There is something sinister going down in the United States, right now - something that every American woman should not only fear but fight. Right now, with the surge in conservative, religious-right thinking, women are not only in danger of losing basic human rights, but in many cases are losing basic human rights. Don't believe me? Check out these stories:

In Montana, authorities are trying to force a woman with cancer to have a hysterectomy. Why? Because she has hope of one day having a child, and chooses to keep the hope of living a long life and becoming a mother. She is a religious woman, and according to the article "The physician said that L.K.'s "religious delusions" interfered with her ability to make reasoned decisions about her care, and that L.K. didn't understand that she might die without the surgery, according to the petition."

I'm confused on a couple of things here:

• One, if a woman is pregnant and her life is in danger without an abortion, let her die. BUT, if she has terminal cancer and yet holds onto the hope that she will live to have a child, she should be forced into sterilization so that she may live. Which way do conservative men want it? Are we better alive or dead - or does it just depend on their mood on any given day?
• Two: The woman's "religious delusions" are called into question, as she believes that god has cured her. How is that a delusion, but GW Bush claiming to be annointed by god is not? Which way is it, conservative men? Women's religious beliefs are delusional (cuz we know that god hates women and fags) but a righteous man should be believed no matter the claim?

In Florida, a working pregnant mother of two toddlers was forced by the Supreme Court to be hospitalized at the insistence of her doctor. Why? Because he deemed that she was at risk of miscarriage. He would not refer her for a second opinion, she was not allowed (by the court, mind you) to choose the hospital where she was held, and "Three days into her forced hospitalization, Burton miscarried."

Since when does an American woman not have the right to get a second medical opinion, choose the hospital where she receives treatment, or - gasp - make her own decisions?

In Nebraska, a woman was forced to carry a non-viable baby - i.e. one that was dying in her womb - to term. Why? Because the state does not allow abortion after 20 weeks on the assumption that the fetus might feel pain. If the fetus was unhealthy, how can they be so sure that it didn't feel pain within the womb anyway? Maybe being aborted would relieve not only the mother's pain, but any that the fetus might have felt as well?

This woman was forced to carry and then birth a dead child to satisfy those who would rather have control over women rather than consider the facts. This woman must have gone through hell - forcing her to carry this dead child to term is nothing less than emotional torture. This action did not save a life. It did not prevent any health issues - in fact, it most likely caused more health issues for the mother, both physically and emotionally.

Women - I know to most of you, I'm preaching to the choir. It's for the readers who are in the anti-choice camp that this is written. We're not just talking about the right to have an abortion - we're talking about being able to carry your child the way you want - receive medical care according to your own wishes - to not be sterilized against your will. We're talking about not being forced to live for months knowing that you have a dead or dying fetus in your body, and then forced to give birth and grieve again.

It's not a conspiracy theory - it's happening right here in the "land of the free." If we don't have the rights to determine what happens to our own bodies, where do we have rights?

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