A recent poll showed that 65% of Washingtonians agreed with the idea of parental notification, suggesting the issue is much more about parental rights than the more divisive issue of abortion.Still, the abortion industry in Washington, which makes millions of dollars giving both prescription contraceptives and abortions to minor girls without their parent’s awareness, is strongly opposed.
In committee testimony against the bill, their argument was essentially this. “Of course it’s best that parents are involved in their daughters decisions, but unfortunately not every girl has a loving supportive family. Some parents are dangerous to their children, therefore, it will put girls in danger if we require parents to be notified.”
There are several problems with this argument.
The bill contains a judicial bypass that makes this point moot. Through the judicial bypass, a girl who has a legitimate reason not to inform her parents can explain the circumstances to a judge who can then issue an order permitting an abortion without the parents being notified. In states where they already exist, Planned Parenthood has developed something of a bypass superhighway where abortion industry lawyers funnel children to judges sympathetic to the abortion industry who effectively rubber stamp any request for a judicial bypass. Sometimes the entire process takes less than an hour.
The abortion industry’s ability to manipulate the judicial bypass has caused some to generally question the effectiveness of parental notification laws.
Regardless, there is a more fundamental flaw.
Opponents of parental notification believe all parents should be kept in the dark when their children experience a life crisis because some parents will overreact. But it is only in the context of abortion that policy makers would even dream of intentionally withholding information from all parents because a few might overreact.
Kids get in fights at school, they get kicked out of school, they get bad grades, they drink and drive, they graffiti other people’s property while high on drugs and then post pictures of it on their Facebook page. Can you imagine law enforcement or school officials deciding to withhold all unpleasant news about a minor from their parents as a way of protecting children from parents who might overreact?
Me either.
It is difficult to understand why an unplanned pregnancy is the one event in a child’s life parents are simply unable to handle.
The reality is that for every parent who might actually be a risk to their child, there are thousands who not only have a right to know, but are in the absolute best position to help their children through it.
If you have thoughts about this issue and this bill, contact your legislators and let them know. If they think you need to know when your 16 year-old steals a car, tell them you think you need to know if your 16 year-old gets pregnant.
Submitted by Sandra Frinell San Juan County Republican
