Abortion rights advocates gather outside Howard County Courthouse

Jun. 25—Raleigh Brown was focusing her time and energy on registering people to vote. Then came the Supreme Court's ruling overturning Roe V. Wade on Friday morning.

When the Supreme Court announced it had overturned the historic decision protecting abortion rights, Brown switched gears and began focusing on preserving those rights.

Brown is the president of the State College Democrats, a board that coordinates efforts across Indiana colleges to promote the Democrat Party. She was one of about 20 people who gathered outside the Howard County Courthouse on Friday evening to protest the ruling.

Some bystanders honked cars in approval or shouted words of encouragement. Others, who weren't as glad to see the protesters, yelled in disagreement.

The protest was initially organized via social media by Michelle E. Martin.

"It is insane that women to this day and age still don't have autonomy over their own bodies," Martin said. "We're going backward. We have fewer rights than our mothers did."

The group circled the courthouse twice during the protest. While walking, they chanted "pro-life is a lie, they don't care if we die" and "we won't go back."

Brown noted the importance of local efforts to show opposition.

"That's where we're going to make a change on this," she explained. "I think in the next couple of weeks, there's going to be a lot going on."

As the group of protesters marched north on Washington Street, Martin shared her thoughts on how people could contribute to the group's efforts.

Primarily, she said, people need to vote in every election.

"We have a completely red state," she said "That's just not good for democracy, to have super majorities for either party."

Martin also encouraged people to join protests.

"It's changed a lot for the world. But you have to do it en masse, and you have to do it more than once," she said.

Although the majority of protesters were women, a few men joined the effort. Martin said they were more than welcome to join the protest.

"Men were invited, but often they don't feel like they are," Martin said, adding some men might shy away from the topic or feel villainized.

"We tell them 'if you don't have a uterus, you don't have an opinion.' ... They get to voice their opinion in a partnership, but, but the ultimate choice is the woman's," she added.

Matt Adams, one of the men who attended the protest, shared his thoughts on the matter.

"I think that some men feel like it's not their place to have an opinion about whether or not a woman has an abortion," Adams said. "I think that abortion rights are everyone's rights. It's a matter of a right to privacy, and that affects all of us. It's essential to our freedom."

A few people with opposing views approached the group during the protest.

Bridget Perkins had been driving past the protesters shortly after 6 p.m. when she shouted out her window.

"Abortion is murder," Perkins shouted. The group of protesters shouted back, "then don't have one."

Shortly after, Perkins parked her car in front of the courthouse. The protesters had been circling the courthouse at the time, so she waited.

"I am extremely glad that there's been an overturning of Roe v. Wade," Perkins said. "We've lost millions of babies and lives in the past.

"These women, unfortunately, are saying 'my body, my choice,' but they're not thinking about the baby that doesn't have a choice."

Perkins added her view that people use abortion as birth control, rather than using contraceptives.

"They're saying that we're taking away their rights, but a baby has rights, too. If nobody speaks up for the unborn, then there is no voice for them," she said.

Although Perkins had parked next to the courthouse to voice her opposing views, she doubted the group would listen. After a volley of arguments between Perkins and the group, she drove away.

An hour in, some protesters were leaving while others were joining.

Arrabella Hall, Aibryl Skiles and Arayla Samuel had been walking downtown when they saw the protest and decided to join. It was the first time any of them had joined a protest.

"It's very exciting to see the protests happen out here because it's not a very big town," Samuel said. She noted the importance of younger generations joining the protest.

"I really think that the up and coming generations are having a big effect on the world," Samuel explained. "I think it's really important that we do this ... it's important for us to teach younger children to be advocates for not only their own health, but the health of the people around them."

"We should be in control of ourselves," Hall said. "This is our body, and we already have to deal with men telling us what's wrong and how we should look."

"People need to realize the world is changing," added Skiles. "Women have their own bodies. If they don't want to be pregnant, if they want to have an abortion, that should be their own choice."

James Bennett III can be reached at 765-454-8580 or james.bennett@kokomotribune.com.