celebrate what?, post R v W anecdotes

Today is July 4^th, Independence Day, the day we celebrate the British colonies Declaration Of Independence from England. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

I'm not celebrating today because in my opinion this country is failing the promise made for far over half of its population. Racist white nationalist groups like the Patriot Front openly march in the street carrying flags, wearing their modern day hoods...ball cap, sunglasses, and white cowl covering the lower halves of their faces so that their identities are hidden; one of our two political parties attempted a coup to take over the government from the will of the people; and the far right Supreme Court is taking rights away from women and the LGBTQIA+ community and chiseling away one of the basic concepts of the constitution, the separation of church and state, opening the door to a theocracy. Voter suppression is rampant from the same political party that tried a violent takeover, Congress is corrupted to allow minority rule, and the American obsession with guns and gun violence has made this country a place where we do nothing when our children are massacred in their schools. Police still kill unarmed black men in the streets with impunity most recently executing a man running away by filling him with 60 bullets, white criminals get off with a slap on the hand while POC get incarcerated for the same crime. The Pledge of Allegiance claims liberty and justice for all but in actual practice it's only for white cisgendered christian men. Our republic is in the most danger it's ever been in and there is no guarantee it will survive the next two national elections.

I'm starting to see anecdotes on social media about the effects of the Supreme Court ruling that turned the status of abortion over to the states. These anti-abortion laws don't just affect pregnant women...

1931 law in Michigan outlawing abortion now back in effect and Michigan and Texas pharmacists are now refusing to dispense to women the chemo drugs they need for maintenance of their cancer or illness because it could cause miscarriage and if they miscarry then the pharmacist is facing a felony and if the woman dies, manslaughter. They are making these women file paperwork that says they are not trying to miscarry or get pregnant and then the doctor has to call the pharmacy and convince them the medication is necessary and many are unwilling to do that because if a patient miscarries from the drug then the physician can also be charged with a felony and manslaughter and lose his license.

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Ten year old girl raped and impregnated in Ohio. Ohio would not make an exception and let her get an abortion. Her parents had to take her to Indiana. How cruel are republicans who would force a 10 year old child to carry a pregnancy to term in a body that is far from fully developed, her body too small to accommodate an average size baby, the developing fetus putting pressure on still growing bones. This is how much republicans hate women that they would do this to a 10 year old girl.

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Tweet from an RN...Young mom came into the ER with abdominal pain. Ultrasound showed fetus n large tumor in uterus. Baby likely won’t make it… no one will do surgery to save her life. Even though likely cancer. I’m disgusted.

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Another tweet...I got an automated call from the pharmacy that my refill of methotrexate was denied. It treats my autoimmune disease. It can also be used as an abortifacient drug. I don’t have a uterus but #AbortionBan affect me too.

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A post on FB...I was diagnosed w heart failure @ 32. Doctor told me pregnancy would damage my heart & I would not live long after giving birth, so no children. I never had to face the decision, but thank goodness I had a choice. Forced birth? Can be forced death.

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A tweet...We went to Hayward to get some groceries and a stop at Walgreens because we had left Jess birth control at home. As Jess was checking out, cashier John told her he couldn't sell her the condoms. “Oh, I got them from over there.” “We can but I won't because of my faith.”

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From FB...I am currently 25 weeks pregnant with a baby girl. She is incompatible with life. I found out at 23 weeks that she wasn't going to make it. I knew then what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to terminate. My baby is suffering inside of me, having seizures multiple times a day. I feel every single one. I knew I didn't want her to suffer any longer. I let my doctor know of my choice and he said he would schedule an induction for me. Well.. Friday came along and the overturn of Roe v Wade happened. I thought I would be OK. I thought the law wouldn't go into effect for a while. Sadly, that's not the case. I now have no choice. My doctor called me today and told me I have to remain pregnant until this baby dies inside of me or dies when she's born. What kind of sick country do we live in where we force a mom to feel her baby suffer every single day until her baby dies? It's not fair. I never thought this would happen. Now I'm completely lost and torn and confused.

What kind of sick country indeed. There is no celebrating this.