Pro-choice supporters rally in Seaford

By Glenn Rolfe
Posted 6/24/22

SEAFORD — Hours after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, stripping the nation’s constitutional protection for abortion in place since the landmark 1973 ruling, pro-choice and …

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Pro-choice supporters rally in Seaford

Posted

SEAFORD — Hours after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, stripping the nation’s constitutional protection for abortion in place since the landmark 1973 ruling, pro-choice and women’s rights supporters rallied Friday evening in Seaford.

“In doing so, the Supreme Court that currently rules this land is unAmerican, and anti-democratic. And women have just been reduced to less than a full citizen,” said Sonja Mehaffey, among the several dozen supporters who attended the rally at Soroptimist Park. “So, who’s next on the chopping block?”

Friday’s Supreme Court ruling centered on a Mississippi law banning abortions after 15 weeks.

While no longer protected constitutionally, states have authority to allow, limit or outright ban abortion, which is permitted in Delaware.

Friday’s event was facilitated by the Delaware Chapter of National Organization of Women.

Susan Nancarrow, Delaware NOW’s representative in Sussex County, read a portion of the organization’s statement.

“Our thoughts are first and foremost with every pregnant person seeking abortion services in the United States. We can’t imagine the frustration and confusion they must be dealing with right now. We also stand with everyone concerned about the effect of this decision on LGBT rights, access to contraceptives and the basic equality of women in the U.S. Abortion access in Delaware continues to move forward,” the statement read.

The statement also noted recent passage of legislation through Delaware’s House of Representatives that “shows the commitment of our legislature to ensure that Delawareans and anyone traveling to Delaware is able to access abortion services.”

Susan Clifford of Seaford says the Supreme Court’s ruling brings into play safe access to abortion.

“I think the biggest key is that those rights are now stripped away. This is heartbreaking for so many women,” said Ms. Clifford, a Democratic candidate for the state House of Representatives’ 39th District Seaford seat.

“They have cut the country out for allowing the Supreme Court to overrule this decision that they felt was codified over the last 50 years. They thought it would be the rule of the land. I fear for what will happen with women in the future.”

Malory Terranova of Rehoboth Beach said she was “very surprised and disappointed” by the ruling. “I want better for the teenagers coming up, for the kids in the future. I am looking forward to the day that they are the ones making the decisions,” Ms. Terranova said.

Ms. Nancarrow believes women’s health and health care are at risk.

“As a private citizen, my bottom line on this is if a legislature can decide what medical procedures people can and can’t have, then no one is safe. Additionally, since health care is definitely a for-profit industry, I can certainly see lobbying from the health care industry to the legislature that would allow them to deny medical procedures based on the fact that they would be profitable or that women cannot pay,” Ms. Nancarrow said. “This is a bigger issue than just abortion and women’s rights. It’s an assault on health care.”

Pat A. Jones said this was not totally unexpected.

“We could see it coming a mile away. Like this country is not going through enough, we have really stirred up the cesspool, and it’s going to get stinking and it’s going to get ugly. Just when our country needs to come together to deal with all the other issues like mass shootings, inflation … we pull this stunt,” said Ms. Jones. “I think by taking that right away, it’s just an atrocity. We need to have a choice about what happens to our body. Whether the choice is good or bad in whoever’s opinion, it’s still our choice.”

Ms. Jones says a response can be made in elections.

“We do have to get to the polls, let those tootsies know they are going to roll because of the power that we have to choose,” said Ms. Jones. “This just basically sparked fuel to our fire.”

Delaware NOW is a sister ally of Women’s March Sussex. Paula Rappa, organizer of Women’s March Sussex, was unable to attend Friday’s Seaford event but planning is in the works for other rallies.

She said the Supreme Court ruling is devastating to women.

“It means that they turned the clock back to the 1950s. It means that they don’t value women. It also means that all rights now. If they are going to base it on the Constitution, then marriage equality is next, contraception is next. All those rights are going to be threatened,” said Ms. Rappa. “It’s stunning. It’s crushing. I had my son call me from Boston, crying that he is worried about his sisters. I had other women call that are just feeling so demoralized and defeated. And we’re all worried.”

Ms. Rappa said Friday will be remembered as a pivotal time on our country.

“It threatens our rights, our democracy. It’s a time for women to come together and express their outrage but also the communal feeling of being victimized,” Ms. Rappa said.

“But clearly, rallies aren’t working. I don’t they are taking us seriously. We’re going to have to start targeting those legislators and stakeholders and judges that are dismantling democracy.”

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