‘Hard to believe that it’s happening.’ Crowd protests abortion decision in Cary
Haleigh Finucane was at work Friday when her mom texted to tell her that the U.S. Supreme Court had decided the Constitution does not give women the right to an abortion.
Finucane had been expecting the decision since a draft was leaked to Politico in early May, but, she said, “It was more of a shock than I thought it would be. It was really upsetting, like grief, in a way.”
Finucane, her mother and her father joined a large crowd of protesters Sunday afternoon in downtown Cary. As the group marched, it stretched along Academy Street from a park near town hall to the steps of the Cary Regional Library.
In Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, five Republican-leaning justices voted to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that had found abortion is a constitutional right and the 1992 Planned Parenthood v. Casey decision that said states could not prohibit abortion before fetal viability, or about 23 weeks.
Abortion remains legal in North Carolina, although many people seeking to terminate their pregnancy must first receive state-mandated counseling, wait 72 hours before the procedure and receive an ultrasound.
“We have assumed that this is just always going to be something we have access to, and I made assumptions that it is an easy process to go through no matter where you live and it’s not, even here in North Carolina,” said Ryan Koch, who attended Sunday’s march with her husband and two sons.
Republican leaders of the N.C. General Assembly have said they will not try to take action on abortion during the ongoing short session, in part because Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, would likely veto any such legislation.
Republicans do not hold a veto-proof majority in the General Assembly, but are three seats away in the House and two away in the Senate. Speaker of the House Tim Moore said this past week that “pro-life protections” will be a “top priority” when legislators return for the long session in January.
Protests in Cary, Raleigh, Chapel Hill
Sunday’s march in Cary was at least the third in the Triangle this weekend. A rally in support of abortion rights Friday evening in Raleigh packed Bicentennial Plaza, with marchers streaming past the Governor’s Mansion and circling the state Legislative Building. And dozens of people marched in Chapel Hill on Saturday.
Stephanie Finucane, Haleigh’s mother, said the court’s decision left her angered and in shock. For Stephanie, the Dobbs decision is a step backward in a country that she has long believed is dedicated to making progress.
“It’s just hard to believe that it’s happening. I think about our country always moving forward in some way and to see our country move backwards, it’s heartbreaking to me that this is what (my children) have to look forward to,” said Finucane, a Cary resident.
Sunday morning, Finucane took a copy of the Declaration of Independence and other patriotic symbols off of her walls.
Chloe Rivest, of Raleigh, brought a sign to Sunday’s march asking why those portraying themselves as pro-life often also support broadened gun rights, particularly in light of school shootings like the Uvalde, Texas, massacre that left 19 children and two teachers dead.
“It’s not that we’re pro-abortion,” Rivest said, “it’s that we’re pro-choice. We should have the decision ourselves and not have old men making the choice for us.”
Signs of frustration among Democrats
While marches this weekend have seen a consistent theme of advocates and organizers urging attendees to organize and vote for Democratic candidates, there have also been signs of frustration with the party.
Democrats control the U.S. House, Senate and White House right now, but have so far shown an unwillingness to change the filibuster in the Senate. That would allow bills to pass by a simple majority with Vice President Kamala Harris casting a vote to break any ties, rather than clearing a 60-vote threshold that is needed with the filibuster in effect.
Some have suggested that Democrats should take such a step to make a right to an abortion a federal law, but party leaders have so far expressed a concern that removing or curbing the filibuster could let Republicans more easily pass legislation through the Senate if they recapture a majority of the seats.
Kaylee Pryor, an N.C. State University student who came to Cary for the rally, said, “This is just something that’s going to be leveraged over our head to keep us turning out at the polls and keep voting for Democrats, and at the end of the day nobody’s doing anything.”
Friday morning, Pryor was at work at a veterinary hospital, where many of her co-workers are women. When she learned about the decision, Pryor said, everyone stopped for a moment to take in the ramifications.
“We knew it was coming but that doesn’t stop the emotion,” Pryor said.
As part of her work, Pryor helps spay dogs. If the vets discover a dog is pregnant during the procedure, they stop to ask the owner if they should abort the puppies or allow the dog to continue carrying them.
“Dogs have better access to abortion than we do,” Pryor said. “It’s disappointing and it’s scary and it’s sick.”
Koch, a Cary resident, said she believes it is important for people who become pregnant to be able to decide what the rest of their lives will look like and whether they can raise children.
Raising children during the last two years has been very difficult, Koch added, even in a situation in which she and her husband are both present and earning enough money to take care of any needs.
“A few people are choosing what it’s going to be like for the majority,” Koch said.
Before Saturday’s march began, Koch said, her sons were saying they had never attended a march before. But they had, she said.
They went to a women’s march in 2016, she said, shortly after Donald Trump was elected president. During Trump’s single term in office, he appointed three of the five justices who voted to overturn Roe and Casey.
“Trump’s not in office anymore, and we’re still dealing with this (crap),” Koch said. “So the consequences are long-lasting.”
