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The reversal of Roe v Wade would eliminate the constitutional right to limited abortion that exists in the United States since 1973. The reversal would leave the matter of abortion rights to voters and legislators on each state to fight over and decide. In that sense, the reversal is a step backwards in the sense of most likely leading to more controversies and disputes in our within and between our fragmented states. Whether that is good or bad is also an opinion. Conservative states may ban abortion. Liberal states may expand abortion rights. This would lead to a more diverse union. It may lead to an increase in the ratio of black and brown babies in our country. It may lead to a better democracy or it may lead to a second civil war. We the people will decide. Americans will continue coming apart so long as doing so is more pleasurable and less painful than coming together. With or without a constitutional right to abortion, life will go on. Disputes will arise. Winners will find ways to win. Losers will find ways to lose. The show will go on.Racial Diversity
Banning abortion will make America more racially diverse. Black and browns have more babies than whites. Without planned parenting services helping them have abortions, the black and brown population will increase.
White women tend to be more affluent than black and brown ones due to the socio economic results oof historic racism and systemic discrimination. White women will continue having better access to education, birth control, and legal abortions. For example, white women residing in states that end up banning abortion will be able travel to other states or countries where abortions remain legal.
Black and brown moms will continue having less access to education, birth control, and less abortions. Hence, banning abortion will increase the ratio of blacks and browns in our country. Whether that is good or bad is an opinion.
Diversity of thought
Not everyone thinks the same way. Diversity of thought is a useful evolutionary trait. If everyone thinks the same way, the species runs a higher risk of perishing. For example, if everyone adopts a belief that turns deadly, the species runs a higher risk of going extinct. By having some think differently, the species hedges survival odds. If one group perishes, the other survives.
Diversity of thought inevitably leads to disagreements and disputes. You can bet that people will continue disagreeing and splitting up in binary camps of "us vs them". The topic of abortion is a classical example of binary division. It is almost impossible to bridge a bridge between the two sides.
There are a few topics in America as controversial as abortion. Similar to the issue of black slavery and white supremacy, abortion is one of those explosive binary issues dividing Americans into irreconcilable camps. We already fought a civil war on the first issue. Abortion may contribute to a second civil war.
Seed of life
The anti-abortion or "pro life" group sees a human embryo as an innocent person created by god. The pro-abortion or "pro choice" sees a human embryo as a potential person, but not yet a viable person. In other words, the pro-life camp conceptualizes a germinated seed as a grown plant whereas the pro-choice camp sees a seed as a potential plant.
Contradictions
The pro life tends to be composed of conservatives who typically argue that the government should not curtail individual rights. However, when it comes to abortion, they believe that the government should control and regulate pregnant women. Pro life proponents want to the government to control the lives of women to protect the potential lives of embryos. On the other hand, pro-choice proponents tend to be liberals who tend to believe in a more active role of government in leading people. However, when it comes to abortion, they do not want the government to interfere with women's rights to control their bodies.
Also interesting and seemingly contradictory, the pro-life group tends to favor the death penalty while the pro-choice group tends to oppose it. That is, the pro-life group is pro death too. The pro-life group tends to be very religious and the underlying belief may be that the gods want all embryos to live, but also want "evil" people to be exterminated. The pro abortion group tends to be more considerate of those already independently and viably alive.
Ending abortion and democracy
Demographic changes, in part propelled by banning abortion, may lead white supremacists to desperately want to end American democracy. Banning abortions will increase black and brown populations. Without the liberal organizations inducing blacks and browns to have abortions, black and brown populations will continue increasing at a faster rate than white counterparts. Blacks and browns tend to have more babies than whites.
In the pro-life group there are many conservatives who demonstrate heavy tendencies to racism and white supremacy inclinations. Presumably, racists and white supremacists will no want to share political power with blacks and browns. Yet, they promote banning abortion, which will increase disproportionately black and brown populations.
Racists and white supremacists do not want to share political power with blacks and browns. Under a one person - one vote system, the power of blacks and browns will continue increasing. White supremacists and racists will be unhappy. They will keep looking for political puppets like Trump or DeSantis to run their anti-democratic programs.
Constitutional crisis and civil war
If we keep playing with fire with may get burn. If we keep accentuating our political differences towards polarization, things may get painful. We run the risk of running into a constitutional crisis, civil chaos, and even a second civil war.
Humans don't know what they have until they lose it. It may be wiser for the Supreme Court to swallow the bullet and leave Roe vs Wade untouched rather than to play with it. Roe v. Wade is not perfect, but has worked since 1973.
Why risk 50 years of social compromise? Why play with the pandora's box of reversing Roe v. Wade. Are we ready for what may come next?
What do you think? What is your stance on abortion? Is an embryo a person, or a potentially viable person? Is abortion under the guidelines of Roe v Wade good or bad? You be the judge.
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