was a 22-year old woman with a child with no information and kept in line with fear! Don’t say that everyone has all the information they need - they don’t - and it’s a ridiculous shame, especially in this day and age!

Amen, Senator Bray!

Pro-life means forcing other people’s daughters to have children.

Wait till it happens to you or your family and then see how the situation changes.

Crystal… You obviously missed the ‘play on’ Joan being “sick” of so many things. You dare call ME names? You are so mature, darling. I am the mother of five natural born children, and adoptive mom to three who are loved like my own blood. What do you know about life to weigh in on this topic where you are afraid to even spell out GOD?!? YOU are the sick puppy. Get a life, dear.

Norm Pressman, I’d vote for you! How anybody thinks it’s healthy for our state to be run by these backwards, holier-than-thou yahoos is beyond me. No wonder the creative class is fleeing to other places.

Choose not to engage in the activity that causes pregnancy.
If coerced unlawfully, make use of the law.
Otherwise, take full responsibility for your having consented to sex. Either women are strong enough to make responsible choices for themselves without blaming men and destroying unborn life, or they are helpless little girls who should submit to men’s decisions made for them.
Choose.

To whm: I was talking about people personally known to me.

Tess, dear. I can’t speak for Crystal, but for Jews it is considered wrong to spell out the name of God. It is a sign of respect and reverence. There’s a whole world outside of Christianity, you know.

Tess: You speak of yourself like you’re a “saint”, so while you sit on your throne, cloaked in your “saintliness”, obviously living off someone else’s hard work and income while you stay at home and raise your 8 kids, sitting in judgement of all those people you look down on (and gee, there are just so many), remember, when you’re pointing that finger at everyone else, there are three pointing back at you. You do not represent me or my God, so while you’re spewing on and on about how much “sick” everyone else makes you, remember, I’m sure plenty of people feel the same way about “holier-than-though Tess”.

I love how all those pro-choicers out there have never been on the receiving end of an abortion. But I guess dead men tell no tales. I love also how being pro-life is equated with being anti-woman. Nice marketing strategy but very little truth in reality.

Thanks and bravo, Kerry. It could not have been stated better or more succinctly. (It’s a cinch you’re not “John” Kerry. . .:))

You’re right, Kerry. It’s that cut and dry. No emotional issues involved. No complications. Either the robots open their legs or they keep them closed.

Joan Bray is the typical modern liberal, creating “reproductive rights” that don’t exist and erecting straw men to shoulder blame for supposed outrages committed against women by their husbands, fathers, brothers and nephews. All that rage, and yet none for the evil perpetrated against children in the womb.

In the liberal mind, all pregnancies are unwanted and forced on women, who have no say in the matter and thus no responsibility. Babies become “fetuses”, abortionists become “healthcare providers”, and women beome “victims” of yet another social stigma called motherhood. All men are rapists, all women are powerless, and the killing of innocents becomes the inviolable sacrament of the modern liberal movement.

How about a new title for Ms Bray–Joan Bray (D-Death)? It seems fitting.

Choose not to engage in the activity that causes pregnancy. What about the man not choosing sex? It does take two?
If coerced unlawfully, make use of the law. “coerced unlawfully” - women call that “RAPE” - what if she’s drugged and doesn’t know her attacker? GHB? Does she still have the right to abort her unwanted pregnancy”
Otherwise, take full responsibility for your having consented to sex. Are you applying that responsibility to the father also? Mentally, physically and financially? What his penalty if he refuses?Either women are strong enough to make responsible choices for themselves without blaming men and destroying unborn life, or they are helpless little girls who should submit to men’s decisions made for them.“helpless little girls who should submit to men’s decisions made for them” - like Elisabeth Fritzl or Ms. Reinhart? Little girls who’s daddy’s repeatedly and for years molested them and forced them repeatedly to bear their offspring?”
Choose. - I choose to never be with a man who thinks like you or your buddy, Joe.

Ah, there it is North County Nan, you’re true colors are showing now. It’s not about saving babies lives, it’s about judging behaviour! It’s all on the women because they can’t keep their legs shut! Laughing, yeah right! The funniest thing, it takes two, a male and a female, to make a baby. Why are women “robots”? The men are what?

