The Division of Elections reports verifying 36,285 signatures, more than the 32,734 that supporters were required to gather to get the measure on the ballot.
Barring an unexpected special election or legislative action that would do what the initiative intends, the state says voters will be asked decide the matter during the August primary.
The exact wording of the measure is still unclear. A decision is pending by a superior court judge following arguments over whether the initiative is clear about penalties doctors would face.
Regarding the abortion issue - I think the rate would be lowered a lot if corporate media didn't send such powerful messages to girls and women regarding making themselves as sexy as they can be every minute of every day of their lives. Making girls (as young as five) and women sexier is a multi-billion dollar industry. Boycotting the products that do that to girls/women would be a step in the right direction to preventing more abortions. Allowing our girls to be used as a market for corporate "beautifiers" is selling them out in favor of corporate profit. And what do you think they're getting all sexy for? I am not for censorship, but I am for voting with dollars against entities in the culture that harm children and women, like those ads and products do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCT7h-jwCWA&NR=1 In this video, called, 'Consuming Kids - The Commercialization of Childhood,' it shows the harm the "free market" is doing to all of our children, not just the girls. If we want to have a culture based on market values instead of moral values, then we have to deal with the issues that mentality creates, like the necessary means to deal with millions of unwanted pregnancies. In a culture that views sex as a recreational activity, mainly because the commercial mass media portrays it that way (because it makes them so much money), unconscious procreation will be rampant. In a perfect world, all children would be educated not just in the biology of sex, but be taught to respect their bodies and to respect the sacred act of sex regardless of religious dogma. When that time comes, the need for abortion will decrease dramatically, but until then, girls and women need to have private access to doctors and medical care.
That way if there is an abusive parent/older boyfriend the situation can be remedied immediately.
Either way, if the parents and child both agree on the abortion it can still be done- that is not in question anyways.
A minor cannot marry without parental consent, why should abortion be any different?
The liberals imply there should be no notification because the majority of these pregnancies are caused by rape or incest. Is that really true? Doubtful. If a father is raping his daughter don't you think he's going to let her get that abortion, with no questions asked at the clinic? Then the rape can continue with no one noticing- thanks liberals.
Parents are there to be involved in the decisions their children make. To rob them of the ability to know and help their child make a decision that important is inexcusable. To do it because you automatically assume their parents to be at fault is asinine.
Wow, child abandonment and being pregnant. I would pray no child ever has to go through that.
"What about the kid who's parents are in a coma or some such, or the child who has no parents?"
This would either be done by the legal guardian, or the child would be emancipated and be able to make the decision themselves.
"What about the kid who's parents would beat them to a bloody pulp for having had sex in the first place?"
Then the parent has no right to be a parent! If some insane person actually did this, I am all in favor of putting them on a remote island and leaving them with 3 days of food and water and we NEVER check back on them. Isanova, this is already illegal.
use_your_head, I would be worried too if they didn't notice their daughter was pregnant. However, some women (and girls) can go for months without showing.
NotARocketScientist, there is this thing called "child endangerment" that already makes that illegal.
SofieC, I agree with you. Of course, I think rape should be punished by "fixing", and incest be punished by injecting battery acid into the offending person's veins, but that's neither here nor there. Hopefully there is a provision for that. If not, I will vote against it, even though I am a strong pro-life and pro-parental rights person.
Will birth rates rise because of this???? The "loving father" argument is ridiculous, Jamie_Smith! If someone that was supposed to protect you, raped you, would you ask THEIR permission for an abortion??
Perhaps an adult being present would be more helpful, than the actual legal guardian.
What about the first girl who gets pregnant and can't locate their father/mother to get a signature? What about the kid who's parents are in a coma or some such, or the child who has no parents? What about the kid who's parents would beat them to a bloody pulp for having had sex in the first place?
Does the wording on this thing address any of that, or is it just designed to stymie legitimate abortions?
Especially seeing as how, per capita, Alaska continually leads the nation in reported cases of rape and incest.
Probably around 36,285 fans of incestuous pedophilia and "loving fathers" across Alaska will "sleep" a little easier now.
Or we could just adopt the policies of the rest of the modern world and teach our kids more than 'Baby Jesus says we should just say not to sex.'
My question would be: how preoccupied must the parents be to NOT notice their daughter is pregnant? Are people actually that un-involved in their children's lives?
As my chance of being aborted has fallen to nearly zero now I figure that this is truly not my problem.
The fight begins...