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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsChange the Constitution for Choice. Ireland Did.
Change the Constitution for Choice. Ireland Did.
7/13/2022 by Brigittine French
Abortion rights demonstrators march through the streets of Belfast ahead of a meeting of the Stormont Assembly on abortion rights and gay marriage on Oct. 21, 2019 in Belfast, United Kingdom, the day the country liberalized abortion and gay marriage. (Charles McQuillan / Getty Images)
Though unsurprising, the Supreme Court of the United States has officially ruled to overturn the legal right to abortion, deeming foundational reproductive healthcare unconstitutional. This ruling echoes the abortion ban in Ireland that was in place from 1861 until 2018, which criminalized abortion and caused disastrous outcomes for pregnant people and their families. Over the course of time, it became increasingly obvious to the majority of Irish people that it was a damaging law that needed to change, which they did four years ago. Citizens of the United States can learn a great deal from Irelands democratic approach to reversing the criminalization of abortion, which took it out of the courts and put it directly into the hands of the people. If Roe is unconstitutional, as the Supreme Court asserts, then it is time to change the Constitution by popular vote, just as they did in the Republic of Ireland.
In Ireland, as in historical colonies and independent nation-states around the globe, women have had the need for life-saving healthcare to terminate pregnancies forever. As early as during the life of St. Brigid of Kildare (451-525 A.D.), folklore and oral history records indicate that this revered saint blessed a nun who broke the vow of chastity and became pregnant, thus enabling the fetus to disappear. Throughout modern history in Ireland, when women were forced to have unwanted pregnancies, they turned to suicide out of desperation, they were ordered into asylums known as Magdalene Laundries to hide their shameful pregnancies, and they faced increased chances of violence at the hands of men who do not want to be named as fathers for unwanted children or family members who did not want to bring shame upon the family.
As in Ireland, there is a strong link around the world between increased attempts at femicide (the murder of women) and the inability to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, a lesson from comparative history that is clearly predictable in the United States under the current ruling.
. . . . .
Protestors outside Leinster House, Dublin, in memory of Savita Halappanavar, who died from sepsis at the age of 31 in 2012 after Irish doctors denied her an abortion, even as she miscarried. Her death sparked outrage across Ireland. Six years after her death, voters agreed to remove the Republic of Irelands constitutional ban on abortion. (Julien Behal / PA Images via Getty Images)
. . . . .
Checks and balances are at the core of American political structure; democracy, freedom of choice and equality are married together in the political foundations of this country. It is now time for us to engage the processes of constitutional reform that our founding fathers gave us in order to ensure the right to choice is ensured for all citizens in the United States regardless of gender, race or religion.
https://msmagazine.com/2022/07/13/change-us-constitution-pro-choice-ireland/
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Change the Constitution for Choice. Ireland Did. (Original Post)
niyad
Jul 2022
OP
Great idea! Let's start by naming the 38 States needed to pass a Pro-Abortion Rights amendment
Bucky
Jul 2022
#1
Nowhere in the article was it implied, or stated, that this would be easy. What do YOU suggest?
niyad
Jul 2022
#6
Accepting the reality that a constitutional convention is never going to happen is a good start.
BannonsLiver
Jul 2022
#7
So helpful, thank you. So, again, what do YOU suggest to deal with the christofascist court?
niyad
Jul 2022
#8
I suspect the process for changing their constitution. Is slightly different.
brooklynite
Jul 2022
#9
Bucky
(54,027 posts)1. Great idea! Let's start by naming the 38 States needed to pass a Pro-Abortion Rights amendment
The Irish referendum on abortion rights required a majority popular vote in order to amend their constitution. The American amendment process is a bit more convoluted.
niyad
(113,383 posts)2. Nobody said otherwise.
Miguelito Loveless
(4,465 posts)3. Ireland rejected the very institution
that the Supreme Court has six card-carrying members in. This court would find a constitutional amendment unconstitutional.
niyad
(113,383 posts)4. What do you suggest?
SickOfTheOnePct
(7,290 posts)11. That's not even possible n/t
Miguelito Loveless
(4,465 posts)15. The concept of "judicial review"
Was made up out of whole cloth. Anything is possible.
BannonsLiver
(16,398 posts)5. Yeah. We'll just change the constitution.
Should be a snap, what with all the unity in the country.
niyad
(113,383 posts)6. Nowhere in the article was it implied, or stated, that this would be easy. What do YOU suggest?
BannonsLiver
(16,398 posts)7. Accepting the reality that a constitutional convention is never going to happen is a good start.
niyad
(113,383 posts)8. So helpful, thank you. So, again, what do YOU suggest to deal with the christofascist court?
BannonsLiver
(16,398 posts)14. I'll start a thread on DU on an unrealistic idea.
And then, when people point out that it is unrealistic, I will get very angry with them.
niyad
(113,383 posts)16. Asking you to suggest something uzeful is getting angry? Interesting.
Initech
(100,081 posts)13. Yeah you think the Christian right and the uber-patriots would let us?
Bet these morons don't even know what half the amendments are.
brooklynite
(94,607 posts)9. I suspect the process for changing their constitution. Is slightly different.
MinisterPathos
(64 posts)10. Interesting
Looks like Women only have 12 weeks to abort. Then, and only then its for life or health of the Mother.
Tickle
(2,525 posts)12. We can't get a super majority for
health insurance never mind changing our constitution