Plessy at its absolute core, is a states’-rights case, in which the Court envisioned a federalism so weak, so toothless, so bereft of substance that the federal government had no legitimate role in protecting Black people from states imposing racial segregation upon them. Alito’s draft does the same thing, envisioning a federalism so wea…
Plessy at its absolute core, is a states’-rights case, in which the Court envisioned a federalism so weak, so toothless, so bereft of substance that the federal government had no legitimate role in protecting Black people from states imposing racial segregation upon them. Alito’s draft does the same thing, envisioning a federalism so weak, so toothless, so bereft of substance that the federal government has no legitimate role in protecting women from states imposing forced births upon them.
States rights over against Federal law has been an issue forever. There have been and still are too many "conservatives" who really like atomization or balkanization. That keeps the powerful in power in states and makes it harder and harder for a united citizenry to appeal by putting their bodies on the line in the streets. First of all Americans are citizens of the United States as a whole. After that we are residents of states. The Federal law should be the one that protects the rights and prerogatives of ALL citizens no matter where they live. I heard a report the other night (and I hope I can find it) about abortion. It has always been one of the avenues open for women during a pregnancy. But back in the day it was midwives (not physicians) who were the caregivers for women whether in childbirth, throughout pregnancy, or ending pregnancy. There were all kinds of medications that were advertised openly for starting a period if you had missed yours. Midwives knew how to and did terminate pregnancies to protect the health and well being of the mother. Doctors eventually did not like that, and so they were some of the first to work to criminalize and prohibit abortion. Maybe Roe should have been decided on other grounds. I do not know. The fact is, the right as a citizen to autonomy in making a decision that is by its nature personal and made in light of family, morality, ethics should be allowed any citizen. There is no law anywhere that will stop abortion procedures happening. Sending women to prison as murderers (Louisiana's proposal) will not work. Murdering providers will not stop the procedure. Prohibiting women from traveling to another state where abortion procedures are safe will not stop women from making these trips. The poorest will have the most difficulty. I sense this is a "Big Brother" moment writ large. A moment when the Christian fascist movement has finally forced their own belief system onto the rest of the nation. There were Christian fascists who were fully supportive of enslavement as well. It took a Civil War to end that barbarism but of course we now have it in other forms (like the highest incarceration rates in the world!). I saw a meme that said something to the effect "pregnancy begins with a penis, regulate that." When you consider that you can see just how unjust this decision will be. I just hope people can draw the lines between the dots that are leading to a more and more authoritarian governance structure based in states' rights which have NEVER worked to the benefit of any group on the outs. And seeing the picture will, as hard as it may be, vote AGAINST gop candidates. This party is leading the charge to Fascism in the United States . It is time everyone wake up and understand that we are, as Timothy Snyder has written, on The Road to Unfreedom.
Plessy at its absolute core, is a states’-rights case, in which the Court envisioned a federalism so weak, so toothless, so bereft of substance that the federal government had no legitimate role in protecting Black people from states imposing racial segregation upon them. Alito’s draft does the same thing, envisioning a federalism so weak, so toothless, so bereft of substance that the federal government has no legitimate role in protecting women from states imposing forced births upon them.
States rights over against Federal law has been an issue forever. There have been and still are too many "conservatives" who really like atomization or balkanization. That keeps the powerful in power in states and makes it harder and harder for a united citizenry to appeal by putting their bodies on the line in the streets. First of all Americans are citizens of the United States as a whole. After that we are residents of states. The Federal law should be the one that protects the rights and prerogatives of ALL citizens no matter where they live. I heard a report the other night (and I hope I can find it) about abortion. It has always been one of the avenues open for women during a pregnancy. But back in the day it was midwives (not physicians) who were the caregivers for women whether in childbirth, throughout pregnancy, or ending pregnancy. There were all kinds of medications that were advertised openly for starting a period if you had missed yours. Midwives knew how to and did terminate pregnancies to protect the health and well being of the mother. Doctors eventually did not like that, and so they were some of the first to work to criminalize and prohibit abortion. Maybe Roe should have been decided on other grounds. I do not know. The fact is, the right as a citizen to autonomy in making a decision that is by its nature personal and made in light of family, morality, ethics should be allowed any citizen. There is no law anywhere that will stop abortion procedures happening. Sending women to prison as murderers (Louisiana's proposal) will not work. Murdering providers will not stop the procedure. Prohibiting women from traveling to another state where abortion procedures are safe will not stop women from making these trips. The poorest will have the most difficulty. I sense this is a "Big Brother" moment writ large. A moment when the Christian fascist movement has finally forced their own belief system onto the rest of the nation. There were Christian fascists who were fully supportive of enslavement as well. It took a Civil War to end that barbarism but of course we now have it in other forms (like the highest incarceration rates in the world!). I saw a meme that said something to the effect "pregnancy begins with a penis, regulate that." When you consider that you can see just how unjust this decision will be. I just hope people can draw the lines between the dots that are leading to a more and more authoritarian governance structure based in states' rights which have NEVER worked to the benefit of any group on the outs. And seeing the picture will, as hard as it may be, vote AGAINST gop candidates. This party is leading the charge to Fascism in the United States . It is time everyone wake up and understand that we are, as Timothy Snyder has written, on The Road to Unfreedom.