The landscape ahead

Many anticipate that the U.S. Supreme Court will soon allow us to ban abortions. A moral minority has long wanted domination over women’s judgments and even their understanding of pregnancy. I wonder how such moralists — who disregard doctors, families, pastors, and the state’s majority — will adjust to new circumstances?

For example, can they separate from the anti-democratic president who nominated the three justices responsible for this expected glory? Can they also end their loyalty to treason-tolerant leaders who ignore threats to the Constitution, law, and welfare? With victory in hand, will they go on tolerating such behavior?

When their female charges no longer need persuasion to endure risks of pregnancy and undesired parenthood, will lawmakers still mandate that doctors misinform them? Will legislators continue supporting pregnancy resource centers to further fictional versions of biology? Or might they instead seriously face our high rates of maternal and infant deaths, sexually transmitted infections, and other adverse experiences?

How will absolute abolitionists deal with pregnancies that miscarry (happening far more often than safely ended ones)? How to manage those who, resisting ill-considered government mandates, manage their own lives (as historically women have done). Our General Assembly, because it’s almost all male, is at a disadvantage with these issues.

One poor idea is the newest Supreme Court justice’s remedy to abortion, adoption, as if handing over one’s newborn after months of devoted care is as simple as transferring property. Are we prepared finally to provide enough resources for securing safe and secure homes for all unwanted children?

If Arkansas becomes free to regulate abortions totally, rather than make life harder for some of us, let’s educate our youth of whatever gender to enable sound decisions (if not entirely comfortable to everyone) and improve life for us all.

JIM WOHLLEB

Little Rock