4 OPINION Page 4 Wednesday, December 6, 1989 The reality of parental consent The Michigan Daily laws by the University of Michigan Coalition for Choice. The Supreme Court last week heard oral arguments on cases from Minnesota and Ohio concerning the abortion rights of minors. This week in Michigan the House of Representatives approved its own parental consent bill (House Bill 5103) re- quiring a minor to obtain parental consent in order to have an abortion. Because we can no longer rely on the Supreme Court to protect the rights of our most vulnera- ble citizens, we must defeat this bill now. Proponents of parental consent argue that they are merely promoting good fam- ily communication by ensuring parent- child discussion in the difficult situation of teen pregnancy. However, when one looks at the implications of a parental consent law, one thing becomes clear: parental consent laws have nothing to do with promoting family dialogue and every- thing to do with trying to restrict abortion rights. Most pregnant teens do inform their parents. In fact, in Michigan the figure is roughly 70 per cent. For most pregnant teens, in other words, the Michigan law is unnecessary. But what about the remain- ing 30 per cent? Incest, domestic violence, or drug or alcohol abusing parents, and fear of being thrown out of the house are reasons that some of these teens are reluc- tant to confide in their parents. Teens who can tell their parents will, and those who do not have a good reason to retain their privacy. A key component of HB 5103 is the ju- dicial bypass, by which a teen who is de- nied parental consent can try to obtain permission through the courts. Judicial bypass, however, is extremelyproblem- atic. These cases would go to probate court, which already has a heavy case load of juvenile crime and child abuse and ne- glect cases. It is thus unrealistic to expect judges to spend the time necessary to in- vestigate fully each young woman's situa- tion. In fact, in states with judicial bypass the average duration of the court hearing was 12.2 minutes. Judicial bypass raises the issue of pri- vacy. The bill talks of ensuring anonymity, but other states' experiences tell a different story. In Minnesota, the minor came in contact with an average of 23 people by the time the hearing was over, all of whom knew why she was there. In rural areas there is a considerable likelihood that one of those 23 could be a neighbor or relative. the birth rate for 15 to 17-year-olds rose 38 percent from 1980 to 1984, while the birth rate for 18 and 19-year-olds (who were not covered by the Minnesota law) rose only 0.3 percent during the same pe- 4 riod. Another problem with parental consent is that the parents of the teen have the ability to deny her request to obtain an abortion but have no legal responsibility 'However, when one looks at the implica- tions of a parental consent law, one thing becomes clear: parental consent laws have nothing to do with promoting family dia- logue and everything to do with trying to restrict abortion rights.' 4 Not only is judicial bypass an invasion of privacy, but it also discriminates against disadvantaged teens. While some teens may have the knowledge to access the system and the resources to obtain ade- quate legal representation, most teens will not. For these teens, the system will be too intimidating and court appointed attor- neys too busy to provide adequate legal representation. One of the most disturbing aspects of judicial bypass is the paradoxical position ii which it puts judges, who would have t determine the pregnant teen's maturity hLvei. A judge may determine that she is not mature enough to have an abortion. But if this is the case, then this teen is certainly not mature enough to have a child. This paradox may be the reason why ju- dicial bypass in other states has been noth- ing more than a rubber stamp. For exam- ple, in Minnesota there were more than 3,500 petitions for abortion from 1981 to 1986. Of these, 9 were denied. Judicial bypass only results in delays that bring about increased health risks and further emotional distress. Because of these problems with judicial bypass, many teens can be expected to give birth. For example, in Minneapolis to support the baby financially. Moreover, once the teen becomes a mother, her par- ents have no more responsibility to sup- port her. The teen could, conceivably, be on her own with a child to support. For these teens and their children, the future is grim. A child of a teenage mother is twice as likely to die in infancy than those with a mother in her twenties. As- suming the baby survives through in- fancy, the figures still do not offer much encouragement or hope: teenage mothers earn about half as much as those who first gave birth in their 20s, and 67 percent of families headed by teen mother live below the poverty level. Instead of promoting good family com- munication, a parental