WHAT'S WRONG WITH MISSOURI?

The Freepers have taken over, that's what.

So the Missouri legislature votes to ban state funding of contraceptives for low-income women and to prohibit state-funded programs from referring those women to other programs.

Contraceptives. For women. I guess that includes married women since none of the language is to the contrary. Of course we KNOW that unmarried women should be punished for the sin of having unwedded sex. But this legislation doesn't seem limited to those sluts, it extends to the righteous (but poor, which is a sin in itself to these people) married ladies as well.

The great state of Missouri has decided in its infinite wisdom that we should turn the clock back to pre-Margaret Sanger days and force the same poor women who are derided by conservatives for having children they can't afford that then feed from the public trough to have those children freepers don't think they should have. No no, that's not what they're saying. They're saying those women SHOULDN'T HAVE SEX if they (or their husbands) if they can't afford their own contraceptives or don't make enough money to support the children who would result if they continue to have sex.

No no, that's not it either. They're not even willing to let these women get counseling on "natural" birth control methods. So we're back to the days before the Catholic Church approved (or winked at) the rhythm method.

Are we seeing the real religious-right agenda here, finally exposed? The message I'm getting from recent developments is:

* If you're poor, you must have done something to deserve God's judgment, so you don't count. (Wealth is a sign of His blessing.)

* If you can't afford children, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE SEX, marital or extra-, because sex is only for the purpose of procreation. (If not, we wouldn't oppose the use of contraceptives.)

* If you have sex and a pregnancy results, you're disgusting if you're not married and the sooner you and your little bastard starve to death, the better for the great state of Missouri (and the USA).

* If you have sex and a pregnancy results because you didn't have access to or the moral degradation to use birth control, but you're married, then you have to bear the child no matter what and just tighten the belt. Since the little wifey and mother of eight won't be able to afford to bring in that extra paycheck because it'll be overwhelmed by the costs of child care, we'll end up with more women staying at home and raising their children, which is the way God ordained it and is one of our real goals anyway, getting women back into their place. But don't expect any help with healthcare costs for all those kids. Couldn't you have controlled yourself?

Tags: Missouri, birth control