As it was around the country, yesterday was election day in South Dakota. Aside from all the elected positions to vote for, aside from chosing from Republicans and Democrats (oh, and those others, too), aside from chosing to legislate a longer summer for school children (yeah, how trivial), perhaps the biggest issue on the ballot was that of abortion.

Last Summer, the South Dakota House of Representatives passed a bill (HB1215) that would outlaw all abortions except those that would save the life of the mother. Later that same summer, a petition drive was held, mainly in Sioux Falls, but also in Rapid City (I'm guessing based on the fact they didn't visit little ol' Marion, that the rural parts of South Dakota—that is, the REST OF THE STATE—weren't needed) to place the law before the voters. So, yesterday (and for some, in the days leading up to yesterday), that's what we did. The law was defeated 56% to 44%.

56% of the South Dakota populace were either the liberal blue element of the state—the pro-choice crowd who like the idea of death as a convenience—or were too afraid to call this most heinous of crimes what it is, a crime—they were YELLOW. Seeing as South Dakota is primarily a red state (ask our blue U.S. Representative who "hates to admit it"), I'm guessing a large portion of that 56% is of the latter persuasion.

The South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families (what?) campaign worked. Referred Law 6 (as it was known on our ballots) has no exceptions for rape or incest. And just about every campaign ad we saw through yesterday let us know that. Options existed for those who were victims of rape or incest, such as "Plan B"—the "morning-after pill"—but even those women couldn't get an abortion.

Anyway, I'm about to go on a diatribe about all of this.

Tell me how supporting abortion promotes healthy families! If abortion is seen as a means of terminating a pregnancy—and let's be real here, this group's main concern was not the lack of exceptions, but abortion rights, period (noted by the numerous "Protect Women's Rights" posters present at their rallies)—and pregnancy is the primary means of growing a family, how does terminating a pregnancy promote healthy families? It makes absolutely no sense to me.

Then, let's talk about those victims of incest. If a pregnancy resulting from incest is terminated, that's akin to trying to cover the incest up. You know, "let's pretend it never happened." After all, the most concrete proof of incest is literally being tossed in the garbage. So, this is also promoting healthy families? How can denying incest be healthy?

Yeah, I already spoke about incest. The same thing can be said of rape. The child being aborted is, perhaps, the most concrete proof that rape occurred! But, no, let's abort the child and deny it. No child, no paternity test, it can all come down to his word against hers.

I can understand if the child is not wanted. That is to say, I can understand that the victim of rape or incest doesn't want a child. But there are other options for releasing oneself from the responsibility of raising a child, such as adoption and leaving the child at a safe place such as a hospital or fire station (2 or 3 states don't do this, I think South Dakota allows this).

But, as far as Referred Law 6 is concerned, those exceptions weren't written in there for two reasons. First, children that result from incest and rape are no less children that resulted from consentual sex. Second, only 1 or 2 per cent of abortions performed were for victims of rape or incest.

The main reason the SD House passed HB1215 was to challenge the US Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade. The ruling passed there was made because, at the time, there was no scientific evidence to prove when life began, so abortions were made legal on the basis of privacy. Now, there is scientific evidence to prove what many have said and believed all along: life begins at conception, when sperm fertilizes egg. It is believed, with this evidence and the wording of HB1215, that Roe v. Wade could be challenged and even overturned.

However, the main point of this and banning abortions is that what is conceived is life. Abortion is murder. A life is ended in an abortion (and another is permanently scarred). Abortion is a heinous crime that has, unfortunately, been legalized.

I am utterly disappointed and disgusted at the turn of events with regard to Referred Law 6 on the ballot. I've always said that life is not held is high regard by the general populace. I guess it just took this for me to finally realize just how true it is. How sad and disappointing.