Supreme Court Hears Mississippi Abortion Law

Today began the U.S. Supreme court hearing on a controversial Mississippi law that could end up changing the status of legal abortion in the United States. The supreme court is hearing arguments on a Mississippi abortion law, a ruling that could overturn the 1973 Roe V. Wade decision that gave women the constitutional right to abortion. Today, Twin States News spoke with a pregnancy choice center and other women here in Mississippi about this monumental case.

The U. S. Supreme court is hearing arguments about whether Mississippi’s restrictive abortion law should be allowed to take effect.

The law passed in 2018 bans abortion after 15 weeks, but it never went into effect here in Mississippi because of legal challenges. Now those challenges have reached the U.S. Supreme court in Washington D.C. If the high court upholds the Mississippi law, it could mean the Roe V. Wade decision that legalized abortion in the U.S would be overturned.

The Center for Pregnancy Choices (CPC) here in Meridian counsels’ pregnant women. The executive director understands why some women promote the “My Body, My Choice” slogan that’s shown up lately at prochoice rallies:

“I do see why women don’t want someone telling them what they can and cannot do with their body but a lot of times those decisions to have an abortion are made emotionally where someone is pressuring someone to have an abortion or they are afraid of what their life could look like being a parent at a time they didn’t choose for themselves”, stated Sara Smith.

Smith says her center offers a different choice:

“The untimely pregnancies people are talking about are unplanned, unexpected so what we do as a pregnancy center is we come alongside the people who are saying, “Hey, this is not the time that I wanted to be a parent, I’m not good enough”; we say of course you're good enough, let me tell you how.” - Sara Smith, Executive Director for CPC

Some women we caught up with here in Meridian gave us differing opinions on the abortion controversy:

“I think that there should be a limit in when abortion is allowed”, said Kathy Castleberry. “I think they are saying 12 or 15 weeks. I just think that a person by that point would know that they are expecting and that they don’t want to go through with pregnancy so I feel personally that there should be some limit as to the timing”

“I feel like it’s not right in general. I believe that God gives life to everybody, and that life starts when a child is conceived. I believe that they have just as much right as a living breathing human that is walking this earth”, said a Meridian resident who wished to remain anonymous.

The Supreme Court is not expected to make a ruling on Mississippi’s abortion law until June. If that ruling is in favor of Mississippi it could mean the end of legal abortions for millions of women across the United States.