Garrison Keillor: ‘I don’t think Roe v. Wade is worth fighting for anymore’

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A lot of people don’t remember this, but Garrison Keillor was fired from NPR in late 2017 during the outing of predators in Hollywood and the media. It started with the outing of Harvey Weinstein, and eventually predators like Matt Lauer were taken down too. Garrison Keillor was one of those predatory dudes. He basically made at least one coworker’s life hell with a campaign of sexual harassment and inappropriate, unwanted touching and sexual requests. Disgusting. Then he lied about all of it and Minnesota Public Radio pulled out all the receipts.

Anyway, I just wanted to remind everyone of that because Keillor is in the news this week. He had some thoughts about Amy Coney Barrett and Roe v. Wade.

Democratic senators peppered Barrett with questions about how she would rule on several issues – including Roe v. Wade. Though Barrett’s opposition to abortion rights is well-documented, she refused to say how she’d come down on the issue in court. Keillor chimed in with his take on Facebook.

“It seems clear that Judge Barrett will sit on the Supreme Court and this will mean the reversal of Roe v. Wade and some deep dents in the Affordable Care Act,” he began. “I don’t think Roe v. Wade is worth fighting for anymore.” Keillor thinks guaranteeing the right to a safe abortion has “torn the country asunder,” and wondered,“to what good?”

“We can accept a system of states’ rights, whereby abortion is legal in some states, illegal in others, same as you have a death penalty in some states, not in others,” Keillor wrote. “…Let South Dakota be South Dakota and if they wish to criminalize LBGTQ, then they can deal with the consequences. Let’s give the cultural war a rest and focus on the economy and tax policy and environment.”

The post has since been removed. Keillor posted again to “clarify” his thoughts later that morning. This time, he said Donald Trump, a “cynical corrupt president,” had managed to appoint three Supreme Court justices, and that meant that “Roe v. Wade is doomed,” regardless.

“But the Court is not able to make abortion illegal, only states can do that,” Keillor wrote. “So abortion will be legal most places and not others. Meanwhile, we need to focus on providing health care and support for women, that will lessen the number of women who feel forced to abort… Meanwhile, R v W is a toxic issue that has poisoned our politics for almost 50 years and succeeded in electing a great many cynical and corrupt men to public office who oppose abortion publicly but would provide it for their daughters without question.”

[From City Pages]

I’ll just say that as I watch Amy Coney Barrett’s contemptuous lying and artless sanctimommy act, I understand that there’s little to be done about HER and her eventual appointment to the Supreme Court. I think there’s a difference between understanding that “Supreme Court Justice Barrett” is fait accompli versus doing what we can to save Roe for all women. That’s not what Keillor was talking about in his first post though – he was saying “yeah, Roe is going to be overturned, but people should stop fighting about it because who cares if millions of American women won’t have access to reproductive care? They’re *just* women, it’s not like they’re even human.” Garrison Keillor, staying problematic.

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93 Responses to “Garrison Keillor: ‘I don’t think Roe v. Wade is worth fighting for anymore’”

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  1. Lemons says:

    Old, ugly white male has thoughts on vaginas and uteruses and the cycle continues…

    • Miranda says:

      You know, back in the day, lots of places had “ugly laws” that made it illegal for unsightly beggars to show themselves in public, and the belief that pregnant women who chanced upon these unfortunate-looking creatures might spontaneously miscarry was often given as justification. So maybe when we lose Roe v. Wade, clinics can just hand out headshots of Mr. Keillor here instead.

      • tempest prognosticator says:

        Hahahahahaha!

      • smcollins says:

        I know he can’t help what he looks like (at least not without a ton of cosmetic surgery) but every time I used to see him the phrase “a face meant for radio” would pop into my mind and I’d feel bad, but then his predatory nature came to light and now I wholeheartedly stand by that sentiment. He’s vile.

      • Lemons says:

        Pleasseeee let this happen. This is the only reason overturning Roe v. Wade would be worth it. No more of his ilk running around.

    • NotSoSocialButterfly says:

      He’s had *lots* of thoughts about women’s bodies…usually followed by groping female staff members at PHC.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      Did Keillor have a stroke?

