The recent leaking of a Supreme Court Document on Politico.com reveals not only where the Supreme Court might now lean in its decision making regarding Roe V. Wade, but a fundamental shift in the way the Court is understood by the public. What is your view about the issue at hand? How might a reversal of Roe v Wade change the public’s perception of the Court in general? Our staff weighs in.
The United States is a nation varying wildly in belief and demographic. If you believe in democracy, you must agree that opinions are subjective, though fight to the death for others to speak them. If an elected leader does not reflect the will of the people, the will of the people will see him deposed. Personally, I see neither a pragmatic nor moral justification for abortion, and think it actually contradicts the guarantee to Life found in the Declaration of Independence. However, I wholeheartedly [support] the right of states’ occupants to vote abortion in, as they are a part of a demographic separate to me. It is up to the States to govern on that which is not covered in the Constitution, as per the 10th Amendment, and the justices in Roe vs Wade were acting out of pocket by ruling outside of the Constitution. Simply put, it is not the Federal government’s place to tell the majority of a state’s occupants to supporting policy which they believe evil. That is tyrannical, and fundamentally against the founding principles of the United States.
-Cray Brown
In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court effectively legalized abortion across the United States after Texas banned the procedure. They announced that the ban went against the privacy protected by the 14th amendment in the constitution. The court divided pregnancy into three trimesters, an abortion in the first trimester being completely decided by the woman, the second being regulated by the government, and the third being potentially banned by the state unless the woman is in danger. If the court decides to reverse the decision, the result would be the judges pushing their own opinions onto the country. Since the court in 1973 reached their decision through the laws in the constitution, not through their personal beliefs, the changing of the law reveals that the interpretation of the constitution is being bent to favor conservative views of the new, current judges, which is not meant to occur in the Supreme Court. The new judges would be invalidating the previous decision of the court and implying that judges can incorrectly interpret the constitution, putting doubt into the citizens of the US. Furthermore, to put the decision into the hands of the states allows for the constitution to be interpreted differently by individual state governments, which changes the intentions of the amendments of the constitution. The constitution was meant to be an end all be all, and amendments were meant to keep it updated to fit the needs of the present-day. Amendments need to be agreed upon by two-thirds of the senate to be passed. Laws such as abortion, which have been established as a matter of the constitution, should not be taken from the federal level and given to states, because this would allow for individual states to choose what amendments they feel the need to abide by, like the 14th amendment and its writing on privacy. Abortion is a law meant to be changed based on the opinions of two-thirds of the states, not by one, so should be kept at the federal level. (Source: History.com.)
https://www.history.com/topics/womens-rights/roe-v-wade?msclkid=bee5c1c2d09211ecaad94621fd12c026
– Sarah Meiselman
The Roe v. Wade case grants women in the United States jurisdiction over their own bodily autonomy regarding abortion and other operations. Many people, especially women have become very upset at the ruling in regards to the possible turning over of the law. Others are unhappy about how the court has a majority of men, despite it being a women’s decision. This would make the law a state issue, rather than a federal law. Personally, I believe that it should be a choice, many people are physically, financially, and mentally unable to handle the burdens that come with having children.
-Andrew Mbow
Denial of abortion should not be put to law, period. A woman should have control of her own body. The abortion law is mainly being supported by conservatives. In the 1st amendment it says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
-Gabriela Linehan
I think that the Roe v. Wade should stay at the federal level, and that going back on the decision made by the court would be detrimental to the morale of the people because it’d create uncertainty on the reliability of the government. It also sets the women in a “setup” predicament which puts them in prison for something that they aren’t ready for, can’t afford, or emotionally, mentally, and physically can’t do.
-Phoenix Rivera
I think that Roe v Wade being reversed is beyond unfair. Women deserve power and choice over their own body. Although there are people that can be pro-life, they can have that view for themselves. There is no reason at all that people should have a choice over other people’s bodies. Banning abortions [ignores] those who cannot support a child or are not supported if they have a child. People can have their opinions, but they cannot force them onto others.
-Abby Simon
I personally feel like we are taking a step backwards if the court decides to overturn Roe v Wade. Women in 1973 were finally given the chance to have a decision of what they wanted to do with their own body when it came to a child as it was their right to privacy under the Constitution, now 5 decades later, the right might not be as possible as before. I as-well feel like this potential ruling is going against everything the 14th amendment stands for, which raises my question on what else the court is willing to overturn because its “not deeply rooted in this nation’s history and traditions”
– Odhiambo, Winfred
There are several small mechanics in the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade… you have to think about think about the argument for States’ rights, the social implications which come with such a decision, what a revoking of previous decision will entail for the validity of SCOTUS, etc… Some questions are less important than others, but the first and immediate one should be the argument of States’ rights. This is because the argument of States’ rights is what caused this whole debacle to begin with, and encourages the overturning of Roe V. Wade. The States’ rights argument is based in the tenth amendment, which argues that any right not claimed in the conversation is reserved to the States. This is simply how our founding documents are worded, and from a legal standpoint, Roe V. Wade SHOULD be overturned, and there is no reason for it not to be. However, the uprise from the public is a result of a cry for morality. Despite the constitution not possessing solid language on abortion, the act of such is based in empathy. To have empathy for a woman, who should govern her own body, or for a fetus, who should have the chance at life. This is yet again, one of the numerous questions that can be formed from the overarching issues that come from the overturning of the case, but also reiterates that the major issue is an argument of States’ rights and law VS modern day morality. (Source: Roe v. Wade decision.)
-Courtney Suber
Politico Source: https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/02/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-00029473
Oracle Bubble is inspired by VOX BUBBLE, VOX ATL’s newest series in which VOX ATL’s teen staff members give you their bite-sized, unadulterated opinions about society, politics, and pop culture. Taken straight from the VOX ATL Group Me group chat, VOX BUBBLE is meant to be conversational in tone, and gives an easy-to-consume look at what Atlanta teens think about big issues in America.
In the Spring 2022 school semester VOX ATL, in partnership with Sandy Springs Together, is teaming up with members of North Springs High School’s student newspaper The Oracle to facilitate journalism and creative media workshops, with important conversations about what is going on in teens’ lives. In one of our post-Vox sessions, teens were invited to voice their opinions on a range of topics. This is one of them.
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