Bray delivered the bravest, best speech on the issue i have ever heard. I’m tired of politicians dodging around the issue. I’m tired of wimpy Republicans crying and moaning and leaving the room because their feelings get hurt. I’m proud to live in a country that has unambiguous rights constitutionally and legally for abortion. I’m dismayed Missouri lags further behind than any other state. But Bray’s new strategy will win the day — stop playing word games, state the simple reality. Count me as a male for Bray.

Merc Man,
You lose all credibility if you just make things up like that. Reproductive rights aren’t made up. They are part of our constitutional and legal rights. But maybe you don’t know if you don’t live in the USA. But you can look that up online wherever you live. I didn’t hear Bray mention “husbands, fathers, brothers and nephews.” Huh? Are you implying incest? You say “In the liberal mind, all pregnancies are unwanted and forced on women”. Uh, no. Why make that stuff up? Don’t have anything of substance? You fly off the edge: “All men are rapists”. Look, MercMan, if you want anyone to listen to you, at least don’t make everything up. But i understand that this is all very threatening to you.

Joan just thinks she’s “sick”. The correct term is DISTURBED.

God gave us free will (CHOICE), and the Right to Lifers take it away. I’m sick of Pro-Life believers trying to force their values on everyone else. If you think abortion is wrong, it’s simple, DON’T HAVE ONE. Hooray for Bray for pointing out the obvious.

There is a perfect way for men to be sure that women won’t have abortions of “their babies.” Don’t have sex with any woman that you don’t know for certain will carry any conception to term. It still takes two to tango!

There are thousands and thousands of kids in foster care that need homes!! 5 and 10 year old children, not fetuses!! Where are your bleeding hearts for them? And there would be thousands and thousands more in state’s custody but they can’t find good homes for the ones they already have. State officials are forced to they leave horribly abused kids with their negligent parent(s). Stop fighting for the fetuses!!! There are millions and millions of kids across this planet on the verge of dealth that need a home. Bible thumpers need to leave the church now and then and actually look at the world they live in. Stop trying to create more unwanted kids to be abused and left in the system when we aren’t even close to helping all the ones’ already alive and hurting!!

Thank you, thank you Senator Bray. WELL SAID. Every year we have some old white men in Missouri making laws on things they will never truly understand and that will never affect them, pandering to other old white guys who keep them in office.
Offer money, housing, emotional support, anything you’d like to a woman in a crisis pregnancy but do NOT take away her right to determine what happens in her body. Make laws that allow access to birth control, paid childcare, housing, better foster and adoptive programs, support for abused women and kids aging out of foster care, and other things that keep families intact and from having unplanned pregnancies.
Do not presume to know what a woman in a crisis pregnancy situation endures. Bray is dead on. Keep up the fight, Senator.

I am sorry Zertrat, but please provide the cite in the US constitution that provides a right to abortion. It is not there, non of the writers would have put it there. Row v Wade is legislation from the bench.

Linda-St. Louis: I must say you are right, men should be responsible with their sexuality, too. But as far as your determination to never “be with” a man like (Kerry, don’t know “him” so I’m not really his “buddy”) or me, I do thank God for small favors. . . .

Sadly, Bray is hitting the nail on the head. I have a friend who is a devout Catholic. He has voted Republican forever and is constantly complaining about the liberal agenda and the decline of family values. I came to find out that he had got a girlfriend pregnant about three years ago. Not only did he pay for the abortion, he actually drove her to it. Guess the rules are different when it’s your future at stake.

Republicans are for freedom, less government intrusion, smaller government. Right? Wrong. They want administrators in Washington poking their heads into your doctor’s office. They want to dictate a narrow range of choices. They want there to be plenty of unplanned babies so we can raise them as a society, right? Money for the poor, education, social services, health care? Right? Republicans are not the party of the Right, they’re the party of the Wrong.

Please, Republicans, give us freedom and choice. If you want to impose your religion on us, or put your government fingers in our bodies, then feel free to move to a religious government more hospitable to your views, like Iraq.

