Supreme Court Aborts Abortion Rights

In an unprecedented leak of a draft opinion, the Supreme Court’s radical Catholics prepared to reach back to the GOP glory days of a coat hanger in every purse, street and alley “medicine”, and abortion is okay if you are wealthy and Uncle John is a doctor.

Writing for the majority, each of whom is catholic, Alito’s 98-page document says there is no constitutional basis for abortion, just like there is no constitutional basis for marriage for two gay people to be married, or that there is any basis in their hallowed 200-year old document for interracial marriage.

Predictably the supreme court’s shit hit the democratic fan.

That’s right: it is not *only about abortion or access to abortions, but about preserving the white race, aka, white supremacy. Make no mistake that the decision is about forcing white women and girls to have babies to reverse the decades long trend of declining birthrates for white women and thus for white america. When you combine declining white births with the growth of the Latino/Hispanic and Black populations, you get white supremacists afraid of the inevitable – white folk as minority in the country they believe is made by and for them, despite the living evidence that everyone else represents.

And though I highlight the catholic power-block that is forcing their Pope-approved religious instructions on the rest of us, religious nuts on the court are fully doing the bidding of the millions of protestant voters who have gleefully turned to the Catholic Church to codify their white supremacist ideals and 14-word prayer.

Hail Mary, indeed.

The unholy re-union of the protestants and catholics has finally happened. Take that, Martin Luther, England, and Ireland.

Everything Americans who chose not to vote have been warmed about is now staring us all in the face: Abortion/healthcare rights, segregated schools, no more interracial marriage, and forbidding gay folk the right to marry are on the line collectively for the first time in decades.

The culture wars were not won and they never stopped, so now we are literally in a battle for the lives of girls and women.

Black, brown, and poor women and girls of every race will be harmed by laws that are already on the books in 26 states and that will immediately go into effect the moment the Supreme Court issues its decision. No one knows when the decision will be released, though June is the most talked about time frame. And there’s no guarantee the leaked paper will remain as is, since briefs are usually written and then circulated to the other justices who will write their own agreements or dissents.

The states that are poised to immediately ban abortion will allow no exception for rape or incest and of course, most will have no additional government services or healthcare because those require taxes. And we all know republicans in general refuse to be taxed for helping anyone other than themselves.

It is expected that all but one of the catholics on the Supreme Court will vote to eliminate women’s bodily autonomy: Amy Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch, Samuel Alito, and Clarence Thomas. Chief Justice John Roberts would give the ruling the definitive slam-dunk conservatives, the Heritage Foundation, and religious extremists in every religion and denomination pray for. But his vote doesn’t matter since even without him, Catholic and Protestant Christian extremists got their way.

It is also worth nothing that Kanvanaugh and Barrett are on video saying they would not do what they are now purported to have done. That is what is called lying under oath.

The other Catholic justice, Sonia Sotomayor, would never vote to eliminate women’s right to abortion or healthcare, so expect her dissent to be scathing, historical, and right.

The United States has gone from questioning whether Catholic President Kennedy would listen to the Pope over the Constitution, to watching radical catholic jurists doing exactly what radical protestant evangelicals want them to do.

And for the first time white Americans are having a right taken away by constitution. Welcome to the party, white friends and family.

Typically and lamely, there was a performative protest outside the Supreme Court within hours of the document being leaked. Protesting an empty building changes nothing; what changes things is voting in overwhelming numbers. Unfortunately in 2016 even though Hilary Clinton specifically warned “Trump will be able to appoint three Supreme Court justices,” 63% of white men and 52% of white women still voted for him and gave the reality hack the chance to choose three justices.

Every other voting demographic voted for Hilary Clinton, with Black women at 94%, and Latino women at 69%. Black men voted for her with 82% and Latino men with 63%. Hilary won the popular vote by over three-million votes. 3,000,000.

In other words Hilary, like Biden, won in a blowout.

But America’s antiquated voting system that favors white voters – easier access, fewer restrictions, no police harassment, and the racist electoral college – put Trump in office.

Trump then proceeded to do exactly what Hilary said he would do: place three justices on the court. And each one lied under oath by saying they would not change the 50 year old Roe v. Wade decision.

In fact, at Brett Kanvanaugh’s hearing then Senator Kamala Harris asked: “I’ll repeat the question. Can you think of any laws that give the government power to make decisions about the male body?”

Billy Beer Brett mumbled and stumbled into another lie, claiming he didn’t know.

There’s no better liar than a religious liar.

There were protests against Kavanaugh like there were protests when the abortion paper was leaked. Protests can galvanize voters and lead to higher turnout, but so much damage will have been done before the court can be changed and the new court can change laws, the protests seem…. weak.

Perhaps most powerful is the opportunity for white women to use their white women tears for the good of the nation instead of weaponizing them against Black folk. Cry big sloppy tears and get the white men in your lives to vote for the local democrat for the good of the country.

It is, after all, white women who have the most abortions – and Christian white women have the most overall: 70% of women who have abortions in the U.S. are Christians and 23% of those are evangelical Christians. They hide their abortions keeping them secret from their religious leaders (though some of the religious leaders secretly pay for those abortions).

We know wealthy connected white women will still be able to get a safe abortion, whether in this country or another. Rules for Black, brown, and poor girls and women of all races are different and enforced differently so they are likely to suffer the harm women have fought hundreds of years to prevent.

So where do we go from here? Many Democrats are asking.

To the voting booth. To the men in our lives. And to each other to remind ourselves why our laws are sacred and why more than ever, we need each other to get to and through the midterms with more democrats in office.

These may sound boring to some, but it is where the real action is and always will be.

