Michelle Goldberg’s article published in The Tribune was a trip through the twilight zone!
A woman has a miscarriage, goes to the hospital for help, and is thrown into prison for four years for manslaughter. Sounds like an insane misogynist society — this tale could never happen to a man!
The fetus she “murdered” is the ghost of a child who at 17 weeks is only a “possibility”...not yet viable. She didn’t know the drug she took could be lethal, nor did she instigate a miscarriage.
Was she raped or abused, mentally ill, or homeless? Does it matter? Is this society sane?
It obviously does not value female human life for they stole four years from this woman.
Is all this hullabaloo because the “union” took place inside a female and not a male? Does the man have any responsibility? Does the man get jail time if he isn’t a perfect model of sperm health? Is the male 50% responsible for keeping this “possibility” safe from drugs, junk food, bars, dangerous places?
Is the female alone responsible if there is a possibility of incarceration for life or even death if it’s viable? Doesn’t he “own” half the consequence when he chooses to have sex, or are men completely off the hook?
This crackpot concept makes a woman’s body property of the state at birth … but not a man’s! Maybe males should be required to file their DNA at birth with the state so they can also be held accountable for future “deaths by miscarriage.” Sounds like a brave new world.
Currently, 38 states have fetal homicide laws, including Utah. Between 2006-2020 there were 1,254 cases of women put into jail accused of endangering their fetus. But no men!
Beverly Terry, Salt Lake City
Donate to the newsroom now. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax deductible