To pro-choicers:

You’re mother chose life.

I wish I could slap them up the head for not aborting the lot of you.

I’m pro-choice if it aborts a fetus who will grow up to be pro-choice.

Pro-choice is the most illogical stance anyone living could ever have.

The intelligence gene pool among humanity is watered down enough.

Whm,
You may believe RvW is legislation from the bench. That is your opinion. But if you read the constituion, you’ll find out how the Supreme Court works. Bad luck for you that the Supreme Court has spoken. I don’t agree with all opinions of the court, but I follow them unless i can change them through the available American processes. Its one thing to try to change things, its another to deny the reality. Your opinion is not constitutional reality.

Let us all pray for Senator Bray, others in Jefferson City, our President, and others in government around the US and the globe, so that they may come to understand that all life is sacred. As Bishop Hermann wrote in January, let us pray for their understanding, conversion on abortion, and repentence.

(from http://stlouisreview.com/article/2009-01-22/bishop-hermann-i-thought-you-should-know146)

“If at this stage our anger is directed at President Obama, [or Sen. Bray] our anger is misdirected. Obama [or Sen. Bray] is not the enemy. He [She]needs and deserves our prayers, not out condemnation.”

…

“We owe all of them prayers and fasting for their conversion. At one point, Gov. Reagan was California’s very pro-abortion governor. Yet he became a very pro-life president. He repented and regretted the evil he supported.

We must bravely witness against supporting pro-choice and pro-abortion candidates in political elections, but pray daily for their conversion.”

Amen.

paperlion,
That pretty much sums it up. You folks are not really pro-life. You are selfish people who want everyone to be like you. Otherwise, abort them. Great. And thanks for the fine post.

Bray is only part right. Sex education and family planning are extremely important in today’s over populated planet.Prevention of pregnancy is needed especially since you cant even slow down the ammount kids having sex…its like a runaway train with no thought of resposibility by either sex. Grandparents end up taking care of the lucky ones. The rest end up in the crematorium or a landfill…but those are separate bodies. We now allow women to decide who lives or dies…it’s not her body, it’s her childs. So we kill her unborn baby upon her demand because a condom is too inconvienient for her and her current boy to use. So welcome to socialist heaven according to the democrats….next thing you know we’ll be releasing murderers rapists and terrorists….stay tuned you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet

And Joe, I’m thankful for the CHOICE not to be with you as well. I’m not a “helpless little girl” who should just shut up and “take the decisions made for me by men”. I thank God for the brain he gave me and the ability to use it. I have no desire to be with a grown man who wants to be with a “helpless little girl” anyway.

My mother may have CHOSEN life for me, but then again, that was back when her only other option was death in a back alley. Maybe I wouldn’t be here today, only she can say. After everything I’ve lived and learned, I still believe it should have been her choice.

As I do not consider myself above everyone else and suffering from a belief that I know what’s better for everyone else or that my morals are higher than other peoples, I’ll leave “choice” to each individual. They can argue their position with a true higher authority, God, if it comes to that. They don’t owe me or anyone else an explanation here on Earth. Goodnight to all.

When does the “unborn baby” become a human being? At conception? That is a clearly a religious point of view. At that point it is a cell, then a cluster of cells. It is like cells everywhere. No brain, no nothing. Saying this early cell cluster is a human being with a soul is purely religious (and that’s fine, world religions have all sorts of odd views). You can admire the religious viewpoint, but the problem is this: we are a nation built on separation of church and state. That is the most important thing that makes us great. Why should people who don’t believe an assemblage of cells is human follow the rules written by those who do?

As a married male, I am offended by what Sen. Bray has said that “men are pro-life for their wives and pro-choice for their girlfriends.” to me this says that all married men are cheaters and have girlfriends on the side and need to hide those relationships by encouraging them to get abortions if they get pregnant. As a committed married man, that comment would upset me too.

