Supreme Court Upholds Ban On Abortion Procedure

[OutlawTorn81]

As I'm sure many have heard, today the Supreme Court of the United States, by a 5-4 margin, upheld a 2003 law that completely bans so-called partial birth abortions. From my understanding, it is the first blanket ban on any abortion procedure in the United States, and it could be setting the stage for further restriction in America on other abortion procedures.

From the New York Times:

It was the first time the court banned a specific procedure in a case over how -- not whether -- to perform an abortion.

Abortion rights groups as well as the leading association of obstetricians and gynecologists have said the procedure sometimes is the safest for a woman. They also said that such a ruling could threaten most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, although Kennedy said alternate, more widely used procedures remain legal.

The outcome is likely to spur efforts at the state level to place more restrictions on abortions.

. . .

The law bans a method of ending a pregnancy, rather than limiting when an abortion can be performed.

''Today's decision is alarming,'' Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote in dissent. She said the ruling ''refuses to take ... seriously'' previous Supreme Court decisions on abortion.

Ginsburg said the latest decision ''tolerates, indeed applauds, federal intervention to ban nationwide a procedure found necessary and proper in certain cases by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.''

Ginsburg said that for the first time since the court established a woman's right to an abortion in 1973, ''the court blesses a prohibition with no exception safeguarding a woman's health.''

Thoughts?

[King_Nothing]

This is always a touchy subject, and I have always been on the fence on this issue. In most cases, there are legit reasons to get an abortion, I think the choice should always be up to the parents. But then again, you get those psychos killing Dr's b/c of performing abortions.

[Judge B]

From my understanding, it is the first blanket ban on any abortion procedure in the United States, and it could be setting the stage for further restriction in America on other abortion procedures.

Other than that, it's pretty useless law for now.

[OutlawTorn81]

From my understanding, it is the first blanket ban on any abortion procedure in the United States, and it could be setting the stage for further restriction in America on other abortion procedures.

Other than that, it's pretty useless law for now.

If it were so "useless" I doubt there would be demonstrations all over the United States being planned and held this afternoon.

I'm actually in the midst of reading the Court's decision right now. It's a very engaging document to read, speaking as someone who has not spent much of his political days examining the issue, and will no doubt be something that is very controversial in its statements and conclusions.

Like King, I've often been on the fence on this issue in the past. I would say that I'm pro-choice, even though I don't like the details of what's involved in later-term abortion procedures, because I do believe that a woman ought to hold sovereignty over her body, and the "life, liberty, and security of the person" that is prescribed in Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms applies to her in this instance.

**Edit** I'm aware that those on the pro-life side of the divide also use the "life, liberty, and security of the person" argument in reference to the fetus as a reason that these types, and others, of abortions should be outlawed. It really is that complex that both sides lay claim to legitimacy on Canada's section 7 Charter right.
I can definitely see why it's such a hot-button issue and I totally understand why many people steer clear of it. Some of the responses in that NYT article are very strong arguments and no doubt very impassioned.

[Danallica]

Good. So much moral fibre is lost from society these days, its good to see some people still have a conscience. I dont think abortions should be outlawed totally, but there certainly should be restrictions.