In Pittsburgh, shock, jubilation over ruling
Pittsburgh-area officials and local organizations joined others around the country and world Friday with strong, emotional reactions to the Supreme Court overruling Roe v. Wade, threatening abortion rights in the United States.
While some denounced the decision as an attack on Americans’ freedoms, others praised the ruling as a victory for the unborn.
Mayor Ed Gainey lambasted the decision as “an attack on the civil and human rights of our entire country.”
“Abortion is health care, and denying the right to bodily autonomy of women, trans men, non-binary and disabled people in America is stripping them of their fundamental right to privacy,” Mr. Gainey said. “Abortion is still legal in Pennsylvania, and I will do whatever it takes to protect and defend that right in Pittsburgh and across our entire commonwealth.”
The Supreme Court’s ruling moved the country backward, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said on Twitter.
Mr. Fitzgerald, the father of eight, including six daughters, said he and his wife have worked to ensure that all of his children are treated equally and had the same opportunities.
The Supreme Court, he said, has imperiled that work.
“It takes away my daughters’ autonomy and that of every other woman in this country,” Mr. Fitzgerald said. “It’s staggering and unfathomable that attacks against women like this are coming from the highest court in the land.”
Findlay-based Dick’s Sporting Goods announced Friday that it would provide $4,000 reimbursements for employees who need to travel across state lines to access a safe abortion.
“While we do not know what decision each state will make in response to this ruling, we at Dick’s Sporting Goods are prepared to ensure that all teammates have consistent and safe access to the benefits we provide, regardless of the state in which you live,” the company said in a statement.
Although not everyone will agree with its plan, Dick’s Sporting Goods said, it believes that decisions involving health and families are personal and made with thoughtful consideration.
“We are making this decision so our teammates can access the same health care options, regardless of where they live, and choose what it best for them,” the company said.
Sydney Etheredge, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania, said in a statement that she is saddened by the Supreme Court’s decision.
“While we knew this could be our reality following the leaked opinion, knowing now that we will be living in a post-Roe world is heartbreaking,” she said. “For now, abortion is still legal in Pennsylvania, and we will do everything in our power to keep it that way.”
Ms. Etheredge said her organization will continue to support those seeking an abortion.
“Your decision to control your lives, bodies and futures should be yours, and yours alone, and we will not compromise on this,” she said.
Rochelle Jackson, founder and director of the Black Women’s Policy Center, described Friday’s decision as “disheartening” and a “gut punch.” She said it will disproportionately harm Black women — noting stark disparities in Black maternal and infant mortality rates in the United States, which she fears will worsen as a result of the ruling.
“This is a deadly decision,” she said. “We’re talking about lives being lost here as a result of not having access to legal and affordable abortion.”
To defend women’s reproductive reproductive rights, Ms. Jackson said her organization will need to build a coalition with other advocacy groups that push for legislative protections.
“For us, pro-choice is not about being pro-abortion. It really is about trusting women to have the autonomy to make decisions that are best for them and their families,” she said.
The Supreme Court’s decision sets a “reckless precedent,” said City Controller Michael Lamb.
“Make no mistake: this decision is dangerous and will put women’s lives at risk. Bodily autonomy is a human right,” Mr. Lamb said. “I will do whatever I can to fight for reproductive freedom for women in Pittsburgh, across the Commonwealth, and in all 50 states. I also call on the Pennsylvania state legislature and the United States Congress to act and codify abortion rights.”
In sharp contrast, antiabortion activists hailed the decision as righting a longstanding wrong.
“Roe v. Wade is a deeply flawed decision which rightly has now been tossed into the ash bin of history,” said Maria Gallagher, legislative director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, the state affiliate of National Right to Life. “More than 63 million preborn children have lost their lives to this abominable decision.”
With the ruling, Ms. Gallagher noted, the issue of abortion policy returns to the states.
Now that Roe has been overturned, Sam DeMarco, chairman of the Allegheny County Republican Party, said he anticipates discussion of abortion policy will pick up in Pennsylvania.
“It is the long-established understanding of thoughtful conservatives that life begins at conception. As a lifelong, pro-life conservative, I consider this ruling a step forward,” he said. “It now remains for Pennsylvanians, through their elected leaders, to decide on a course for the rest of this journey.”
After Friday’s news, some Pittsburgh-area universities issued statements addressing the landmark decision.
Duquesne University, a Catholic institution, said it respects the Supreme Court’s ruling and called for mutual respect among people who disagree over abortion laws.
“We recognize that the Supreme Court’s decision today may have a significant range of impacts on our students, faculty and staff. The University will address their needs with compassion and action rooted in our commitment to service and care,” the school wrote in a statement. “All students, faculty and staff at Duquesne should understand that they are safe and protected, regardless of their views on this matter.”
In an email to Carnegie Mellon University affiliates, president Farnam Jahanian acknowledged the significance of the court ruling, which reverses nearly half a century of legal precedent.
“At CMU, we take seriously the value of safe and equitable access to health care, including reproductive care and resources, knowing that our students, faculty and staff depend on these vital services for various reasons,” Mr. Jahanian said. “We will be studying the Court’s opinion carefully to determine any potential impacts to our campuses.”
“No matter your perspective on this issue, today’s ruling underscores and indeed amplifies the importance of exercising your right to vote, especially in state and local elections,”he added.