Most college students were not even born when Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973. Our experience with the reality of reproductive repression and back-alley abortions is limited to brief and superficial references in films like Dirty Dancing. But with the Republican domination of the House and Senate, renewed fears over the balance of the Supreme Court and correspondingly the fate of Roe v. Wade have surfaced.
Back in 1973, the Court's decision was seven to two. But if two Justices were to retire or pass away during Bush's presidency'which would hardly be a surprise, given that the average age is around 64 years old'the current balance could shift. In a worst-case-scenario that is hardly impossible, Roe v. Wade could shift out of favor.
The Daily Cardinal strongly supports a woman's legal right to reproductive freedom, including her right to a personal decision about abortion.
The prospect of going back to a situation in which state legislatures'or any legislature'can so strictly dictate the conditions of a woman's womb is unacceptable. Making abortion illegal would not stop abortion from happening, but would certainly herald the rise of an unregulated back-alley abortion market.
Abortions would continue to occur under the table and under circumstances that are likely to be unsafe, unsanitary and unethical. Counseling services designed to help women make an educated and clear-minded decision would be squelched, with the unwelcome result of more desperate women making uninformed decisions without adequate support.
But even more than practical consequences, it is the principle of reproductive freedom that concerns us. Most of us will be fortunate enough to never have to make such a choice, and many of us claim that if we were faced with such a choice we would not choose abortion. But this does not qualify us to make the same choice for another woman under other circumstances.
When Sarah Weddington addressed the Supreme Court nearly 30 years ago she said, \We do not ask this Court to rule that abortion is good, or desirable in any particular situation.
We are here to advocate that the decision as to whether or not a particular woman will continue to carry or will terminate a pregnancy is a decision that should be made by that individual."" No one thinks abortion is an unambiguously good thing, but deciding how to handle one's own body and pregnancy is clearly very personal.
For almost 30 years this country's courts have recognized and respected this fact, and we sincerely hope these same courts will continue this respect for years to come.
