Editorial: Now it's voters turn on the status of abortion
Saturday, June 25, 2022 -- It is the job of a court to determine the law not impose extreme personal values and prejudices. What happens next will be up to Congress and the state legislature. Rarely has a vote had more direct consequence.
Posted — UpdatedThe high court’s 6-3 decision removed a woman’s right to make a personal decision about the future of her pregnancy without the government’s intervention. The practice, for the last half-century was not open-ended, it limited most abortions to the first about 20 weeks of a pregnancy.
It also considered the circumstances surrounding the pregnancy – was it unintended, was it the result of rape or incest, what were the risks to both the mother and fetus of bringing the pregnancy to term?
There are religious groups that oppose abortion under all circumstances. But they are in the minority in the United States.
“This a sad day for the country,” Biden observed. “But it doesn’t mean the fight is over. … This fall, we must elect more senators and representatives who will codify a woman’s right to choose into federal law once again, elect more state leaders to protect this right at the local level. We need to restore the protections of Roe as law of the land. We need to elect officials who will do that.”
Too many of those opposed to abortion should be just as concerned about ways to prevent unwanted pregnancy and work to provide ALL women with greater access to family planning and other related health services.
It is no exaggeration to say that “Roe is on the ballot.” North Carolina voters will elect members of the state legislature, U.S. House of Representatives and a U.S. senator along with key judges on the state Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.
Voters need look no further than the race for U.S. Senator for the contrast in positions.
The high court’s decision, legal scholars worry, will further open the door to laws that restrict access to contraception and even what couples can and cannot do in the privacy of their homes.
It is the job of a court to determine the law not impose extreme personal values and prejudices.
What happens next will be up to Congress and the state legislature. Rarely has a vote had more direct consequence. Know where candidates stand. Don’t let others speak for you at the ballot box.
See you at the polls.
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