Here’s a Bunch of Liberals Accidentally Making the Case to Overturn Roe v. Wade

Liberals outraged by the prospect of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade have been making arguments that contradict each other — and sometimes even support the “pro-life” case.

SO WHAT

Sometimes it seems like the left hasn’t had a deeper thought about abortion than “my body, my choice.”

THE CASE

Arguments began Wednesday in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, seen as the most serious challenge to Roe v. Wade in 30 years.

• The Supreme Court looked poised to uphold the 2018 Mississippi law in question, which bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
• Even if the court stopped short of overturning Roe, such a ruling would allow greater restrictions.
• “There are no half measures here,” Sherif Girgis, a Notre Dame law professor who once served as a law clerk for Justice Samuel Alito, told the Associated Press.

THE REACTION

In many cases, abortion rights advocates responded to the debate by expressing opinions virtually identical to those made by their anti-abortion opponents against Roe v. Wade.

• Various liberal commenters made what amounted to a “states’ rights” argument, claiming the power to decide the abortion issue shouldn’t be vested in the judicial branch.

Feminist author Roxane Gay:

In regard to the Supreme Court, what is there to say? As long as women’s rights can be decided by a set of nine political appointees, we are not free. It is poor women, and/or women of color and/or rural women who will suffer the most if Roe is overturned.

— roxane gay (@rgay) December 1, 2021

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.:

Out of 9 justices, 3 were appointed by a man who tried to overthrow the US government (& elected via minority).

Those 3 will decide whether the US will legalize forcing people to give birth against their will.

Legitimacy requires consent of the governed. They are dismantling it

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 2, 2021

Noah Smith, a former Bloomberg opinion columnist, referenced how “people of color are disproportionately high users of abortion,” apparently unaware that anti-abortion activists have been using the data point to make the case against abortion for years.

I can tell you don't often interact substantively with pro-life people, since all they do is point out that the pro-choice movement stunts POC population growth. Sure, some of it is concern trolling, but dismissing such a wide argument as such is unfair.

— Noam Blum (@neontaster) December 2, 2021