As for abortion, I am completely against abortion being used as a form of birth control. There are so many other ways to prevent a pregnancy that are much, much safer, a lot less costly to everyone, and much easier to obtain, including abstinence. Until we start making wise decisions before we engage in acts that could lead to anything “unwanted” we cannot legitimally discuss how to deal with the “unwanted” outcomes. In other words solve a problem before it happens and it is no longer a problem.

Politically, stop focusing so much on social issues the government has no business being involved in like abortion, and lets deal with problems that affect everyone like lowing taxes, cutting national debt and saving social security.

There is Joan Bray, embarrassing her district, the state and all women again. How can she presume that everyone is disfunctional and can’t keep from having sex with everyone they see? I, or one, am sick of years of her ranting about safe abortions, diminishing my dignity as a mother since I was coerced to have children. Thank God for term limits

Joan Bray - Standing up for our american right to have a choice! I am proud to have a senator that will fight for our freedom!

Finally someone stands up! Thank you Senator Bray for speaking for the numerous tax-paying, well-educated, capable women who are treated as children by our legislature and culture! I guarantee if men were the ones who had to cope with unplanned, unwanted or potentially life-threatening pregnancies, our access in this state to contraception, the Morning After pill and other resources would not even be at issue. It’s about time someone has the guts to embrace that Missouri virtue of telling it like it is. Brava!

Abortion is a source of power for the unattractive and undesirable of the world.

Bray is right; Conservative men are always against abortion until it is their mistress that gets knocked up; or their teenage daughter; or their superstar son’s girlfriend; or the baby is diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome or MSD.

I grew up Catholic in West Co., and anyone who thinks that conservative women don’t use birth control and conservative guys don’t get abortions for the girlfriends is completely full of CR#P!!

Plain and simple Joan Bray does not value innocent human life. She wants women to have the power to terminate the lives of innocent children growing inside of them. And, she does not believe women or men should have the right to keep & bear arms to protect their own lives. So how is that arguement coming along about abortion being for the quality of a woman’s life? Seems women were better off before Roe vs. Wade made it so much easier for men to abandon the responsibility of the seeds they have sown.

Well said Joan Bray - Well Said.

I’m tired of “small government”, “anti-regulation”, and “freedom loving” republicans increasing government, passing regulations and spending tax money all to take the rights of other people.

Just change one word here and there…

“I am sick of the disrespect for women who come to the Capitol defending a woman’s legal right to choose life.”

“I’m sick of babies being aborted.”

“I’m sick of unborn babies being treated like they are so insignificant that they can’t make their own decisions regarding their bodies.”

Senator Bray stands as a perfect example of human arrogance…that if you were lucky enough to be born (a decision made without your input)…you should be legally allowed to kill someone else without consequence.

Paperlion,

Yes my mother chose life when she had me, since she was not raising children alone or in dire poverty. She chose life with my younger sister too, even though it was an accident. Luckily she didn’t get pregnant after having blood clots at age 33. If she did, her “Choice” would have been to have an abortion or likely die giving birth. The Catholic Bishops and Redneck Preachers who control MO state politics would deny that choice, and just let her die and leave four children without a mother.

Life is NOT a Bumper Sticker!

Ok, You know what I’m sick of Ms. Bray?

I’m sick of the Feminists saying they’re pro-choice but then being the first to step up and demand the draconian punishments for fathers behind on child support. They say women should have reproductive rights but then even 14 year old boys that are raped after being drugged are forced to pay child support TO THEIR RAPISTS because of women like Bray.

I’m sick of the Feminists saying they want equal rights but then having a hissy fit because boys want the same rights girls have

I’m sick of Feminists that get their panties in a bunch if a man even slightly appears to not give women full respect (or equal respect) they call him sexist - but then they turn around and dish it out many times worse

No Ms. Bray, it’s not a husband/girlfriend issue. It’s a father issue. If a man is a real father - a good person - he will fight for his child-unborn or not.

Now.. if i were to say women are prolife when they have a man to take care of them and pro-choice when they have to do it on their own, would you be upset?

Make up your minds - do you want to have equal rights or not? If you’re pro-choice, then allow the men the same choice. If not, then you’re just sexist and then don’t ever complain about the sexist men doing it to you. Most of those men are just ignorant, you’re vindictive. That’s worse.

