Lawrence Hurley

JACKSON, Miss. (Reuters) – Beverly Anderson, an anti-abortion activist, leaned into the car to talk to the woman sitting in her passenger’s chair as a car pulled up in front of Jackson Women’s Health Organization’s clinic. This is the only Mississippi abortion provider.

Anderson was accompanied by two escorts in rainbow-colored vests who played rock music as they entered the fenced yard.

Ma’am, your baby is already with you. Anderson, 61, said to the woman, “Don’t let them murder your baby.”

As the woman entered the pink building, the escorts turned the volume up on Guns N’ Roses’ “Nightrain”, and led her into it. It was located near a Homewood Suites Hotel.

It is a common scene at a clinic at the center of a major legal fight https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-supreme-court-case-past-could-be-future-abortion-2021-11-23 now before the U.S. Supreme Court that could shape the future of American abortion rights. On Wednesday, the nine justices will hear arguments regarding Mississippi’s attempt to revive an 2018 Republican-backed law that bans abortion after 15 weeks. This was blocked by lower courts. Mississippi is asking the justices not to uphold the 1972 Roe. Wade decision that allowed abortion to be legalized nationwide.

Mississippi is among 12 states https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-supreme-court-case-past-could-be-future-abortion-2021-11-23 with so-called trigger laws designed to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned. Other states could also move fast to restrict abortion access if such a ruling is overturned.

Anti-abortion advocates like Anderson, who cite religious opposition to the procedure, believe they are closer than ever to overturning Roe, a longstanding goal for Christian conservatives and a driving force https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-abortion/at-anti-abortion-rally-trump-assails-democrats-draws-applause-idUSKBN1ZN152 behind some recent Supreme Court appointments https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-court-barrett/trumps-supreme-court-nominee-advocated-overturning-legalized-abortion-idINKBN26M7IS by Republican presidents.

Anderson stated that she will “praise God” for a Supreme Court ruling in her favor.

‘EVERY WOMAN HAS CHOICES’

Each week the Jackson clinic treats between 60 to 80 patients. The majority of these women get an abortion by pill. Two rooms are available for women who need to have a surgical abortion performed during the 11-16 weeks of their pregnancy.

Jackson 40-year old woman was six weeks pregnant when she sought a medication abortion. She was thankful for the clinic.

“Every woman is free to choose to have a baby or not. She spoke on condition of anonymity to say that she doesn’t believe it is the state’s choice.

Roe V. Wade recognised that women have the right under the U.S. Constitution, to maintain their privacy, to choose to end their pregnancy. In Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania (Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania) v. Casey, the Supreme Court confirmed women’s right to choose abortion. It also prohibited any laws that would impose an “undue hardship” on accessing abortion.

Opponents of abortion hope that the Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority in its ranks, will reduce or reverse the Roe and Casey decisions in the Mississippi case.

Lynn Fitch of Mississippi, the Republican Attorney General, called these two rulings in court papers “egregiously flawed” and was based upon outdated science. Fitch stated that state legislatures need more flexibility to limit abortion.

Roe and Casey decided that states can’t ban abortions before a foetus is viable outside the womb. This was generally considered by doctors to mean between 24-28 weeks.

Mississippi’s fifteen-week ban directly contradicted that finding. The court did not specifically overturn Roe. However, any ruling that allowed states to prohibit abortions prior to the fetus’s conception outside the womb could raise concerns about when states might ban such an operation.

Julie Rikelman from the Center for Reproductive Rights said that states could ban abortions at any time of pregnancy without having to draw a line through which courts might apply. She challenged Mississippi’s law for her client, the Jackson clinic.

Roe v. Wade is directly challenged by Mississippi’s legislation and similar laws passed in other Republican-led States.

In 2018, a federal judge ruled in favor of Mississippi after the clinic filed suit to stop the measure. New Orleans-based Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, New Orleans-based 5th U.S.

Shannon Brewer, clinic director, was seated behind her desk in her messy office. One eye is fixed to a screen with security footage showing the protesters outside.

Rikelman said, “That would represent a big step backwards. Rikelman explained that this would make it seem rude to a woman after all the years she has had control of her body.

Brewer stated that her organization can help with accommodation and travel costs, and could refer women to doctors outside of the state for abortions.

A doctor from the clinic, who is flying in from Massachusetts, said that if Roe V. Wade was overturned, women would need to fly out of states like Mississippi to have abortions.

According to the doctor who spoke under anonymity, “It makes it want to cry.” “I feel devastated and disgusted that some people don’t wish women to have access to a complete range of pregnancies care.