Nadja Wolfe

The FBI recently announced that it had rescued 105 exploited children and arrested 159 pimps as part of the national effort against sex trafficking of minors.  Last summer, they made a similar announcement regarding the rescue of 79 children and 104 pimps.  These efforts highlight the priority law enforcement is placing on trafficking in persons, particularly the sexual trafficking of minors.  They also highlight how far we have to go as a nation to protect the vulnerable from exploitation.

A report emerged recently that at least 148 female inmates in the California penal system had been sterilized without authorization.  The outcry justifiably focused on the fact that some women did not give informed consent, that it was against the law without prior authorization, and that in some cases it appeared there had been coercion.  But the underlying travesty is why the medical professionals thought it was okay: it would save the taxpayers money.

The Texas legislature tried to pass SB5, which would have limited abortion and regulated abortion clinics.  Senator Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth) filibustered, as it was the last day of the session.  I followed by proxy the events through Facebook.  I had pro-life friends at the senate, and pro-choice friends livestreaming it long into the night.  Depending on the side, it was filibuster by mob or a devious bill and trampling parliamentary procedure (including allegations of time-stamp changing).  By the end of the night, the result was in: the vote in favor of passing the bill didn’t count, because the legislative session had ended two minutes before.

Last month, courts reviewed two requests for preliminary injunctions against the contraception mandate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  That is, two businesses which do not fit the exemption rules but whose owners object to the mandate for moral and religious reasons will not have to pay the fines they would otherwise be responsible for while the case is being heard in full.