Biden on abortion: Sad day – Women’s lives in danger now

LAST UPDATE 23:50

US President Joe Biden described today as a “sad day for the court and the country” in an emergency address to the American people following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the historic 1973 decision that constitutionally guaranteed the right of women to abortion.

As he mentioned, this is a decision that takes the country 150 years back, while he claimed that this is the result of “extremist ideology”.

“Today, the United States Supreme Court explicitly deprived the American people of a constitutional right they had previously recognized. They did not restrict it. They simply removed it. It is something that has never been done in a right so important to so many Americans, but they did.” said President Biden.

He stressed that after the abolition of constitutional protection of the right, “the health and lives of women in this nation are now in danger.”

Biden also stressed that he has carefully studied the case and expressed his belief that the decision overturned by the Supreme Court today (Roe vs. Wade) “was the right decision”.

The Supreme Court abolished the right to abortion after half a century

Earlier today, it was announced that the Supreme Court had overturned the landmark “Roe vs. Wade” ruling, which had recognized the right to abortion in the United States in 1973 as constitutional.

In particular, Supreme Court justices ruled that Roe’s decision against Wade, which allowed abortions, was wrong because the US Constitution does not specifically mention abortion rights.

A draft ruling by Conservative Judge Samuel Alito was leaked in May, setting off a political storm. Today’s decision was also drafted by Alito and largely follows the draft that was leaked.

“The Constitution makes no reference to abortion and no relevant right is implied to be protected by any constitutional provision,” Alito wrote in a decision released today.

The Roe v. Wade ruling recognized that the right to privacy under the US Constitution protects a woman’s ability to terminate her pregnancy.

The Supreme Court in a 1992 decision (Casey) had upheld the right to abortion and banned laws that impose an “unjustified burden” on access to related services.

“Roe was deeply wrong from the start. His reasoning was extremely weak and the decision had disastrous consequences. And instead of resolving the issue of abortions nationwide, the Roe and Casey decisions sparked controversy and deepened the division,” he added. in today’s decision Alito.

Removing abortion from constitutional rights restores the ability of states to pass laws that prohibit it. Twenty-six states are considered either certain or likely to ban abortions.

It is noted that former Republican President Donald Trump had promised as a candidate in 2016 to appoint judges to the Supreme Court who will overthrow Roe. Finally in the four years of his term he managed to appoint three conservative judges (one third of the total) building a conservative majority 6 versus 3.

All three Trump-appointed judges (Neil Gorsos, Brett Cavanaugh and Amy Connie Barrett) have voted in favor of today’s ruling, which overturns the constitutional right to abortion.

“It’s God’s will,” Trump said

Asked by Fox News about his own role in the development, because during his tenure in the White House he appointed three judges and thus ousted the majority of the Supreme Court in the conservative camp, the Republican billionaire replied: “It is God’s will”

The decision “follows the Constitution” and “restores everything at the state level, as it should always be,” he added.

States have already begun announcing that they are banning abortions

Many US states have already begun announcing that they are taking steps to deny access to abortions in the immediate aftermath of the Supreme Court ruling.

His Attorney General Missouri announced that the conservative Central US state is the “first” to ban abortions. “It’s a memorable day for the sanctity of life,” Eric Smith said in a Twitter post.

Its Republican governor South Dakota Christy Noem also announced that abortion is now considered illegal in this northern US state, as a law had already been passed that would not apply but would automatically enter into force if the Supreme Court changed its case law, as it did.

A little later, her Republican governor Indiana also announced that it was convening parliament to decide on the ban on abortions as soon as possible.

Global outcry

The Supreme Court ruling has provoked reactions from international leaders with many leaders expressing shock.

The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the decision as a “major setback”. “I have always believed in a woman’s right to choose and I stand by that view and that is why the United Kingdom has the laws that allow it,” Johnson said.

“Abortion is a fundamental right for all women. We must protect it. I would like to express my solidarity with all those women whose freedoms have been jeopardized by the US Supreme Court today,” he said. French President Macron in his post.

The Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trinto described the decision as “horrific”, expressing his sympathy for women who “lose their legal right to abortion”.

“The news coming from the US is horrific. My heart goes out to the millions of American women who are now going to lose their legal right to an abortion,” Trinto wrote on Twitter.

“Surprise: US Supreme Court overturn on abortion right marks significant setback for fundamental rights. France will continue to be ready to defend them,” the French Foreign Minister wrote. Catherine Colonna in a Twitter post.

“No government, no politician or man should tell a woman what she can and cannot do with her body,” he said.

The cancellation of the right to abortion “is a terrible blow to women’s human rights and gender equality,” she said. Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for human rights.

“Access to safe, legal and effective abortion is firmly rooted in international human rights and is central to women’s autonomy and the ability to make their own choices,” Bachelet said in a statement.

States are committed to defending access to abortion

The Department of Justice will use every tool at its disposal to protect reproductive freedom, said US Attorney General Meryl Garland following the Supreme Court ruling.

“The decision is a devastating blow to reproductive freedom in the United States. It will have an immediate and irreversible impact on the lives of people across the country,” Garland said in a statement.

“And this will be very disproportionate to its effect – with the heaviest burdens being felt by people of color and those with limited financial means.”

At the same time, three progressive states on the West Coast have announced that they are jointly committed to defending the right to abortion, following the ruling of the Supreme Court.

The Governors of California, Oregon and Washington today pledged to defend access to reproductive health care, including abortion and contraception, and pledged to protect patients and physicians from “, they stressed in their announcement.