Anti-abortion wave in the United States: eight states have already changed their laws and now go through Roe v. Wade



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Although the decision to have abortion a constitutional right in 1973 is still in effect, the south and center west of the country have begun to amend their legislation to prevent access. The decision this week by the Alabama Senate to establish an absolute ban on abortion in the state and to impose penalties of up to 99 years for doctors practicing it has upset American policy.

With the vote of 25 congressmen and not women, they became the eighth state in the country to restrict the right to abortion in the United States in 2019.

Not only because the measure will effectively limit women's ability to access the practice – many do not have the resources to move to another state – or because just two days after the arrival of Alabama in Missouri, a new limit has been pbaded to prohibit abortion after 8 weeks of pregnancy.

The so-called pro-life movements think beyond state congresses and aim high: the Supreme Court of Justice. Conscious that they have the approval of President Donald Trump and – after the controversial appointment of Brett Kavanaugh in the highest court – with a conservative majority in their favor, their goal is to overthrow Roe vs. Wade forever, The 1973 decision made abortion a constitutional right.

Therefore, even when many of these new laws are blocked by state courts, their bet is to start a court battle that will result in a final vote among the nine magistrates of the country's highest court, where five conservatives (John G. Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh) and four Liberals (Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan).

According to the Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), "politicians approve draconian and unconstitutional restrictions knowing that they will be blocked in court, while appealing all available remedies to force the Supreme Court to intervene. . "

Legal Counsel for the Center for Reproductive Rights Elisabeth Smith said Friday that "these laws are clearly unconstitutional". "If we let them come into force, they will have devastating consequences for women in all these states."

Planned Parenthood is one of the most important organizations for women's attention to reproductive health. It is also under attack by President Trump. He promised that he would look after his funding. Nevertheless, after two years of government and according to several surveys, their arrival and their social integration are such that at least one in five Americans came to their offices once in their life, whether to receive medical care. , for information or simply for advice. Johanny Adames, spokesperson for the Planned Parenthood Action Fund in New York, spoke with the press.

Many of the restrictions that introduce states are presented as "fetal heart rate laws". What are they talking about?

-First of all, it should be made clear that it is an incorrect terminology. I say that because it is not a coincidence that these bills use language to misrepresent images that seek to erase the true harmful intentions of the politicians who support them. It is that abortion is legal until it is possible to detect the fetal heartbeat – between the sixth and eighth week – when "Roe v. Wade" establishes legality until the viability of the fetus, usually between weeks 24 and 28. These laws work in practice as mechanisms to prohibit abortion. The name "fetal heartbeat" is designed to justify the prohibition of abortion as soon as possible, often before a woman knows that she is pregnant. Politicians responsible for such projects must use lies because they know that their real agenda is deeply unpopular. Currently, support for the decision "Roe v. Wade" and access to abortion are at record levels. Statistics indicate that about one in four women in this country will have an abortion and that 73% of Americans do not want women to lose their access to safe and legal abortion.

What was the impact of the introduction of these partial regulations?

– So far this year, we have witnessed sixteen attempts to ban abortion, even though only eight have succeeded so far. In these states, calls for measures and clauses that, from a medical point of view, aim to impede women and prevent them from having access to services to terminate their pregnancy. Importantly, at present one in three women live in a state where abortion could be banned if the Roe decision is overturned, representing more than 25 million people. .

– What were the first repercussions after the vote on the anti-abortion law in Alabama last Tuesday?

This is the most extreme abortion ban since the failure of "Roe v. Wade" forty-six years ago. Twenty-five men voted in favor of restricting the health and rights of women, as well as locking up doctors for life just to do their job. If this law comes into force, women's lives will be in danger. It goes beyond rhetoric; Such legislation would have serious consequences for the future of women and that is why our emergency phone lines in health centers have been flooded with appeals worried about what could happen. Not only is it illegal and it violates the Constitution, but it is also very dangerous for all women.

– Why do you think the anti-abortion groups are currently progressing to cancel "Roe v. Wade"? Is it just because of the new composition of the US Court?

Although this is his goal for several decades, Trump in the government and Kavanaugh in the Supreme Court have encouraged them: we have a president who is dedicated to lying about abortion and that has had consequences. Politicians are no longer shy when it comes to whitewashing their goals: they have openly stated that they would try to bring any of their cases to the Supreme Court and to have their cases heard. repeal the decision on abortion.

The Republican Party has changed positions over the years. At first, he supported the abortion and now, they oppose, in principle, in an organic way. Does this trick have its correlation with its constituents?

– We know that the position of the Republican party is far from reality, and even that of members of his own party: more than half of Donald Trump's supporters believe that a woman should be able to access the party. abortion, according to polls. That's why we start seeing so many people make their voices heard and say that they do not agree with the restrictions. The Republican Party's current program to ban abortion in the country is totally irrelevant and has nothing to do with what the American people want.

-What will be Planned Parenthood's strategy to avoid the cancellation of "Roe vs. Wade"?

-We will fight against Roe's cancellation with all our strength and all our abilities. We have already seen politicians like Elizabeth Warren propose an abortion defense strategy, which includes the creation of rights parallel to the Supreme Court's decision, the approval of federal laws avoiding the efforts of the law enforcement agency. 39 State to limit reproductive health and the cancellation of the Hyde amendment, which excludes federally funded health care programs from abortion coverage. On the other hand, states like New York and Vermont have approved a series of bills that will protect the right to abortion in this country, no matter what happens in the Supreme Court.

– How do you solve the problem of funds, if Donald Trump manages to unlock the funds of Planned Parenthood?

– It was a commitment by Donald Trump when he badumed the presidency and sought to prohibit patients who depended on Medicaid from visiting the health centers of our organization. However, these attempts were rejected in its three different legal versions, thanks to the support and action of many people across the country.

– How have abortion statistics changed over the past 50 years since its legalization?

-Statistics indicate that we have reached the lowest rate of unwanted pregnancies and abortions in the country, due to legalization and better access to contraceptive methods and education badual. Now the Trump administration has hindered access to contraceptive methods and attempted to dismantle the teen pregnancy prevention program.

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