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What is happening now after Roe v. Wade?
By Henry H. Bucher, Jr., Faculty Emeritus in Humanities, Austin College
Dec 3, 2024
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Henry H. Bucher, Jr.
Our US educational format notes that some regarded the Civil War to be focused on ending slavery. Others believe it was a war between the states over "states' rights." Both have some truth since the war decided that slavery would be abolished by a federal Emancipation Proclamation(1863) followed by the 13th Amendment(1865) after President Lincoln urged the states to also enact abolition at the state level. The major issue was that slavery was legally abolished in the USA.

 

History does not always repeat itself, but it often rhymes! After our Supreme Court recently annulled Roe versus Wade, there was a strong reaction from those who believed that abortion should depend on what the mother, family, and medical doctor(s) chose based on several circumstances.*

 

The more this issue seemed to favor the Biden-Harris team in the 2024 elections, the sooner former President Trump pushed the idea that abortion is a “states’ rights” issue. This “diversion” lessened the impact of those who want to restore Roe versus Wade.

 

Should you be a woman in need of an abortion-- affirmed by her, the doctor(s) and family--would you see any difference between federal and state collusion on seeing your choice as illegal? The real issue has been sidelined.

 

Slaves in the USA before the Emancipation Proclamation were slaves. Had states’ rights prevailed, slavery would have remained legal in most southern states. We know what happened after our Civil War; but we are very unclear about what is happening now. 

 

*The “Pro Life” position’s very title presumes that opposition to them is “Pro Death,” but “Pro Choice” is open to several options. Pro Life focuses on the life of the baby over the life of the mother.