Published on :
The fiftieth March for Life, the first since the US Supreme Court struck down the constitutional right to abortion, took place on January 20 in Washington. Thousands of people were gathered, in a spirit that was both victorious and combative.
The national anthem, the declaration of allegiance to the flag, prayers said by bishops, it is conservative America which gathers in the capital, tells our correspondent in Washington, Guillaume Naudin.
For many participants, like Linda Heilman, it is not a question of celebrating a victory but of going even further. ” Now, she says, it concerns all states and now we have at least 51 battles to win rather than a national battle. Now we have to go state by state. »
But the idea of a national ban is not abandoned. At the head of the procession, Jesse Hughes, a student from Liberty University who specifies that he was adopted, hopes to take an additional step: “ Personally, I would prefer a national ban with exceptions like rape or the life of the mother. However, I of course believe that we have to take things one at a time. If we can get a full ban, that’s great, but if we can only get a ban after 15 or 20 weeks, that would still be a huge win and we can use that to go further. »
The march stopped in front of the Capitol to convey the message to elected officials. As a well-organized and self-sustaining movement, the leader of the new Republican House majority, Steve Scalise, was there to encourage the many young people present to register to vote and vote for pro-life candidates in the next elections.
► To listen also: Right to abortion: after the restrictions in the United States, what repercussions in the world?
Fiftieth Anniversary of Roe v. wade
This anti-abortion march began in 1974 to challenge the Roe v. Wade, adopted a year earlier by the Supreme Court and guaranteeing the right of American women to terminate their pregnancies.
Once a year, in January, abortion opponents from all over the United States marched to the white marble building that houses the temple of law to ask it to go back.
On June 24, the Court, profoundly overhauled by former Republican President Donald Trump, agreed with them, giving each state the freedom to prohibit abortions on their soil, which about fifteen hastened to do.
But as of this Sunday, January 22, for what would have been the 50th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade, it is the defenders of the right to abortion who will take to the streets, during rallies planned in several cities.
The Roe vs. Wade decision, what is it?
It is one of the most important decisions of the American Supreme Court. This case law, dating from 1973, is the one that recognizes the right to abortion at the federal level, in the name of respect for privacy.
It takes its name from the case between “Jane Roe”, real name Norma McCorvey, and Texas defense attorney Henry Wade. Pregnant for the third time at the age of 21, the young Texan wants to have an abortion, but the laws of her state prohibit it. She therefore seized the highest court in the country, which then affirmed that on 14e amendment to the Constitution protects women’s right to control their bodies.
Since this decision, many States have sought to circumvent this case law with the help of new legislation. If they cannot directly prohibit abortion, they can however require the consent of the spouse or parents, for minors. Or even reduce the period during which the mother can resort to an abortion, as is the case in Texas today.