    • Tiffany :) says:

      If you are looking for someone who has something enlightening to say, this article about Senator Gary Peters is the antithesis of Garrison’s comments. Sen. Peters told the story about his wife’s life saving abortion to Elle magazine, and how abortion restrictions threatened her life. I’ve also seen other women share their stories on social media. It is important that these truths come out, because the right has painted such a deceitful image of this medical procedure.

      https://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/a34339956/senator-gary-peters-abortion/

    • fishface says:

      yeah…..nah, he doesn’t get to have a say.

  2. Sadiebelle says:

    Oh goody! An old white man has ideas! And needs us to hear them! How refreshing!

    • Roserose says:

      I know, right? I’m so happy I know this man’s stance on this issue. I couldn’t carry on without knowing his thoughts.

      That’s sarcasm btw. His “solution” would create a dangerous and threatening situation for women across the US. Which is probably what he wants.

  3. Jay says:

    Oh, good, I was so hoping THIS wretched person would weigh in. Does he actually think that the United States will just shrug and unite the second Row v Wade is struck down? Talk about cynicism.

    • Esmom says:

      Yes, he is terrible.

    • schmootc says:

      The right would just find another thing to police women about. Probably birth control. I remember reading about how to begin with, you had to be married and have your husband’s permission to get birth control. Sure, sure, sure. Cool, cool, cool. Here’s your handbasket, have a nice ride!

  4. Esmom says:

    I could never stand him or his NPR show and my feelings remain unchanged. The Prairie Home Companion schtick always felt so contrived to me, sort of exploitative. Not unlike the Hillbilly Elegy world that JD Vance exploited for his personal gain. Keillor’s replacement seems like a nice, talented guy but my biased self seems to think he might be better off without the constraints of that old format. Hard to imagine why he wants be associated with Keillor’s legacy.

    As for Roe v Wade, every day I try to imagine what the world will be like without it. We don’t need Keillor’s takes. I’m happy that Illinois has taken measures to protect women and their right to choose, in anticipation that surrounding states will become hostile. It’s hard to process.

    • Darla says:

      Interesting thoughts, especially the tie-in to Vance

    • Digital Unicorn says:

      We should also ask how many abortions he has paid for!

    • Tom says:

      I saw him perform live at a dress rehearsal of Prairie Home Companion years ago. The next night, I listened to the live broadcast. Totally different energies. In the dress rehearsal performance, Keillor came across as generous, quick, and lively. He was definitely the charismatic ringmaster. On the radio, he seemed sleepy and slow and boring. As successful as he was, a lot of him just didn’t translate to radio.

      A good friend was in a position to have the genuine goods on Keillor’s filing. My friend wouldn’t dish (sadly) but did say that it was absolutely the right decision to fire him.

      His credibility with the public is gone. He destroyed it.

    • Mac says:

      I loved his show which was a love letter to Minnesota. JD Vance spent two summers with his grandmother and wrote a stereotypical screed about Appalachia. The two are not comparable in any way.

      • Esmom says:

        Fair point and I realize many people loved his show. I don’t think I would have even thought of the comparison except that Vance was on my brain from the other post. I always understood on one level what Prairie Home Companion was doing, I just didn’t trust his particular schtick. As I said it felt contrived. I’m glad it resonated with you.

  5. Darla says:

    Holy Moly! You’ve outdone yourself in your picture game Kaiser. I almost died, I thought it was a syphilitic cyclops when I first saw the pic.

    Jesus, i won’t shake this off for a while.

  6. Sierra says:

    We can’t do anything to stop Amy right now but she can and will be removed next year. Alongside Kavanaugh, they both lied under oath.

    • Ummm says:

      No, they won’t be removed even if Biden wins – bank on it.

    • Anna says:

      I saw something about files she had “neglected” to submit as part of the hearings, that these could be required and without them, she might not be confirmed? Perhaps I’m confusing information but this was a small glimmer of hope…

  7. Edna says:

    “We can accept a system of states’ rights, whereby abortion is legal in some states, illegal in others, same as you have a death penalty in some states, not in others,” Keillor wrote. “

    Such a slippery slope to go down. “States rights” have been used to oppress and enslave people for far too long. “States rights” is why we have institutionalized racism….Jim crow laws were codified into state laws. No. Abortion and other human rights issues can’t and shouldn’t be left up to the states. I’m praying Biden wins and the Dems take both chambers of Congress. Maybe then a federal law can be enacted to protect abortion rights. Something that should have been done a long time ago rather than relying on the courts to uphold abortion rights.

