“Restrictions and bans on abortion rights have set us back 50 years and diminished faith in the Supreme Court-How do we reckon with it?” - - Vivien Mansbach, 9th Grade
In the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned, it’s clearer than ever that legislation protecting the basic rights of minorities continues to fall behind. The new ruling sets us back nearly 50 years, dismantling the right to safe and legal abortion. The overturning of Roe allowed states to set their own restrictions on abortion laws, but in reality, trigger laws which are already in place have automatically outlawed the right to an abortion – this means little to no access is available in many of the poorest and most Republican-leaning states, including, according to this CBS article, Arkansas, Idaho, Louisiana, Kentucky, and more.
Living in a Democrat-leaning state like California, which has strong reproductive protection, it can often feel as if there is nothing we can do, but according to public defender and Connecticut State Councilman Josh Michtom, we have to experience an issue in order to understand it. Though this is a key part of solidarity and activism, it is one that is often forsaken by those in charge. It’s easy to try to gauge the experience of someone else without seeing what life is really like for them. Abortion rights consist of more than the access and money needed to get to an open clinic, but also the transportation – often hours long – childcare and if that person is able to skip work.
Of course, we don’t all have the time or money to live up close to the current situation, but making a contribution to a charity is always helpful, as well as working as hard as we can to keep clinics open. According to Counselor Michtom, the right has been focused on controlling the federal courts, while the left has been more focused on justice and the rights of the people.
“When one side is playing dirty and the other isn’t, the side that plays fair will, of course, be disadvantaged,” Michtom said, going on to add that even states like California are only as safe as what those in charge of our federal government are allowed to do. And as long as the far right keep playing dirty (i.e. going to whatever means possible to reach their outcome), they will continue to work to impose restrictions on abortion as well as state-wide laws, meaning that it will be even harder for people who need them to access the constitutional right of abortion and bodily autonomy.
In Michtom’s opinion, it’s important to realize that the Supreme Court really isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. It isn’t a finder of justice or a discoverer of rights. It’s not the reliable protector of liberty that it could be if the right wasn’t focused on perpetuating a narrative which puts many behind. Unfortunately, we need to lower our expectations of the Court, and recognize that it is as flawed as any other political system.
On a local level, we need to learn that it is okay to try to take power away from the Supreme Court, and okay to encourage sympathetic leaders in our communities to oppose them. Furthermore, the overturning of Roe v. Wade has reopened the wound of old cases. In the current climate, Michtom says that topics that are expected to crop up soon include contraceptive rights, especially for married people, interracial rights, and even the right to gay sex. The bottom line is that nobody is allowed privacy anymore, and there truly is no tier of human relations that the government cannot touch. That being said, the power is in the people. Those in charge no longer have our best interests at heart, so it’s up to us to keep standing up for our communities and protect the freedom of everyone.
Living in a Democrat-leaning state like California, which has strong reproductive protection, it can often feel as if there is nothing we can do, but according to public defender and Connecticut State Councilman Josh Michtom, we have to experience an issue in order to understand it. Though this is a key part of solidarity and activism, it is one that is often forsaken by those in charge. It’s easy to try to gauge the experience of someone else without seeing what life is really like for them. Abortion rights consist of more than the access and money needed to get to an open clinic, but also the transportation – often hours long – childcare and if that person is able to skip work.
Of course, we don’t all have the time or money to live up close to the current situation, but making a contribution to a charity is always helpful, as well as working as hard as we can to keep clinics open. According to Counselor Michtom, the right has been focused on controlling the federal courts, while the left has been more focused on justice and the rights of the people.
“When one side is playing dirty and the other isn’t, the side that plays fair will, of course, be disadvantaged,” Michtom said, going on to add that even states like California are only as safe as what those in charge of our federal government are allowed to do. And as long as the far right keep playing dirty (i.e. going to whatever means possible to reach their outcome), they will continue to work to impose restrictions on abortion as well as state-wide laws, meaning that it will be even harder for people who need them to access the constitutional right of abortion and bodily autonomy.
In Michtom’s opinion, it’s important to realize that the Supreme Court really isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. It isn’t a finder of justice or a discoverer of rights. It’s not the reliable protector of liberty that it could be if the right wasn’t focused on perpetuating a narrative which puts many behind. Unfortunately, we need to lower our expectations of the Court, and recognize that it is as flawed as any other political system.
On a local level, we need to learn that it is okay to try to take power away from the Supreme Court, and okay to encourage sympathetic leaders in our communities to oppose them. Furthermore, the overturning of Roe v. Wade has reopened the wound of old cases. In the current climate, Michtom says that topics that are expected to crop up soon include contraceptive rights, especially for married people, interracial rights, and even the right to gay sex. The bottom line is that nobody is allowed privacy anymore, and there truly is no tier of human relations that the government cannot touch. That being said, the power is in the people. Those in charge no longer have our best interests at heart, so it’s up to us to keep standing up for our communities and protect the freedom of everyone.
