The anti-abortionists of several states and Idaho have put into law that it is criminal for doctors or anyone to help a woman have an abortion in or out of the state.

As a past Children’s Protective Service worker I still struggle with this and I am not pro-abortion but recognize that sometimes it is necessary.

When I removed children from a dangerous situation I had to argue before a judge and explain why they should not be immediately returned to the parents. In court children belong to the parents as “property”. It offends readers as it does me to call children ‘property’ but I assure you that in court they are seen as the property of the parents called “parental rights”.

The State of Idaho with its anti-abortion has decided that the embryo, the fetus and the unborn does not belong to the parents but to the State of Idaho. So when that child is born and if it lives — it is still property of Idaho.

That is what Russia and China believe. They claim that the children indeed all of their citizens belong to the state that they are born in.

So back in court. I, the caseworker and a guardian ad litem will argue that we don’t think the child should be placed back with the parents or family or tribe because the child does not belong to the parents and never did. The State of Idaho took custody of the child before it was born. There is no record that Idaho relinquished its ownership of the child that it took unborn. The parents never owned the child and therefore have no rights to reclaim it after it is removed.

This is not the outcome that the superstitious, religious and passionate anti-abortionists sought.

We have been taught that we own the State; we own the government and we own our property: our children — not a government.

Dixie Weeks

Woods Cross

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