Rally reacting to abortion ruling draws more than 100 to Tippecanoe County Courthouse
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — More than 100 people – almost everyone in attendance seemingly in favor of a woman's right to an abortion, based on their signs – began rallying at the Tippecanoe County Courthouse Friday evening, hours after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to reverse Roe v. Wade.
Associate Justice Samuel Alito wrote the opinion for the 6-3 majority, addressing Dobbs v. Jackson, related to the Mississippi ban on most abortions after 15 weeks. Three of the majority votes came from justices appointed by former President Donald Trump.
"Roe was egregiously wrong from the start," Alito wrote. "Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences.
"It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives."
Although the decision had been leaked in early May, Friday’s decision still came as a shock to many across the country.
Moments after Susan Rowe, a local activist for women’s rights heard the news, she sent out a mass email to hundreds in the Tippecanoe County area to rally at the Tippecanoe County courthouse at 5:30 pm to demonstrate against the Supreme Court’s decision.
“We are joined in the United States and probably throughout the world in unity, in mourning, and in shock. We are gathered here today to announce to our community and to the United States that we are pro-choice,” said Rowe.
“We are deeply saddened that Roe v. Wade has been overturned. I cried this morning when my friend Cindy called me to let me know.
“I think about our mothers and grandmothers, and it makes me cry because they worked so hard to change our nation. And set up even the unimagined possibility that Roe v. Wade would be passed. We have let them down, this did not start with the Roe v. Wade decision, it started with the right for women to vote, it started in communities like ours who wanted women to have a voice and a choice.”
Rowe went on to tell the crowd not to give up, and to channel the anger that they were feeling into motive to create change in America.
“This attack on America has to stop. We need to fight like hell to demand and make a change. We are not the silent majority. We are the majority in this nation that will rise up and change this trajectory.
“Vote in congresswomen and men, senators that agree with our beliefs. Bring us forward as a progressive current nation, not one looking to understand their role in the world through the eyes of the 1800s.”
After Rowe spoke, Indiana state Rep. Chris Campbell (D-West Lafayette) climbed the steps in front of the courthouse to address the crowd.
“We knew this day was coming where Roe v. Wade would be overturned by the systematic placement of judges whose appointments were based on this day when they would overturn 50 years of protections for a women’s right to privacy,” said Campbell.
“We carried signs that said we would not go back to the day when women’s bodies were not her own when it came to making her decision to bear a child. We took for granted we had the freedom of privacy to discuss with your doctor what options you had when faced with the most devastating news she could imagine, when she learned her baby that she dreamed of would not survive.
“The woman who was raped or molested by a family member will have to live and relive that experience day after day, over and over again. Because being raped wasn’t enough, the state will demand that she relive that moment over and over again.”
Campbell went on to tell the crowd outside of the courthouse, that the state legislative body will meet at the statehouse on July 6 to vote on the regulation of abortion in the state of Indiana.
“The rumors that we’ve heard include limiting for abortion to only be accessible between the weeks of eight and ten weeks, or a complete ban without exceptions only for the life of the mother.”
Protestors
After Rowe and Rep. Campbell finished their speeches, several protestors began to share their stories and reasons for showing up at Friday’s protest with the Journal & Courier.
Elizabeth Damm, a nursing student, spoke about how she had been in a daze all day after hearing the decision.
“When I read the decision, I knew it was coming but it really hurt. Like I’ve just been really tearful and kind of in a daze all day,” said Damm.
“I drove to Gov. Holcomb’s house. I was so upset that I wanted to talk to him so badly. But you know, he lives in a very nice, large estate with two gates to stop you. And they said that he’s at the Statehouse, and I knew he would be there. It was very upsetting.”
For Damm, Friday’s decision was a wake-up call. Although she had always preached the importance of voting, Friday’s decision showcased to her the importance of being an involved member of the political system.
It also inspired her to consider running for local politics, to ensure that her and other people's rights can always be protected.
“I’m just really somber today and I’m unsure of the future.”
Unlike many in the nation, Jaquel Powers didn’t hear about the Supreme Court’s decision Friday morning. He found out after he had seen a few women carrying signs toward the courthouse. He asked the women what they were for, which is when he discovered the news of the day.
After he heard about the overturning of Roe v. Wade, he marched down to the courthouse to stand in solidarity and protest for the rights of women, so that no one had to go through the tragedy that his family members had to.
“My auntie was raped, you know what I’m saying. My cousin, he was born into a situation that his mom didn’t really want him to be in,” said Jaquel Powers.
“There was a serial rapist going around Chicago and my auntie ended getting snatched up and was missing for like three hours. She ended up pregnant. It took her five years to really accept her son because she was so traumatized from the situation. It really f***ked her up.
“I’m here to support abortion, so people like that can have the right to get an abortion done if a situation like that happens.”
Muskan had heard about the protest while on Purdue University’s campus and felt like she needed to go to show solidarity with the women of the United States.
Muskan is an international student and isn’t normally invested in U.S. politics, but Friday was different. Friday’s decision was the first time when she had felt the immediate effect of U.S. policy on her body.
“I’m from India, which is really scary for women, but not this scary, because I’ve for sure known people who've gotten an abortion, and I just never thought that this was a right that could be taken away. Especially because I thought coming to this country, it’s going to open up my rights. I could so much more and be independent now, but apparently, my body is caged.”
Abortions are legal until 24 weeks into pregnancy for women in India.
“I thought my life was going to be freer and safer and less regulated than before, but it's so much more. I know for sure that my mom has had a miscarriage and she took a pill that is used for abortions. Her life would basically be in danger if she was here and that was going through her right now.”
“It does make me reconsider, especially with this and gun laws. There was a fire alarm in my school, and I was afraid that it was an armed person. It obviously makes me reconsider if I want to stay here at all.”
As the news broke this morning, Susan Whittemore and Teresa Sekine were devastated. The two remembered protesting the right for abortion back in the 70s, and to see the country revert back to pre-1973 legislation was heartbreaking to say the less.
After taking a moment to breathe, the pair knew they had to come down to the courthouse to fight for the rights of women, but more importantly, the rights of their daughters.
“We’re 70ish women who thought that this was done. We’re doing this for our daughters,” said Whittemore.
“I’m very concerned about my three daughters and we’ve been doing this for a long time, since the 70s. We never thought that we would find our way back here again,” said Sekine.
“I remember when women were still going to New York to get abortions,” said Sekine.
“I accompanied a friend of mine to New York City in the early 70s. It was only legal then in two states.”
Beyond Friday’s decision, Sekine expressed her fear of what this decision might mean for other rights that people believe are protected in America.
“The scary thing is, is that it’s going to open the floodgates. What are they after next? Gay marriage? Contraception?” said Sekine.
“It’s a pretty horrible decision.”
Noe Padilla is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. Email him at Npadilla@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter at 1NoePadilla.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Rally reacting to abortion ruling draws more than 100 to courthouse