consent law would have a devastating effect on those teens that are already in an extremely difficult si- tuation. We therefore urge our elected rep- resentatives to vote against parental con- sent legislation. For those of you who agree, we will have tablestoday in the dorms and Thursday in the Fishbowl where you can sign a postcard urging your representative to vote against this bill. The University of Michigan Coalition for Choice is a coalition of the ACLU Pro-Choice Committee, College Democrats, Democratic Socialists of America, and Greeks for Choice. -Cathy, 17, was a victim of Indiana law PI-106, which requires parental consent for an abortion. She didn't want to disappoint her parents or 'friends, so she told no one when she realized she was pregnant. To avoid getting her parent's consent, she self-aborted. When she became seriously ill, her parents, who had no idea what was wrong, rushed her to the emergency room. Ill and in severe pain, Cathy kept her silence, while doctors gave her an antibiotic and sent her home. She died on °-September 22, 1988. The above story is from the placard in front of the Unknown Women's Memorial in Washington, D.C. A L1' b e itbadat U i stij Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 a Vo Un car of t ON N ans arc ' ebratir declar Palest Unive ran an spoil intimi comm( Spec almad) increa, scene. suspic autom forged officia the ad, the Zi the cha all Ar right-t them li Suct laughs k twiste would the ser pagan ospecifi area. school what t mind "Arab "terro almost p search of a sc 6ussto l. C, No. 64 signed editorials represent a majo toons, signed articles, and letters he Daily. rity of the Daily's Editorial Board. All other do not necessarily represent the opinion Strangling dialogue TOVEMBER 15, when Palestini- ening parallel to. similar behavior exer- )und the world were proudly cel- cised by the Israeli Army against the ng the first anniversary of the Palestinian population whose land it il- ration of an independent legally occupies and whose human inian state, the Wayne State rights it systematically violates. That rsity newspaper, The South End, the racism practiced there can come advertisement designed to both home to roost here underscores the re- this important occasion and pressive links through which both Is- date those who dared to rael and the U.S. government which emorate it. supports it are working to deny Pales- ifically, the ad exacerbated the tinians the right to voice their legitimate y severe anti-Arab racism that has aspirations for self-determination. singly marked the U.S. political It is even more outrageous that The Calling for people to "beware of South End would choose to print an ad ious objects," to "check your legitimizing stereotypes of Palestinians obiles for explosives," and using - stereotypes that help prevent average Mossad documents to imply that citizens of both Israel and the United 1 PLO policy is to bomb tourists, States from seeing Palestinians as put out by a group calling itself people with rights rather than terrorists onist Student Organization, used who throw bombs. To reinforce such arged term terrorism to imply that myths is to practice the very terrorism abs were terrorists, and that all that groups such as the Zionist Student hinking people should avoid Organization claim as endemic to ike the plague. Palestinians. h an ad can be dismissed as Like the Israeli government itself, able and ridiculous, and its Zionist groups in the U.S. continually d logic and transparent hate preach the need for dialogue yet spend certainly be both were it not for their time and money to intimidate ious ramifications of such pro- rather than to educate. The ad that ap- da among the U.S. public, and, peared in The South End exemplifies cally, in the Detroit metropolitan this. Rather than create dialogue based When forty Detroit area on reality - like the fact that the PLO children were asked last year has accepted Israel's right to exist - he first word was that came to the Zionist Student Organization relies when they heard the word on the same propaganda which has ," all forty of them answered prevented such dialogue for years. rist." And, just this past week, sixty Arab schoolchildren were When Palestinians and others here ed as a group for knives because stand up in solidarity with the Pales- uffle that had broken out at their tinian struggle they do so because they p on the way to school. too wish to raise their voice against Productive dialogue needed by James Green, Jeremy Litt agency appealed for peace. Jamal Husseini, plunge into total. war which will put an and Dana Miller the committee's spokesperson, told the end to Israel." and_ Dana_____er _ UN on November 24, 1947: "the partition #5: The Israeli government goes on line proposed shall be nothing but a line, with its repressive and racist policies." After reading the editorial "Independence of fire and blood." The