IF there is a singular issue that makes many kababayans gravitate toward the Republican Party, it’s the issue of the right of women to have an abortion — a right traditionally fought for by Democrats and opposed by Republicans. On Monday, June 27, the Supreme Court (SC) upheld such right of women by striking down Texas’ controversial abortion restriction bill.
With a 5-3 vote, the justices of the highest court in the nation ruled that Texas lawmakers went too far by imposing unnecessary regulations that had forced most of the state’s abortion clinics to go out of business. This vote would effectively limit the power not only of Texas, but of other states as well, to restrict or shut down abortion clinics.
This is the first major decision on abortion by the Supreme Court, after passing the landmark decision on Roe v. Wade in 1973, which found that a state law that banned abortions except to save the life of the mother was unconstitutional.
As Balitang America reported, President Barack Obama shared on the social networking site Twitter his reaction to the SC’s decision, saying that “every woman has a constitutional right to make her own reproductive choices,” adding that he is pleased that the Supreme Court affirmed that fact.
Balitang America also reported on the reaction of the major pro-life group — Susan B. Anthony’s List — which argues that “the abortion industry cannot be trusted to regulate itself”, and that “America should elect a pro-life President to safeguard today’s pro-life majorities in the House and Senate”.
Many conservative Kababayans share the views of Americans who believe abortion is morally wrong.
A recent Gallup Poll reveals that 47 percent of respondents think abortion is morally wrong, while 43 percent say it is morally acceptable. Nine percent contend that it depends on the situation, while two percent expressed no opinion on the issue.
The same poll further reveals that more Democrats — 62 percent — are okay with abortion morally, while only 24 percent of Republicans share that opinion.
Do you agree with the Supreme Court decision?
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
