Miscarriage criminal offense in TN.

[ThinkAnarchy]

I can understand laws that would charge someone with the murder of the child if it dies because you attacked the mother, but this is a bit ridiculous, especially given Roe v. Wade.

Granted, most of the article is speculation about what the broad language of the bill could eventually apply to.

http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/tennessee-miscarriage-about-to-be-murder-after-legislature-passes-bill/politics/2012/04/24/38401

To be clear, this bill goes further than covering, say, a violent attacker harming an expectant mother who then, unfortunately, miscarries. This bill, House Bill 3517 and the Senate's companion, makes anyone's actions that presumably cause a miscarriage murder. Opponents of the bill question how law enforcement would actually enforce this law or determine if someone's action was a direct cause of a miscarriage.

In the House, Rep. Mike Stewart, D-Nashville, the law could now could lead to a business owner who allows smoking being charged when an employee miscarries because of secondhand smoke or charges against a motorist who causes a careless minor accident that resulted a miscarriage.

How exactly do you prove that a miscarriage happened as a result of a crime? Or that she wasn't just late? Or miscarrying on her own?

With so many potential issues to enforcing the legislation if it becomes law, it's hard to see this as anything but a bill meant to validate the idea of a fertilized egg as a person.

[Ali]

I'm picturing a world in which every miscarriage involves a criminal investigation.  'Cause that's totally what a woman who has had a miscarriage wants/needs.   

[Sweetdeath]

Ugh, no.
Miscarriage is not murder.
This is shit. More and more US states are making ass backwards laws. i sense the dark ages are near.

I'll be in Canada hopefully before it all comes crashing down.

[ThinkAnarchy]

The governor may not sign off on it, so there may still be hope for TN. 

[fester30]

Keep in mind this is the same state where, in 1925, it was against the law to teach evolution in public schools, yet the textbooks approved by the state for teaching science included a section on evolution.  This led to the Scopes Monkey Trial.

This is also the state where, in Memphis, there is an old law still on the books that says a woman cannot drive a car unless a man walks or runs in front of the car waving a red flag to warn others.  Not enforced, but also not repealed.

[Sweetdeath]

Keep in mind this is the same state where, in 1925, it was against the law to teach evolution in public schools, yet the textbooks approved by the state for teaching science included a section on evolution.  This led to the Scopes Monkey Trial.

This is also the state where, in Memphis, there is an old law still on the books that says a woman cannot drive a car unless a man walks or runs in front of the car waving a red flag to warn others.  Not enforced, but also not repealed.

Ahh! At my first atheist meeting,,we discussed the Scopes trial. I couldnt believe the ignorance of people in TN. I just shook my head and face palmed so much. It's like "are there only like 5 or 6 good states in this entire country?" Seriously.

[Ali]

This is also the state where, in Memphis, there is an old law still on the books that says a woman cannot drive a car unless a man walks or runs in front of the car waving a red flag to warn others.  Not enforced, but also not repealed.

Does it make me a bad woman/feminist/humanist that this made me laugh? 

[Tank]

This is also the state where, in Memphis, there is an old law still on the books that says a woman cannot drive a car unless a man walks or runs in front of the car waving a red flag to warn others.  Not enforced, but also not repealed.

Does it make me a bad woman/feminist/humanist that this made me laugh? 

No. Just a person with a sense of humour 

[Unlinked]

This is the sort of thing that dishonest people will exploit to ruin the lives of honest people. I can see it now--some woman strapped for cash blames her miscarriage on someone who looks just guilty enough to be blamable and somehow wins the hearts of the willingly uninformed.

Keep in mind this is the same state where, in 1925, it was against the law to teach evolution in public schools, yet the textbooks approved by the state for teaching science included a section on evolution.  This led to the Scopes Monkey Trial.

Ugh. Scopes. My US History class debated over that one time and I was the only one defending keeping religion out of science class. So don't worry, IN is slightly screwy, too.

This is also the state where, in Memphis, there is an old law still on the books that says a woman cannot drive a car unless a man walks or runs in front of the car waving a red flag to warn others.  Not enforced, but also not repealed.

That... would actually help tremendously when I back out of parking lots. I need eyes on stalks like a snail's. Or an Andalite's. OTL

[Firebird]

I wonder what would happen if they actually tried to prosecute someone for this? Sure, this sounds like music to the ears of these religious wackos, but what happens when their wife/daughter/family member, etc has a miscarriage and they arrest them? I imagine, or at least hope, the outcry would be fierce. I also hope we'll never have to find out.

[ladyblackwell]

My aunt suffered through six miscarriages. I can't imagine the hell she would have gone through had this type of law been around during that time. Politicians need more impulse control.

[Tank]

My aunt suffered through six miscarriages. I can't imagine the hell she would have gone through had this type of law been around during that time. Politicians need more impulse control.

Agreed. This 'law' is one of the most stupid things I have ever seen in my life!

[DeterminedJuliet]

This is also the state where, in Memphis, there is an old law still on the books that says a woman cannot drive a car unless a man walks or runs in front of the car waving a red flag to warn others.  Not enforced, but also not repealed.

Does it make me a bad woman/feminist/humanist that this made me laugh? 

Hahaha, if it does, that makes two of us!

"WARNING! WOMAN DRIVING! ALERT! ALERT!"

[ladyblackwell]

This is also the state where, in Memphis, there is an old law still on the books that says a woman cannot drive a car unless a man walks or runs in front of the car waving a red flag to warn others.  Not enforced, but also not repealed.

Does it make me a bad woman/feminist/humanist that this made me laugh? 

Hahaha, if it does, that makes two of us!

"WARNING! WOMAN DRIVING! ALERT! ALERT!"

This made me laugh so hard that it made my day.