First Lady Tammy Murphy and 8th District congressional candidate Rob Menendez joined Hoboken officials for a reproductive rights rally at City Hall last night.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
“Journalists revealed that the Supreme Court has a draft opinion that would actually overturn the Roe v. Wade decision that protects rights for abortion which now hang in the balance,” Mayor Ravi Bhalla said.
“Reproductive rights are human rights. My 15-year-old daughter, she was born into certain rights, this being one of them. These rights could be obliterated. That’s disgraceful and a complete travesty of justice. Which rights are going to be stolen next? It won’t just be our freedom of choice.”
Bhalla noted that Gov. Phil Murphy (D) has signed he Freedom of Choice Reproductive Act that keeps abortions legal in New Jersey.
“Over 60 percent of our country thinks that Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey should remain the law of the land. To say that we can’t have access to an abortion, that’s essentially putting half of our country as second-class citizens. We have to push back,” Tammy Murphy said.
“Idaho … if someone is raped that they then can’t get an abortion. If they do get an abortion, the rapist’s family is able to push back on that individual and seek financial damages.
Councilwoman-at-Large Emily Jabbour noted she entered politics by founding the Hudson County chapter of the anti-gun violence group Moms Demand Action.
“Unfortunately. I’ve lost count in light of the many tragedies that have happened. Unfortunately, yet again, we met a headline of a mass shooting again involving school children. I’m angry. I hope you’re angry too,” she said.
“The United States is the most dangerous country in the developed world for a woman. Every month an average of 70 women are shot and killed by their intimate partner. Gov. Murphy has put forward gun control legislation. I need you to reach out to your representative and ask that this be moved forward. We need to reach out to our federal representatives to re-authorize the Violence Against Women Act.”
She also called for strengthening universal background checks since 22 percent of firearms obtained in this country were sold without doing a background check.
“We are at a crisis moment for abortion access. This outcome is as dangerous as it is unprecedented and will open the floodgates for states to ban abortion,” Bethany Diaz, of Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan New Jersey, said.
She noted many conservative Republican states have made it so abortion would indeed be illegal should the Supreme Court decide to overturn Row vs. Wade.
“26 states, 26, could move to swiftly ban abortion. In half of the country, people will no longer have power over their bodies. We are furious and we will fight back!,” Diaz added.
“We have got to make sure our state legislature keeps fighting to expand access. We have got to mandate that insurance plans cover abortion and birth control with no cost-sharing or out-of-pocket costs. And we’ve got to ensure there’s funding for abortion in our state. … Anyone can get pregnant and that includes trans and non-binary folks.
She also noted that women would have to travel hundreds, possibly thousands of miles, when Roe v. Wade is overturned.
“My heart aches each and every day as we process what has happened in Buffalo. Instead of moving forward towards a more fair and equitable future, we are taking steps back,” Menendez stated.
“I thought reproductive freedom was a foundation we could build on,” he added, continuing that the Supreme Court is making decisions “against what the majority of Americans believe and support.”
He also called on Congress and the Senate to codify Roe vs. Wade despite recently failed efforts to do so.
“Use inclusive terminology when discussing reproductive services. The disrespect must stop. Allow all people the right to make decisions about their bodies. Be inclusive to all genders,” said Hudson County Pride Center Director of Programs Stephanie Mills.
“Respect people’s pronouns. We need affirming reproductive healthcare now.”
