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The brave doctor who performed an abortion in Texas is being sued by a disbarred lawyer serving jail time

The brave doctor who performed an abortion in Texas is being sued by a disbarred lawyer serving jail time
Photo by Pete Alexopoulos on Unsplash
blue white and red flag

This past weekend, San Antonio OB/GYN Dr. Alan Braid wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post admitting that he violated the newly instated Texas abortion law, a.k.a SB8, saying that he "acted out of duty of care to my patient, as I do for all patients, and because she has a fundamental right to to receive this care."

It's already bogus that the new state ban allows a mere six weeks for a woman to terminate her pregnancy. But let's put aside the whole human rights aspect for a moment. After all, Texas certainly has. What's even more ridiculous, and a legal logistical nightmare to boot, is that under this new law, any person (yes, even those not in any way affected by or connected to the abortion itself), can file a lawsuit and potentially "earn" up to $10,000. Meanwhile the provider-slash-defendant will have to shell out court costs, and receive no compensation, even if they win the case.

So...it's no wonder that the not so virtuous vultures started hovering immediately after Dr. Braid's article.

Just yesterday, NBC News reported that former lawyer Oscar Stilley, who is currently finishing out a sentence for fraud AND tax evasion in home confinement, filed a lawsuit against Braid. Not for the minimum $10,000 either, but for a whopping $100,000.

Dr. Braid is currently being sued by someone out of state, from home imprisonment, who's a convicted felon...yet we're to believe Braid is the bad guy here?

Mind you, this disbarred lawyer isn't even morally opposed to the Texas ban. He told CNN in a phone interview, "I am a supporter of the Constitution, and I am opposed to the law." He even went on to praise Dr. Baird, saying, "I think the doctor has guts and he has principle," and then reveals the true reasons for filing, saying "I decided that I would be the one to get some clarity on this law." The Hill quoted him in an interview with the Washington Post expanding upon this. The self described "Pro-choice Plaintiff" asked, "if the law is no good, why should we have to go through a long, drawn-out process to find out if it's garbage?"

So hey, maybe this whole thing is Stilley's version of a self-serving legal stunt, or maybe Stilley is something of a devil's advocate here. Considering that in the same interview he also said, "If the state of Texas decided it's going to give a $10,000 bounty, why shouldn't I get that 10,000 bounty?," I tend to think the former. But if it's the latter, I will be sending a thank-you note to Stilley's living room jail cell myself.

This news does raise concern, considering that there is no limit to the amount of copy cat cases that could follow after Stilley.

CNN legal analyst Steve Vladeck states, "nothing that happens in this case can prevent future lawsuits from being brought -- that's the whole point of transferring enforcement authority from a single state to a limitless class of potential private plaintiffs." Texas attorney Adriana Piñon also told CNN, "The way the bill is structured incentivizes vigilante lawsuits that will harass abortion providers and those who support providing abortions in Texas."

With abortion providers already turning patients away, and lawsuits like Stilly's beginning to take place, it might feel like defeat. But the good news is that at the very least, Stilley's case might instigate a second thought about the validity of letting anyone file a lawsuit against providers. Do we really want to clog up an already congested courts system with wannabe bounty hunters? Or worse, people who just want to make a (not so) quick buck?

And luckily, Dr. Braid is not fighting this battle alone.

Upon news of the lawsuit, The Center for Reproductive Rights, issued a pledge of defense, it's CEO stating "Dr. Braid has courageously stood up against this blatantly unconstitutional law. We stand ready to defend him against the vigilante lawsuits that S.B. 8 threatens to unleash against those providing or supporting access to constitutionally protected abortion care."

The statement goes on to say "For more than two weeks this unconscionable law has been in effect, harming numerous Texans, and falling hardest on those struggling to make ends meet and people of color, who already face barriers to health care. It's past time for a court to step in and block it."

And let's not forget the Tik tok activists who flooded the "Pro Life Whistleblower" website with false reports, a brilliant idea created by Sean Black, otherwise known as@black_madness21.


@black_madness21 ##stitch with @victoriahammett I'll see if I can add some multithreading to speed up this process
♬ original sound - Sean Black


This could all aid The Department of Justice in its effort to sue the state of Texas, one argument being that "those precedents hold, in the words of Planned Parenthood v. Casey, that 'regardless of whether exceptions are made for particular circumstances, a state may not prohibit any woman from making the ultimate decision to terminate her pregnancy before viability.' "

Amidst the fear, emotional turbulence, and a blatant disregard for constitutional rights, one thing remains true: individual acts of integrity collectively create lasting change. This fight is far from over.

