Jenna's Law

The Tennessee General Assembly is back in session, and now is the time for those of you in Tennessee to write to your representatives to get an amendment added to the current abortion laws. Rep. Joe Armstrong was very receptive to me when I wrote him in October. He might be a good place to start, along with the representatives in your area.

Jenna's Law isn't about abortion. Since I wrote all the letters in the fall, I have had a lot of time to think about this. The amendment I want added is really about allowing parents to make health care choices for their sick, unborn children just as they would be allowed to do for their sick born child. It would also give women value, where now, a doctor or a hospital could hold her fate in its hands if they don't believe abortion is morally right.

No matter how you feel about abortion, you have to agree that parents should be able to make healthcare choices for their child. Would you want to stop a parent from removing their brain dead child from life support? Would you want to stop a parent from stopping chemotherapy when there is no hope for their child? Allowing medical terminations in the cases of poor prenatal diagnoses fit into these categories.

So, please, if you are in Tennessee, write your representatives. Make your voices heard. Don't allow the government to keep you from making healthcare choices for your child. Don't allow them to undervalue a woman's life.

If you need help finding who to write, visit this site: http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/. It will also give you their e-mail addresses, and if you want to write to Rep. Joe Armstrong, his e-mail address is also posted there.