Senator Bray is right on. If you are one of those of you who believe abortion is “wrong” for whatever reason, then DON’T GET ONE. You have no right to force your moral or religious beliefs on others. I absolutely believe her remarks to the male members of the legislature regarding the double-standards for wives and girlfriends were right on.. how many of them helped conceive a pregnancy that was later terminated? What hypocrites.

I would have so much more respect for the so-called “pro-lifers” if they were working hard to provide no-cost room, board and free medical care for expectant mothers who were willing to go ahead with their pregnancies and give their children up for adoption. But most every “pro-lifer” I’ve ever encountered wants to scream about how morally wrong it is and picket outside women’s health clinics.

“Let’s get real. If you really want to reduce the number of abortions, make the pill free and give it to every girl over 12 without parent consent. The number of abortions would drop in half or more. Instantly.”

Really? You want 13 year old girls (or boys, we don’t want to be sexist) to be able to put things into their bodies without parental consent? Does this sound like a good idea? If so, let’s not stop there. Let’s give kids that are sad free access to Prozac, parents need not know. While we’re at it, many people drown their sorrows in a drink, let’s have a kiddie happy hour, again without Mom or Dad’s knowledge. For that matter, let’s just let kids do whatever they want, regardless of consequence, because we don’t want life to seem difficult or uncomfortable for them.

Before all the feminists attack me, here’s my stance: I am reluctantly pro-choice, but only because I don’t think the government has any business regulating what an adult does with their body. The key there is ADULT! I personally believe that abortion is reprehensible, but I believe that the individual is accountable for their choices in life to God (or Allah, or Yahweh, or whatever higher being they happen to believe or not believe in).

I also agree that the choice is not solely for the mother to make. If I cheated on my wife (I don’t) with my girlfriend (that I don’t have) and conceived a baby (by way of the union of sperm AND egg), shouldn’t I have a choice as to the matter as well? Won’t our laws hold me accountable and responsible for the life that was created? It is not a man’s choice, or a woman’s choice, it is a couple’s choice. (Yes, I know, some pregnancies are conceived out of rape or incest, but I have no choice but to believe that this is not the majority.)

Hey Mediagirl,
So I’m assuming that you supported the southern farmer’s right to have slaves? I mean really, what business did the north have telling the south they shouldn’t enslave the black population? If they didn’t want slaves they didn’t need to have any and the South didn’t view the black people as fully human so really it wasn’t that bad.

Then again, did you know the first child abuse cases were covered under the prevention of cruelty to animals? I guess you’d be the one saying if you don’t want to beat your child, then don’t.

Not only that, if you actually look at Roe v Wade, it says until the fetus is viable, but then you have people like Obama voting to let 9 month fetuses, born alive -thus now actual babies -die on the table.

(and then say it’s for equal rights - for all of the men that can take up to nine months to walk away from an unwanted pregnancy)

Zertrat

You still didn’t show my where it is stated as right in the constitution. You have two posts that claims it as such. You know it is not in there. R v W is a very loose argument trying to use the right to expand the right to privacy to cover abortion. Something this important should be decided by the voters not hand picked judges. Judges should not be picked for political purposes.

I love, LOVE how nearly all the nasty comments or “stupid liberals”, “evil abortion suporters” blah blah blah are all dudes, completely justifying Senator Bray’s impassioned outburst. Until men grow a uterus they will never understand unwanted childbirth is mostly a problem for the women. And hey, for all those commentaries regarding the best way for women to not get pregnant (don’t have sex), talk to the guys about the best way THEY can prevent themselves from impregnating their girlfriends (KEEPITINYOURPANTS) and/or (WEARARUBBERDUDE). Such simple ways to avoid this type of debate entirely. Whaddya say?

Joan, You can’t prove, beyond a reasonable doubt “…that men (in Jefferson City) are pro-life for their wives and pro-choice for their girlfriends…” Next you’ll be accusing those men of having a mistress in Jeff City and trying to have sex with the mistress’ teenage daughter.

