PHILADELPHIA - Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overturning its own precedent in the 1973 case Roe v. Wade and determining that the right to an abortion is not protected by the Constitution.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania issued a statement in response to the ruling. The following can be attributed to Reggie Shuford, executive director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania:
“This is a shameful day in the history of the Supreme Court. For 49 years, generations of Americans have relied on the constitutionally protected right to an abortion, but the court is ignoring its own precedent and the well-being of millions of women in the name of an extremist political agenda.
“People in Pennsylvania should be clear that abortion is still legal in our state. And it will remain legal as long as we continue to elect candidates to office who support access to abortion.
“Anti-abortion politicians are on notice that we will meet them wherever they are, from statehouses to courthouses to the streets to the campaign trail. A radical court will face the backlash of the majority of Americans who believe that people should have the right to an abortion.”
The following can be attributed to Julie Zaebst, senior policy advocate for the ACLU of Pennsylvania:
“The freedom to decide when or if to become a parent is a fundamental right that the Supreme Court is choosing simply to ignore. The court has created a crisis for millions of women and people who can become pregnant. And the impact will be felt most by those who already struggle to access abortion care, particularly Black and brown women, LGBTQ people, people who live in poverty, and rural Pennsylvanians.
“Access to abortion shouldn't depend on where we live, how much money we make, or who we are. We should be able to make the best medical decisions for ourselves and our families.”
The following can be attributed to Sara Rose, deputy legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania:
“It is unheard of for the Supreme Court to overturn a right that Americans have known for nearly five decades. This ruling is a radical step in the absolute wrong direction. We plan our lives around long-established rights, and there’s no telling how far this court will go in rolling back its own precedents, from birth control to marrying who we love to even the right to vote.”
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