I think that the efforts made by Dr. Braid are not only commendable, but will ultimately be effective. As a woman, a proponent for reproductive rights, and a former Texan who has benefited from abortion, I commend Dr. Baird on his bravery (apparently the plaintiff does too). I hope it serves as a catalyst to stop this utterly unfounded and downright barbaric backtracking that Braid himself described as "1972 all over again".

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Family

Dad camping with his kids shared the handwritten note left on his car from a fellow camper

More of this, please.

Photo credit: Canva, Note image via RCampR6/Reddit

A dad got a sweet note from a fellow father after camping with his kids.

One of the hardest parts of being a parent is never being sure whether you're doing a good job or totally bombing it. If you're conscientious enough to even wonder if you're a good parent, you probably are, but parenting entails a million little choices and interactions, and there's always a lingering voice in your head saying, "What if you're really screwing this whole thing up?"

Reassurance and encouragement are always appreciated by parents, but not always received, which is why a note from one camping dad to another has people celebrating the kindness of anonymous strangers.

"You are killing it as a dad."

Someone on Yosemite Reddit thread shared a photo of a handwritten note with the caption, "To the man who left this thoughtful note on my windshield at Lower Pines Campground this weekend, I extend my heartfelt gratitude; your acknowledgment of my efforts to be a good father means a great deal to me."


Windshield Note.
byu/RCampR6 inYosemite

The note reads:

"Bro,

I camped in the spot behind you last night. Let me just say, you are killing it as a dad. First off, I watched your wife guide you in as you backed up your trailer and nailed it on the first try without any yelling. Then your kids unloaded from the truck and were mild-mannered and well behaved. You told stories around the campfire and I had the pleasure of listening to the sounds of giggles and laughter.

From one dad to another, you are killing it. Keep it up.

P.S. Whatever you cooked for dinner smelled delicious!"

How often do we share these thoughts with strangers, even if we have them? And who wouldn't love to get a surprise bit of praise with specific examples of things we did right?

Everyone needs to hear a compliment once in a while.

So many people found the note to be a breath of fresh air and a good reminder to compliment people when we feel the urge:

"That would make any daddy's eyes water."

"It’s always nice, as a guy, to get a compliment."

"I complimented a guy's glasses at work (I'm also a guy, and btw they were really cool glasses, I wasn't just being nice) and now he keeps trying to tell me where he got his glasses and how I should get some. But I'm just having to be polite because I already have glasses and I'm not in the market. I finally had to tell him I'm not going to buy them lmao I just like them on him.

Made me feel like that's the first compliment he's had in years because he can't stop talking about it. Also I mainly liked the glasses because I think he's cute but he really thinks it's just the glasses haha jokes on him that cute bastard."

via GIPHY

"I was in the store with my wife and one of our 'adopted nephews' yesterday (we’re close friends with his parents and we’ve known him and his brother since they were newborns and 2yo, respectively). A woman came up to me at checkout while my wife was running out to the car and said 'I’m not sure what your family relationship is here, but I just have to tell you how nice and refreshing it is to hear all the laughter and joy from the 3 of you. You both seem like such a good influence on him and it warms my heart.' It’s such a small thing but as a dude, I can’t remember the last time someone gave me a compliment in public and it made my freaking day."

"10/10 letter. The and not yelling part gave me a good chuckle lol."

"We need so much more of men getting such heartfelt and sincere compliments. Thanks for sharing. ❤️"

"I’ve never considered leaving a note, but when I see a harmonious family with good parenting, it’s healing for me. My childhood was awful."

"Such an awesome compliment! Even though I don't have children myself, I like to remind my friends too that they're doing great & it brings them happy tears."

via GIPHY

"This made me cry. I love that you are getting your 'flowers.' My dad sucked, I’m so glad you are one of the good ones."

"This made me cry too. It’s so hard to be a human. Let alone a parent. Getting a good job sticker every now and then really means a lot these days."

"I'm a big bearded guy and I would cry if I got this note. More people like this, please."

The best part of this story is that no one knows who the dad who wrote the note is, not even the dad who shared it. It wasn't written for clout or notoriety, it wasn't to get attention or make himself look good. No name or signature, just an anonymous act of kindness to uplift a stranger whether he needed it or not.

We all need to hear or read kind things said about us, and sometimes it means even more coming from an anonymous stranger who has nothing to gain by sharing. A good reminder to share it when you feel it—you never know how many people you may move and inspire.

This article originally appeared last year.

