By
Tomas Vera
Communications Committee Chair
Declaring they have the authority of the Christian bible to validate their decision to sacrifice the lives of women and unborn children, right wing anti-abortionists are celebrating the recently leaked SCOTUS decision, written by Justice Samuel Alito, declaring Roe v Wade was decided incorrectly.* Enough of his conservative colleagues have indicated they will vote in support of Alito’s decision, effectively ending the protections afforded by Roe v Wade. Feeling emboldened, many conservative legislatures across our nation have already introduced or strengthened legislation intended to severely restrict or outright abolish this access to safe care.
Traditionally, language was included to allow a woman to terminate a pregnancy if it was a result of rape or incest, or if the pregnancy threatens the life or safety of the mother. But these latest laws remove these restrictions. Often, they outlaw and criminalize all abortion, no exceptions, with potentially dangerous outcomes. As an example, ectopic pregnancies could no longer be terminated even though they historically lead to death in .03 to 10% of the cases. This is not because the mother “chose this and, therefore, deserves it.” This medical problem is an “Act of God” that costs women their lives if not treated, a result these legislatures state is acceptable.
If raped and/or impregnated by a relative by force, only the woman or girl is penalized. Some women, feeling that they have no other recourse, may opt for suicide in the face of these laws. Most certainly, we know these laws will lead to the needless death of women.
Brutally stated, these laws are written by white men to control and subjugate women. Men will never be subject to these laws…their “participation” in the process is excused and they can impregnate as many women as they want while never suffering any consequences. These laws apply only to women, especially women who don’t have family or financial support and cannot afford to travel to states where abortions are still legal. These laws will apply most harshly to women of color since they are the least financially advantaged group of people in our nation.
There is nothing fair, nor equitable, about these laws.
But these men have practice at limiting the rights of those they see as “secondary”. These are the same men who have written laws to limit access to the ballot box, immigration, and education. These are the same men who give ownership of firearms preference to the safety of children in school. These are the same men who oppose the honest teaching of history by labeling it “critical race theory.” These men work very hard to hoard power because they know they are not on the right side of history.
Martin Luther King stated, “We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.” He is right, we shall overcome but in order to do so, men, ALL men, must be willing to stand alongside the women in our lives to demand and fight for laws that protect them.
*(See also Supreme Court’s Roe ruling would trample the religious freedom of every Jewish American in this issue)