Page 2 - aruba-today-20230119

A2 UP FRONT
Thursday 19 January 2023
U.S. divided over Roe’s repeal as abortion foes gird for march

than about babies,” she
said. Some abortion oppo-
nents are trying to counter
such perceptions. In Texas,
for example, anti-abortion
groups are urging lawmak-
ers to spend more money
on services for pregnant
and parenting Texans, in-
cluding expanding Medic-
aid coverage for mothers.
According to Texas Right to
Life, the state’s new abor-
tion ban has had a major
impact — it says only 68
abortions were recorded
by state health officials in
July 2022, compared to
4,879 in July 2021.
The group noted the data
does not include illegal,
unreported abortions —
which are widely believed
to be increasing as women
obtain abortion pills by mail
from overseas or from Mex-
ico suppliers.
Charles Camosy, a medi-
cal humanities professor at
Creighton University School
of Medicine who opposes
Anti-abortion activists march towards the U.S. Supreme Court during the March for Life in Washington, Jan. 21, 2022.
Associated Press abortion, has analyzed the
high-profile election de-
feats suffered by the anti-
Continued from Front implemented in Alabama, to make the difficult deci- ciary was always going to abortion movement. Vot-
Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, sion to travel long distanc- shield public opinion from ers in Kansas and Kentucky
The theme for this year’s Louisiana, Mississippi, Mis- es for care, self-manage having an effect on the rejected constitutional
March for Life is “Next souri, Oklahoma, South Da- an abortion or carry an law.” amendments that would
Steps: Marching Forward kota, Tennessee, Texas and unwanted pregnancy to “We always knew it have declared there is no
into a Post-Roe America.” West Virginia. Legal chal- term,” Guttmacher staffers wouldn’t be a straight line right to abortion; Michi-
Scheduled speakers in- lenges are pending against Elizabeth Nash and Isabel (after Roe’s repeal),” she gan voters approved an
clude Hall of Fame football several of those bans. Guarnieri wrote last week. said, adding “we know amendment enshrining the
coach Tony Dungy and Elective abortions also are Looking ahead, some anti- neither side is going to lay right to abortion in the state
Mississippi Attorney Gener- unavailable in Wisconsin, abortion leaders hope the down and die.” constitution.
al Lynn Fitch, who won the due to legal uncertainties Republicans nominate a Multiple public opinion polls “Pro-lifers have clearly and
Supreme Court case that faced by abortion clinics, 2024 presidential candi- since June have found that badly lost the PR battle
overturned Roe. and in North Dakota, where date who will aggressively a majority of Americans since June and this has
The president of March for the lone clinic relocated to push for nationwide abor- support access to legal shaped how people are
Life, Jeanne Mancini, de- Minnesota. tion restrictions, rather than abortion. According to an voting,” Camosy said via
picted the June ruling as “a Bans passed by lawmakers keep it as a state-by-state Associated Press-NORC email. He said abortion-
massive victory for the pro- in Ohio, Indiana and Wyo- matter. “The approach to Center for Public Affairs Re- rights supporters were bet-
life movement.” ming have been blocked winning on abortion in fed- search poll conducted in ter organized and better
“But the battle to build a by state courts while legal eral races, proven for a de- July, 53% of U.S. adults said funded, while many anti-
culture of life is far from challenges are pending. cade, is this: state clearly they disapproved of the abortion politicians either
over,” she said. “March for And in South Carolina, the the ambitious consensus Supreme Court’s repeal of avoided the issue or sound-
Life will continue to advo- state Supreme Court on pro-life position and con- Roe, while 30% approved. ed too extreme.
cate for the unborn and Jan. 5 struck down a ban trast that with the extreme Professor Kathleen Sprows “There are obviously very
policies that protect them on abortion after six weeks, view of Democrat oppo- Cummings, director of the good things that have hap-
until abortion becomes un- ruling the restriction violates nents,” said Marjorie Dan- University of Notre Dame’s pened, however,” added
thinkable.” a state constitutional right nenfelser, president of SBA Cushwa Center for the Camosy, citing the drop in
Prospects for any federal to privacy. Pro-Life America. Study of American Catholi- abortions reported in states
legislation restricting abor- The Guttmacher Institute, a Dannenfelser says she’s cism, suggested the anti- with bans.
tion nationwide are negligi- research group which sup- not surprised by the divisive abortion movement may “Pro-lifers also now relish
ble for now, given that any ports abortion rights, says ups-and-downs that have suffer from a perception the chance to actually de-
such measures emerging the overall result is “a cha- unfolded since the June among many Americans bate the issues in a demo-
from the Republican-led otic legal landscape that ruling. that it’s more concerned cratic, open context ... as
House would face rejec- is disruptive for providers “This is what it looks like with controlling women’s opposed to constantly run-
tion in the Democratic-led trying to offer care and pa- when democracy is re- bodies than helping them ning into the fiats of various
Senate. The main battle- tients trying to obtain it.” stored and we have a cope with unintended courts,” he said. “We may
grounds will be in the states. “When people do not have voice in the debate,” she pregnancies. lose some battles early on...
Since June, near-total bans access to abortion care in said. “For 50 years, we had “It’s about consolidating but it is worth it to have the
on abortion have been their state, they are forced no voice because the judi- their political power, more debates.”q