Call It an Alternate Route: Parading Costumed Abortion Activists Burn the American Flag to Stop a Bill

(AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
AP featured image
In this July 25, 2018 photo, women in favor of a measure to expand legal abortions, wearing red cloaks and white bonnets like the characters from the novel-turned-TV series “The Handmaid’s Tale”, march in silence to Congress, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Once they reached Congress, one of them read a letter by “Handmaid’s Tale” author Margaret Atwood, who supports the effort led by Argentine feminist groups. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
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Maybe I’m just lazy, but I constantly find myself marveling at videos of people out making political spectacles for the camera.

There they are — in their costumes, putting on a play of sorts. And it all took a stunning amount of work.

Here’s such a clip — I watched it a bunch of times instead of firing up a sitcom or two:

I just can’t imagine getting that call — “Hey, you wanna go buy capes, a Statue of Liberty costume, some flags, a fire extinguisher…maybe make some bonnets and a fake head, fashion some Stars and Stripes masks, take the truck over to the park, set up a PA, and ruin that $150 brushed stainless steel garbage can you got from Target last night? We could say words. And, you know, change the world.”

Again, call it loathsome lethargy, but I’d have to decline.

Plus, I take care of my trash can.

But some activists in Tennessee recently had more on their minds than kitchen care. Thus, they got together in front of Gov. Bill Lee’s house to make a statement.

And there was no shortage of shared enthusiasm: As reported by The Washington Free Beacon, the above demonstration was part of a 200-car caravan in protest of the state’s fetal heartbeat bill, which disallows abortion after a heartbeat is detected (with exceptions provided in favor of the mother’s health).

On Thursday, the Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood put on Handmaid’s Tale outfits and played out a call-and-response chant amid a burning of the American flag.

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Oh, and that big head the one person’s sporting: That’s Bill’s.

They tweeted, “Gov. Bill Lee has disrespected our constitution and practically lit the flag on fire by banning abortion. But we won’t stop until we live in a new America that respects the rights of pregnant people. Full stop.”

Oddly, Bill hasn’t yet signed the package into law. It passed in the legislature June 19th.

Planned Parenthood has indicated they’ll be litigating alongside the ACLU in a constitutional challenge.

Here’s more from The Tennessean:

“Stop the bans,” posters read. “Trust women,” others wrote – most in stark pink lettering.

Planned Parenthood organizers took to social media this week to galvanize supporters for the demonstration. That’s how Emma Chinn, 23, and Danner Martin, 21, were informed. Chinn said she not only wanted to be a part of the protest, but to help lead.

“I think it’s very impactful to be here in front of the governor’s mansion because this is a bill that he pushed,” Chinn said Thursday, sitting idle in her car adjacent to the mansion driveway. “Tennessee is not for this.”

Chinn volunteered to be one of the first several cars, which led the masses to Curtiswood Lane from its start point at 50 Vantage Way in the MetroCenter area.

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The bill also prohibits the procedure:

  • If the doctor knows that the woman is seeking an abortion because of the child’s sex or race;
  • If the doctor knows the woman is seeking an abortion due to to a diagnosis of Down syndrome;
  • For juveniles in custody of the Department of Children’s Services, including removing the current option to petition a judge for permission.

21-year-old Danner insists it’s all about human rights:

“This abortion ban was passed under the guise of economic support for the state. Women’s bodies and women’s right were used as a bargaining chip for that in the wake of the coronavirus. As young women, these are human rights that we need to protect.”

But color Republican senatorial candidate Bill Hagerty unimpressed by the flag-burning parade. “The liberal mob has come to Tennessee,” he said. “This behavior disrespects America and those who have been willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for our precious freedom. What we need now, more than ever, is law and order.”

As for the pickup-truck play, it seems to me an odd approach — you want to fight for what you believe are the rights guaranteed by the U.S., while you incinerate the symbol of the U.S.?

Oh, wait — nevermind — that was Big-head Bill burning it.

He’ll soon be burning them up, too — the governor has said he will sign the bill.

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-ALEX

 

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