A law set to go into effect October 26, 2011 in North Carolina is making big headlines all over the US. This law will require state sponsored abortion clinics to put ultrasound pictures in a woman’s view and describe the embryo or fetus in detail. Also, women have to be pushed to listen to the heartbeat. In addition to viewing the ultrasound, women are forced to wait 24 hours before receiving the actual abortion. The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups are pushing for this law to be found unconstitutional and revoked. The lawsuit against the State says that the law infringes upon women’s “rights to "due process, free speech, privacy, liberty, bodily integrity and freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures." The lawsuit also says that women’s bodies will be used to mandate state government speech.
If this lawsuit fails and the state of North Carolina denies women constitutional rights, this will be another huge setback for women’s rights in the United States and eventually the world. If North Carolina keeps this law, it will be one of about 20 states in the US that have strict laws regarding the abortion process. Also, it will be the third state to require an ultrasound image to be within the line of site of the woman. As more states create laws such as this, it shows other states and even nations that it is possible to create strict laws, and also that people will not stand up against it. Women all over the world are faced with difficult situations sometimes regarding pregnancies and should not have to jump through government hoops to go through an already difficult process. The last statement of the article was from a North Carolina Republican who stated that the law would keep abortions legal but it will help to keep abortions more “rare”. He also stated that it is still a woman’s choice with this law. However, this is not true completely. It is still a woman’s choice, but harder and a less personal process and decision.
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