Developing a fetus to the point of viability is a complex process governed by hormones. Hormones releases are controlled by the brain. A brain dead person cannot regulate hormones. Unfortunately, they can become a legislator in Georgia, and force this ghoulish mockery of life without caring that it will not result in a viable baby.
It is disgusting that she is being kept on a machine as she is brain dead, please let her go in peace, she is not a womb, she is a person who has died, America is sick to do this! 🤷♀️😖🤬😤😡🤐🤦♀️
AS SOMEONE LIVING IN GERMANY, I NEED TO SAY THIS CLEARLY: WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE U.S. ISN'T JUST A TRAGEDY — IT'S SYSTEMIC ABUSE DISGUISED AS DEMOCRACY.
HERE’S WHAT I SEE FROM OUTSIDE THE U.S.:
NO UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE
The U.S. is the only former industrialized democracy without guaranteed health coverage. In Germany, healthcare is a basic right — not a privilege based on income, employment, or luck.
NO PAID SICK LEAVE
In Germany, it’s illegal not to provide sick pay. In the U.S., it’s normal for workers to be forced to choose between healing or paying rent. That’s not freedom — that’s forced labor.
MODERN-DAY ECONOMIC SLAVERY
People in the U.S. work two, three, sometimes four jobs and still can’t afford food or rent. That’s not a “strong work ethic.” That’s exploitation. In any other context, it would be called what it is: modern slavery.
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS STRIPPED AWAY
A brain-dead woman being used as an incubator against her family’s will? In Germany, that would be a national scandal. In the U.S., it’s “policy.” This isn’t pro-life — it’s state-enforced reproductive slavery.
HIGHEST MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD
Especially for Black women. The U.S. isn’t just failing its people — it’s killing them, while pretending to be the moral compass of the world.
WORKERS HAVE FEWER RIGHTS THAN ALMOST ANY DEMOCRACY
No protection from being fired without cause. No federal paid leave. No guaranteed vacation. That’s not democracy — that’s a system rigged for corporations, not people.
A CULTURE OF BLAME INSTEAD OF SOLIDARITY
People are told poverty is their fault. Sickness is their fault. Getting pregnant is their fault. In Germany, we build safety nets. In the U.S., it looks like they build cages.
AND YET — SO MANY STILL BELIEVE THE U.S. IS A “FIRST WORLD COUNTRY.”
Because they’ve been taught to mistake power for progress. But military spending and billionaires don’t mean you’re free. Freedom means dignity, care, protection — for everyone.
SO I’LL ASK: HOW BAD DOES IT HAVE TO GET?
Do people have to DIE IN HOSPITAL PARKING LOTS?
Do they need to go back to SLAVERY IN NAME before they rise?
Because from where I’m standing — it already looks like it never truly ended. Just changed shape.
THIS ISN’T JUST A “CRISIS” — THIS IS COLLAPSE.
And still:
YOU DESERVE MORE. YOU DESERVE SAFETY. YOU DESERVE TO BE SEEN.
Don’t let them convince you you’re crazy for demanding dignity.
The original post pretty much covers everything horrible about this. But there's potentially one more thing. We don't know a whole hell of a lot about mental and emotional development of a fetus inside their mother. It seems reasonable to suspect that being incubated inside a motionless body incapable of experiencing or expressing emotion could lead to a lack of development. If the mother is brain dead, she certainly isn't producing any oxytocin. All of this is bad. And it makes me want to go back to bed.
And especially the Christian Nationalist god-botherers.
There are no words. This is beyond obscene. It is light years beyond callous, indifferent or cruel. The bastards who pass legislation like this ... ahh, I'm back to "no words" again.
I'd refuse to pay. And if they drug my ass to court, I'd just keep saying "I did not consent to any of these treatments and I will not be held liable for them." I have no idea that that would actually work, but it would make me feel a lot better. If the state wants to require her to be kept alive, let the state pay the bill. And if it's just the hospital trying to cover their asses rather than risk litigation from the state, let them eat the costs.
Then the price tag, obviously unfair, no room for argument.
