Have you ever endured food poisoning after eating out at a restaurant?  One Illinois buffet sickened an entire team of Ramah trainers before a conference.  The common denominator was the ranch dressing at the salad bar.  For those of us who consumed that condiment, a horrific and painful illness came over us six hours later.  Thankfully none of us needed hospitalization but our event was impacted significantly.

If that experience wasn’t enough, watching the show, “Restaurant Impossible,”  on the Food Network has changed our family’s comfort level in eating out entirely.  When you view grease-encrusted ovens, moldy coolers, dead rats, animal feces and improperly stored food on these episodes, one must wonder how they ever passed Heath Department inspections!  The potential for contamination, food borne illness and bad retail practices has made us more careful in our eatery selections.   The result is that we eat out rarely!

Most states require inspections of all eating and drinking establishments at least once a year.  Heath Department examiners can also repeat inspections if they receive complaints.  Many eateries certainly can return to filthy practices after receiving certification.  Still, it is a comfort to know that a governmental entity is checking them out to ensure our “temporary” safety at least once a year.

One has to wonder, “What would happen if restaurants were never inspected?”

In equating abortion clinic inspections to eating establishments, the potential for physical harm is obviously increased.   An abortion is a surgical/medical procedure, not a meal.   Isn’t it strange that after 40 years of abortion on demand, states are only now getting around to ensuring these clinics, at the very least, endure similar sanitation scrutiny as restaurants?  Nail and hair salons, along with veterinary clinics endure stiffer inspections than abortion clinic inspections.

Today I heard that the Supreme Court has agreed to review the laws the state of Texas enacted to begin sanitation inspections for abortion clinic inspections.   When these laws were being debated in the Texas congress, the angry response was dramatic from abortion rights groups who believe this step could, “End abortion on demand.”   Many yelled that these laws would cut the number of abortion clinics by 90% in Texas.  If these new regulations close down clinics, shouldn’t women be grateful women were spared poor health care? 

Since Roe v. Wade gave every woman the right to a “safe and legal” abortion, one would assume abortion clinic inspections were an expected part of the abortion experience.  Yet most never ask questions about the abortion clinic’s  level of sanitation accountability.   It is typical for women ask few questions when aborting due to the overwhelming emotions often encountered in making this choice.  I was no exception, keeping my eyes to the ground while in the abortion clinic. I have no idea if my abortion clinic was clean.   I simply believed the abortion clinic was “safe” and inspected regularly, much like the people who eat in restaurants.

I’ve often heard tales from women who have encountered obvious sanitation issues when attempting to procure an abortion.  One woman angrily yelled at me saying, “Tell me where I can find a clean abortion clinic!  I’ve been to four so far and they were all filthy.  I refuse to accept that level of health care!”   This woman never had an abortion due to her understanding of basic medical cleanliness standards.   She wasn’t a teenager but a 34 year old mother of three.   She knew what good healthcare looked like!

It’s clear that human nature, and bad retail practices, can work in tandem to offer the lowest level of cleanliness possible.  Spotless sanitation in any establishment increases labor costs.  Why would the abortion industry even worry about cleanliness if they have no abortion clinic inspections accountability requirements?  At the very least, these abortion clinics should endure the same sanitation scrutiny as nail salons, veterinary clinics and restaurants.

It is important for all American women that abortion clinic inspections are regulated by the government.  Ensuring that a doctor is present during this procedure makes good sense.  Requiring abortionists to have admitting privileges at local hospitals seems like a small request in performing surgical procedures.

Thank you, Texas, for caring enough for the women in your state to ensure abortion is, as President Barak Obama stated, “safe, legal and rare.”