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THE WHITE HOUSE today cautioned against violence and threats after protests surrounding a looming US Supreme Court ruling on abortion, with a spokesperson saying judges “must be able to do their jobs without concern for their personal safety.”
Press Secretary Jen Psaki called for restraint after reports of demonstrations outside the homes of two Supreme Court justices, and after a fire at the headquarters of an anti-abortion group in Wisconsin.
The protests follow a draft Supreme Court opinion leaked last week suggested that the conservative-dominated judicial body was set to overturn the right to abortion in the United States.
President Joe Biden “strongly believes in the Constitutional right to protest,” Psaki tweeted.
“But that should never include violence, threats, or vandalism. Judges perform an incredibly important function in our society, and they must be able to do their jobs without concern for their personal safety.”
Abortion is one of the most divisive and incendiary issues in the United States, and conservatives have been seeking to overturn the Roe v Wade ruling that made the procedure a right since it was issued nearly 50 years ago.
The leak of the draft ruling one week ago reignited a firestorm around the issue. The final ruling is expected to be issued in June.
Dozens of abortion rights protesters gathered outside the Maryland homes of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, one of those who according to the leak was in favour of overturning Roe, and Chief Justice John Roberts over the weekend, US media reported.
In Wisconsin, arson investigators were probing a fire Sunday at an anti-abortion group headquarters, CBS reported.
The words “If abortions aren’t safe than you aren’t either” were spray-painted outside the building, according to CBS.
Reproductive rights have been under threat in the United States in recent months as Republican-led states move to tighten restrictions, with some seeking to ban all abortions after six weeks, before many women even know they are pregnant.
The US Senate will vote Wednesday on a national abortion rights bill — though the process is likely doomed to fail, given the blocking power of Republicans in an evenly divided 100-seat Senate where key legislation almost always faces a 60-vote threshold.
According to a poll released Friday by the Pew Research Center, about 61 percent of Americans believe abortion should remain legal in all or most circumstances.
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Criminalising a womans right to bodily autonomy is Handmaids Tale territory. It won’t stop abortion, never did. It’s just ensuring that the abortions that do take place are hidden and less safe.
@The Risen: 100% proven fact.
@The Risen: “bodily autonomy” some would argue that there are two bodies involved.
The American system is absolutely creaking at the seems; an absolute maelstrom of hatred and grievance, and worse is coming. Some of the GO nominees for the mid terms are absolute dinosaurs while some of the Dem nominees are complete and utter loopers. The idea that there won’t be violence is complete fanciful.
@Vonvonic: *Typos everywhere I know.
@Vonvonic: Dem nominees loopers Really Ever hear Marjorie Green, Madison Cawthorn, Jim Jordan, not to mention ass licking senators Linseed Graham and Ted Cancun Cruz
@Tony Doyle: I couldn’t agree more but the hard left in the democratic party is awash with crazy divisive ideas like intersectionality and defund the police; ideas which even Bernie Sanders (who I like) and Liz Warren won’t touch. The place is tearing itself apart.
Camoflaging abortion as “womens health” is Orwellian.
@Nirvana Barbarossa: Sure, isn’t everything these days?
@Nirvana Barbarossa: https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2014/nov/11/reading-group-orwellian-1984
@Nirvana Barbarossa: calling abortion anything other than women’s health is authoritarian. Abortion is not murder, and it never was. That’s a lie you’ve been told to control women.
A very divided country and society.
I’m not sure what the major problem is. It’ll just go back to the individual states to rule on it. Similar to us in the EU. Not every country here has the same laws surrounding abortion. And as for the handmaids tale comparison, I thought that was more about forcing women to get pregnant without consent & men didn’t fare much better, hanging from bridges.
@james s: Oh look, a man who’s ‘not sure what the major problem is’. Quelle surprise
@james s: Grand for states like New York. Less so for girls in hick states knocked up by their cousins/brothers/fathers.
