Planned Parenthood of the North Country responds to overturn of Roe v. Wade; anti-abortion advocate calls it historic day
Jun. 25—WATERTOWN — Theresa S. Barker, CEO of Planned Parenthood of the North Country, describes the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on Friday, ending federally protected abortion rights for women, as "devastating."
The court's conservative majority opinion says the Constitution does not protect the rights of women to choose abortion, and instead leaves decisions in the hands of state lawmakers. Abortion rights advocates say this is an incredible blow to women across the country. Those against abortion argue the opinion allows each state to develop laws that protect the unborn.
The opinion, written by Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., resembles a draft leaked by Politico on May 2.
The court's three liberal justices dissented in the Mississippi case.
"We have just unwound 50 years of precedent," said Ms. Barker, who is CEO of the Planned Parenthood locations in Clinton, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. "Suddenly women are going to lose abortion access and there is going to be all kinds of barriers for women. They are not going to get care where they need it and when they need it."
Ms. Barker said it's ironic given the Supreme Court's decision regarding firearms earlier this week, which broadened firearms rights for Americans.
In a landmark ruling the Supreme Court on Thursday overturned a century-old New York state law that limited who can carry a pistol in public, saying the measure is a clear violation of the Second Amendment's guarantee of the right to keep and bear arms. The 6-3 opinion comes in the wake of mass shootings in Buffalo and Texas carried out by gunmen with assault rifles.
"We're in a position now where guns have more freedom and more protection than women do in our own country," Ms. Barker said. "It's just devastating."
She added that making abortion illegal won't stop it from happening.
"What it does, is make it more dangerous and it makes it deadly," she said. "This is a real incredible blow for women across this country."
If there's any silver lining for Ms. Barker, it's that New York will continue to offer abortion access not just to residents, but to people from other states.
"We are incredibly fortunate to live in New York state, which understands that women have the right to choose what happens with their bodies without any political interference," she said. "We will be able to help women access abortion care regardless of where they live or what state they come from."
She said that is one of the wonderful things about the state.
"They understand our rights, support our rights and absolutely have our backs," she said.
Meanwhile, abortion opponents are celebrating in Watertown. Flora Wilson, anti-abortion advocate, helped organize a "decision day" rally — which took place in communities across the country — at St. Patrick's Church on South Massey Street.
"After nearly 50 years of the most extreme abortion policy on Earth being imposed on every state in the Union, the era of Roe v. Wade is finally coming to a close," Mrs. Wilson wrote in a news release. "... The American people will finally be free to enact the kinds of common sense limits on abortion most Americans support, including here in New York state."
Ms. Wilson wrote in a press release that the decision is a historic achievement for the "pro-life" movement.
"Roe v. Wade has been an open wound in our body politic ever since the day it was decided more than 49 years ago," she wrote. "But today the healing can finally begin, starting with state laws that protect human life in the womb and provide help and hope for their mothers."
The Pew Research Center, which has tracked views on abortion since 1995, reports that 61% of U.S. adults say abortion should be legal in all or most cases.