UN blamed the The rights of the Jewish community are for Palestine" (Daily, 11/15/89) we felt Arabs for the war. Husseini later told the guaranteed by Israeli law. In contrast, compelled to reply, not to the intent of the UN Security Council, "... We told the nearly every Arab state proclaims Islam as editorial, but instead to the plethora of fac- whole world that we were going to fight." the state religion and minority groups are tual misconceptions which are rife b) According to the UN Relief and harassed or oppressed. Other Arab states throughout the piece. Rather than assault Works Agency, the number of Arab have laws that facilitate the naturalization the reader with all of the facts at once, we refugees who left Israel was about only of foreign Arabs, with the specific will attempt to explain the errors we 590,000. At this same time 800,000 Jew- exception of Palestinian Arabs. found. ish refugees fled from Arab states because #6: "The Palestine National Council #1: "In November 1947, the United Na- Egypt told the UN General Assembly: formally accepted the United Nation's res- tions (comprising almost exclusive West- "the lives of a million Jews in Moslem olutions 242 and 338, which implicitly em powers) partitioned historic Palestine countries will be jeopardized by the estab- recognize Israel. The acceptance of 242 and - without consulting its Arab inhabitants lishment of the Jewish state." 338 as a basis for negotiations in addition -into two states." #3: "Those who were able to remain to Arafat's decision to recognize Israel's within what became Israel face discrimina- right to exist represent major concessions a) The United Nations sent an eleven-na- tion and have since been relegated to the on the part of the Palestinian leadership." tion special commission (UNSCOP) to status of third-class citizens..." Palestine to investigate. None of the great powers was on that body. UNSCOP in- a) The PLO accepted 242 and 338 along cluded: Canada, Czechoslovakia, Israel's 775,000 Arab citizens have vot- with relevant UN resolutions, including Guatemala, the Netherlands, Peru, Swe- ing rights and hold 7 of the 120 voting those which call for UN members to sever den, Uruguay, India, Iran, Yugoslavia and seats in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, ties with Israel and brand Israel an outlaw, Australia. The Arabs of Palestine boy- Arabic is an official language in Israel. 90 racist state. cotted UNSCOP, ignored UNSCOP's call percent of the Arab children attend Israeli b) As Abba Eban said, "Nobody does Is- for a partition, and demanded a unitary schools, compared to 45 percent before the rael any service by proclaiming its 'right Arab state, declaring 'no partition, no fur- establishment of Israel. The only restric- to exist.' Israel's right to exist, like that ther Jewish immigration and no Jewish tion to Arab citizenship is that Arabs are of the United States, Saudi Arabia and 152 state.' not required to serve in the Israeli army. other states, is axiomatic and unreserved. b) The United Nations was given the #4: "In 1967, Israel launched another Israel's legitimacy is not suspended in power to declare a partition by Great Bri- war of aggression, aimed at acquiring the midair awaiting acknowledgement.... tain, which had legally obtained control of Palestinian land occupied, and held with There is certainly no other state, big or Palestine from Turkey under the Lausanne military force, by Egypt and Jordan since small, young or old, that would consider agreement of 1923. 1948 - the West Bank and Gaza Strip." mere recognition of its 'right to exist' a #2: "The founders of the new country favor, or negotiable concession." Israel... set out to seize the remainder of Israel's strike on June 5, 1967 was a re- We have discussed some of the more historic Palestine and drive the indigenous sponse to Egypt's threatened attack. On important issues, but we believe that if a people off the land. More than 900,000 May 22,1967 Egypt had announced a productive dialogue on the Arab/Israeli Palestinians were made refugees in a War blockade of the Gulf of Aquaba, cutting conflict is to prevail, we must first dispel of Conquest and they have never been off the Israeli port of Eilat. This violation exaggerated claims which cloud an already permitted to return to their homes." of international agreements was not only complicated issue and reduce it to a com- an act of war by any standard, but also just petition for rhetorical victories. a) Throughout the 1947 UN debate, the part of a build-up against Israel. On May Green is an MSA representative, Litt is an Palestinian higher committee threatened 17, Cairo Radio's Voice of the Arabs pro- LSA sophomore and Miller is the Vice war, while a spokesperson for the Jewish claimed: "all Egypt is now prepared to Chair of IMPAC. I ($ 0 PuSN SAIDt l WEH I S£WTC1D AOD A INiRAHOW H.E SAYS IX 6J PAS qr ftt I its -tISE i os 'srIN