Life Links 11/25/09

A sidewalk counselor at an abortion clinic in Minnesota apparently had a knife held to her throat by a woman going into the clinic.

The incident occurred at 7:47 a.m., according to demonstrators, who said the suspect was on her way into the building and exchanged words with them before pulling a knife. The suspect reportedly held the knife to the neck of one demonstrator and told her to stop speaking. When the second demonstrator reportedly went to help the first, the suspect allegedly threatened her with the knife as well.

Neither demonstrator was injured, and the suspect reportedly entered the building.

Duluth Police arrested the suspect inside and said they found a knife in her purse. She was taken into custody and sent to the St. Louis County Jail, where she is being held pending charges of second-degree assault.

Phillip Levine, a professor at Wellesley College points out in a New York Times editorial that the effects of the Stupak amendment have been exaggerated and thinks that health care reform could lower the number of unintended pregnancies because of contraceptive coverage.

The women whose abortion coverage would be at risk are those who are covered by private insurance — some 42 million women aged 15 to 44. Insurers could decide to drop all abortion coverage in order to ensure their eligibility to participate in public insurance exchanges, where many Americans are expected to purchase insurance if health reform legislation passes. But women who have private insurance are not as likely as women with no insurance or public insurance to have abortions. Privately insured women tend to be older, with higher family income, and women in these groups are much less prone to seek abortions.

A local ABC affiliate is covering Caitlin Bruce’s lawsuit against abortion Alberto Hodari.

Bruce was just 18 years old and 6 months (story corrected) weeks pregnant when she says walked into the Feminine Health Care Clinic in Flint last year.
"I was nervous and I really didn't have the moral support I needed. And I just didn't know what to do," Bruce said.

Bruce says she wrestled with her decision in the waiting room.

"They started the ultrasound. The lady turned the ultrasound toward me and said, 'This is your baby. This is the heart flicker,'" Bruce said.

Bruce says that's when she changed her mind. But she claims Dr. Abraham Hodari did the procedure anyway.

"He told his assistant, 'Hold her down.' They had my arm pinned," Bruce said….

"My client acted properly under the circumstance. This was an abortion that was consented to," said Steve Weiss, Hodari's attorney.
"When the patient first expressed misgivings about it, it was too far along for Dr. Hodari to stop."