“I have dreams, hopes and ambitions,” Smith said. “Every girl here does. We have spent our whole lives working toward our futures, and without our consent or input, our control over our futures has been stripped away from us.”
Lake Highlands High School Valedictorian Paxton Smith had planned on giving her speech at this past Sunday’s graduation ceremony on the effect of media on young minds, but eleven days earlier Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed Texas Bill 8 which for the most part prohibits all abortions in the state. The so-called “heartbeat bill” bans abortions as early as six weeks, before some women even realize they’re pregnant, and makes no allowances for victims of rape or incest. The bill also allows private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone found assisting a woman obtain an abortion after a fetal heartbeat has supposedly been detected.
During an interview with Lake Highlands Advocate Smith states: “I thought about making the speech at a different venue, like a rally where people wouldn’t be upset at what I had to say. But a large part of the reason I made the speech at graduation was that was the only place I could think of where I could reach so many people from so many different backgrounds. It did cross my mind that this is a family event where people are cheering for their kids, but this is a universal topic, and it affects everyone. I felt it needed to be said.”
While I know there are some who disagree that women should have the right to choose, I have been vehemently pro-choice since I was old enough to understand the issue and so I am sharing Paxton Smith’s courageous and impassioned speech. I encourage everyone to listen to what she says.
daleydowning said:
ABSOLUTELY agree with everything this awesome young woman said. A law like this is NOT a pro-life legislation, it’s anti-woman, anti-human-rights, anti-human-dignity and anti-personal-regulation. It’s all about control, NOT about women and children, not one bit.
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By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
EXACTLY! If men were able to get pregnant this wouldn’t even be an issue!
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daleydowning said:
Especially since I can guarantee the same people who passed this bill won’t even consider making the punishment for rape more extreme!
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lkeke35 said:
Nor will they consider who is going to take care of ALL. These unwanted children through forced birth. This shows more than anything that these people are simply pro-birth, not pro-life, because many of the same people are against any form of care for children! This isn’t about even entirely about controlling women. The elephant in the room is their fundamental terror of becoming a majority/minority race in ten to twenty years! They think forcing white women to have children will offset what they see is some kind of future white genocide!
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daleydowning said:
It’s disgusting, and disgusting that it’s true! You’re absolutely right! They’re also anti-daycare, anti-women-having-careers, anti-public-school, and anti-birth-control. I’m also scared for all the parents who may lose their daughters to the inevitable re-emergence of dangerous “back alley” procedures and “quack” methods that may be hocked on the internet now! Yeah, real “pro-life”!
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By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Yes! I just read a story out of Florida where a 14-year-old girl and a12-year-old boy got into a shootout with police. They were both in a state run juvenile group home.
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By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Of course not!
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ashleyleia said:
What a brilliant young woman.
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johnrieber said:
INDEED!
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By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
She is. And it took guts to get up there in red state conservative Texas and say what she did.
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ashleyleia said:
For sure.
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johnrieber said:
You CANNOT argue that the government has NO right to make you get a vaccine shot in the best interest of your fellow citizens and then say they DO have the right to legislate another citizen’s PERSONAL health choices! Thanks for sharing this!
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By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
The the insane irony of this is that you know many supporters of this are one who are anti-mask and anti-vaccine, screaming “My body, my choice!” at the top of their lungs!
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daleydowning said:
YES! They’re massive hypocrites as well!
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beetleypete said:
This was on chuq’s blog today. I think she is very brave to speak out, and I hope she stays in Texas to campaign about those restrictive laws.
Best wishes, Pete,.
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By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I missed his post. I’ll have to go check it out immediately.
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fragglerocking said:
Well done to this brave girl, and all else I can do is shake my head that it was necessary.
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By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
It’s getting worse and worse here Fraggle. Voting rights under attack. Women’s rights under attack. LGBTQ rights under attack. Trump may be out of office but Pandora’s Box has already been opened.
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fragglerocking said:
Fingers crossed Biden and Harris can bet a handle on it, but that’s a hard ask now the genie’s out of the bottle.
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By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
The problem is it’s a matter of states rights to a certain extent. There’s a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks, that the now overwhelmingly conservative Supreme Court has agreed to hear next term. If they find in favor of it that’s essentially the end of Roe v. Wade.
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Jennie said:
She is brave, and she is right. Shame on passing that bill with no provisions.
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By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Indeed Jennie. There shouldn’t be any bill denying a woman’s right to choose, but then to not even allow exceptions for rape and incest? It just makes it even more heinous.
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Jennie said:
Exactly!
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cheryloreglia said:
Thanks for sharing this Kim. It’s frustrating to me that we are going backwards with our rights and privileges as women to decide on our own reproductive rights. So frustrating, C
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By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I agree Cheryl. As I replied to someone else, this wouldn’t even be up for serious debate if it were men who got pregnant.
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ambroseandelsie said:
Not trying to create a firestorm here, but I felt the need to say something. Saying that this wouldn’t be up for serious debate if men were able to get pregnant kind of nullifies the opinions of women who are pro-life. Or at least that’s how it feels to me.
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By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I take your point and amend my statement to say it the debate wouldn’t be as widespread.
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Best art blog in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!! said:
cool posts and i followed you.
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By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thank you.
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Lolsy's Library said:
I love her. I do not understand politicians, especially theses days. They want to take us all back to a time when no one had rights, except for white men.
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By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I agree. Someone else commented that there are also a multitude of women who are anti-choice which is a valid point, but to me I don’t believe this would be as big of an issue without the men behind it.
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Lolsy's Library said:
Oh yeah. As you say, I don’t think this would be a big issue either without the men.
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Looking for the Light said:
AMEN!
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By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Exactly!
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cindy knoke said:
She is so brave and full of light! So are you for posting this.
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By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thanks Cindy, and yes she is. I have always been extremely passionate about this topic and I tend to get up on my soap box .
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lobotero said:
She is definitely a brave young lady….we need more of the youth to step up and speak up….the country needs this bravery which is sadly missing these days. chuq
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By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
The next generation gives hope.
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lobotero said:
At least she speaks well for her generation chuq
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petespringerauthor said:
Wow! I admire her courage in delivering that message. She didn’t look confident when she began, but once she began things started rolling.
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By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Indeed Pete.
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paddylastinc said:
Attagirl! Such bravery! I’m sure glad they didn’t cut her mic off. There’s hope in Texas after all.
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By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I’m actually shocked they didn’t!
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