Dear John,

As we celebrate the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade today, I am thinking about another important case that helped set the precedent for that critical decision: Griswold v. Connecticut.

The Supreme Court's ruling in Griswold declared Connecticut's law banning contraception for married women as unconstitutional and recognized our fundamental right to privacy for the first time. This recognition laid the foundation not only for Roe v. Wade but also for Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Lawrence v. Texas, and Obergefell v. Hodges.

When I studied the Griswold case in law school, I remember walking past the Planned Parenthood clinic that was between my apartment and the classroom and being struck by the profound impact this case had on the lives of women and families.

The simple declaration that we have a right to privacy, reaffirmed in Roe v. Wade and other cases, allowed Planned Parenthood to keep their doors open and continue providing essential health care services.

But 48 years after Roe v. Wade and nearly 56 years after Griswold v. Connecticut, there are still those who claim these cases were not rightly decided. All these years later we're still fighting to protect a person's right to make decisions about their own body.

Far right Republicans across the country are passing anti-choice laws and conservative ideological judges are upholding these draconian laws in court. Just a few months ago, when I asked Justice Amy Coney Barrett about these cases at her confirmation hearing, she wouldn't speak to whether Roe v. Wade or Griswold v. Connecticut was rightly decided and settled precedent.

If you agree that Roe v. Wade and reproductive rights must be protected, will you sign my petition today? Add your name next to mine if you think politicians shouldn't interfere with personal health care decisions >>

I am a strong supporter of Roe v. Wade, and I'll never stop fighting to protect a person's right to choose.

Thank you,

Chris