Bodies
No. 10 | 2022
Gremlin, Photograph; 2021.
Hi—
It’s been too long.
I’ve been meaning to restart this for almost a year. No excuses. No backstory. It’s time.
I’ve been turning over a lot lately: guns, choice, and the judiciary’s growing power to decide who gets to be safe, and who doesn’t. But today feels raw. So I’m staying with Roe v. Wade.
The Court
Let’s start here.
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the nation for cases arising under the Constitution. As the final arbiter of the law, it is charged with upholding the promise of equal justice. In plain terms, it’s the last stop on the constitutional line. Its interpretations carry more weight than any others.
The Court consists of a Chief Justice and “such number of Associate Justices as may be fixed by Congress.” You might remember the recent debates about expanding the Court after Trump reshaped it through appointments. At present, there are eight Associate Justices.
Justices are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Earlier this year, Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, a reliably liberal vote, announced his retirement. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is expected to join the Court in the fall of 2022.
Here’s the current makeup of the Court:
Data: Martin-Quinn scores; Chart: Axios Visuals
What this makes clear is not just how Roe v. Wade was overturned today, but also how New York’s strict limits on carrying concealed firearms in public were struck down earlier this week.
Trevor Noah recently “joked” that the American Constitution is more important to our lawmakers than are the American human beings the constitution is meant to protect. Yeah. Sigh.
What now
Gallup reports that 67 percent of Americans identify as pro-choice. Still, when the Supreme Court rules on a constitutional issue, its decision is nearly final. Reversal usually requires either a constitutional amendment or a future ruling by a differently constituted Court.
President Biden has urged voters to elect candidates this November who support abortion rights and broader privacy protections. In his words, “this fall, Roe is on the ballot.” He also pointed to Justice Clarence Thomas’s concurring opinion, which explicitly opens the door to revisiting decisions on contraception and same-sex marriage.
Voting remains fundamental. It is a right the Court cannot revoke.
If you want to do more, here are some options:
Show up. If you’re in Portland, get to Salmon Street Springs at 5 PM.
Support Plancpills.org, abortionfunds.org, or OperationsSaveAbortion.com.
Learn more about Gun Laws in your state at Giffords Law Center.
Bye for Now
Next post soon.
In the meantime, email me at drcarala@gmail.com. Still…SO. MUCH. LOVE.
