Senate Protects Parent's Rights

The Senate has passed a bill which helps protect minors and the rights of their parents to be parents:

The Senate voted yesterday to make it a crime to take a pregnant girl across state lines to obtain an abortion without her parents' knowledge, handing a long-sought victory to the Bush administration and abortion opponents.

The bill would help about three dozen states enforce laws that require minors to notify or obtain the consent of their parents before having an abortion. It would bar people -- including clergy members and grandparents -- from helping a girl travel to another state to avoid parental-involvement laws. Violations could result in a year in prison.

Most states have passed such laws, but courts have invalidated at least nine of them, advocacy groups say. Maryland and Virginia have parental-notification laws; the District does not. The Senate voted 65 to 34 to approve the bill, which is similar to one the House has approved before, including last year.

How could anyone oppose this (and yet they did)? Taking a minor across state lines without her parent's permission is kidnapping, which is already a Federal offense. However, if you're going for the purpose of getting an abortion, well that's okay.

It's a law that we shouldn't even need, but thanks to the abortion fanatics, we have to pass laws hoping to preserve some kind of common sense.

UPDATE: Voices of opposition:

"We're going to sacrifice a lot of girls' lives," said Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.

Senate Removes Abortion Option for Young Girls - NY Times Headline