'We’re right back where we started': Hundreds protest Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade at Appleton rally
APPLETON – A large crowd gathered at Houdini Plaza in Appleton Friday evening to protest the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, a decision that takes away what had been a constitutional right for nearly 50 years for Americans to access abortions.
The court's 6-3 decision announced Friday means abortion access will be restricted in about half of the states, including Wisconsin.
For Wisconsinites, the overturning of Roe v. Wade could put an 1849 state law back into effect that banned Wisconsin doctors from performing all abortions, except in cases where the mother's life is in danger. Wisconsin clinics have halted all abortions.
The rally was organized by Freedom Road Socialist Organization-Wisconsin, but attendees included a variety of people and groups who had heard of the event through social media.
People of all ages showed up to the event, which started at 6 p.m., holding signs and wearing clothing that acknowledged the importance of abortion access. Drivers going past the corner of College Avenue and Appleton Street honked their horns in support throughout the rally.
Kristie Verhein, from Cecil in Shawano County, said emotions of anger and sadness after hearing the news about the Supreme Court decision brought her on the nearly 40-mile trip from Cecil to Appleton.
"I have a daughter and a granddaughter, and I really felt compelled to come. I guess, I don't know what else I can do, so I'm here as a start," she said.
Verhein, who works as a nurse, said she has been frustrated by hearing government representatives talk about abortion with "the lack of knowledge they have about women's health care." She said she worries how the Supreme Court's Friday ruling may affect future decisions.
“We need this for women’s rights. And we are totally taking away everything that my mom’s generation fought for," Verhein said. "We’re right back where we started.”
Among concerns voiced at the rally was a fear of what rights might be rolled back next. In a concurring opinion, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas suggested the Supreme Court "should reconsider" other past rulings, including those on same-sex marriage and contraception.
Pam Cosby, of Menasha, expressed concerns about abortion access in cases of rape or when a mother's life is in danger.
“I don’t think that a woman should have to possibly raise her rapist’s child, share custody with her rapist then for the rest of her life. It just sickens me. Especially with incest cases – what are they supposed to do?" Cosby said. "Ectopic pregnancies? Are we left for dead then when that baby’s in our fallopian tube?”
Michaela Granados, of Neenah, expressed frustration that the Supreme Court decision will allow states to restrict abortion access, while not providing all the necessary resources for mothers once their children are born.
"For me, it's caring more about the unborn than the child. ... if they want to make pregnancy a thing that has to be done, then they need to provide the programs to step it up," Granados said.
The crowd at the rally, which grew to around a couple hundred people, gathered as multiple speakers from the community shared personal stories about abortions, encouraged people to feel angry and called for the importance of voting.
Around 7 p.m., rally attendees began marching down College Avenue. They travelled to Lawrence Memorial Chapel and back to Houdini Plaza, interrupting traffic along the way.
By 8 p.m., the majority of the crowd had dispersed, but a smaller group continued to hold signs along the street to elicit support from drivers passing by.
Freedom Road Socialist Organization-Wisconsin member Aodhan Bowman helped organize the rally. He said the organization, which has held previous activism events in Appleton, had been preparing for the rally since the Supreme Court draft decision was leaked in May. As soon as the decision was announced Friday, the group started getting the word out on social media.
“The majority of people support abortion rights," Bowman said. "The decision from the Supreme Court does not represent the majority of people."
Contact Kelli Arseneau at (920) 213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ArseneauKelli.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Hundreds protest Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in Appleton
