Joy and tears in Louisville the day after Roe v. Wade is struck down
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Tucked away on the back lawn of St. Louis Bertrand Catholic Church Saturday, children joyfully played on bounce houses as popcorn machines and live music filled the air.
It was a time for celebration for the nearly 100 people at the LifeFest: Live, Love, Louisville event, rejoicing in the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the end of abortion as a nationwide right.
Peggy Boone, who sits on the board of Right to Life of Louisville, said she was delighted the decision of abortion rights now rests with the states.
"We're just very happy it's going back to the states and it's illegal here in Kentucky," Boone said Saturday. "We're been working on this for 50 years."
She also said her organization is already beginning work to get persuade voters to approve an amendment to Kentucky's constitution that states there is no right to an abortion in the commonwealth.
In a booth covered by a blue-tented roof, Sarah Hinklon had set up resources to hand out from the organization she works with, Angels in Disguise — a Kentucky nonprofit organization focused on stopping abortions of fetuses diagnosed with Down syndrome.
Though she said the effects of Friday's Supreme Court ruling will be phenomenal for her group, she encouraged others who oppose abortion to make sure their work doesn't stop when a child is born.
She said ultimately, the work of making sure everyone has access to that health care cannot be separated from anti-abortion work and activism.
"Expanding healthcare is exactly what we're trying to do," Hinklon said. "Our goal has to be helping people live their best lives, not just to get to live."
The mood was much less joyous seven miles away, as abortion-rights advocates gathered to protest the overturning of Roe.
The corners of Patty Stocker's eyes were wet with tears as she stood in her black and white striped dress underneath strings of bulb lights in the UAW Local 862 Hall on Fern Valley Road.
A retired social worker and long-time political activist, Stocker said she feels like everything is at stake.
"What is going on in this country?" she asked, voice trembling.
Moments before, Charles Booker, the Democratic challenger to Rand Paul's U.S. Senate seat in 2022, had finished speaking, closing the "Unity Rally" for Jefferson County elected officials and candidates, which the Louisville Democratic Party had organized in the aftermath of the ruling.
It attracted almost 200 people, most of them long-time operatives with the party, and the speakers included Louisville Metro Councilwoman Paul McCraney; Tina Ward Pugh, candidate for Jefferson County Clerk; former mayoral candidate the Rev. Tim Finley; Louisville mayor candidate Craig Greenberg; and Morgan McGarvey, candidate for Louisville's 3rd Congressional District.
Booker made it clear he was dissatisfied. Dissatisfied with the number of people who showed up to the rally. Dissatisfied with the energy he saw at the party. And above all, dissatisfied the country has gotten to the point that democracy is "hanging on by a thread."
"My heart is heavy. But we can't just say to people 'you need to vote.'" he said. "We as leaders have to give people a reason to believe things can be different."
Roe v. Wade relate: Abortion-rights advocates protest Roe v Wade ruling at Louisville federal courthouse
Booker told people now is the time to build community in the face of this ruling, and to use that community to build more solid political infrastructure on the left.
He attributed such infrastructure to why Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has been able to be so successful in his policy goals.
U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth stressed the time for civility in these political struggles is over.
"We have to be ruthless," Yarmuth said. "We have to be relentless. And we have to be not polite. In fact, we have to be very impolite. We have to go after these people for what they are."
Stocker, surrounded by fellow members of her party, said she just wants to keep believing the Democratic Party will stand for what is good for people.
Also read: Reactions and updates from Louisville: Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade abortion ruling
Reach reporter Thomas Birmingham @TBirmingham@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @cthomasbirm.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Events, protests held in Louisville after Roe v. Wade abortion ruling
