America - at culture war with itself and the end of equality as we know it.

As mum to two young adults, I’ve always been grateful that by chance of my own birth (in illustrious Blackburn), my children lived in the ‘west’ of the world. Where they can enjoy freedom of speech, have their human rights protected, and grow up in a world where equality for everyone is a driving force (even if we haven’t got there yet, at least we’re trying) and my daughter can learn, earn and exist equal to men.?

The ‘West’ are not specific countries as such but those who are united in a shared set of behaviours and values, including democracy, freedom and equality. The largest defender of these values has historically been the US. Being invaded by a dictatorship regime? No problem, the US will defend you – here, have some rocket launchers, you can trust us, really, we are the ‘good’ guys.

The US has now turned the war inwards on itself and in doing so, took giant footsteps away from those western values it so proudly seeks to defend.?Now the US Supreme Court has just overturned constitutional abortion rights (Roe V. Wade) making abortion illegal or severely restricted in half of America – with more states expected to follow and in doing so, women’s rights, and their status as free and equal in America has ended.

This equal protection clause of the 14th amendment is woven into the rights relating to contraception, LGBTQ+ rights and same sex marriage – and, like a catastrophic game of Human Rights JENGA, the whole lot will slowly come crashing down. Thanks Trump for putting your people in place to make this happen. ?The man may have left the building but his ideas, aims, and supporters haven't.

Women will not stop having abortions, the consequence will be women dying or becoming critically ill from having an illegal abortion – and with the US having no NHS/free healthcare service, who do they turn to then when it goes wrong? For the sake of fairness, why is this not balanced with a new law that states the man/partner has to raise the child (often putting education/career on hold) and pay for its complete upbringing if the birth mother wanted an abortion.?Of course not, that sounds like hard work. Far easier just to insist women take responsibility. What if she’s only 16 and in education, pah, she’ll be fine. What if the US has no housing, finance, healthcare, or employment plan in place to support these new single parents? or those in poverty now forced to have more children, who cares? it's probably her fault anyway and it's what god/republicans wanted so that's ok.

In the same week, the US Supreme Court has struck down a New York law which restricts gun-carrying rights – meaning people will no longer need a ‘proper cause’ to carry a gun.?So the US is making it even easier to kill real humans, yet a woman can’t control her own body and safely abort a foetus?

In Mexico, abortion was illegal until 2021, ending decades of women in Mexico being prosecuted and imprisoned for having a miscarriage – yep that’s not a typo – Miscarriage (not abortion). There are women in prison in Mexico on sentences up to 12 years, for having a miscarriage. Now abortion is legal in Mexico, these women may be soon released. Sounds like the plot of a horror film, but America is slowly sliding, inevitably towards similar, draconian prosecutions of women. Does it not seem odd to the US that after decades of people seeking 'freedom' in the US from Mexico, now women will be crossing the border into Mexico to have an abortion. Forget finishing that wall - they're going to need a bridge. In places where abortion becomes illegal, so too does having a miscarriage. After all, (and especially if you're poor) how can you ‘prove’ your miscarriage wasn’t actually an abortion?

Abortion wasn’t always a culture war in the US. In the 70s people weren’t even talking or caring about abortion, it was accepted, even amongst the most evangelical religious leaders. Frank Schaeffer, a wannabe filmmaker at the time and son of a religious leader, ignited this culture war with his anti-abortion film following the initial Roe V. Wade ruling in 1973. The republicans soon recognised how Anti-Abortion energised the apathetic voters into voting and so absorbed it into their campaigns (cue Trump et al) and have kept it there ever since. They also tried it with Gay Marriage but found Anti-Abortion more effective. Evangelical religious leaders have kept it on their agenda because it’s effective in fundraising - makes sense if you're trying to raise money for god right? ?This anti-abortion movement so far has led to the murder of 8 Abortion physicians, 17 attempted murders, 42 bombings and 186 arson attacks at abortion clinics in the US since 1977. ?Frank Shaeffer, now older – and wiser – is now a liberal progressive, and has done a complete u-turn in his beliefs. He is now pro-choice, has issued a public apology for his part in pushing the Anti-Abortion doctrine into the heart of America, but sadly this movement he ignited now has its own momentum and will not be easily turned around. ?

This twisted version of the ‘west’ is not one I recognise or want to belong to. This is a ‘wild west’ with the US is becoming more authoritarian, more controlling, more like the dictatorships it’s judged itself favourably against for so long.

With this on the ballot for the mid-terms in November, whatever happens next, the world will be watching.

Further listening / Watching:

Jon Ronson – https://www.bbcpodcasts.com/listen/things-fell-apart-by-jon-ronson/

CNN Interview with Frank Schaeffer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25JyC5Whhvc