Illinois is one of a handful of states dominated by Democrats, and legislators are wisely working to pass a bill giving women control of their bodies while GOP-run states are eagerly trying to control them.

The “Reproductive Health Act” would replace the state’s current abortion law from 1975 with one that “removes measures involving spousal consent, waiting periods, criminal penalties for physicians who perform abortions and other restrictions on facilities where abortions are performed.”

In short, the bill would make sure women and doctors aren’t penalized for their health care decisions no matter when they occur during a pregnancy.

The Catholic League’s response to all this?

Is Illinois run by racists?

That’s the conclusion of professional shit-talker Bill Donohue who believes letting women have control of their bodies amounts to state-sponsored murder. Here’s his bizarre justification:

Illinois already has a reputation for tolerating murder — almost 900 people have been shot in Chicago thus far this year, resulting in almost 200 homicides. Almost all are African Americans. Now it wants to legalize abortion through term, and that means that a disproportionate number of the victims will be African Americans.

Leave it to a white guy who runs a hate group to use the deaths of African Americans (no doubt a real problem) as reason for why men like him should make decisions for other women, including those without the money or resources to provide proper care for a child. He also invokes “partial birth” language as reason for why women shouldn’t be allowed to have an abortion even within the first trimester — and implicitly for why child rape victims should be forced to give birth against their will.

It’s not just Donohue, though. This is a game so many anti-abortion groups are playing right now, using extreme cases as evidence for why the vast majority of abortions shouldn’t be permitted and playing to people’s emotions, not reason or science or expertise, to get their way. That tactic works when Republicans are in charge. It shouldn’t work under a Democratic administration.

That said, the Illinois bill isn’t a guarantee. If you live in the state, contact your representatives and urge them to support this legislation ASAP.

