I am writing to express my concern about the recent draft opinion that would strike down the precedent decision in Roe vs Wade.
As I understand it, abortion is "not deeply rooted in the Nation’s history and traditions." This shows either appalling, impeachment-worthy ignorance of historical context and indeed science -- or a delibate, bad faith argument.
Many things have changed in the 234 years since the US Constitution became the framework of our democracy. At the time, only white men could vote. Women had no rights not granted by extension thru a male relative. We were engaged as a nation in openly trafficking human beings. We did not understand that illness is the result of microbes. There were no automobiles, trains, smart phones. We hailed from a small handful of nations practicing very similar religions. Party politics had not yet begun. Criminal organizations had yet to start controlling the US Senate thru state legislatures.
The Court referenced a variety of abortion laws as evidence that we have, as a nation, a tradition of restricting abortion. We could just as easily pluck numerous statutes that would support our tradition that people with black or brown skin are property.
In short, the history and traditions the Court were scouring for references to abortion are the ones rooted in racism, in sexism, in honest (and dishonest) ignorance.
In the year 2022, after 49 years (a full 21% of our 234 years under the Constitution) to claim we have no tradition of self determination, no history of allowing Americans to control their own destiny free from interference of their government?
I cannot accept this as a reasoned, intellectual opinion. This decision was made, and a shoddy justification manufactured by cherry-picking convenient truths.
If this decision stands, it will destroy the legitimacy of this nation's highest court and we cannot afford that.