“It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.” -Mother Teresa

The level of anger is astounding.
One of the many things I love about this country is our freedom of speech, but please stop stooping to name calling. It immediately makes whoever is speaking seem childish.
We all have a right to our own opinions. I am Pro-Choice [meaning I believe others have the right to chose for themselves], but I do believe my choice is MY CHOICE.
For seven years I have worked with girls and women, who like myself, who have been sexually assaulted or raped. One woman used rather barbaric means to attempt an home-made abortion; she died in the hospital from sepsis resulting from an infection she gave herself in the attempt; the baby survived for 2 days in the NICU, ironically untouched by the attempt, electively removed by the doctors when they realized the mother would not survive.

Three girls and one woman have committed suicide rather than carry the baby to term; our facility does not provide abortions and many of the women are hiding out from their abusers located in other states, so they have no way of getting an abortion.
Some of the young girls did not even know that what was being done to them was a sex act. “Monica” did not know the basic “tab a” goes into “slot b”; she only knew it hurt. When she was seven months along, obviously pregnant, she needed daily reminders that she was going to have a baby. She would repeatedly ask why she was getting fat; someone would tell her she was pregnant, then she would just cry, silently for hours. I was not on duty when they found her body. If we could do it over again, we would have had her monitored 24/7, more counseling sessions.

For me, I know that if I got pregnant by consensual sex, I have had the education on different methods of birth control and access to it; in choosing to have sex I’m also choosing the baby I create. I have no clue what I would do if was raped again; my first assault did not result in a pregnancy.

For those that think that because we now have the most birth control options ever so their should not be unintended pregnancies, realize that not everyone has been educated on those methods, not everyone has access to birth control, and teenagers like Bristol Palin can throw everything you teach them out the window when horny. [I think it is strange that when her mother was running for office she was "engaged" and now that the election is over they aren't even together.]
Even today there are people who don’t know there is a correct and incorrect way of wearing a condom.

I don’t pretend to know the answers, but is there a way we can come up with a solution without attacking one another?

Deepbreath,

That was a very moving and powerful post. Our only hope to reduce the number of abortions in the US down to nil is with education and readily available birth control, including emergency contraceptions. When will we learn that we can’t have it both ways?

It’s funny to me, but no politician will ever really put their money where their mouth is on this issue and advocate criminalizing the young women (of the situations you describe) who might seek abortions. Instead, I have heard it argued that they’d only make it illegal for the provider. Hmmm, if abortion is murder, though, that’s like handcuffing the hitman but letting the guy who hired him to kill get off scott-free.

In a perfect world, I’d be all for making abortion completely illegal, but we don’t live in that world. Women, most of them uneducated and impoverished young girls would be made sick and killed by the back alley abortions they would still seek. Unborn babies would still die, only this time, their mothers with them. Instead of focusing our attention on simply making abortion illegal, shouldn’t we be focusing on, for example, making adoption easier and more viable for qualified parents, shouldn’t we be doing more to support these unwed, often young, poor, and uneducated mothers? Shouldn’t we fight for better pre and postnatal care and education for these women? Or are we just satisfied knowing we stopped them from aborting a fetus…what now? The promise of a life has been preserved, but will it be a quality life? Making it illegal to terminate a preganancy means a baby will result…an unwanted baby that a new young mom may very well not be able to support, feed, properly clothe or care for.

And I’m sick of the conservatives in neo-fascists’ clothing, trying to take over everyone else’s lives. They’re control freaks and bigots, mindless emotional fools stuttering around and crying in fundamentalist churches as they shake around in a fit of madness. And when they’re not crazy-talking, they’re judging people for the same things they do. HYPOCRITES! Trust me, I know. I used to be one of them.

Meanwhile, decent Christians get a bad rap from these goons because now the younger generation is wholesale rejecting Jesus because of them. Polls show the latest generation is the most atheistic that ever has risen, with 40% classifying themselves as non-religious and refusing to attend church. And it’s all because of this kind of political prostitution on the behalf of the fundamentalist churches of America. Great Whore of Babylon, indeed.

deep breath, thank you for your eloquent commentary. Your perspective is one which needs to be heard.

