Roe v. Wade Decision Sparks Concern About How Durable Our Rights Are [EDITORIAL]

It should not have been surprising to see Roe v. Wade dismantled. The broken promises of the supreme court justices were exposed months ago with the leaked draft of the decision regarding Roe v. Wade. They made up their minds long before they ever sat on the bench. Despite this, we still retain our belief that the repeal of Roe v. Wade was an injustice to the American people. This dangerous decision not only disregards the rights of the American Citizen, but this decision now creates a dangerous precedent that can be used to rip away our rights of the future.

When Roe v. Wade was ratified in 1973, the issue of abortion was officially considered a woman’s right. Over the past 50 years, women were given full autonomy of their own bodies. Since then, an entire generation has grown up knowing nothing but the fact that they had the right to abortion. While there are justifiably moral debates over this action, what matters is that a right was given to the American people. A right that has now been taken away.

Never in American history has a freedom like this been repealed. The massive outcry and demonstrations should not have been a shock to the Supreme Court Justices and their supporters. Nine people have ripped something away from the American people. We should all be outraged, regardless of whether you support Roe v. Wade or not. This action conducted by the Supreme Court creates a powerful and threatening precedent for the American people. The courts can use this overturned decision to influence all future questions of what is covered by our constitution.

The traditionalist view of the constitution cannot be the only way to interpret the document. Our world has evolved to realms that were never thought possible since the constitution’s initial draft centuries ago. How is it that our justices support a document that only favored the current powerbase at the time, white male landowners. Our forefathers did not account for women. They did not account for the ethnic melting pot that America would become. The constitution is the most important document in our country’s history, but it reflects a period that has long since passed.

We must interpret this document through a modern lens, a lens that takes into account all viewpoints of the American people. This distinction is why we cannot leave the decision of abortion to the states. Multiple precedents in American history illustrate how State’s rights on individual freedoms always leave many disenfranchised. This power must remain at a federal level to ensure that all Americans retain equal rights no matter their location in this country. If the decision of individual rights is given to the states, we risk creating a country that segregates freedoms based on borders. The United States will no longer be united, and we will grow even more divided.

We believe America deserves better. This nation was founded under the banner of individual rights for all. This country was a beacon of hope to those that live under a restrictive government. We cannot lose sight of the beliefs that made America the country that it is today. Our rights must be defended. No branch of government should have the power to take away our liberties, much less one that is not appointed by the American people. This power can not and should not exist. This is not a question of morality, this is a fight for what defines us as Americans.