    • Juls says:

      Exactly Edna. I agree with you 100%. I would just like to add, if it’s left up to each state to decide, states that are allowed to make abortion illegal will ABSOLUTELY pass laws that make it illegal for it’s residents to travel to other states to seek an abortion. They will probably make it a felony too. So women will have to choose between freedom of bodily autonomy and a criminal record and possible incarceration.

      • Maida says:

        Yes, came here to say this, Juls. States where abortion is illegal will 100 percent make it illegal to go to another state to get one, and will go after it hard. I do think this kind of over-the-top zealotry might actually backfire on those states, in the end, but only after a lot of people’s lives are ruined.

      • Veronica S. says:

        That would have difficulty standing up in court because it restricts citizens’ freedom of movement throughout their own country and would have unexpected repercussions on other medical and legal interstate exchanges. Not that I don’t think they aren’t corrupt enough to uphold it, but that’s where the court challenge would occur, and if it was upheld….well, then you’re making an increasingly good case for the union to break up.

        But to be frank, in this worst case scenario where Roe goes back to the states and they pass laws barring citizens from accessing medical resources in other states? Women they need to leave those state in any way they can. I mean this exactly as it sounds. Get out. Take on the debt, leave the house, leave the male partner who would risk your life to have you suffer that loss of rights. Treat it the way you would any other refugee fleeing a country that would kill them. Because they literally are telling you they would.

      • schmootc says:

        And I will donate to anyone who ends up being prosecuted. And to those who don’t have the resources to travel to another state when they need an abortion. Hell, they can stay at my damn house if they need to.

    • Otaku fairy says:

      Exactly. Not everyone who could be affected by that has the option of just freely leaving their state.

  8. Stacy Dresden says:

    Women’s lives aren’t that important. Well, the importance can vary from state to state. Let’s focus on more important issues. No! KEEP ABORTION SAFE AND LEGAL!

  9. manda says:

    I am not a constitutional law scholar, and would love it if someone could give me an hypothetical fact pattern that would call into question what was actually held in Roe v Wade, which is that abortion is part of the right to privacy. Like, how will they say it’s not? I am wondering how they would get around that precedent to undo it.

    I feel that if they did somehow succeed, it would not be too long before we have a highly publicized horrible case where a married woman died because of something wrong with the pregnancy. Like that horrible incident in Ireland where that poor woman died, which spurred their country to finally change (I think…?) I think that even if the laws changed back to pre-Roe days, it’s not like our culture will go back to not talking about such things. Deaths would be publicized and more people would be educated, which would hopefully lead us back to re-achieving those rights.

    I was uplifted a tiny bit yesterday when my husband sent me a link to a WaPo story that a coalition of prosecutors and AGs and others have vowed not to enforce any abortion criminal laws that might be put into place. https://www.washingtonpost.com/crime-law/2020/10/14/coalition-prosecutors-attorneys-general-across-us-vow-not-enforce-antiabortion-laws/

    • Also Ali says:

      Compare this to the non-answers of Barrett and tell me if it doesn’t make your heart hurt.

      “It is essential to woman’s equality with man that she be the decisionmaker, that her choice be controlling,” Ginsburg told Senators during her four days of questioning by the Senate Judiciary Committee. “If you impose restraints that impede her choice, you are disadvantaging her because of her sex.”

    • Tiffany :) says:

      I honestly don’t understand how, in all of these years, the bigger principle of Roe v. Wade hasn’t come into play more. The concept that a human being has the right to chose their own medical procedures seems very important.

  10. Mabs A'Mabbin says:

    And I think we should pass a law which prohibits men to have actual working dicks if they’ve been proven to misuse, harass and abuse any human at any time.

