KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade, the longtime legal precedent guaranteeing the right of legal abortion in the U.S.
The 6-3 ruling represents a major decision after months of protests and years of legal fighting over abortion rights in the country.
Tennesee Gov. Bill Lee released a statement and tweeted about the decision.
Lee introduced and worked with the General Assembly to pass "maximum possible protection for pre-born children," a press release from the governor's office stated.
Tennessee has a trigger law, an anti-discrimination law, an ultrasound law and a heartbeat law. You can read below about what Roe v. Wade being overturned means for Tennesseans.
The Knoxville Center for Reproductive Health said it was outraged about the decision. They said it "hands individual states decision-making authority to criminalize the lives and bodies of women and pregnant people."
Most of their statement is available below.
This decision is one of extreme governmental over-reach and intervention violating individual rights, brought to you by the political party that doesn’t believe that government can exercise its authority over individual rights; e.g. remember the pandemic and public health policy breaches, mask mandate refusals not to mention the untouchable right to bear arms, including assault weapons designed to destroy living breathing human bodies.
This SCOTUS ruling is also a form of religious persecution and infringement of religious freedom by legislating one extreme fundamental religious position over individual religious beliefs and practices. Most interfaith religious denominations and theologies are united in upholding reproductive health and religious liberty to pursue medical care according to one's own religious views.
And lastly, by denying deeply established science and medical safety practices by the medical profession, dangerous circumstances and deadly outcomes for women and pregnant people are clearly documented sequelae as seen in countries where abortion is illegal. The U.S., which already falls behind most developed and developing countries’ maternal mortality and morbidity rates, will fall even further behind with this abysmal decision.
Bishop Richard F. Stika joined the bishops of Nashville and Memphis in releasing a statement Friday.
It reads: “Together as the bishops of Tennessee, we thank the United States Supreme Court for its careful consideration of the constitutional issues surrounding abortion and we express our encouragement that it has ruled in favor of the right to life of the unborn.
“Arguments before the court made it clear that our ever-expanding scientific knowledge has identified the fact that everything essential for a growing human life is present from the moment of conception. Only time and nourishment are necessary to bring that life forward, created in the likeness and image of God with the human dignity enshrined by the creator in each of us as His children.
“We pray for all those facing pregnancies, both planned and unplanned, and we pledge to redouble our efforts to support mothers, fathers, and children at every state of life.”
Some local leaders have reacted on social media. Here's what they are saying:
Some lawmakers have sent 10News their reactions.
U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischman released the following statement:
"Today is a momentous and historic day for our Republic. Forty-nine years ago, in 1973, the Supreme Court twisted our Constitution to create the right to abortion that has never existed in the Constitution. With today’s ruling, the egregious and wrongly decided Roe v. Wade decision and 1992’s Planned Parenthood v. Casey decision have been struck down, and the question of abortion goes back to the states and the people where it belongs. Since 1973, over 63 million innocent babies have been killed because of Roe. Beginning today, every unborn child has the chance to live as our Creator intended. I am proud that Tennessee will lead the way to protect life in our state now Roe is gone."
Lt. Governor Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) issued the following statement:
“This decision is a huge win for the cause of Life. For too long, abortion policy in this nation has been controlled by the federal judiciary. Now, once again, the voters of the individual states will have the ability to make policy through democratic means. In Tennessee, the voters have already made their views known through the passage of a constitutional amendment that makes clear that no right to abortion is contained in our constitution. With passage of our trigger law and a comprehensive heartbeat bill, Tennessee’s General Assembly has been well prepared for this day. Very soon the pro-life voters of Tennessee will finally see their policy preferences enshrined in law. A great day for the cause of Life and the state of Tennessee.”