Wanna Fight Back Against the War on Women?

[yallerdawg]

The application of a law which targets and can only target just women harkens back to the worst failings of equal protection under the law which was addressed in the 14th Amendment.

Trust Alabama to step on that amendment!

Thousands support online petition against Alabama chemical endangerment law

Source: al.com, by Amy Yurkanin

An investigative report by Al.com and ProPublica, a non-profit investigative journalism organization, has inspired the creation of an online petition that has received more than 11,000 signatures.

........

Alabama's law against chemical endangerment passed in 2006 as a way to prosecute adults who expose children to harmful chemicals from home-based meth labs.

Soon after, prosecutors began applying the law to women who use drugs during pregnancy. The Alabama Supreme Court upheld the use of the law against pregnant women in 2013 and 2014.

Reporters from Al.com and ProPublica examined thousands of cases of chemical endangerment and identified 479 pregnant women and new mothers prosecuted under the law.

Women have been arrested even when their babies were born healthy. The law does not prevent prosecutors from using it against women with legally prescribed drugs. The drug most likely to trigger prosecution was marijuana, according to the research.

"Alabama's chemical endangerment statute has become less about protecting children from home meth labs, and more about attacking women," according to Kohlmoos' petition.

SIGN ME! PETITION TO STOP ALABAMA"S WAR ON PREGNANT WOMEN!

[niyad]

1. done and done. of course it targets women--the hatred is large with some groups.

[yallerdawg]

2. This is a backdoor for the 'personhood' movement.

This is intrusive government oversight making a woman a second-class citizen at the moment of conception. Her rights and protections are subordinated by perfect strangers just 'cause they can.

Of course, the man has no consequences, just the woman. There is no justice in that, but controlling women has never been about justice...

[niyad]

3. sadly, you are quite correct. all of these insane laws are about controlling women, nothing

less.

[yallerdawg]

4. This is the petition:

"Please sign this petition to demand that the Alabama Legislature amend the statute so that it cannot be used to unfairly prosecute pregnant women and new mothers."

Since 2006, Alabama courts have prosecuted 479 women under its chemical endangerment statute. That includes Casey Shehi who took a valium during a tough pregnancy to help her sleep, and whose son was born healthy. And Hanna Ballenger who was prescribed methadone by her doctor to manage chronic pain due to a head injury. Her son was also healthy.

Alabama's chemical endangerment statute has become less about protecting children from meth labs set up in the home, and more about attacking pregnant women. Please amend the statute so that it cannot be used to prosecute pregnant women.