re: Women who post incessantly online about the importance of abortion access

Because you're objectively wrong when you consider the language of the law.

Below is an exert from the amended Tennessee law. It lists the definition of abortion, as well as saying any medical procedure, even if it's to save the life of the other, is, in fact, an abortion. Prior to my wife's procedure, the medical exemption listed in the second quote did not exist in the law. It was a 100% ban.

quote:

---

SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 15, Part 2, is amended by adding the following as a new section:
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Abortion" means the use of any instrument, medicine, drug, or any other substance or device with intent to terminate the pregnancy of a woman known to be pregnant with intent other than to increase the probability of a live birth, to preserve the life or health of the child after live birth, or to remove a dead fetus;

---

quote:

---

It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under subsection (b), which must be proven by a preponderance of the evidence, that:

(1) The abortion was performed or attempted by a licensed physician;

(2) The physician determined, in the physician's good faith medical judgment, based upon the facts known to the physician at the time, that the abortion was necessary to prevent the death of the pregnant woman or to prevent serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman. No abortion shall be deemed authorized under this subdivision (c)(2) if performed on the basis of a claim or a diagnosis that the woman will engage in conduct that would result in her death or substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function or for any reason relating to her mental health; and

(3) The physician performs or attempts to perform the abortion in the manner which, in the physician's good faith medical judgment, based upon the facts known to the physician at the time, provides the best opportunity for the unborn child to survive, unless in the physician's good faith medical judgment, termination of the pregnancy in that manner would pose a greater risk of the death of the pregnant woman or substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function. No such greater risk shall be deemed to exist if it is based on a claim or diagnosis that the woman will engage in conduct that would result in her death or substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function or for any reason relating to her mental health.

---

Source

By the letter of the law at the time of the event, my wife had an illegal abortion. The fetus, while non-viable, was in fact "alive" when it was removed. TN had no language referring to viability or mother's health. That's why it was such a BFD to get my wife in to surgery that night.

I understand you believing the removal of an ectopic pregnancy is not an abortion. I may agree with you if the law didn't define it as an abortion if the cluster of cells is still "alive." Most of us think of an abortion as elective termination of a viable life. Unfortunately, the TN legislature did not and does not agree with that. They define it as quoted above.