But -- if this was a planned pregnancy and Ms. Smith wanted the baby to be born, should her wishes be respected? Not that they're considering that, but hypothetically in a better timeline?
That might be a good argument if she was a lot closer to, or even past, 26 weeks. But keeping her alive for 15 weeks just on the chance that they'll pull a viable preemie out of her, and that that baby will turn into a healthy baby, is a huge roll of the dice.
What can we expect from a country that kept chattel slaves for hundreds of years in order to build our original wealth. Never mind the fact that we stole all the land and genocided the Indigenous people. And now we are trying to bury that history. I'm a rationalist, but if I believed in curses, I would say that this country is cursed up one side and down the other. I don't think this is fixable. Not with our current electorate.
Your country is a fucking nightmare. A literal fucking nightmare.
I can't get drunk enough to shut this out, which is why I've not been around.
DO SOMETHING. Your ancestors and predecesors had the spinal fortitude to create the underground railroad- are you waiting for fucking permission? The referees are fucking DEAD, BURKE.
I see a lifetime of trauma and mental issues for this poor child, if it survives, leave it to the puritanical terrorists to dream up something like this!
Once this kid is finally born, the state of Georgia won't give one red fuck about its existence.
Not one.
So.
The bills for her care are mounting up. Who will pay them? The patient will be dead and therefore, unable to pay. Most likely, she has no estate that would pay the bills. Her parents aren't legally responsible. Where is the money at $2million+ going to come from?
Developing a fetus to the point of viability is a complex process governed by hormones. Hormones releases are controlled by the brain. A brain dead person cannot regulate hormones. Unfortunately, they can become a legislator in Georgia, and force this ghoulish mockery of life without caring that it will not result in a viable baby.
https://substack.com/@larrydeluca/note/p-163987746?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=cofp5
It is disgusting that she is being kept on a machine as she is brain dead, please let her go in peace, she is not a womb, she is a person who has died, America is sick to do this! 🤷♀️😖🤬😤😡🤐🤦♀️
AS SOMEONE LIVING IN GERMANY, I NEED TO SAY THIS CLEARLY: WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE U.S. ISN'T JUST A TRAGEDY — IT'S SYSTEMIC ABUSE DISGUISED AS DEMOCRACY.
HERE’S WHAT I SEE FROM OUTSIDE THE U.S.:
NO UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE
The U.S. is the only former industrialized democracy without guaranteed health coverage. In Germany, healthcare is a basic right — not a privilege based on income, employment, or luck.
NO PAID SICK LEAVE
In Germany, it’s illegal not to provide sick pay. In the U.S., it’s normal for workers to be forced to choose between healing or paying rent. That’s not freedom — that’s forced labor.
MODERN-DAY ECONOMIC SLAVERY
People in the U.S. work two, three, sometimes four jobs and still can’t afford food or rent. That’s not a “strong work ethic.” That’s exploitation. In any other context, it would be called what it is: modern slavery.
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS STRIPPED AWAY
A brain-dead woman being used as an incubator against her family’s will? In Germany, that would be a national scandal. In the U.S., it’s “policy.” This isn’t pro-life — it’s state-enforced reproductive slavery.
HIGHEST MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD
Especially for Black women. The U.S. isn’t just failing its people — it’s killing them, while pretending to be the moral compass of the world.
WORKERS HAVE FEWER RIGHTS THAN ALMOST ANY DEMOCRACY
No protection from being fired without cause. No federal paid leave. No guaranteed vacation. That’s not democracy — that’s a system rigged for corporations, not people.
A CULTURE OF BLAME INSTEAD OF SOLIDARITY
People are told poverty is their fault. Sickness is their fault. Getting pregnant is their fault. In Germany, we build safety nets. In the U.S., it looks like they build cages.
AND YET — SO MANY STILL BELIEVE THE U.S. IS A “FIRST WORLD COUNTRY.”
Because they’ve been taught to mistake power for progress. But military spending and billionaires don’t mean you’re free. Freedom means dignity, care, protection — for everyone.
SO I’LL ASK: HOW BAD DOES IT HAVE TO GET?