Republicans have calculated that by overturning Roe v. Wade now, they will galvanize their voters to come out in record numbers to preserve the ruling. Democrats on the other hand, hope the ruling will galvanize their notoriously fickle midterm voters to turn out in record numbers, again, to beat back republican candidates in Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and key districts all over the nation.

With a 50-50 Senate, everything is at stake for a nation that is teetering between theocracy, fascism, and democracy. And with the January 6th Christian insurrection still being investigated at all levels of government, the GOP has decided to move forward by moving backwards, and they are hoping to drag the entire country with them.

Justice John Roberts, embarrassed and caught off guard by the leak, issued a statement asking for a full investigation, possibly overseen by the FBI, to root out the leaker and preserve the Supreme’s Court desire to take away rights in secrecy.

President Biden issued a statement saying his administration will defend Roe v. Wade and that it should not be overturned, that he is prepared to enact other protections for women, and that it is up to voters in November to elect officials at all levels that support women’s right to choose.

Vice President Kamala Harris also issued a statement, saying that “The rights of all Americans are at risk.. and this is the time to fight for women and for our country with everything we have.”

But what else can be done?

Increase the number of jurists on the Supreme Court from 9 to 15, 20, 30 – just get more jurists so that 300 million people are not forced to live by the whims of 9 people. Add Black women and men, Asian women and men, Native women and men, and LGBTQI+, and atheists. The court is too limited, too religious, and too centered on the white perspective.

End the Filibuster and use the 50-50 + VP opportunity to pass democratic legislation that protect voting rights first and foremost. Because this latest attack on women’s body autonomy is a start and there are certainly more and worse to come if republicans gain more seats in the Senate.

Vote in more Democrats so the party isn’t held hostage by corrupt senators from West Virginia and Arizona. But also at the State and district level from school boards, elections officials, District Attorneys and Attorneys Generals.

Elect more *actual democrats representatives so that the party isn’t held hostage by far-left extremists and undercover republicans more interested in harming the party than helping the party. And do not fund them, allow them stage time in debates, or give their ideas any legitimacy.

WHOSE TO BLAME?

There is plenty of anger and fingerprinting going on within the Democratic Party, with folk blaming Ruth Bader Ginsberg – who was Jewish so be aware of the insidiousness of antisemitism here – for not retiring earlier and thus allowing President Obama to nominate a democratic replacement; Mitch McConnell for blocking President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland from getting a hearing; and former Presidents Bush and Trump who both lost popular votes but between them placed 6 of the 9 justices on the court.

Democrats are also lashing out at voters who couldn’t be bothered to vote in midterms in 2010, 2014, and 2018, effectively handing over government to the most extreme republicans in generations.

And it cannot be missed that democrats are reminding anyone who will listen that most Black, Asian, and Latino voters overwhelmingly voted for Hilary Clinton, while only white voters gave Trump the majority of their votes, including white women who many feel vote race ahead of gender and equality.

Different opinions can simultaneously be true and that is the case here.

There are also voters who are understandably angry that Justice Clarence Thomas, credibly accused of sexual harassment, and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, credibly accused of sexual assault, get to decide what women and girls can/cannot do with their bodies. It is particularly disgusting but on par with a nation that trafficked Black babies, girls, and women for profit, while also using other Black women for wet-nurses, nannies, and to rape when the Black women weren’t raising their children or serving their wives.

Clarence Thomas also has the dubious distinction of being married to Ginny Thomas. Ginny was part of the Insurrection planning and execution committee and through exposed text messages, was rallying Trump’s team and insurrectionists. That he hasn’t been impeached, fired, thrown out, suspended, or whatever avenues are available for criminal conspiracist justices, is a disgrace to the court that has a history of being disgraceful.

It is important though to remember that while democrats can debate intra-party politics and the best way forward, the most anger should be reserved for the Grand Old Party of republicans hell bent on returning to their glory days of white males ruling over everyone else.

White men vote republican at the highest level no matter how criminal, how predatory, how racist, misogynist, homophobic, or transphobic they are. No matter how anti-immigrant, how corrupt, how many are arrested for rape, affairs, or financial crimes. No matter they try to overthrow the government, give trillion-dollar tax rebates to the wealthiest, or when they give businesses the same rights as humans.

White men vote republican because that is the party that promises them the continuance of the illusion of supremacy. The continuation of what they feel “god” has ordained and approved for now and forever. That they and they alone vote republican more than anyone because republicans validate what they are raised to believe: They are the saviors of the world. They are the saviors of you and I. They are the saviors of business, of American-christianity, of guns, and of your baby.

And they will do whatever they want to ensure they keep themselves at the top of the American hierarchy.

But that hierarchy has changed along with the nation. We are more diverse, there are more women than men, and the inalienable rights we all have, will not be taken away.

The arc of human rights does not bend backwards. Time does not stop or rewind. And America will not return to a time of no or limited rights for everyone else.

Bad policies and bad politicians will always pose a threat to progress. The way to stop all of it, is to consistently vote democrat. In fact, vote like Black people because if you do, the country will instantly be better because Black people are pragmatic voters who always vote for what will help everyone, not just one demographic.

Nothing will stop the demographic changes in America that is fueling the Court’s and conservative voter’s backlash.

The Supreme Court jerking itself far right of decency and legacy is a losing action that will further damage a court and a system that doesn’t need to lose anymore respect.

It may be too late to save this group of jurists, but it isn’t too late to reclaim the court and get democracy going again for everyone.

Since I mentioned changing demographics above, here is a link to a piece I wrote: How White People can be Good Minorities

© 2022 by Myron J. Clifton.

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Myron J. Clifton is slightly older than fifty, lives in Sacramento, California, and is an avid Bay Area sports fan. He likes comic books, telling stories about his late mom to his beloved daughter Leah, and talking to his friends.  

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