More truly bizarre behavoir on the part of Washington State House Democrats.

OK... there is a bill pending by House democrats to regulate "body piercing."

The bill has been pulled from the House calendar and has disappeared completely from sight in the Senate.

The reason? That “conservatives will argue that if children require parental consent to get a nose ring, they should need parental consent to have an abortion or take birth control.”

Well… Here’s a bulletin: Minors ALREADY require parental consent for ONE form of “body piercing,” and that, specifically, is to get an ear pierced.

Conservatives (and even non-conservatives) have been arguing for years the common-sense proposition that since children require parental permission for ear-piercing, the very idea that a 12 year old girl can secure an abortion without parental permission, but WITH parental responsibility for the costs, both monetary and personal, is insanity.

For me, there is much more to this issue than whats been publicly stated.

The argument is already established. Are democrats truly concerned that expanding the basis for this logical position; specifically, the concept that a child must secure parental permission to get an ear pierced while ignoring parental authority in securing a much more invasive and potentially damaging procedure will somehow make their already destroyed position on parental notification/control somehow weaker than it already is?

Yet, democrats are willing to forego basic protections for those bizarre enough to get holes punched through various body parts because it may strengthen an already maximally logical argument… much like the concept of angering a rabid dog.

God…. What a sitcom.




Abortion issue stalls bill to regulate body piercing
Monday, March 14, 2005

By CANDACE HECKMAN
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Professional body piercers throughout the state say they worry that unscrupulous, unsafe amateurs will continue to infiltrate the burgeoning body-art industry if lawmakers don't set any regulations.

Legislators were poised this session to finally pass a bill that would set legal standards for body piercing throughout the state.

But last week, the measure was removed from the House voting calendar because of some Democrats' concerns that the issue could be used as an argument for restricting reproductive rights, and the Senate has not scheduled a vote on a similar measure. Legislators' deadline for voting on the piercing measures is Wednesday.State Rep. Sherry Appleton, D-Poulsbo, prime sponsor of the House bill to regulate piercing, said some Democrats worry that in future debates about abortion issues, conservatives will argue that if children require parental consent to get a nose ring, they should need parental consent to have an abortion or take birth control.

More...