Once infamous as the place where African Americans were enslaved, lynched, blown up in church, beaten by police for peacefully protesting, and just generally discriminated against and treated like sh¡t, Alabama now seems determined to regain its status as the most cringe-worthy state in the USA, and the most backward locality in the entire civilised world.

Until 2003, anyone could marry their 13 year-old cousin there, and many did. One sweaty 74 year-old claimed a wife of 14. Then things got better, at least on the legal front. And now they are worse again. True to its perverted roots, Alabama has not only outlawed abortion in all circumstances, regardless of how the child was conceived, but has even enshrined the rights of rapist fathers! It doesn't matter if you have been imprisoned. It doesn't matter if you have made a child by force. It doesn't even matter if the person you raped was a close relative (to be fair, that has never been much of an issue in Alabama).

No, the state smiles benignly on kissing cousins who conceive, whether one was a willing participant or not. Incestuous rapists, and also those who take it outside the family, can claim full parental rights, and even custody, after they get out of prison. One can only shake one's head in disbelief. But as President Trump would be quick to point out, there are good people on both sides.