ACLU: 13 is old should proceed with abortion

This article in the Palm Beach Post recounts the legal wranglings over whether or not a 13-year-old Florida girl in the custody of the state should proceed with an abortion. The girl got "counseling" at a "women's clinic" and "chose" abortion. The state social service agency went to court to block the abortion, saying the girl is too immature to make such a decision. The court has ordered a psychological evaluation of the girl.

The ACUL, of course, has its panties in a twist, saying that if she's old enough to choose to have sex, she's old enough to choose an abortion. "No DCF regulation or state law can override a constitutional right as recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court," an ACLU spokesman said. "But putting aside the legalisms, forcing a 13-year-old to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term against her wishes not only is illegal and unconstitutional, it's cruel." The ACLU filed an appeal, asking the court to allow the abortion to proceed.

Considering that the age of consent in Florida is 16 or 18, depending upon the age of the partner, this girl is a victim of statutory rape. She is not legally competent to choose sex, and whoever got her pregnant has broken the law. These facts don't seem to matter to the ACLU. Evidently few ACLU members are the parents of underage girls, or remember how clueless they themselves were at that age.