Do people have to DIE IN HOSPITAL PARKING LOTS?
Do they need to go back to SLAVERY IN NAME before they rise?
Because from where I’m standing — it already looks like it never truly ended. Just changed shape.
THIS ISN’T JUST A “CRISIS” — THIS IS COLLAPSE.
And still:
YOU DESERVE MORE. YOU DESERVE SAFETY. YOU DESERVE TO BE SEEN.
Don’t let them convince you you’re crazy for demanding dignity.
You’re not alone. And this isn’t okay.
I wouldn't be surprised if people have already died in hospital parking lots after being denied care.
I can’t 💔😭
For all of you Dune readers out there, does this not remind you of how the Bene Tleilax men treated their women?
The original post pretty much covers everything horrible about this. But there's potentially one more thing. We don't know a whole hell of a lot about mental and emotional development of a fetus inside their mother. It seems reasonable to suspect that being incubated inside a motionless body incapable of experiencing or expressing emotion could lead to a lack of development. If the mother is brain dead, she certainly isn't producing any oxytocin. All of this is bad. And it makes me want to go back to bed.
This. This action, don’t listen to words. This action tells you how USAmerica values women. They do not.
And especially the Christian Nationalist god-botherers.
There are no words. This is beyond obscene. It is light years beyond callous, indifferent or cruel. The bastards who pass legislation like this ... ahh, I'm back to "no words" again.
I'd refuse to pay. And if they drug my ass to court, I'd just keep saying "I did not consent to any of these treatments and I will not be held liable for them." I have no idea that that would actually work, but it would make me feel a lot better. If the state wants to require her to be kept alive, let the state pay the bill. And if it's just the hospital trying to cover their asses rather than risk litigation from the state, let them eat the costs.
State wants to keep her alive, the state pays. Surely there's a lawyer out there who would help?
Any bets that the State of Georgia tags surviving family members with The Bill?
After the family declares bankruptcy, wouldn’t the hospital eat the bill, not the state?
The scenario you describe lacks the requisite amount of sustained cruelty.
They can't make the family pay but they can make their lives even more of a living hell.
Ok, there's the Ick, no room for argument.
Then the price tag, obviously unfair, no room for argument.
But -- if this was a planned pregnancy and Ms. Smith wanted the baby to be born, should her wishes be respected? Not that they're considering that, but hypothetically in a better timeline?
That might be a good argument if she was a lot closer to, or even past, 26 weeks. But keeping her alive for 15 weeks just on the chance that they'll pull a viable preemie out of her, and that that baby will turn into a healthy baby, is a huge roll of the dice.
Jesus
Fucking
Christ
This fucking country. If only we shone as brightly as we shit on our people
What can we expect from a country that kept chattel slaves for hundreds of years in order to build our original wealth. Never mind the fact that we stole all the land and genocided the Indigenous people. And now we are trying to bury that history. I'm a rationalist, but if I believed in curses, I would say that this country is cursed up one side and down the other. I don't think this is fixable. Not with our current electorate.
Jesus Hellpunching Christ.
Your country is a fucking nightmare. A literal fucking nightmare.
I can't get drunk enough to shut this out, which is why I've not been around.
DO SOMETHING. Your ancestors and predecesors had the spinal fortitude to create the underground railroad- are you waiting for fucking permission? The referees are fucking DEAD, BURKE.
Nearly twenty years ago, I publicly stated that conservatives want to reduce women to being baby incubators. People said that was absurd.
And here we are now. Sometimes I hate being right.
The Cassandra curse is fucking awful.
I see a lifetime of trauma and mental issues for this poor child, if it survives, leave it to the puritanical terrorists to dream up something like this!
Once this kid is finally born, the state of Georgia won't give one red fuck about its existence.
Not one.
So.
The bills for her care are mounting up. Who will pay them? The patient will be dead and therefore, unable to pay. Most likely, she has no estate that would pay the bills. Her parents aren't legally responsible. Where is the money at $2million+ going to come from?
I was thinking about her life after she learns of her creation...