There are few things that bother abortion activists more than the laws that they have dubbed “TRAP” laws: Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers. Because abortionists are special snowflakes that shouldn’t be held to the same standards and regulations that real doctors are held to, the so-called TRAP laws are, like, really mean, or something.
They don’t offer much in evidence that these laws aren’t needed, or that regular doctors — say, a dermatologist — who performs minor surgical procedures in their offices aren’t held to similar standards. No, their entire argument is that abortionists should be exempt from the kind of regulations that tattoo parlors and tanning salons are held to, because it’s abortion! A new documentary from HBO filmmaker Dawn Porter, Trapped, is in this same vein.
A look at the impact of Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (TRAP) laws in the southern United States, and their disproportionate effect on women living in poverty. Trapped follows the physicians, staff, and patients of abortion clinics in Alabama and Mississippi as they struggle to remain open in an increasingly hostile legal and political climate. The film follows clinic owners June Ayers, and Diane Derzis and Dr. Willie Porter, one of only a few doctors courageous enough to perform abortions in the Deep South.
Ah, yes. These poor, courageous abortionists who just want to kill unborn children in peace, but those darn pro-lifers keep getting in the way with laws that are just completely unnecessary.
The film will be featured at the upcoming Athena Film Festival, devoted to films that encourage women in leadership. So naturally, a pro-abortion film must be included. Trapped was featured for a “works in progress” screening, where a video clip of an abortionist mocking the regulations was shown.
Porter introduced the film to the audience by explaining that the few remaining clinics left in the state of Mississippi and Alabama were “under siege” thanks to Republican politicians:
“After the 2010 election – all of this happened since that election. There is more anti-choice legislation since 2010 than in all the time since Roe. While Roe v. Wade may still be in place, all that legislation is threatening public clinics.”
The video clip Porter provided featured an abortionist making fun of the regulations by referring to them as “jigsaw puzzles,” which raised some chuckles from the audience.
The idea of regulations for abortion clinics is hilarious to the pro-abortion crowd; this, we already know. But the fact remains that they are necessary. Kermit Gosnell alone should have been proof of that, but as always, abortion trumps the safety of not only unborn children, but the women abortionists claim to serve as well. But since Kermit Gosnell isn’t a good enough example, how about Diane Derzis, featured in this very documentary?
The clinic that Derzis owns, Jackson’s Women’s Health Organization, is the last abortion clinic in Mississippi, and it’s on the verge of closing. Derzis is the notorious, and oft applauded, clinic owner who believes God wants her to provide abortions. She’s the lucky owner of a lavish Birmingham home, with a Jacuzzi and skyline views. So we know that she’s an abortion advocate who is very happily profiting off of the killing of unborn children. But what does that have to do with TRAP laws?
Well, Jackson’s Women’s Health Organization isn’t the first clinic Derzis has owned. She owned a clinic in Alabama that was forcibly closed after three women were hospitalized on the same day, and once inspected, the clinic was found to have 76 pages of violations. Jackson’s Women’s Health has yet to meet the health and safety standards required by the state — namely, hospital admitting privileges — and this is what is causing abortion extremists to gnash their teeth and wail. Nevermind her horrific history. Nevermind that a clinic she oversaw had 76 pages worth of health code violations. Her clinic has ambiance, she can decorate really nicely, and she has a sweet house. Forget all that patient safety stuff — it’s not nearly as important as being able to kill unborn children.
Now, I could be wrong. But perhaps a documentary attempting to argue that TRAP laws are unnecessary should have vetted their subjects a bit better, because choosing to feature someone like Diane Derzis just proves why we actually do need better regulation for abortion clinics.
Left to their own devices, abortionists will do more than just kill unborn children. They’ll maim women and operate under shoddy, horrific conditions because after all, as late-term abortionist Susan Robinson pointed out, to the medical establishment, they are the lowest of the low.
