by Ann Montague and Lisa Leonard, published on Socialist Action, May 5, 2022
The leaked draft opinion by a majority of Supreme Court Justices supporting overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision has fueled the anger of women across the country. Furious women immediately surged the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court to denounce the court’s intention to overturn half a century of legal abortion rights.
The following day hastily organized protests spread throughout the country. The simple fact of women’s anger so alarmed some cities that they decided to bring out the troops. The Los Angeles Police placed all officers on High Alert and in Washington D.C. police set up barricades and the D.C. Police activated its Civil Disturbance Unit.
The anger was rightfully placed on the majority of Supreme Court justices that voted to overturn the right to abortion which has been in effect for the last 50 years. But equally as responsible is the Democratic Party that never codified the Roe v. Wade decision into federal law. In addition they continued year after year to reauthorize the Hyde Amendment, which is a ban on using federal money (Medicaid) to pay for abortion.
These issues were all addressed at the Supreme Court protest as women demanded federal protections of abortion rights as well as chants, “Shame on Joe” “My Body, My Choice” and “No Justice, No Peace.”
The reason Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973 by a conservative court at a conservative time in history was because there was a strong Women’s Liberation movement demanding “Free Abortion on Demand.”
For decades the Democratic Party has been haranguing women to give money and support Democrats to protect “choice” (an innocuous term). Meanwhile they have done nothing to support abortion rights as state after state takes away our constitutional rights.
One of the largest protests in recent days was in Boston, where thousands turned out to protest. Boston was also the major center for the militant Women’s Liberation movement in 1973. One of the organizers of the recent protest spoke, “We will never be able to secure our right to abortion unless we take to the streets. The Supreme Court is declaring war on women’s rights, and the only force capable of stopping them is mobilizing and organizing to defend our rights.” Another speaker, Claire Grossi, reminded everyone of the history. “Roe v. Wade was won in 1973 on the basis of mass protests led by women. We hold the power to defend abortion rights. Right here in the streets is where we leverage power.”
Undoubtedly the Democratic Party will try to demobilize us and send us into electoral politics this year. But at this point it seems like women are in no mood to be told what to do by anyone, including party bosses. The outrage is too great!
*Featured Image: Pro-abortion rights supporters protest outside the Supreme Court, on May 3, 2022. (Valerie Plesch, NBC News)