When the Supreme Court hears a case as important as the Texas abortion law, everyone holds their collective breath. When I heard that a law aimed at low-income and poor women was struck down, my day became a whole lot better, and my breathing easier.
“There was no significant health-related problem that the new law helped to cure,” Breyer wrote. “We agree with the District Court that the surgical-center requirement, like the admitting-privileges requirement, provides few, if any, health benefits for women, poses a substantial obstacle to women seeking abortions, and constitutes an “undue burden” on their constitutional right to do so.”
The Texas law would have shut down most of the state’s abortion clinics, many of which existed in rural and low-income areas. Wealthy women would have continued to have access to legal abortions.
Only Texas lawmakers, and the Christian religious right will denounce the 5-3 ruling. This is a victory for the majority. With special interests predominating most of our politics in Washington today, the working class has a reason to celebrate that the Constitution was upheld.
This is also a victory for Planned Parenthood, which has helped millions of women with reproductive health problems for years.
This decision by the Court was extremely important. Other states who have passed or plan to enact similar laws will be unable to enforce their racist and bigoted laws.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg joined Breyer in her decision against the Texas law.
“When a State severely limits access to safe and legal procedures, women in desperate circumstances may resort to unlicensed rogue practitioners, faute de mieux, at great risk to their health and safety.”
Personally, I saw this issue as equal protection under the law; the 14th amendment. Only a single group of women would have been prevented from executing their Constitutional rights. Women of means would not have been affected by this law.
On days like this I am even prouder to be an American. Although our Congress is useless, and should be disbanded, the Court has used intellect and supported the Law of the Land.
Op-Ed
By James Turnage
Photo Courtesy of DonkeyHotey
The Truth With No Restrictions 