Despite claiming to be a party of minimal government, conservatives across the country support bans on abortion—bans essentially allowing the government to force pregnant people to give birth against their will. With the conservative Supreme Court signaling its willingness to drastically scale back or even eliminate Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court case that guaranteed the right to an abortion up to the point of fetal viability, pro-choice activists say that women's rights, and the rights of anyone with a uterus, are facing unprecedented attacks.
If you're looking for proof, look no further than Texas.
The Lone Star State has taken some of the most radical steps of any state in the country at restricting access to abortions. Its far-right Governor, Greg Abbott, signed into law last year Senate Bill 8, banning all abortions after six weeks—before some even know they're pregnant. Anyone who gets an abortion or helps facilitate an abortion after that point is subject to criminal liability. What's more, the law encourages Texans to turn in their neighbors, offering a bounty of up to $10 thousand for anyone who reports an illegal abortion.
But even that law wasn't harsh enough for far-right state representative Brian Slaton, who has now proposed legislation in the Texas House to abolish and criminalize abortion as murder, opening up patients who get abortions and doctors who perform them up to criminal charges that could result in the death penalty.
Slaton boasted the legislation on Twitter.
Today, I filed HB 3326 to Abolish Abortion in Texas.
The bill will end the discriminatory practice of terminating the life of innocent children, and will guarantee the equal protection of the laws to all Texans, no matter how small. #txlege pic.twitter.com/W1lpG4q6G1
— Bryan Slaton (@BryanforHD2) March 9, 2021
But social media users aren't buying it.
What this tweet doesn’t mention is that under this bill, a person who has an abortion or performs an abortion could be charged with assault or homicide, which is punishable by death.
What a prick. https://t.co/MoihfNivyi
— Rick ★ ™ 🇺🇦 Beto For Texas! (@RickChapterTwo) March 14, 2022
when we said the end game was wanting to straight up kill women, you all said we were crazy https://t.co/rhMjixcV7r
— gg 🙊🙈🙉 (@gina_goldberg) March 12, 2022
Everything's bigger in Texas.
And by everything, I mean the restrictions to women's right to keep the government out of their wombs. https://t.co/uaauDBrwIe
— Tony D'Orazio (@TonyForLP) March 14, 2022
The thing about @BryanforHD2 (and other far-right “Christian” candidates) is if you asked them “would you be willing to step down from office if it meant saving more lives and improving your community?”
They’ll say no. Staying in office is power. That’s the game, the end goal https://t.co/3JumzRq07K
— Sam Cross (@samuelfcross) March 14, 2022
Stop trying to use the law to impose your religious beliefs on others. https://t.co/6qA1ArDuQg
— dev the kosher 🐉 (@devbak01) March 14, 2022
When people say the war on women doesn’t exist, show them this: https://t.co/MV3G3O97kM
— Delagrammatikas (@drollpatrol) March 15, 2022
They called out the inherent hypocrisy of his position.
GOP: We are the pro-life party!
So—free pre-natal care?
GOP: No
Extend child tax credit?
GOP: No
Paid family leave?
GOP: No
Universal pre-K?
GOP: No
Gun reform to stop school shootings?
GOP: No
How are you pro-life?🤔
GOP: We kill women seeking reproductive health https://t.co/ojz0appCoy
— Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@QasimRashid) March 14, 2022
What happened to being pro life 👀 https://t.co/iczCdn9pCw
— Ayo (@AyoMosanya) March 14, 2022
This is utterly disgusting and appalling. The double standard is staggering. Sadly not surprising, but staggering.
What are you doing to protect those unwanted fetuses once they are born, I wonder? What laws have you enacted to make it easier for people to have children? https://t.co/ncK3yncBK2
— Juliet James (@IAmJulietJames) March 15, 2022
Here we have the definition of Christian hypocrisy.
A "man," and I use that term loosely, claiming to be a pro-life Christian, not only advocates for the death of women, he co-sponsored a bill so it will be legal.
6th commandment? 🖕#ResistanceUnited https://t.co/lAnzAAJXt8
— 👸Callie 😼 (@TheCallieCat) March 14, 2022
For now, it's unclear how much support the bill will get from the Republican controlled state Congress.
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Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images