MoCo Pregnancy Center Law Weakened
Some news:
It should be a tip-off when you learn that the place does not have any medical professionals. I would think that someone going in for counseling would want to receive information about the options that are available for her, not just the ones that a particular religion favors.
I see this in the same light as palm reading. It's fine with me if gypsies open palm-reading shops, as long as their sign says "palm reader," and not something like "financial advice." Then, if you want your palm read you know where to go. Same thing, if you are pregnant and don't believe in abortion, then by all means, go to a place that does not even raise the subject. But we have here a problem with people claiming to give "counseling" when in fact they are proselytizing, and there is no way for a potential client to tell the difference.
This is as clearly as the line can be drawn. Do citizens of Montgomery County deserve to receive the benefits of medical science and research, or should they be conned into accepting advice from religious advocates disguised as experts? It would not be necessary to place signs in these places if they were not misrepresenting themselves, unfortunately these "pregnancy centers" prey on young women who are in a crisis situation and don't know what to do. The mandated signs were one way to inform a client about the nature of the product they are about to receive.
Hopefully our County Council will persist in defending this law and re-writing it to meet legal criteria if it fails to hold up in court. It is reasonable to ask a business to present itself accurately in our county, if religious outlets want to package themselves as "pregnancy centers" they have the right to do so, but a woman should know what kind of place she is going to.
A U.S. District Court judge has weakened a law in Montgomery County requiring some pregnancy centers to post information about the care they provide.
In an opinion issued Tuesday, Judge Deborah K. Chasanow found that the county no longer can require anti-abortion pregnancy centers to post signs implying that pregnant women should seek care elsewhere.
The judge upheld the county's right to advise women that the centers do not have licensed medical professionals on staff — at least until a trial on the matter has concluded. No date has been set for the trial. Montgomery must alter pregnancy centers law, judge rules
It should be a tip-off when you learn that the place does not have any medical professionals. I would think that someone going in for counseling would want to receive information about the options that are available for her, not just the ones that a particular religion favors.
I see this in the same light as palm reading. It's fine with me if gypsies open palm-reading shops, as long as their sign says "palm reader," and not something like "financial advice." Then, if you want your palm read you know where to go. Same thing, if you are pregnant and don't believe in abortion, then by all means, go to a place that does not even raise the subject. But we have here a problem with people claiming to give "counseling" when in fact they are proselytizing, and there is no way for a potential client to tell the difference.
The County Council — acting as the Board of Health — passed a law in February 2010 requiring centers that do not provide abortions or do not provide referrals to abortion clinics to post disclaimers visible to those seeking care.
The signs must state the center "does not have a licensed medical professional on staff," and the "Montgomery County Health Officer encourages women who are or may be pregnant to consult with a licensed health care provider."
The council passed the law, saying anti-abortion pregnancy centers were providing inaccurate information to women — a claim critics and the centers deny.
However, Chasanow ruled Tuesday that the county no longer can require the centers to state the health officer's recommendation.
This is as clearly as the line can be drawn. Do citizens of Montgomery County deserve to receive the benefits of medical science and research, or should they be conned into accepting advice from religious advocates disguised as experts? It would not be necessary to place signs in these places if they were not misrepresenting themselves, unfortunately these "pregnancy centers" prey on young women who are in a crisis situation and don't know what to do. The mandated signs were one way to inform a client about the nature of the product they are about to receive.
Hopefully our County Council will persist in defending this law and re-writing it to meet legal criteria if it fails to hold up in court. It is reasonable to ask a business to present itself accurately in our county, if religious outlets want to package themselves as "pregnancy centers" they have the right to do so, but a woman should know what kind of place she is going to.
posted by JimK at 12:22 PM
3 Comments:
ideally, there should be signs in abortion clinics informing the patrons that the medical professionals participating have violated the Hippocratic Oath by harming a human life
this law is the work of the dastardly duo, Dana and Duchy, and it's time to undo the damage
btw, here's some happy news:
"WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon discharged some 250 service members under the soon-to-be-defunct “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in fiscal year 2010, according to numbers released Thursday by a group of gay troops and veterans.
A total of 261 service members, including 11 in the Coast Guard -- which falls under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security -- were tossed out in fiscal 2010, a tally by Servicemembers United found. The group said it based its numbers on internal Defense Department statistics that are not routinely released publicly."
Honesty is the best policy.
It is dishonest to offer medical advice without a licensed medical professional on staff. If your customers ask for medical advice and there is no licensed medical professional on staff, be honest and admit you cannot help them because there is no licensed medical professional on staff. Then refer them to a medical professional who is qualified to give medical advice.
"It is dishonest to offer medical advice without a licensed medical professional on staff. If your customers ask for medical advice and there is no licensed medical professional on staff, be honest and admit you cannot help them because there is no licensed medical professional on staff. Then refer them to a medical professional who is qualified to give medical advice."
this is an oversimplification
it depends what the advice is
much of the type of counseling that goes on involves advice with moral dimensions
what the proponents of this law hope to accomplish is to make sure pregnancy decisions are made in an amoral manner
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