Joan Bray is nothing more than a whiny moron. Women never have extra marital affairs. Yeah right. She’s as sexist as the men she accuses. She’s a former Post Dispatch reporter. Make your own judgement. How she continued to be elected stuns me. Bray’s never been effective, or a leader. She’s just a tin horn.

I dare the Post to report on how many of these fake posts came from the same ISP. This box has more stuffing than a Thanksgiving turkey.

Amen, Sister!

Who is this legislator? God bless her!! I live out of state but would be happy and proud to contribute to her re-election (or, ideally, gubernatorial OR U.S. Senate) campaign.

On behalf of women and girls everywhere, thank you, thank you, thank you for your courage in speaking truth to power.

Excellent! Sen. Bray said what needs to be said!

I’m so pleased Bray and others here think that men should not have a say in this matter.

That means we can throw out Roe V. Wade since it was decided by a Supreme Court of nine men.

It’s not a “decision” about your body, Senator…it is murder.

Just the same it is murder if a drunken MAN shoots you in a robbery and you are pregnant he is charged with 2 counts of murder.

Just the same as if say a MAN who is drunk crashes into your car as you are motoring along to the abortion doctor…he is charged with 2 counts of vehicular homicide.

Women by the shear fact abortion is legal have more rights over human life than any man every could hope to. A woman has the legal right to decide to commit murder on an innocent human life. No self defense, no danger to her…just a selfish decision because she made the poor choice to not use or not make her partner use birth control. A selfish murderous decision because SHE didnt make the CHOICE to have sex unprotected.

Women are allowed to commit free, open and legal murder every day of the week. For the same act a man would get the needles at Petosi.

Senator Bray’s little speech (as transcribed above) is dead-on and amazing. Knowing she’s in Missouri makes me feel safer and sleep better at night!

What a joke, she is the reason for Term Limits. The people in her district have real problems and all Joan has ever done is be a crazy Femi-Nazi.

I am so sick of her and their rest of their crap about “thier body, their choice”. #1 they had a choice, they chose to engage in activity that leads to procreation, and now they need to live with the consequence. #2 next time some gal has a baby and tries to get child support from the baby daddy, why doesn’t he just scream “its your body, its your choice, its your problem”, and we’ll see how that works out for them.

Still BRAYING like a jackass.

Joan Bray is my hero.

Baby Killer

“I think of a man. Then, I take away reason and accountability.”

“Last night, Bray gave an impassioned speech decrying what she called the sexism behind abortion bills year after year. Her strongest line implied that lawmakers were “pro-life” with their wives and “pro-choice” with their girlfriends. No senators responded to the line at the time.”

In your book, Tony M. Objectively speaking, that claptrap definitely ain’t on par with the Gettysburg Address.

Anyone pro-abortion, please answer this question logically.

If your mom had aborted you, where would you be?

Responses are very welcome…

…if you can stick to positing a logical, thought-out, or enlightening answer to the question that is based on documented scientific research.

If you can’t cite any of that, your opinion will have to do.

Thank you Bray, for telling it like it is and standing up for the women of this state.

It is always astonishing to me that some people have not yet learned that it is impossible to control other people’s actions and decisions. And Bray is right, in trying to control this aspect of a woman’s life, great disrespect and distrust is shown. They may as well just tell us to stay in the kitchen while they’re at it, of course, when we’re not in church!

yay Senator Bray So, so true.

Charles Hendrickson: you’d be one of those men she’s talking about, right? How about you get out of women’s lives? We will thank you to keep your nose in your own business.

The amazing thing is how many of the women here are so selfish. They don’t have morals, but simply situations

There are three entities involved here

If they want a baby, it’s a baby. If they don’t, then it’s not - and it changes moment to moment.

If they want support (emotional or monetary) then the fathers are very important. If they can’t get it then fathers don’t matter

Here’s a hint- if you were truly moral, the beliefs wouldn’t change based on how convenient it is for you. Instead, it’s simply selfish