Strange, horrible things are afoot in our beloved Southwest States.  Politicians are attempting to pass some really poorly written bills or they are trying their best to keep women and atheists down.

First up, New Mexico.  There, a Republican lawmaker has introduced a bill that would make it illegal for a woman who was raped to get an abortion.  That is, sadly, not surprising.  Stuff like this bill are happening more and more.  What is surprising is the reasoning.  You see, having an abortion would be tampering with evidence.  There’s no other way for the state to know a woman was raped unless she can bring the baby to term apparently.  The representative in question, Cathrynn Brown, claims that the bill is actually meant to deter sex offenders.  Because no rapist wants to have to take care of a rape-baby I guess.  I’m sure they’re totally able to think that far into the future.  She’s doing this to bring men to justice!  This is SO going to protect women!  Look at you women being all protected and stuff!

Next, we have Arizona.  Ah, Arizona, the new place for crazy.  A bill was proposed there by a Republican law maker that would require every graduating high schooler to recite an oath before getting their diploma.  Here’s the oath:

I, _______, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge these duties; So help me God.

Yeah, that’s right, under this bill high schoolers will be required to swear an oath to god in order to graduate.  Eff you, atheists!  You probably don’t believe in the Constitution anyway.  As Hemant Mehta mentions in the above link:

It’s bad enough the Republicans are demanding loyalty of the kind normally reserved for members of Congress and beyond — but there’s also no way I would say those last four words, and the current text of the legislation does not allow for any alternatives.

In other words, if this bill were to become a law, atheists would either not be allowed to graduate… or they would be forced to lie so they could graduate. Neither option is acceptable.

Amazing.