    • Shirley Gail says:

      Whilst harsh, I’m w/you.
      Remember, men are 100% responsible for ALL pregnancies..
      So, yeah, cut ’em off at the pass….so to speak……

  11. Becks1 says:

    Well, I think he’s right in that some states are going to declare abortion illegal once Roe is overturned (which I do think it will be, relatively soon), and some states wont. And the sad thing is, the states that wont criminalize abortion, or birth control, or IVF, etc are the states that are pushing back against Barrett’s appointment, and I feel like we’re doing it because we know the impact this is going to have nationwide, and that women in red states are going to be significantly affected when abortion rights are gutted, and the ones who can afford it will be traveling to the blue states for procedures.

    But that doesn’t mean that I don’t think Roe is worth fighting for. It is exactly worth fighting for because of that – because we need abortion to be legal on the national level.

    • Amy Too says:

      Exactly. It’s such a selfish and privileged way of thinking about abortion rights when people just suggest that if you live in a state that criminalizes abortion or LGBTQ rights (which he also mentions!) you should just move. Not everyone can just move. For financial reasons or job reasons or even legal reasons. Some people can’t travel out of state due to the terms of their probation. Teenagers get pregnant and need abortions and are also gay and they can’t just move on their own. Teen girls who need a parent to drive them out state for an abortion may face the issue of their parent not being able to travel out of state with the kid due to custody reasons. These people matter! Just because I have the resources to move or travel for an abortion doesn’t mean I stop caring about everyone else. And it’s the principle of the thing anyways. Women should have the right to choose!

      And I hate his whole thing about how we need to just provide better healthcare and support to pregnant women so they won’t need abortions. First, it’s not always about about access to healthcare. Second, a Supreme Court that overturns roe is also going to overturn the ACA and prevent any Medicare for All laws. And he knows that! We all know that!

      • Otaku fairy says:

        +1000. “These people matter! Just because I have the resources to move or travel for an abortion doesn’t mean I stop caring about everyone else. And it’s the principle of the thing anyways. Women should have the right to choose!” People really seem to have trouble getting that when it comes to these issues. There’s always more to it than “You got yours. What do you have to worry about?” Or at least there should be.

  12. Isa says:

    Roe itself is not toxic. We all have the right to make personal own medical decisions without interference.

    This is the worst take. Women will die without the protections of Roe. Women like the first wife of Senator Peters of Michigan — I’m sure many of you saw his story recently.

    Old white men in the Republican Party have just decided to exploit abortion instead of slavery/segregation to maintain their stranglehold on the South.

  13. TIFFANY says:

    I read on Twitter yesterday that that soon to be Justice White Supremacists graduated 23rd in her class and never tried a case and only became a judge 3 years ago because she begged to get Yurtle the Turtle’s attention.

    All of this pretty much sums up this country as whole.

    • Tiffany :) says:

      “graduated 23rd in her class and never tried a case and only became a judge 3 years ago ”

      Yes, Barrett is highly unqualified….meanwhile Merrick Garland was at the top of his class and had 20 years as a judge.

    • jenellesTiktok says:

      The short resume is by design. They appoint younger judges to take full advantage of the Constitution’s outdated lifetime appointment. Democrats tend to appoint somewhat older judges to SCOTUS. RBG was about 60 when appointed.

  14. lucy2 says:

    That’s funny, the rest of the world thinks sexual harasser Keeler isn’t worth paying attention to anymore.

  15. Sarah says:

    “and wondered,“to what good?””

    Yeah, why should anything exist that doesn’t benefit you personally right? Ugh.

  16. Merricat says:

    I own my body, not the government. That’s all I have to say about it.

  17. Leslie says:

    It’s not just about abortion. They will make miscarriages a crime, too. Something no one even has control of. And how long until periods are a crime because “well that might be a miscarriage” because loads of women don’t even know they are pregnant when the fetus is miscarried? They hate women. They will take away birth control and make rape not a crime.

  18. Miranda says:

    Hardly surprising, coming from a man so misogynistic that he genuinely expected people to believe that grown-ass women were too flaky and lady-brained to know the difference between a friendly gesture and a “bad touch”.

