If Roe Were Overturned – Then What?

Today is the 35th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade. On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court voted 7-2 to strike down Texas abortion laws, deeming abortion a fundamental right under the U.S. Constitution.

To this day, those for and against abortion have been engaging in a war of words over this deeply divisive issue. NARAL Pro-Choice America states on its Internet site that “while it’s critical to promote policies that help prevent unintended pregnancies and make abortion less necessary, NARAL Pro-Choice America also fights to protect the right to safe, legal abortion.” The National Right-to-Life Committee, founded five months after Roe v. Wade, states on its Web site that its ultimate goal “is to restore legal protection to innocent human life” and that the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion nationwide “has resulted in nearly 50 million deaths.”

But what if Roe were overturned? What if a woman’s right to an abortion returned to the jurisdiction of each state? According to Wikipedia, several states have passed laws to maintain the legality of abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned, including California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, and Washington. Other states, including North Dakota, South Dakota, Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi, could ban abortions in their jurisdictions.

If, after Roe were overturned, a Constitutional amendment banning abortion were enacted by two-thirds of Congress and two-thirds of the states, I believe many pregnant women seeking abortions would merely go underground, especially if they were raped or face a risky delivery. I think these women would rather take their chances with the law than risk their lives giving birth or having a child of someone who violated them.

And what would be the next “logical” step after that? Banning intercourse outside marriage? Don’t get me wrong. First, I would not have an abortion if I were pregnant because I believe an unborn child is still a life. Second, I am waiting until marriage for sexual intimacy. But not everyone is on the same page on these issues.

So, for both sides, I propose the following:

First, to any person who is “pro-life,” step up to the plate. Tell an unmarried pregnant woman who is considering an abortion that you will adopt her child. You will pay the woman’s prenatal medical expenses through the birth. It shouldn’t matter the race, sex, or physical challenges. If you truly believe in the sanctity of life, offer to take care of that life. (Note: I have a friend who did “step up to the plate.” She adopted her unmarried cousin’s infant daughter when the young woman could not care for her child. My friend’s daughter will celebrate her 16th birthday this year. We may not agree on other political issues, but I give her credit for following her convictions.)

If you’re unable to adopt a child, then help the woman take care of the child by helping pay for child care, medical care, and early childhood education until the woman can do it herself or she marries. Enact needs-based tests, if you think it’s necessary. As for the father, strengthen laws to make him take responsibility financially. Fund community programs that encourage fathers to become more involved in the lives of their children. Stop cutting programs that help families headed by single mothers.

Second, to any person who is “pro-choice,” realize that the “fetus” that the woman may be aborting has a beating heart at 22 days. In my view, that fetus is a life. Abortion should be considered as a last resort, not a birth control option on par with birth control pills, condoms, intrauterine devices, and, best of all, abstinence. Stress other birth control options to young women (even as young as 9 years old) before they become sexually active. Stop cloaking the procedure in such terms as “reproductive health care.” An abortion is terminating a life, although it may not be viable outside the womb. A woman should consider her health and the fetus before taking this life-changing step. And if a woman who undergoes an abortion suffers from guilt or depression, encourage her to seek psychiatric help.

Finally, to both sides of the abortion debate: It’s time to get beyond the decades of rhetoric and work together for the sake of the woman and the unborn child. Peace.

Writing Diva