DAYTON — The United States Supreme Court hearing a challenge to a Mississippi abortion law Wednesday sparked rallies from pro-life and pro-choice advocates in Dayton.
Pro-life supporters gathered in front of the Dayton Federal Building, while Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley hosted a virtual pro-choice rally Wednesday.
About four dozen pro-life supporters listened to brief speeches about the abortion battle, but mostly lined up along the streets around the federal building. They held signs that urge the end of abortion.
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Many pro-life supports at the rally said the Supreme Court ruling in this Mississippi challenge case could overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
“If they overturn and send it back to the states then they’ll let us decide how we want to handle the situation,” Margie Christie, Dayton Right-To-Life Director, said.
Dr. Catherine Ramos, an abortion provider in Ohio, said during the virtual pro-choice rally that states currently make decisions about reproductive health care now.
“Its not working,” Ramos said. “We have already lost access in Ohio.”
Ramos said women and families “are not getting the care that they have a right to.”
Kellie Copeland, NARAL Pro-Choice America’s Ohio Executive Director, co-hosted the virtual event and said it is “14 times more dangerous to give birth than to have an abortion,” countering claims insisting abortion is dangerous.
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They claimed that in Montgomery County in 2020, almost 1,300 fetuses, or unborn children, were aborted; a number hundreds higher than the number of county residents that died due to COVID-19.
Pro-life supporters said they want to protect women and unborn children.
“We want to protect women and the scars of abortion and we want to protect that unborn life,” Christie said.
While SCOTUS heard arguments about the Mississippi case Wednesday, they are not expected to issue any ruling in the case until next year.
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