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Culture

Dad’s 5-year-old daughter's hilarious answers to his questions have the internet screaming

“Do I have to change my name if I get married? Call me Shredder.”

via James Breakwell / Twitter

Raising kids is tough, but there's a lot of laughs along the way. Comedy writer James Breakwell has four daughters under the age of eight and shares their hilarious conversations on Twitter. And, from Breakwell's tweets, it looks like his five year old has a future in comedy. Here's a sampling of some Breakwell's funniest kid-inspired tweets.


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His 5-year-old isn't the only (often unintentionally) hilarious child in the house; the 7-year-old and 3-year-old turn up from time to time. There's also a 2-year-old, but she hasn't been the subject of many tweets yet.


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This article originally appeared four years ago.

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Science

Eye-opening video shows why 80 percent of Americans live east of this line

You'll never see the U.S. the same again.

via YouTube/RealLifeLore

There's a big change at the 98th meridian.

Have you ever wondered why the eastern half of the United States is densely populated while everything west of Omaha, save for a few metro areas, is no man’s land?

Most people would assume that it’s because people first settled in the east and moved west. Or, they may believe it’s because of the vast desert that takes up most of the southwest. Those are some decent reasons, but it’s a much more complicated issue than you'd imagine.

A 20-minute video by RealLifeLore explains how topography and rainfall have created what appears to be a straight line down the middle of the country on the 98th meridian that dictates population density. Eighty percent of Americans live on the east side of the line and just twenty percent to the west.

RealLifeLore is a YouTube channel that focuses on geography and topography created by Joseph Pisenti.

In the video, we see that several large cities border the American frontier—San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, Oklahoma City, Wichita, Omaha, Lincoln, Sioux Falls, and Fargo, as well as Winnipeg up in Canada. To the west of those cities? Not much until you reach western California and the Pacific Northwest.

Why? Watch:

The major reason why the population drastically changes is rainfall. It rains much more on the east side of the line versus the west. The reason for the drastic change in rainfall is that the Rocky Mountains create a colossal wall known as a rain shadow that prevents moisture from passing from the Pacific Ocean. This has created a large swath of dry land that’s not conducive to larger populations.

Though the eastern U.S. is more densely populated, it doesn't mean the west doesn't sometimes feel crowded, especially if you live in Los Angeles County. What side of the line are you on?

This article originally appeared three years ago.

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Joy

People are sharing the 'one question' they'd ask God if they could and the responses are deep

Here are 17 of the best burning questions people have.

via Pixabay

A hand reaches toward the infinite light of God.

If there is a God and it's the one from the Abrahamic religions then He is the all-knowing Creator of the universe who made us in His image. So, he obviously knows that humanity has a lot of questions for Him that weren’t adequately answered in any of his holy books or haven’t been sufficiently addressed by the folks who claim to speak on his behalf on Earth.

(Note: I am referring to God as a "He" because of how He's represented in the literature. However, I'd assume that God would be more of a they because beings that exist beyond space and time haven't much need for a gender.)

Personally, if I made it to heaven and was given an audience with Mr. Almighty, then there's a whole host of questions that I'd need to have answered. Here are my top 5:

  1. What was in Marsellus Wallace's briefcase in “Pulp Fiction”?
  2. Can I have my dog Murray back now?
  3. Where’s John Lennon and is there a bar in this place where we can have a few beers?
  4. Who made you?
  5. If you’ve been healing people all this time, why is it always something internal that we can’t see? You’ve allegedly healed all types of internal diseases but not once has an amputee had a limb grow back. Please explain.

A Reddit user by the name of GeometryThing recently asked the AskReddit subforum “You can ask God any one question, what do you ask him?” and the answers ranged from the philosophical to the heart-wrenching to the hilarious. One of the big questions was why is there so much suffering on Earth if he loves us? While others wondered what He thought about some of his most ardent believers with questionable ethics.

Here are 17 of the best questions that people would ask God if they could.

1.

“Damn bro what did i do?” — vltraviolet_

2.

"Why?" — Katie_Emm

3.

"How is my mom?" — Noodlepotdreams

4.

​"What the fuck is up with the kids getting cancer?" — GrinAndBeerIt

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"I wanna know who committed all the big unsolved murders. Madeleine McCann, Jon Bennet Ramsay, TuPac & Biggie, Black Dahlia, JFK etc." — StarsByMoonlight

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"How is it possible that you know all things that will ever happen AND I have free will? So if I kill a man that means that you already knew it would happen. At that point why would I ask for forgiveness? You already knew what would happen since I can't change your will and doesn't that kinda cancel out free will also?" — Fancy_Carr

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"You say you have a purpose for everyone, but if a baby dies immediately after it was born, what was its purpose? How about all those homeless people that die on the streets unnoticed? I'm actually curious what his answer would be." — KeepRunningFromMom

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"What will the next Powerball numbers be?" — Temmere

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"Why do you need to be worshipped? You claim to be the most powerful, omniscient yet caring and loving being that created this entire universe. But despite all that you still need worship? Are you just narcissistic or does your power depend on how we, nothing but mere dust in your eyes, worship you?" — ppjysn

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"When was the exact date that he noped out and said fuck the whole planet?" — BluMagik_LoD

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"Can you just come over and straighten some people out? Some of your creations are wack." — ThinkingAboutStuf

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"Now that I know for sure there is a god, I would ask which religion is CLOSEST to being right, because otherwise, he might say none are perfect." — Mister_E_The_Third

13.

