Those in the US and who have been instrumental in overturning the unconstitutional decision in 1973 now, whilst looking forward with some optimism, are very much aware of the need to continue the fight to end abortion completely. Here is some of what they’ve said:
Steve Mosher from the Population Research Centre:-
“The Supreme Court has finally struck down the blatantly unconstitutional Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v.Casey decisions. The last few weeks of agonized waiting for the opinion to be formally released are over. The pro-life majority on the Supreme Court held strong.”
“A new day is dawning in America. The end of Roe marks a new beginning in the fight for Life in America. Now is the time for us boldly move forward on the state level, passing Heartbeat legislation in state after state to reduce the number of abortions, at the same time that we work for the complete abolition of this heinous practice. Our state legislators need to hear from us. We expect all those who have professed pro-life convictions to move forward boldly to protect vulnerable babies and women.”
“PRI will be pushing forward with its program to encourage states to emulate the great state of Texas in passing Heartbeat legislation,” said Mosher. “This legislation has proven to be a great success in Texas, saving thousands of babies. It has withstood judicial challenges at the state level. And it is a great steppingstone towards our ultimate goal–the elimination of abortion throughout the land.”
Shaun Carney from 40 Days for Life:-
The Supreme Court corrected its deadly error of dehumanizing (for the second time in U.S. history) an entire segment of our population.
We praise God for this historic victory…but know things are about to heat up and our work is not done.The Supreme Court didn’t end abortion. It simply changed the struggle geographically. The spiritual battle for hearts, minds, and souls will now be fought out state by state. And 40 Days for Life is ready! We’ve been preparing for this moment for years.
The fall of Roe v. Wade will resonate far beyond the United States. It sends a message to the world that it’s possible for a country that has accepted, promoted, and subsidized abortion to also REJECT abortion. Wherever you live, you can seize this historic moment and help end the greatest human rights crisis in history.”
LifeSite News reported:
The United States Supreme Court finally issued its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Friday, upholding Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban, overturning Roe v. Wade, and delivering the pro-life cause its most transformative victory since Roe unleashed nationwide abortion-on-demand in 1973.
Justice Samuel Alito delivered the opinion of the Court, which was joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. The ruling declares Roe “egregiously wrong from the start.”
“Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences,” Alito wrote. “The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision.”
“Roe’s constitutional analysis was far outside the bounds of any reasonable interpretation of the various constitutional provisions to which it vaguely pointed,” Alito continued. “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.”
Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in a separate opinion concurring in the judgement that he supported leaving the Mississippi ban in place but would not have overturned Roe. The Court’s three Democratic appointees filed a joint dissent.
The ruling holds massive ramifications, both immediate and long-term. More than 20 states currently have laws on the books that would effectively ban abortion within their borders upon Roe’s fall, from pre-Roe abortion bans that went unenforced to “trigger laws” designed not to take effect until a ruling like today’s. In those states, abortion will now be illegal.
Another 15 states plus the District of Columbia have laws on the books legally protecting abortion, three of which explicitly codify the practice as a “right.” For now, abortion will remain legal in those jurisdictions, as well as the remaining states that have not spelled out abortion’s status one way or another, but without Roe state residents now have the power to vote on the issue for themselves, or lobby their elected representatives to change the law in either direction. Pro-lifers in Congress can now pursue a nationwide abortion ban, as well.
Therein lies one of the decision’s biggest long-term ramifications: a newfound sense of urgency for pro-life efforts. Now that abortion policy can be directly decided through the elected branches of government, and politicians can no longer invoke the judiciary as an excuse for inaction, abortion-related legislative and lobbying efforts are certain to increase dramatically across the country, with the issue prioritized even higher by activists and voters alike.
At FLI Australia we celebrate with our pro-life friends in the US and recognise the heroic efforts of many pro-lifers who have worked tirelessly in defending life over many decades. We should not be complacent here in our country as this has little impact on our own situation.
We have laws across our country allowing abortion to birth for any or no reason and restrictions on free speech around abortion mills of 150 metres which prevent us praying for and offering support to, women in desperate situations who for the most part would not be at these places of death if they felt they had any support.
Paul Hanrahan