  19. AmyB says:

    This is simply vile – and of course it is coming from a WHITE HETEROSEXUAL OLDER, PRIVILEGED MAN!!! I am sorry, but if Roe v. Wade was about a man’s rights about his choice for his body, would we even be having this same conversation???? Listen I am well aware that abortion is a controversial issue, but that is the very reason, I believe, it should be left as a personal choice for the woman. I think it is undisputable that abortion is killing a life, yes. And I am grateful that I only became pregnant once, when I had my daughter and wanted a baby. HOWEVER, I cannot imagine a world where women would not be able to have that essential choice, when confronted with a pregnancy that was a surprise, or was a result of rape, or one of the various other reasons a woman may decide to terminate her pregnancy. It is just a deeply personal choice, and I feel strongly that women should remain with that essential choice. Furthermore, it irritates me to no end to hear this crap from someone like Geillor – a sexual predator? Are you f**king kidding me???

  20. Enis says:

    When I was in college, our local public radio station brought Prarie Home Companion in to do a show. I worked the event. Keillor was by far the biggest diva and was just so downright unpleasant. This was in the early 2010’s, and I have loathed him ever since.

  21. aang says:

    And the people with big $$$ funding all this abortion hysteria since the 70’s don’t even care about abortion. Who thinks the Koch brothers or the dudes at ENRON are pro life in any sense of the word? All they want is the power to get richer by polluting without regulation. They use abortion to enflame the passions of religious nut jobs who were not reliable voters pre roe. Regan was pro choice republican until he realized he needed the religious right to win nationally. It has been a marriage made in hell.

  22. Kalana says:

    This guy hates women. It’s not more complicated than that. He dress it up however he likes but he hates women.

  23. Franny says:

    He doesn’t have to worry because no one will be forcing him to bear children against his will.

  24. Milkweed says:

    Quasimodo needs to STFU.

  25. Sass says:

    I have not listened to APHC since that occurred and even though he’s no longer attached to it, I never will again. (In fact, reading up on it just now, I see they renamed it and the show ended this year seemingly forever.)

  26. FancyCatsup says:

    Although Keillor is very problematic, he is correct that the Rs have been exploiting the issue for years – while their main legislative goals are really to give more power and money to big business, they DGAF about abortion. Congress needs to make safe abortions legal instead of allowing the Supreme Court to legislate from the bench.

    • from NYC says:

      I know, I hate the thought of giving up on the principle of safe affordable abortion as a right of all women – but should that horrible woman get onto the supreme court we’re gonna have to have a strategy. We’re going to have to do unsexy things like pay closer attention to local elections and get our friends and family to do the same where they live. It’s time to be open to new ideas, no matter that we can’t stand where they come from.

    • Veronica S. says:

      In a way, by overturning it they’d frankly undermining their own platform because the only way they could keep it on the national platform is by then pushing for a federal ban legislatively, which many states would fight ferociously because that would be violating historical legal precedent and their state rights. This isn’t the 1950s and there are more men these days who agree with women on reproductive rights, even from just an economic perspective, which is really why they support it. It’s a way to keep women socioeconomically limited and families in debt.

    • schmootc says:

      I couldn’t agree more. The solution needs to come from Congress. And they need to address the incremental eroding of rights as well. I’ve had a pelvic ultrasound. The idea that some states require women to get one before having an abortion is abhorrent. And doctors being required to foist bad info on women before they get an abortion needs to be outlawed as well. And doctors having to have admitting rights. ALL OF IT!

  27. Bexington says:

    I worked with a pro-lifer and her viewpoint was she didn’t want her taxes to pay for abortions. I don’t agree with that sentiment and don’t think we should be able to pick and choose what our taxes cover. But it gave me some insight into the pro-life thinking and I just wonder if abortion were covered with private funding, would this decisive issue finally go away? I know people who hate hate hate Trump but are staunchly pro-life and abortion is the the only reason they vote republican. Anyway, it would be a huge compromise but I would gladly donate to the cause to ensure that access to safe abortions are available to any woman in any state. Maybe this is incredibly naive, but am tired of how abortion, a private medical issue, is used to divide our country.

    • Lizzie Bathory says:

      Well, the Hyde Amendment (passed in 1976) prevents her tax dollars paying for abortions. That’s one of many disingenuous arguments anti-choice people use to make their positions seem palatable.

      But the good news is that if you’re interested in helping people access abortion care, there are abortion funds in every state that do this! I donate monthly to the one in my state & feel great each month when I get the thank you email reminding me that I’m supporting women who need help.

