Prepared Statements
Comments by Jillian Gilchrest, Executive Director, NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut January 22, 2008 35th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade A visionary scientist was quoted as saying; insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results (Albert Einstein). Since 1973, the American people have argued about abortion. They argue about it religiously, scientifically, politically, morally-they argue. All of this arguing divides people and ignores the true principals of Roe-privacy and choice. The craziest part though, about all of this arguing, is that the very people who argue that there shouldn’t be abortion are the same people who refuse to do anything to prevent it. In Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court held that the right to privacy encompasses the right to choose whether to end a pregnancy or not. This decision wasn’t meant to be the solution to unintended pregnancy; this decision gave women the right to choose abortion as a reproductive healthcare option in a safe and legal manner. As many of the previous speakers discussed today, there are many commonsense measures like better access to birth control, emergency contraception, and comprehensive sex education that reduce the need for abortion. On this 35th anniversary of Roe it is important for us to celebrate the rights of all women to make private decisions regarding reproductive healthcare, including the choice to have an abortion. Our commemoration is also an opportunity to promote prevention policies that can bring people together to work to reduce unintended pregnancies thus lessening the need for abortion. Women have gained much freedom since the Supreme Court ruled in Roe, but our rights to privacy and choice are constantly under attack and continue to be limited. My hope for the next 35 years is that rather than continuing to argue about abortion, we will honor the merits set forth in Roe v. Wade and allow reproductive healthcare to be a private decision by supporting initiatives that give women the scientific and medically accurate information they need to inform their choices.
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