President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama issued this eloquent and insightful statement on the draft Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
A theme that Obama and Democrats often touch upon is empathy — the ability to emotionally understand what other people feel, see things from their point of view, and imagine yourself in their place, even if one has not experienced similar situations in one’s own life. Many of us have not faced abortion in our lives or among our friends and families but one needs to put oneself in other’s shoes to feel what women go through when they end up in a situation where they seek abortion. It is perhaps what separates liberals from conservatives.
Obama also points out the fact stated by many others that a majority of Americans support a women’s right to choose -
President Biden’s statement —
Statement from VP Kamala Harris —
VP Kamala Harris with a fiery speech and a call for renewed action -
Hillary Clinton’s statement — “70% of people want Roe upheld”
Speaker Pelosi — www.speaker.gov/…
“This monstrous draft decision is a sweeping and severe restriction of Americans’ rights. With it, Trump, McConnell and Republicans in Congress have assaulted privacy, precedent and the Constitution.
“Make no mistake: by striking down Roe v. Wade, the Court would pave the way for Republicans to obliterate even more of our freedoms. As drafted, Justice Alito’s argument — that women are not entitled to basic human rights today because they have been denied those rights for generations — is alarming and extremist. This draft ruling offers a dangerous blueprint for future assaults on some of our most cherished rights, which are rooted in the long-held constitutional right to privacy.
“By eviscerating women’s fundamental freedom to full reproductive care, radical Republican-appointed Justices are poised to inflict unthinkable suffering on tens of millions of families across our country, especially in communities of color and low-income communities. Democrats believe that every woman everywhere has the fundamental human right to reproductive care, one that is not limited by background, income or zip code. Her health decisions, including whether or not to terminate a pregnancy, belong to her.
“In brazenly ignoring 50 years of its own precedent, the United States Constitution and the will of the American people, this draft ruling would seriously erode the legitimacy of the Supreme Court in the eyes of the American people. Upholding the rule of law and maintaining the faith of the people require that the Court allow Roe to remain the law of the land. If instead the Court chooses to terminate Roe, Democrats will not relent in fighting back against the dire threat posed to women’s health, safety and well-being.
“The Republican assault on Roe v. Wade is the latest manifestation of their decades-long disrespect of women. Democrats respect women and their freedom. Following the draconian SB 8 policy enacted in Texas, the House has passed the codification of Roe v. Wade — and Democrats will never relent until reproductive rights are enshrined into law.”
This is what the American Psychological Association (APA) has to say about the SCOTUS (draft) decision -
From www.apa.org/… — Abortion and mental health
- Women who are denied an abortion are more likely to initially experience higher levels of anxiety, lower life satisfaction, and lower self-esteem compared with women who received an abortion.
- Unwanted pregnancy has been associated with deficits to the subsequent child’s cognitive, emotional, and social processes.
- The number of unsafe abortions is likely to increase when policies limit access to reproductive health care.
- There is a strong relationship between unwanted pregnancy and interpersonal violence.
- Laws restricting access to safe, legal abortion are harmful to low-income women, women of color, and sexual and gender minorities, as well as those who live in rural or medically underserved areas.
- A woman’s ability to control when and if she has a child is frequently linked to her socioeconomic standing and earning power.
- Experiencing unwanted pregnancies appears to be strongly associated with poor mental health effects for women later in life.
Let’s keep educating the electorate about abortion and reproductive rights. Let’s keep hammering away at the republican fascist goal to strip away our rights and our freedoms and to divide the country by attacking/dehumanizing minorities, women, LGBTQ, immigrants, the young and the educated. Let’s channel our frustration and anger into spreading the truth and getting the vote out for Democrats. Now is not the time to play the blame game, vent our frustrations or retreat into our shells. Let’s strategize on what we as DK activists can do to get out the vote. Let’s figure out how to get women, who vote republican for one reason or another, to vote differently next time. Let’s keep on fighting.
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