NOW statement on SCOTUS decision re: abortion...

[bliss_eternal]

Supreme Court Upholds Abortion Procedure Ban
"Most Political Decision Since Bush v. Gore"

Statement of NOW President Kim Gandy

April 18, 2007

Today the Supreme Court upheld this nation's first abortion procedure ban—a ban enacted by George W. Bush and conservatives in Congress. Five justices, including Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Samuel Alito—both installed by Bush and a Republican-majority Senate—ruled that the law does not violate a woman's constitutional right to abortion.

Not since Bush v. Gore has the Supreme Court made such a political decision, or one that so completely distorts the law and disregards the U.S. Constitution.

The law is so vaguely written that it may ban the most common abortion procedure used after 12 weeks of pregnancy, and there is no exception to allow its use if the woman's health is in serious danger. The joint ruling in Gonzales v. Carhart and Gonzales v. Planned Parenthood is a major step in the campaign to outlaw all abortions, first by chipping away at and then by fully overturning Roe v. Wade.

-----------------snip------------------

The National Organization for Women and other advocates predicted as much, and fought tooth and nail against the confirmation of Roberts, and even more passionately against Alito, who replaced Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Now we see that apparently, everything Roberts and Alito said at their confirmation hearings about respecting precedent was a pack of lies.

When the time came for women's rights supporters in the Senate to prevent confirmation of Sam Alito, the "fifth vote" against abortion rights, only 25 senators stood up for women. And indeed he was the fifth vote for the majority in today's decision. The senators who voted to end the Democratic filibuster, thus allowing Alito to join the court, must be reminded that their failure led to this day. We must stop the stacking of the federal courts and work toward a congressional majority that supports women's rights.

---------------snip----------------------

So why did Gonzales forge ahead when a clear precedent had been set only six years earlier? And why did the court uphold this ban, effectively undoing that precedent? In the dissenting opinion, Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg explains it quite clearly:

"Though today's opinion does not go so far as to disregard Roe or Casey, the Court, differently composed that it was when we last considered a restrictive abortion regulation, is hardly faithful to our earlier invocations of the 'rule of law' and the 'principles of stare decisis.'"

In other words: The Supreme Court changed, stupid!

This is a clarion call for feminists, progressives and everyone who cares about justice, equality and democracy. We must link arms and say "No more."

We must elect a Congress that will repeal this ban and a president who will sign the repeal.

November 2008 can't come soon enough.



taken from:

http://www.now.org/press/04-07/04-18.html

[BlueIris]

1. I haven't fully processed it yet.

It's just so vile, and I can't believe Anthony Kennedy got on board with it. I thought for sure he had deviated from his previous position as a strict constructionist WRT to this area. Kinda makes my paranoid layperson's mind wonder if what I saw as a shift toward greater recognition of the right to privacy by Kennedy was a way of making privacy advocates feel that it was relatively "safe" allow someone like Alito on the Court.

[bliss_eternal]

4. I think A. Kennedy's...

...Catholic roots are showing. :eyes:

Anyone that's been paying attention knew THIS was on the horizon. * said from day one, he wanted to overturn Roe v. Wade. Silly me, I actually took him at his word. :crazy: As did Planned Parenthood, NOW (the Natl. Organization of Women) and NARAL Pro-Choice America who've been fighting their asses off for his entire time in office. Everything he's done was a pre-cursor to this, nominating Roberts (while DU'ers told us all to ignore it), Alito, Gonzales...

:cry:

I'm angry at the women that are fooled by all the rhetoric and don't vote in their best interests. I'm angry at the women that think it's anyone's place but theirs to say what's best for their body. I could go on and on, as I'm absolutely beside myself with emotions today. But I won't...(((sigh)))

[ThomCat]

2. I don't talk politics with my co-workers but we've discussed this

and every guy in the office is in agreement with me that this is vile and crazy.

I hope anger over this decision stays in people's minds for a long time. I don't want people to forget this and go back to their normal complacency. We need to overhaul the entire corrupt ingestation that the religious right has injected into our government.
x(

[bliss_eternal]

3. It's good to know...

...that not all men support this insanity. Thank you, Thom. Your support means a lot. :hug::hi:

[Morgana LaFey]

8. I'll give you a clue why (hetero) men usually support abortion rights --

and surely you already recognize it: they don't necessarily want to be tied down to children THEY don't want. And while those shotgun marriages aren't as frequent as they once were, child support has taken its place to some extent.

I'm not saying that's a BAD reason, I just wouldn't want anybody to think that our brothers' support of reproductive rights are based on some admirable pro-woman stance. In some cases (e.g., yours), yeah, no doubt. But mostly, it's just more or less enlightened self-interest.

[lizerdbits]

5. Am I cruel?

I wish that women who support this decision end up having difficult pregnancies but that does NOT result in harm to them or their fetus. I just wish they come CLOSE to being in that situation where their health is in danger but don't have permanent harm. It might make them rethink their support for that ruling.

[bliss_eternal]

6. Interesting you mention this...

...I was just reading something last night about anti-choicers that have sought abortion services. Very interesting read. I'll try to find it later so that I can post it.

[lizerdbits]

7. I remember seeing many years ago

on Dateline or one of those type of shows a 15 year old girl whose family was catholic and routinely went to anti abortion protests. She got pregnant and had an abortion without her parents knowledge and still went along to protests with her family. They didn't reveal her identity and disguised her voice so they wouldn't find out but said 'I have to go with them.' It would be interesting to find out how often that happens.