​"Who is your daddy and what does he do?" — saiyaniam

14.

​"Got any pro tips and tricks for living as a human?” — Vampire_Sloth

15.

"How do magnets work?" — CatSk8Scratch

16.

"Why don't you tell your nastiest followers that they're doing it wrong?" — BubbhaJebus

17.

"Why did you put the testicles on the outside???" — Additional-Winner-45


This article originally appeared three years ago.



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Family

Mom reacts perfectly to daughter who disinvited a friend from a trip because of her weight

She didn’t want the girl to “ruin” her photos of the trip.

via Cottonboro Studios/Pexels

A mother confronts her daughter for judging her friend's weight.

A 42-year-old mother wondered whether she did the right thing by disciplining her 18-year-old daughter, Abby, who disinvited a friend from vacation because of her weight. The mother asked people on Reddit for their opinion. For some background, Abby had struggled with her weight for many years, so she went to her mother for help. The two set up a program where Abby was given a reward for every milestone she achieved.

“Four months ago, she asked that I don't get her any more rewards and add it up to her birthday gift, and for her gift she wants a vacation I will pay for, for her and her friends instead of the huge party I had promised for her 18th. I said OK,” the mother wrote. So, instead of a series of small gifts, Abbey wanted one large one, a vacation with two of her friends. The vacation would also celebrate Abby’s 18th birthday. The mother agreed and booked the trip for the 3 girls.

“Fast forward to last weekend, we started preparing for her vacation,” the mother wrote. “I called the other two girls' parents to confirm the girls would be and learned Abby's best friend Betty isn't going. Betty loves traveling and was looking forward to the vacation, so I asked why. Apparently, Abby uninvited her because ‘she is too chubby to look good in pictures.’”

When the mother approached Abby about the situation, she doubled down on her comments to Betty. “I calmly talked to Abby and reminded her how Betty would feel being left out for such a reason, and she went off with, 'I didn't work so hard for this vacation so my pictures will be ruined,'" the mother wrote.

Abby then asked Betty to contact her mom and say that she decided not to go on the trip because she wasn’t feeling well. Betty refused to lie, and Abby sent her a “ton of hateful texts and body-shaming insults.” Betty shared screenshots of the texts to the mother, and she promptly canceled the entire vacation.

Now, Abby’s father, who shares 50-50 custody with the mother, is livid, and Abby won’t speak to the mother. The mom asked the Reddit AITA forum to see if she was in the wrong, and the commenters overwhelmingly said she did the right thing. "Some of my friends agree on my approach, while others think I should have put my daughter first,” the mother said.

The most popular commenter was short and to the point.

"Teaching your daughter to not be a horrible human being IS putting her first," Due_Laugh_3851 wrote. "I commend your strength and parenting skills. This was the right thing to do and would've been hard to do. Well done, you deserve to go on the holiday yourself," Loud_Wallaby737 added.

"... uninviting someone because you only want skinny people in your pictures is a disgusting attitude frankly. Sorry, I just don't find a nicer word for it. I am totally with you that this needs to have consequences, and while I'm very much against breaking promises, I do believe this is an exception. Like you said, your daughter knows what it feels like. She (but anyone really) should be supportive of friends wanting to lose weight if that is the case and if it isn't they she should just mind her own business body," SensitiveSires wrote.

One of the few people who thought she was in the wrong believed that the mother set her daughter up for failure.

"[You're wrong] for giving your daughter who is a child rewards for weight loss. Her behavior of value based on weight shows she likely has developed disordered eating patterns and attitudes and this will cause her a lifetime of pain," tamtheprogram wrote.

The silver lining to the story is that many people who commented said that even though her daughter did something very hurtful, she’s still a teenager and there’s a chance she’ll realize the error of her ways.

"The daughter is just a teenager, she still has a lot of time to learn and grow up. Writing off her entire future as a mean girl when it’s very rare to be the same exact person you were at 18 as you grow up is a lot," Stephapeaz wrote.


This article originally appeared on 9.18.23

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