Sen. Joan Bray angers male senators with comments on abortion bill
Bray
JEFFERSON CITY — The fallout from the Senate compromise on the abortion bill grew exponentially this morning.
Sen. Jack Goodman, R-Mt. Vernon, chastised Sen. Joan Bray, D-University City, on the floor of the Senate this morning for her comments last night criticizing the “men” who control the abortion debate for disrespecting women. (More on that in a bit).
And the compromise that senators worked so hard at might have gone up in smoke. Anti-abortion lobbyists told key House members this morning that they oppose the compromise because they believe it undoes hard-fought for regulations in the informed consent law passed in 2003.
According to anti-abortion activist Sam Lee, the bill that came out of the Senate opens up the possibility that the existing informed consent laws would be put on hold during a possible legal challenge of the new law. That’s because of a provision that gives the Columbia Planned Parenthood clinic a 3-year pass on following the new law. Theoretically, Lee says, Planned Parenthood could sue over most of the law, but not that section. During the several years a court case might take, the 2003 provisions might not be enforceable, he said.
Lee sent a letter to House speaker pro tem Bryan Pratt this morning urging him to oppose the new abortion bill. The House could send it’s older version to the Senate, or it could seek a conference where compromise could be reached.
As for Goodman and Bray, their testy exchange this morning led Majority Floor Leader Kevin Engler to walk out at one point.
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.
But this morning Goodman called Bray’s remarks “highly offensive” and “slanderous.”
Goodman said Bray had insulted “decent, committed families” and Senate spouses who shoulder the job of being a single parent during the week when the Legislature is in session.
Bray responded that she was talking about the ethical culture of the Capitol.
“I did not say this chamber specifically. I said around here.”
Engler left the chamber during Bray’s remarks. When he returned he said he didn’t want to listen to that “crap.”
Below is the full speech Bray gave last night. Thanks to Bob Watson for the transcript:
“After multiple years on this issue, I’m sick of it. I’m totally sick of it.
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.
I’m sick of women having no options, and being coerced to give birth.
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.
Missouri has the most restrictive abortion laws in the country and, as a result, Missouri’s women are put in danger when they finally do ever get to have an abortion — they’re later and they’re tougher abortions to have because there are so many barriers to Missouri women getting to have a safe and legal abortion.
I am sick of the disrespect for women who come to the Capitol defending a woman’s legal right to choose an abortion.
I am sick that they’re being treated dismissively and rudely.
I’m sick of the ethic around here that men are pro-life for their wives and pro-choice for their girlfriends.
I’m sick of the failure to take steps that would, in fact, reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, through sex education, contraception, family planning and emergency contraception.
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.
And your actions here tonight will disrespect and diminish them.”
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.