To call the Supreme Court ruling in the Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case a landmark decision is not an overstatement. It’s one that will have wide-reaching effects for years to come.
There are some misconceptions about what the ruling did, however. It did not make abortion illegal throughout the country. It returned the matter to the states to decide. And this I believe is an important first step.
Whether or not you think abortion should be lawful, you need to understand that the Roe vs. Wade ruling in 1973 was widely considered a poor legal decision. It was built largely on a supposed “right to privacy,” that is not mentioned in the Constitution, but that courts had inferred in previous cases.
Further, the Roe ruling had the effect of the Court itself making law, which the judicial branch is not tasked with doing under the Constitution.
And I know, when complicated legal matters are discussed, suddenly “everyone’s a constitutional expert.” But you don’t have to be one to see why this was bad from the start.
Prior to the 1973 decision, abortion was decided at the state level, by the people’s elected representatives. And in the majority of the states, abortion was illegal. Nine unelected judges overturned those laws and essentially made a new one for the entire country.
Abortion had not been a “right” through the country’s first nearly 200 years, but now suddenly was. And supposedly that right had been in the Constitution the whole time…and nobody noticed.
Now that the ruling is reversed, we’re back where we were, with the elected representatives of the people deciding the matter. Some states will elect to make abortion legal, and others will make it illegal. And the people now get a say, not a small group of unelected judges.
Here’s where the pro-life movement has a golden opportunity.
And as I see it, there are two main areas we must focus. One is obviously in the political arena – in helping to pass laws at the state level to protect life. The other is of utmost importance as well, and that is caring for women in unplanned pregnancies.
There are many organizations doing outstanding work in the community, from providing diapers and clothing to parenting classes and support groups.
I’ve had the privilege of volunteering with one such organization, getting to see firsthand the love and care of the employees and volunteers for those in need, as well as some of the changed lives.
The long-time charge of pro-abortion supporters has been that the pro-life community doesn’t really care for all lives involved. Let us prove them wrong.
Go and get involved. The door has now been opened for us to make a big difference in someone’s life. Start small and watch something big happen.
No Longer Silent 