Republicans Are Not As Pro-life As They Claim  

Roe v. Wade is a legal case from 1973 that ruled the unduly restrictive state regulation of abortion is unconstitutional and violated women’s constitutional rights of privacy, according to Brittanica. Now, after almost 50 years, the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, which in short means that there is no longer a federal constitutional right to abortion. This not only imposes on women’s rights on a fundamental level but displays just how far Republicans are willing to go in order to impose their personal, more specifically religious, views and agenda into politics. As a woman, and I’m sure like a lot of other women across the country right now, I am angry at the legal decision of the U.S. to stand on the wrong side of history yet again. 

Let me make one thing very clear, the decision to overturn Roe was not in the light of protecting kids or a “Pro-life” decision. This was about nothing short of controlling women, and what they can or cannot do with their own bodies. The overturn of Roe v. Wade will result in at least 20 out of the 50 states to ban or severely restrict abortion laws, according to ABC News. Republicans can no longer hide under the pretense of “Pro Life,” because in all honesty, there is nothing Pro-life about this decision. This choice was only so that Republicans can continue to push their religious and traditional agenda forward. This will not result in fewer abortions but will result in less safe abortions.  

If Republicans are as Pro-life as they claim to be, their priorities should be things like implementing gun control laws, but instead they have become the very reason that strict gun control has yet to happen. Republican politicians like Ron Johnson, among others, all believe that restriction of assault rifles will not result in the decline of mass shootings, according to The New York Times. Ron Johnson office claims that “The senator does not support HR 8, which would criminalize common exchanges of firearms and strip away the rights of millions of people while doing nothing to reduce gun violence. “  

So, it begs the question on why exactly would the restriction of guns that supposedly ‘strips away the rights of millions of people,’ and do nothing to reduce gun violence but restricting abortion will reduce abortion. Makes sense, right? Even with the defense of the Second Amendment, it is time we stopped pretending as though the Second Amendment does not allow for limits on guns because there is no constitutional or moral reason that we cannot restrict guns to prevent mass shootings. However, Republicans are more concerned with stripping away the rights of millions of women by overturning Roe v. Wade instead.   

The effect that Roe v. Wade getting overturned will be devastating, but it is also especially important to note the effect this will have on black and women of color. Over then half of the United States black population resides in the South according to Pew Research which is heavily Republican and is where most abortion is going to be heavily restricted and banned. I urge you to please donate to foundations like abortionfunds.org or blackrg.org to help support communities who will be most affected.  

If Republicans were really as “Pro Life” as they say they are, they would increase access to women’s health care but instead oppose the Affordable Care Act, which allows for health care insurance coverage for people who qualify for it, according to Investopedia.  Republicans would also try to decrease poverty in its entirety, because women who are denied abortion are more likely to end up living in poverty and yet, Republicans have continually voted against things like Well Fare Assistance, according to The Guardian. It is so abundantly clear that Republicans don’t care about children, and that Roe v. Wade getting overturned was about power and control.  

The fight against Roe v. Wade getting overturned is going to be a long one. However, this issue is something that is worth fighting for. We need to mobilize in the long haul because if we are not equipped to fight for our rights in the long term we will lose. Republican legislators need to get out of power and stop hiding behind the Pro-life argument.