Georgia’s passage of an anti-abortion bill has ignited calls for a film industry boycott of the state – a measure that would could be costly. But never fear, Fox &; Friends is giving Georgia a helping hand.
On Wednesday’s Fox & Friends, cohost Steve Doocy opened up the “pro-life” propaganda piece by reporting that Georgia's governor is prepared to sign Georgia’s anti-abortion “heartbeat” bill – a law which would prohibit abortion when a fetal “heartbeat” is detected. He noted that some, in Hollywood, are proposing a boycott of film and TV production in Georgia and introduced the freshman lawmaker who was a sponsor of the bill.
Doocy asked GOP State Rep. Ginny Ehrhart (who is so virulently anti-LGBT she once compared transgender people to moose) to describe the bill. She claimed that it would “provide protections for unborn children at the point when a human heartbeat is discovered” and pontificated that Georgia recognizes those “unborn babies to be distinct, individual, living human beings worthy of protection.” She happily proclaimed that the bill “recognizes the personhood of that child” and that, in Georgia, “we place great value on human life.” She continued to preach about how Georgia wants to protect “all those unborn children.”
Doocy informed us that this new law shortens the time for a legal abortion, from 20 to 6 weeks, and that’s why celebrities are threatening to boycott Georgia. He didn’t mention that Roe’s viability standard is way more than six weeks or that many women don’t even know they’re pregnant at six weeks.
Ehrhart sounded like she was giving a Chamber of Commerce speech as she bragged about Georgia’s fabulous business climate and how they just love the film industry. She said that she didn’t think the vocal opposition represents the entirety of the film industry. However, she mentioned that she had seen some "activism” around the capitol.
In attempting to whitewash the drastic aspects of the legislation, Doocy urged Ehrhart to talk about its exceptions. Ehrhart made the ludicrous claim that the bill is a “compromise” because it doesn’t overturn Roe. (It does, however, effectively ban most abortions in Georgia). She continued the crazy talk with a statement that the bill “balances the rights and interests of the mother with the rights of that unborn child.”
Ehrhart spoke about the exceptions for rape or incest or health of the mother, but didn’t mention that “medical professionals argue that developing tissue of a fetus at six weeks may be mistaken as a heartbeat and that the fetus would not be able to survive outside of the mother’s womb.” She also didn’t tell viewers that the rape exception is only valid with a police report.
Doocy continued to encourage Ehrhart to speak about the awesomeness of this draconian bill by saying that, according to the bill, the six-week benchmark is the beginning of personhood.
Ehrhart argued, “For centuries, the heartbeat has been a discernible and tangible indication of life" which is, she said, “personhood.” She urged folks to come to Georgia because “it’s a wonderful place to work.” She hoped that Hollywood would respect Georgia’s “political interests and moral direction.”
Despite Ehrhart’s cheerleading, neither Doocy nor Ehrhart mentioned that not all Georgians are happy with this law. A representative from the state Ob-Gyn Society is concerned that the law “would deter obstetricians from practicing in a state that has a shortage of OB-GYNs.” Nobody said anything about how none of the other (red) state “heartbeat bills” are being enforced because of litigation nor that the Georgia ACLU is set to challenge this law as soon as Governor Brian Kemp signs it.
Sure, Fox & Friends cares about fetuses - facts, not so much.
Watch Doocy and Ehrhart try to sell the repressive bill above, from the April 3, 2019 Fox & Friends.
For updates on the Georgia boycott follow #HB481isbadforbusiness on Twitter.
Crossposted at News Hounds.
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