American Civil Liberties Union

So much has been said about Rep. Todd Akin in the past few days and yet there’s so much more I still want to say. But I won’t (except for a little bit at the end) because, Todd Akin is just a piece of the story

History has a way of repeating itself. Almost five decades ago a court in South Carolina considered a claim that a restaurant owner could refuse to serve African-American customers because integration of the races was against his religious beliefs. The court rejected that claim, and courts went on to do the same when faced with other, similar claims that religion can be used to discriminate. 

It looks like some Michigan politicians want to “play doctor” and take away a woman’s ability to make personal, private medical decisions for herself. In June, Michigan vaulted to the top of the list of states with outrageous, regressive legislation on women's health, placing a monster omnibus package - House Bills 5711, 5712 and 5713- on the fast-track to becoming law. HB 5711, or the War on Women Mega Bill, passed in the House and if it survives in the Senate, it would effectively make safe abortion services inaccessible in the state.

In June, Michigan vaulted to the top of the list of states with outrageous, regressive legislation on women's health, placing a monster omnibus package on the fast-track to becoming law. If successful, the bills would effectively make safe abortion services inaccessible in the state. One major part of the legislation, the War on Women Mega Bill, has already passed the State House and is pending in the Senate.

We first sounded the alarm bells when this dangerous legislation came before the Michigan House Health Policy Committee. The bills were quickly approved in committee leaving those waiting to be heard angry, and in some cases in tears.