Losing track of the individual

Mother and children
My oldest daughter, Megan, and her boys

Everyone and their brother has voiced an opinion about the appalling case of Dallasite Kate Cox, pregnant with a badly deformed fetus that will probably not survive the pregnancy and could conceivably cause severe illness, infertility, and possible death for the mother. I have tried in my nightly blog to stay away from hot-button political issues and to ruminate on other aspects of life, without sinking to boring accounts of my day. But tonight, I feel compelled to speak out about this case.

I have yet to hear an opinion that supports Ken Paxton’s cruel challenge of the lower court order. It’s apparent that he, newly having scraped by an impeachment hearing, is glorying in his newly affirmed power, appealing to what he thinks is his base (he may have misjudged that one), and perhaps inadvertently displaying contempt for women. Today’s Supreme Court decision denying permission for an abortion was a surprise to me, as I’m sure to many, and perhaps it’s too soon to hear national reaction. I am relieved to hear that Mrs. Cox will seek treatment outside Texas, and I am hoping against hope that Paxton, relishing his iron sword, does not go after her or whoever drove her to the airport. That would add unthinkable cruelty to a situation that is already outrageous.

I did a bit of searching, spurred on by my indignation. To my surprise, three of the nine justices on the Texas Supreme Court are women. Perhaps it is old-fashioned thinking on my part, but I would have thought women would  have more sympathy for Mrs. Cox as an individual, would understand the heartache of a pregnancy gone bad, the fear of losing your fertility—and possibly your life, with two young children at home. But alas, the women either did not have the compassion I expected or were not able to prevail over six white men. (I say white, because I think that is part of the Texas problem—and maybe the U.S.—we are ruled by mostly old white men). Significantly I found no way for us to contact these exalted beings to express our concern, so they are isolated in their ivory tower, free to interpret the law however. They are all Republicans.

It seems to me Kate Cox is lost in this whole mess, although she has been a vocal and sympathetic presence. Still in their rush to—what? Judgment? Discipline? Punishment? —neither Ken Paxton nor apparently the justices considered Kate Cox as a living breathing human being, an individual who loves and hopes and grieves, who has two children at home undoubtedly affected by this trauma. Nope. They forged ahead following a bizarre set of laws that most of us resent.

My question is what happens when the letter of the law clashes with the wellbeing of an individual? We all know that if you hear of a thousand deaths in a bombing, it’s hard to wrap your mind around the horror. But give us a close-up story of one individual, and it suddenly all becomes real. To me, Kate Cox made this whole abortion mess seem up close and personal. I instantly decided I do not want any of my three granddaughters to settle in Texas, much as I would love to have them all next door to me.

In a way I see Kate Cox as part of a bigger and most unfortunate trend in America. We have lost the individual in a maze of laws and rules and restrictions. I had occasion today to call my bank with a problem where I thought if they looked at the record, they would see that maybe they could bend their rules. I have been a customer/client at this bank at least since the early eighties. I may not have a lot of money, but I have been steady, never bounced checks, kept a good balance in checking and savings. When we remodeled the house and renovated the cottage, a personal banker saw me through the process. But today when I called to ask for reasonable reconsideration of a banking decision, I was met with first a run-around, from one person to another, and ultimately someone who gave me a lot of corporate-speak. I understand that banks have rigid rules, that they depend on credit ratings, etc., but I thought they could take background and record into consideration. Not so.

And that’s what I see as a problem in our society—rules dominate over individuals. I’m not asking for the day when a handshake was good for a deal, but I am saying not all cases or situations fit into one rigid mold. Somewhere there has to be room for compassion, empathy, concern for the individual.

That’s what is missing from the Kate Cox case. I wish her Godspeed. May she have a successful abortion, come home (I wouldn’t be surprised if her family leaves Texas), and have as many more healthy babies as she wants. Texas has done itself no favors in this case, but it has given us all something to think about.