Dear People For Supporter,
By now you’ve probably heard the news: last night a draft opinion was leaked from the Supreme Court that indicates the Far Right majority will soon issue a decision to wipe out the constitutional right to an abortion that was upheld in Roe v. Wade.
Let’s be clear: what was leaked is a draft opinion, not yet in effect. As of right now, you should know that abortion is still legal. It remains your constitutional right.
But the writing is on the wall. It appears that five far-right justices – four of whom were appointed by Republican presidents who lost the popular vote – are now going to ignore long-settled precedent when it comes to reproductive health care rights and overturn Roe v. Wade.
Justices in the far-right majority who support this draft opinion have lied to the U.S. Senate, ripped up the Constitution and defiled both precedent and the Supreme Court’s reputation. Their decision will open the floodgates for states across the country to ban abortion.
And – simply overturning Roe is not the end goal for the anti-abortion movement. They’re been open about their ultimate goal, which is to pass a nationwide abortion ban that would block abortion access for all in every state across the country.
This ruling would also set the stage to overturn a broad range of rights that flow from a constitutional right to privacy, including access to contraception, interracial marriage, and LGBTQ+ equality.
This abomination of a decision will punish tens of millions of pregnant people, women, LGBTQ people, those who are fighting to take charge of their own health, their families, and their own lives – and the American public is justifiably outraged.
The consequences of this decision will be swift and devastating for communities nationwide. Overturning Roe means that at least 26 states could swiftly move to ban abortion, including 13 states with laws that will immediately go into effect. That means in half the country people would no longer have power over their own bodies and their own lives.
This is what happens when the Far Right takes control of our highest institutions – they will do anything to take America backwards, and take away our freedoms instead of honoring our Constitutional rights and the freedoms we hold dear. We cannot let them win.
And this anticipated ruling again underscores the critical importance of federal courts in our lives, including the Supreme Court, but also including the lower courts, which played a role in getting us to this point and will play a role in this and other ongoing fights for our rights.
What can we do about it?
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Please sign our petition demanding that the Senate pass the Women’s Health Protection Act and codify Roe v. Wade into law. (If you’ve already signed, thank you – and now please take the next step and share the petition with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or email.)
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Gather this evening (Tuesday) at your local courthouse, federal building, or town hall at 5 p.m. local time. Events are coming together on short notice as we send this message, so please check social media, reach out to local political groups, and ask friends and neighbors for details of the events in your area.
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Mark your calendars for a special People For member briefing this Thursday, May 5, at 7 PM ET / 4pm PT, when our court experts and Right Wing Watch leaders will break down how we got to this point and where we go from here. (Details on how to RSVP will be emailed out tomorrow.)
We understand the shock, outrage and frustration you’re feeling right now – we're all feeling it too. As we have for more than 40 years, we’re going to keep fighting – and we’re glad to know you’ll be fighting with us shoulder to shoulder.
Sincerely,
Marge Baker, Executive Vice President
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Do not reply directly to this e-mail. Please use [email protected]. Trouble viewing the email? THANK YOU for your support of People For the American Way! This email was sent to [email protected]. Reaching you over email is the best way we have to let you know about the ways you can take action to fight the Right Wing and defend our constitutional rights and values. If you have any thoughts, comments, or criticisms, or if there's a better email address at which to reach you, please let us know>> If you'd like to unsubscribe from our list, you can do that here>> Radical Right extremists are trying to turn back the clock on a century of advances in civil rights, women’s rights, workers’ rights, the social safety net and more… they’re waging an all-out assault on the fundamental pillars of our country – democracy, checks and balances, a fair and independent judicial branch, and core values like fairness, equality, and justice for all. People For is fighting back every day with: ✔ Grassroots organizing But we can’t do this vital work without the robust grassroots financial support of our members and activists.
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