Today the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision striking down Roe v. Wade. This is a big deal.
After seeing a few ignorant social media posts I decided to write a blog expressing my thoughts on abortion and the ruling today by the U.S. Supreme Court. I will not dare comment on anyone’s social media post today regarding this issue, as I know people are very emotional right now. Plus, I don’t have the energy to argue or debate today.
My only intentions for writing this post are to provide truth, dispel ignorance and share my personal opinions. I’m not trying to persuade anyone to be pro-life or pro-choice. And, let me know if you agree or disagree, so please feel free to make a comment.
What Happened Today?
The U.S. Supreme Court did not really overturn Roe v. Wade like many would suggest. Women still have the right (or liberty) to choose to have an abortion. Today the U.S. Supreme Court essentially gave authority to individual states to govern and enforce the legality of abortions.
What many people do not realize is this decision will not have any immediate effects on the majority of Americans, and in most states. As of right now, there are 34 states and the District of Columbia where this judgment will essentially have no effect, and abortions will continue as if nothing has changed. Plus every state will continue to give abortions to pregnant women if their life or health is threatened.
Currently, only in 16 states will abortions be illegal, soon to be illegal, or potentially illegal. Meaning the states have already chosen to enforce new laws banning abortions, or will enforce pre-Roe v. Wade laws on abortions, which will ultimately restrict access to abortions.
How does today’s decision change a woman’s right to choose to get an abortion? And, how does it affect a woman’s ability to access reproductive healthcare?
A woman still has the right to get an abortion. Women who live in states with abortion restrictions and women who seek abortions are still able to have abortions in other states.
Traveling to another state for health care is something many people with other health concerns already do. As I personally have needed to travel to a doctor out-of-state on several occasions.
Despite popular opinion, this decision will have very little effect on anyone’s access to reproductive health care. People (women and men) will continue to have access to sexual and reproductive health care. Health care facilities are still treating STDs, plus birth control and condoms are still legal everywhere.
Why are people so inundated with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision?
Today’s average adult is very self-absorbed and selfish. Few people, including some self-proclaimed Christians, truly consider the moral implications of abortions.
Most people who are against today’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court don’t care if 100 babies are aborted tomorrow or 1 million. They aren’t trying to make any real investment in the lives of young teenagers, or volunteer their time to mentor pregnant mothers and young men. They only care about protecting their freedoms and lifestyle. Even the vast majority of women who seek abortions do so because of personal lifestyle preferences (lack of money, not prepared, etc.).
Plus, abortion is a business. The leader of abortions, Planned Parenthood (a billion dollar business) gets more than 600 million dollars a year just from taxpayers. So, money is also an issue.
Before I knew anything about sex, I remember as a child going to Pro-Life abortion rallies with my mom, and our church, in the state of Louisiana (which has now made all abortions illegal, except to save the life of the pregnant woman).
It is now 2022, almost 50 years after the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling in 1973. I honestly never thought Roe v. Wade would be changed. Here are a few notable facts regarding abortion in the last 50 years.
- Since Roe v. Wade was ruled upon in 1973, well over 50 million babies have been aborted.
- Black women are 5 times more likely to have an abortion than white women.
- Almost 80% of Planned Parenthood’s surgical abortion facilities are strategically located within walking distance of African and/or Hispanic communities.
- One article states, “In 2020, there were 930,160 abortions, equating to about 1 in 5 pregnancies ending in abortion.“
Abortion is a very sensitive issue. No one wants to feel like their rights are being taken away from them. I don’t want my rights taken away from me. My perspective is based upon my Christian beliefs, and being a single father in the African American community.
I don’t pretend to know everything about abortions or reproductive health care. But, I do believe life begins at conception and all life needs to be respected. How can I ask for justice when an innocent person is murdered, yet not seek justice for the lives of innocent unborn babies?
Aborting a baby is easier than raising a child. I understand that. Everyone has a choice. No one is perfect. I believe 20 years from now a new generation of adults will say, “My parents wanted to abort me, but I’m alive today because of the Supreme Court’s decision on 6/24/2022.”