In the wake of the recent Supreme Court ruling, a group of Morongo Basin residents came out with signs raised to join in the protest taking place throughout the country.
Friday’s Supreme Court ruling reversed years of settled law by overturning Roe v. Wade, setting off protests throughout the country. The Morongo Basin was no exception, with about fifty protestors gathered at one of the town’s favorite rallying spots, the corner of 62 and Old Woman Springs.
Democrats of the Morongo Basin put out the call, and Tiny Pony, a local watering hole, offered to provide sign-making supplies and water for anyone willing to brave the heat and raise their voice.
They waved signs at passing motorists, getting honks and waves from supporters and, occasionally, a thumbs down.
Beverly, a seventy-six-year-old resident sitting behind the wall of protestors lining the street, said she needed to come down to show her support for the rally:
“I’ve been around since…abortion was illegal, and I lived through it becoming legal and now it’s illegal again and I think my heart is broken for those of us who cherish freedom.”
Protestors said they were expressing their distress at the reversal of the 1973 Supreme Court decision that found citizens have a fundamental right to privacy that covered a women’s decision to terminate a pregnancy.
Bianca Stillwell, 44, of Yucca Valley said she’s concerned about possible future decisions:
“…I think it’s scary that something that was a precedent, that was considered the law of the land has simply been overturned.”
Now that Roe is overturned, and along with it the acknowledgment of a fundamental right to privacy, many other rulings decided on that basis could soon be on the chopping block.
On a Facebook post for the rally Democrats of the Morongo Basin mentions Justice’s Thomas concurring opinion that calls for reexamining several recent landmark Supreme Court decisions, including those that allow contraceptive use, gay relationships, and gay marriage.
According to the Guttmacher Institute as many as 26 states will have laws banning or severely curtailing access to abortion and sixteen states and the District of Columbia have laws protecting abortion rights. Some states, like California, are gearing up for an expected influx of patients from states with restrictions.
The California legislature is pushing for greater protections for doctors and secure safe harbor provisions for those seeking care.
