Breaking News: Arizona’s 160-Year-Old Abortion Law Reinstituted Sparking Political Controversy

• Lily Sophie Maigret

  Washington Bureau Editor

Since the Supreme Court overturned the national right to abortion in the United States almost two years ago, states are free to decide for themselves whether they want to ban abortion or not . It has led to stricter abortion laws in many states. A political battle has now erupted in Arizona over the reinstatement of a 160-year-old anti-abortion law, which dates back to the American Civil War, when women did not have the right to vote..

Even before the nation’s highest court ruled, abortion was partially outlawed in states, except in cases of incest and rape. In Arizona, the state Supreme Court earlier this month overturned the 1864 law. Violation can result in a prison sentence of up to five years.

It would end an abortion law in 2022 that allows abortions in Arizona up to the 15th week of pregnancy. But if it was up to the Democrats, it wouldn’t get that far. After the state court’s ruling, they immediately filed a proposal to remove the 1864 ban from the law.

The Republicans did not want to vote on the proposal and delayed the session. The Democrats shouted after them as they left the floor: “There is blood on your hands!” A second attempt earlier this week also failed. The Democrats fell one vote short.

But Democratic Congresswoman Stephanie Stahl-Hamilton, who introduced the proposal, remains confident: “We will move forward.” She believes the issue is so urgent that she believes it deserves on that promise: “My daughter’s great-grandmother had more rights in 1940 than she has now in 2024.”

Dr. Barbara Zipkin works at an abortion clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. A small dog walks around the clinic, which aims to comfort women. There are also posters everywhere, to encourage women. Zipkin is very angry about the decision of the Supreme Court: “Women are so afraid that now they are in a hurry to call the clinic because they are afraid that they will not have a choice in two weeks. “

And that’s not the only thing that frustrates her: “Banning abortion has such an impact on their lives, it’s too important an issue to play games with. And that is exactly what is happening now: we are a pawn in their political game. it’s just wrong.”

Chelsea is standing at a playground in a Phoenix suburb, pushing the swing. Her son is in the swing. She already has two children, but she could not have a third child now. That’s why she had an abortion: “I was afraid, if I had waited longer it might have been impossible.”

She is a single mother and she already finds it difficult to meet each other. Along with mental health problems, she doesn’t think it’s a good situation for a child. She feels strongly about women in similar situations: “There are many reasons why women get an abortion, and it is inhumane to take that right away.”

The women receive support from an unexpected source. Former President Trump also believes that Arizona has crossed a line with the old anti-abortion law. And although he has always been proud of the fact that he appointed the conservative judges who overturned the national right to abortion. But when asked by a journalist if he thinks Arizona has gone too far, he responded by saying; he wants to find a solution.

It’s an attempt by Trump to win the women’s vote. But according to Republican political strategist Barrett Marson, it may already be too late to turn the tide: “Before, it was thought that the chances were high that ​​Trump would win Arizona, but I think because of the abortion issue, the benefit could go now. Joe Biden that Trump also sees this, and that is why he has revised his position. A risky strategy, as it could also cost him votes within his conservative base.

Since the repeal of the national right to abortion, more than half of the US states have banned abortion. In some states people were allowed to go to the polls about it and time and time again it seemed that women chose to maintain their right to self-determination, even in conservative states such as Kansas and Kentucky.

That is why abortion may be the most important issue for the Democrats, who promise to introduce the right to abortion into law if Biden is re-elected. It was not without reason that Vice President Kamala Harris flew to the state the day after the Arizona Supreme Court ruling to express her dismay at the 1864 law. ‘Trump did this.’