    • Miranda says:

      I’m sure there are some people whose pro-life stance really is based primarily on the tax issue, but I think that more often than not, that’s just the excuse they use because their beliefs are actually rooted in what they know to be socially unacceptable attitudes about keeping women in their place (this unfortunately seems to be especially common amongst “bootstrapper” pro-life women who have benefited from feminism without contributing much towards the movement themselves. I have a feeling that Amy Coney Barrett falls into this category).

    • A says:

      If we get to decide where our taxes go, can I put down that I do NOT want my taxes to subsidize the endless war machine and militarism that America exports around the world? Oh, and also, I would like to specifically stipulate that I do not want a single cent of the taxes I pay to go towards clearing my neighbour, Clive’s, sidewalk this winter. Fuck you Clive. (He knows what he did).

    • jenellesTiktok says:

      George Conway said the same thing, that the abortion battle now is just over whether government funds it at all. Disingenuous and ignores the other state laws passed to make it harder and harder to get an abortion anywhere, regardless of the woman paying for it herself.

  28. from NYC says:

    I never liked that guy and I’m a passionate defender of every woman’s right to safely and affordably terminate any pregnancy she doesn’t want. I had an abortion in my 30s and I’m grateful every damn day.

    It does bum me out, though, when we pile on like this. Yes, he’s old, ugly and white – and clearly an egomaniac and just…gross. And he made egregious mistakes – he treated women abominably.

    But he’s paid for those mistakes. He’s been stripped of his reputation and had his livelihood taken from him. He’s a pariah who will never enjoy a wide audience again.

    And he’s not an unthoughtful person, nor is he stupid. And what he put forward was, in his mind, a solution to what he sees as a nation on the brink of wide-spread civil violence and destabilization.

    Maybe we think he’s capitulating a little early. (Like, dude, we haven’t lost yet!) Or we think it’s a dumb idea. (Dude, do you think for a moment that if the Left stands down, the Right will “let New York be New York” and give up their side of the fight? Um, no, they won’t.)

    But, like, can we maybe not be so predictable and rush in to the take-down based of the color of his skin or his gender or age? Aren’t we doing what we despise in racists and bigots when we do that?

    Either ignore him or interrogate his faulty logic, but spending all this energy hating together in an echo-chamber because he’s the demographic we’ve decided to cancel? That’s what mobs do. That’s what our fat, entitled, despotic leader does. Let’s be…not like him.

    • Betsy says:

      I think at a certain point it’s acceptable to say about a public figure who is literally nothing to most of us, “you do not belong in my life in any way and I will not invite you with your books, radio shows, social media posts, or television programs.” I don’t think that’s fat, entitled or despotic, I think that’s drawing boundaries where they belong.

      Furthermore, when this social media post is viewed through the lens of patriarchy, it gets worse. Oh, well, what’s a few thousand women forced to carry and bear a baby they don’t want, because states are different? Would you say that slavery should have continued on a state by state basis? Why should women be effectively treated as less than men when basic medical care – and I know you agree that that’s what birth control and abortion are, so I hope you don’t feel like I’m lecturing you – could be denied to them just because “different states“?

      I don’t owe Garrison Keillor anything.

    • A says:

      I’ve honestly never read something that has made me feel quite so tired and exhausted as this comment.

    • Moo says:

      Thanks for this thoughtful response. I admit I kept myself from posting something nasty about his appearance because I just don’t want to go down that road. I appreciate the way you broke down how we are responding and how we might respond in a more productive manner.

    • Kalana says:

      Don’t “both sides” this and don’t tone police us.

      This is life and death and the expressions of fear and anger and disgust are right and do not have to pass anyone’s approval.

      And yes, mention that he is white and male. It is a major part of this. White privilege and male privilege needs to be shamed.

  29. Smiles says:

    I’m beyond sick and tired of a group of old, white men telling women what we shouldn’t be allowed to do with our bodies! No one tells them what to do with their reproductive organs and until that occurs every last one of them, especially this gross predatory troll, can shut the f*ck up.

  30. Betsy says:

    Oh, I remember perfectly well when Garrison fell because I live in Minnesota and he was such a huge figure here, plus I know someone who worked for him at the time (he was a guy and surprise surprise didn’t see it because Garrison hid his abuse well, though there was other stuff the guy saw).

