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Opinion

Overturning Roe v. Wade has troubling consequences for the country

Dr. Rashad Richey National TV Political Analyst, Talk Radio Host, Univ. Prof.
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The highly controversial Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade not only created a wider chasm between liberals and conservatives, but it also deepened the divide between Americans and the Supreme Court itself. Recent polls reveal the 5-4 decision was not a popular one, with the majority of voters favoring Roe v. Wade as the nation’s abortion law. Straight Arrow News contributor Rashad Richey contends the decision sets a slippery slope that will have “damaging consequences” for the direction of the country.

Let me ask this question, since there are many conservatives who are applauding, taking away a woman’s right to choose, because they believe that life begins at conception. I personally do not hold that belief. But if you do believe this, if you believe that life begins at conception, do you also believe that child support should begin at conception? If you believe that you need to start working on legislation right now to make sure that men must pay child support beginning at conception? How about mandating insurance companies to insure fetuses beginning at conception? 

And here’s the other thing, you have to stop deporting undocumented women who are pregnant, because now they are carrying an American citizen. Correct? Let’s start working on the statutory language. Start working on the bills for that. 

Let’s be clear about another Supreme Court ruling, in contrast to this one. 

You see, the Supreme Court also ruled a few days ago in a 6-3 decision, that New York did not have the right to enforce common sense gun laws under their jurisdiction. The Supreme Court says this is a matter of self defense, that everyone should be able to carry guns and your gun restrictions are unconstitutional. 

So I want you to think about what’s happening here. The Supreme Court has just made a ruling that basically creates a national protection for people to carry guns, because according to Justice Thomas and those that supported this decision, your right to carry arms or your right to bear arms is an absolute right, basically, and it needs to be protected nationally. 

But a woman’s right to choose needs to only be protected by whatever state that chooses to protect it.

Does any of this make sense to you? 

This is not just about Roe v. Wade. This is about a fundamental issue with who we are as a country.

It is a sad day in the United States of America, when you have people applauding – taking away the rights of everybody, this country has now taken away a fundamental right of women. The right to choose. 

This Roe v. Wade being overturned by the five to four decision of the US Supreme Court is a bad thing. It is a bad thing, because it will create a prerequisite for them to now come after gay marriage and other elements that we have deemed to be good. It is good for women to have choice. It is good for them to have protections under the 14th Amendment, due process and privacy. These things are good. 

But they have now been ripped away. 

Way back in 1973 and a 72. ruling, the Supreme Court at that time got it right. They said this issue is for women to choose. 

This Supreme Court got it wrong. 

But let me remind you that even after 1973, Democrats did not make a push to codify this into actual federal law. Republicans have been trying to get this done inch by inch moment by moment, administration, through administration, they have been chipping away at Roe v. Wade. And now it is here. 

Justice Alito, he said in part, Roe was egregiously wrong from the start, its reasoning was exceptionally weak and the decision has had damaging consequences and far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue. 

Well, Justice, the dynamic was about interpreting the Constitution. 

You see, the Constitution was never written by the people. It was never ratified by the people. It was never adopted by the people. It was written, ratified and adopted by a fluent white man. And it lacked the diversity of our actual culture in America. It lacked gender diversity, racial diversity, and I would even argue true thought, diversity. So how can this be a document of the people when the people did not put pen to that paper, but a select group of individuals who had very similar thinking? 

Let me ask this question, since there are many conservatives who are applauding, taking away a woman’s right to choose, because they believe that life begins at conception. I personally do not hold that belief. But if you do believe this, if you believe that life begins at conception, do you also believe that child support should begin at conception? If you believe that you need to start working on legislation right now to make sure that men must pay child support beginning at conception? How about mandating insurance companies to insure fetuses beginning at conception? 

And here’s the other thing, you have to stop deporting undocumented women who are pregnant, because now they are carrying an American citizen. Correct? Let’s start working on the statutory language. Start working on the bills for that. 

Let’s be clear about another Supreme Court ruling, in contrast to this one. 

You see, the Supreme Court also ruled a few days ago in a 6-3 decision, that New York did not have the right to enforce common sense gun laws under their jurisdiction. The Supreme Court says this is a matter of self defense, that everyone should be able to carry guns and your gun restrictions are unconstitutional. 

So I want you to think about what’s happening here. The Supreme Court has just made a ruling that basically creates a national protection for people to carry guns, because according to Justice Thomas and those that supported this decision, your right to carry arms or your right to bear arms is an absolute right, basically, and it needs to be protected nationally. 

But a woman’s right to choose needs to only be protected by whatever state that chooses to protect it.

Does any of this make sense to you? 

This is not just about Roe v. Wade. This is about a fundamental issue with who we are as a country. 

Now we can continue to allow individuals like Alito, Thomas and others, to define us in a way that’s contrary to our general sentiment, or we can stand up. We could vote in better leadership, and we can fight. Now remember, the vast majority of Americans, they all for a woman’s right to choose the vast majority of women obviously a for a woman’s right to choose. What do you stand?

 

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