President Joe Biden has criticized the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion rights, stating that the move violates the principle of equality and will make the country an “outlier” among developed nations.
“The consequences and the consensus of the American people—core principles of equality, liberty, dignity, and the stability of the rule of law—demand that Roe should not have been overturned,” Biden said in a June 24 remark. “With this decision, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court shows how extreme it is, how far removed they are from the majority of this country. They have made the United States an outlier among developed nations in the world. But this decision must not be the final word,”
The Supreme Court decision came as part of a case regarding a Mississippi law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Contrary to what Biden claims, many other developed nations have similar or even more restrictive abortion laws.
Out of 50 European nations, 47 limit elective abortion prior to 15 weeks, according to a July 2021 study by the Charlotte Lozier Institute. Five countries, including Belgium and Germany, limit elective abortion to 14 weeks.
Twenty-seven nations, including France, Norway, and Denmark, limit elective abortion to 12 weeks. Eight European nations, including Finland and Britain, do not allow elective abortion except for some specific socioeconomic or medical reasons.
The study also notes that not a single European nation allows elective abortion during all nine months of pregnancy. This is in contradiction to American states like New York, California, Maryland, and Massachusetts where it is allowed.
Moreover, the Supreme Court majority opinion clearly states that the U.S. Constitution “makes no reference to abortion” due to which such a right is not “implicitly protected” by any constitutional provision. “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives,” the opinion said.
Threat of Violence
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has warned that judges and state officials are at risk of political violence following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
In an intelligence memo, the department said that domestic extremists “will likely exploit” the ruling to “intensify violence against a wide range of targets,” according to CBS.
“We expect violence could occur for weeks following the release, particularly as [domestic violent extremists] may be mobilized to respond to changes in state laws and ballot measures on abortion stemming from the decision,” the memo said.
Several Twitter accounts have posted the home addresses of Supreme Court justices following the court decision. Last month, multiple protests were staged in front of Justices Amy Coney Barrett’s and Brett Kavanaugh’s homes. A Californian man was arrested for attempting to murder Kavanaugh earlier this month.
