Tomorrow, May 17th, is a major Women’s March for reproductive rights in DC and in other US cities since the 1970’s when the Supreme Court heard Roe vs. Wade. A victory for Roe was called a landmark decision for women in 1973. Now, almost 50 years later, we are entering a retrogressive state in this country. By definition, a retrogressive state means returning to an earlier state, typically a worse one. This is a fitting term for where we sit and stand politically today. As the Senate voted this week to allow the banning of abortions and we await the Supreme Court’s decision, the fact that we need another “Bans Off Our Bodies” march is staggering.
General Westmorland once said, “Politicians start wars.” And, HG Wells said, “If we don’t end war, war will end us.” And, boy, they were both right. The right-wing conservatives have begun this war and placed the courts, including the Supreme Court, smack dab in the middle of it. Congress and the Supreme Court have denied freedom to American people before. In decisions such as Dred Scott in 1857, the law further enslaved Black Americans as they struggled for their fight for freedom. In 1920, Congress ratified Prohibition which turned out to be a Constitutional experiment gone badly as it brought about the birth of bootlegging, speakeasies, and gang violence.
Once again, the extreme right, Congress, and the Supreme Court are coming for us. As one of our blog readers commented about these entities, they are coming for you if you are not an ultra-conservative, white Christian. Yes, they are coming for us to deny us our freedoms. Certainly, they are coming for us if we want to provide or have an abortion or need contraceptives. They are coming for us if we have a miscarriage or need a friend to hold our hand or a shoulder to cry on when we do. It does not matter what our circumstances are now because the abortion “bounty hunters,” like in Texas, will be coming for us. As another blog reader explained, in a world where the Penalty for having an abortion is greater than the Penalty for being a rapist, we are in trouble. This is a war against women and it will not stop here.
Many of our readers can remember the events of the 1960’s and 70’s when women and men died seeking their well-deserved rights to freedom. Whether the fight is for medical care, interracial or same-sex marriage, or LGBTQ rights, they are coming for us, our siblings, our children, grandchildren, our friends, and colleagues. These power-hungry traitors are coming for our books, our voting precincts, our vote, and for those who are Woke. They will spend our tax money trying to get us. They will provoke a war, another insurrection, and blame others as they do. We never imagined that they would stoop so low. Elon Musk will come for us via Twitter. The Republican Trump Party will come for us if we are a liberal, a minority, a woman, gay, or trans, because in their eyes, our equal rights do not exist. They have no heart so do not look for one! In the name of God and country, they will lie and cheat to get what they want.
Despite our current struggle for justice and equality, we must keep up the fight for we have no plans for going back. We must fight the radical right and vote to move ahead. A strong majority of Americans favor Roe, the right to choose, and they endorse full reproductive rights. We are the majority so let’s start acting like it!
More than ever, we need to stick together, support one another, live honestly, speak the truth, and reach across the aisle. Keep looking for hope even in small places. For instance, we were shocked and pleased last night when a Republican neighbor told us that he supports a woman’s right to choose. And that he will vote that way!
We are on the right side of this fight for social justice and we will achieve it. If not today, then tomorrow…as we will continue to work to be courageous and never stop trying.
And a special note to Susan Collins – Maine, Lisa Murkowski – Alaska and Joe Manchin – the WVA wolf in sheep’s clothing – we will work to vote you out!
“No self respecting woman should wish or work for the success of a party that ignores her sex.” – Susan B Anthony 1872
