| Today marks the anniversary of the decision in | | | | progress has remained stilted. In 2009, 14 states |
| landmark supreme court case Roe v. Wade, which | | | | enacted pro-choice measures and 14 went anti-choice. |
| came to a close on this date in 1973. Headlining the | | | | In December, a bill was passed to increase funding for |
| festivities is the March for Life, sponsored by none | | | | Title X and the United Nations Population Fund, both of |
| other than the March for Life Fund, an organization | | | | which received major cutbacks under Bush, but the |
| created for the sole purpose of petitioning Roe v. | | | | new health care legislation contains some seriously |
| Wade. Pro-life's capture of the date for its own | | | | anti-choice measures. While Bush's crimes against Roe |
| purposes, despite the Roe decision's pro-choice | | | | were very public, however, Obama's outwardly liberal |
| leanings, is nothing short of impressive marketing, and it | | | | administration creates a shield behind which pro-lifers |
| says a lot about the current state of U.S. abortion | | | | can more easily navigate. Similar to the phenomenon |
| policies 37 years after Roe. | | | | of voters who believed Sarah Palin pro-choice on |
| Abortion laws experienced a rebirth in the media | | | | account of her gender, the public is being swayed into |
| throughout W's White House residency as he expertly | | | | letting its guard down on abortion just as it needs to |
| attempted to reverse (and largely succeeded) much | | | | rally. |
| of what Roe v. Wade had accomplished in the fight | | | | And that leaves Roe, 37 years later. The decision still |
| for women's reproductive rights. The case mandated | | | | stands, but the politics of politics have changed, |
| that a woman be permitted to abort her pregnancy | | | | substantially enough that the freedoms granted by |
| until the "point at which the fetus becomes viable," the | | | | Roe hang in the balance regardless of an overturn. |
| job of defining "viable" also falling on the court as part | | | | Thus the significance of a March for Life or a |
| of the decision. By the time Bush left office, there was | | | | misguided Palinite is tenfold when considering the |
| a ban on federal funding for international family planning | | | | movement's two greatest allies: publicity and public |
| groups and stem cell research, not to mention a whole | | | | action, which are of course its two greatest threats as |
| lot more abstinence only education. Despite those | | | | well. The anniversary of an event such as Roe v. |
| defeats, the pro-choice movement benefited heavily | | | | Wade is not only a time to consider how much |
| from the Bush backlash in terms of gaining support, but | | | | progress has been made but to explore how best to |
| Obama's reign has steered the issue back into murky | | | | proceed. If the pro-choice struggle is only emphasized |
| water. | | | | in light of its past, making any serious headway will be |
| While Obama began his Presidency a very vocal | | | | slow going until the next big court case arrives, and |
| advocate of women's health reform, vowing to | | | | here's hoping it leaves one very overworked Roe out |
| reverse much of W's damage, the movement's | | | | of its sights. |