    I am so incredibly sick of the way old white men treat women as expendable. It doesn’t matter anything about the woman, though I believe the speed with which someone would expend a woman goes faster if she’s a minority or poor, women just are not full people in the eyes of a lot of people.

    People like Garrison Keillor and Amy Comey Barrett.

  31. Miranda says:

    PSA: If you care about reproductive rights, PLEASE donate to the National Network of Abortion Funds. Besides paying for the procedure itself, the funds also help women cover transportation, lodging, and childcare costs, which can be huge obstacles for those who live in places where access is restricted by law or simply by distance. Many funds even contribute towards seldom-considered details like translators for non-English speakers. You can find local funds for your area (including international funds for the UK and Mexico) here:

    https://abortionfunds.org/need-abortion/#funds-list

  32. Wickster says:

    All you had to do was listen to his show to realize he was a misogynist and was obsessed with sex. I never understood the fascination with PHC, and I grew up in Illinois where a lot of my friends–liberals like myself–listened to it and praised it–I think partially because it was on NPR. But try as I might, I found it wholly unfunny, disingenuous and pandering, and relentlessly misogynistic.

    • Moo says:

      I accidentally listened to parts of the show over the years. I hated it every time. I felt like I should probably like it because it was on NPR, but I just hated it! It really did seem fake and contrived and I didn’t get the point of it at all. I heard it praised in other settings and figured there must be something wrong with me.

  33. Jaded says:

    Well Garrison, maybe you’d prefer that America go back to the days of back street, kitchen table abortions with coat hangers. Women dying as a result of not being able to afford birth control or or of being raped. Is that the better option? How dare he weigh in on something so important to half the population of the world in such a callous manner. Oh right, he’s old, white, rich and entitled, and clearly thinks women are no more useful than pieces of furniture.

  34. Grant says:

    Thank you, ugly white man, for man-splaining to all of us why civil liberties aren’t important. What about all those gays in South Dakota who don’t have the luxury of moving to a state that hasn’t criminalized being LGBT? Privilege, privilege, privilege. Eff you, you ogre. This is the dumbest hot take I’ve read all week.

  35. Ginger says:

    Whatever would we do without this old man’s opinion?

  36. Singhsong says:

    Sh*t stains gotta sh*t stain I guess.

  37. NotSoSimpleTaylor says:

    I can’t wrap my head around the fact this is such an issue in the USA. It seems so pragmatic to me that a woman must consent for her body to be used in such a way but that is the world I grew up in.

    My previous job required me to spend most of 2016 in America and I just don’t get a lot of USA issues like this but it’s the same issue I have with the UK. These are private issues and no one has a right to dictate and this is one of them. If a person wants to get an abortion, I think she will find a way no matter what and if I recall didn’t the risk of maternal infanticide increase in areas where abortion access is limited.

    Are there any organizations that help cover a woman’s travel costs? I know abortions in some areas are more difficult than others and women are required to travel long distances. I would like to contribute to an organization that makes that easier for them to make the trip.

    • Lizzie Bathory says:

      Yes! Abortion funds exist–Miranda posted a link just a few comments up. It’s great if you”re able to contribute.

  38. Chimes@Midnight says:

    ““We can accept a system of states’ rights, whereby abortion is legal in some states, illegal in others, same as you have a death penalty in some states, not in others,” Keillor wrote. “…Let South Dakota be South Dakota and if they wish to criminalize LBGTQ, then they can deal with the consequences…..”

    He is talking about the states’ rights to recognize some people as less than others. I can recall an entire war we fought to prevent that.

  39. emu says:

    YIKES
    I mean, I do get the point that A LOT of people only vote on abortion rights. But he is being such an idiot.

  40. Quincytoo says:

    I live happily in BC Canada on a Lovely Island where I could see Harry and Meagans house ( while at a friends house, she is ocean front , I’m lake front)
    Trying to wrap my female mind around this
    Why is this an issue in 2020 USA???
    Why are old men telling American females what they can do with their bodies
    Surely this shouldn’t even be happening
    WTF?!?!
    Why can’t females have control of their bodies
    Sorry not sorry I’m pro life and am suddenly very grateful that I live in Canada where a woman can choose