@The Risen: haven’t you heard the news? men can have babies too. Besides the new nominee for the Supreme Court can’t tell you what a woman is either.
@David F. Dwyer: Up until recently we had some of the most strictest abortion laws in the world. But we got to decide whether we wanted to change that or not. It looks like most states will have some form abortion. Even Florida is more liberal than us 15 weeks.
@james s: men cant have babies
@james s: we did not have the most strictest abortion laws in the world. Women were not facing the death penalty for suffering a miscarriage or still birth. Women here had a right to travel and a right to information firbthe last 20 odd years. https://thecrimereport.org/2022/05/04/abortion-prison-and-the-death-penalty/
@Rmaybe: maybe you should try reading other peoples comments properly before you comment yourself, I said “some of the strictest” and you will need to do your homework about trans-men having babies
@james s: forcing someone to be pregnant against their will is not only disgusting and vile, it could kill the pregnant person. Pregnancy is life-threatening. Banning abortions kills women. That’s why it’s a big deal, mate.
@james s: for the last 20 to 30 years we didn’t have some of the most strictest abortion laws. We just didn’t allow it happen here but guess what even prior to the right to travel and information the abortions still happened. So it doesn’t matter how strict your laws are they will happen. The difference is allowing them to happen safely.
You’re talking about trans men who still have their female reproductive organs as they were assigned female at birth. How one identifies is none of my business but interesting that you respect the right of a trans-man to have body atomony but not a women. What about a trans man who wants to have an abortion? What about IVF where extra embryos are implanted knowing most won’t survive ? Because if you believe life begins at conception then you must be against IVF but without IVF many people would not exist. How about you just allow woman know their own bodies and make a choice that is right for them like you allow trans gender people
@The Ghost of Dublin: “the pregnant person” you can’t even say pregnant women. If it was as dangerous to be pregnant as you make out to be, the human race would have died out long ago, never mind women having multiple children.
@Rmaybe: “they were assigned female reproductive organs at birth” really mine weren’t assigned anything, they came out of the womb with them.
@james s: “pregnant person” is the term used to be more inclusive to trans-men who you pointed out can have babies. The definition of a trans man is someone who identifies as a man but was assigned female genitalia and reproductive organs at birth. A man who was assigned male genitalia and reproductive organs at birth cannot have a baby. I think it is you who has not done his reading homework.
Only gobshizts protest outside private homes
@Bananaquit: would that be the same gobshitz that have forced Christine Blasey Ford to move 4 times since the Kavanaugh hearings? So I think ol’ Brett can handle a few protesters or maybe he could invite them in for a kegger!
In the last week there have been leaked documents from the supreme court, protests at the judges houses, attacks on people at mass & ironically attacks on centres that provide help to women in crisis pregnancies. A lot of criminality over the last few days.
The worst thing that could happen is if the pro Abortion movement became violent, that would take the movement backward and down a wrong path, keep it civil.
@andrew: Abortion is very civil
@andrew: keep it civil indeed. Women who have suffered miscarriages being sentenced to death or spending years in prison isn’t a concern for you? https://thecrimereport.org/2022/05/04/abortion-prison-and-the-death-penalty/
@Rmaybe: Threatening politicians is not the answer.
@andrew: agreed. I’m just pointing out that the pro birth movement are already violent.
@andrew: and threatening women’s lives is also not an answer. Seems we’re at a bit of a catch-22
They’re allowed to storm the Capitol, why can’t we storm the Supreme Court?
This article is so biased. Why are you calling pro-life groups anti-abortion groups? That’s a negative description of the pro-life groups. Journalism should report news without bias
@Sinéad Talbot: you can’t be prolife if you advocate for the death penalty which is the possibility in many states if this law is reversed. You can’t be pro life if you are willing to risk the life of a woman.
You can however make a conscious decision personally not to have an abortion but believe you do not have the right force that right on others.
Tho
have your say