Susan B. Anthony List president Marjorie Dannenfelser spoke with The Daily Wire about the Wednesday Supreme Court arguments concerning a massive abortion case, which could have implications for pro-life laws across the country based on the court’s decision.
Dannenfelser spoke of the environment on the ground at the Supreme Court, saying, “I’ve never seen a more robust, diverse, interesting, on fire, on offense pro life movement. … And it was just … a group filled with realistic hope that there will be change.”
“We were contrasted with the group of protesters that were … upset, angry, on defense, and our group was honestly full of hope, optimism, inviting … even of the other group.”
She noted that many people, including her, said there are pathways for both sides to do things together and help women together.
“It was like a homecoming gravitating around hope for actual, concrete change. And I think everybody left there thinking, ‘this is happening,’” she said.
Dannenfelser said she thinks there is a high likelihood that Roe v. Wade will be overturned, although a couple of justices asked a few questions that could raise doubt about the outcome.
“In short, I’m hopeful that it will be overturned,” she said. “I think it’s a realistic hope that it will be overturned.”
She discussed the role of the pro-life movement if Roe is overturned.
First, she said it’s important to ensure laws are passed “that reflect the will of the people where … the elected officials are accountable to the people that elected them.” She said the movement must be ambitious in every state and “back up our allies who are doing that human rights work.”
She said, “This is the front lines of … the rolling out of a brand new pro-life movement where governors will be on the front lines. We have to all be paying attention to those races and being into those governorships, giving every single thing we can, and support those guys and women.”
She said the other element is “absolute dedication to be in service to women and children who are in need.”
“We have an obligation to make it part of our activism to pass laws and serve women and children,” she said, adding that SBA List helps to fund and fill in gaps of care where it is needed.
She noted that this has already been happening, but there will be more need.
“I just feel like I was in a little bit of heaven … it was a great day,” she said.
The case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, concerns a 2018 law in Mississippi that bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. As the law stands now, Roe v. Wade and the decisions that came after it hold that states have to allow a woman to be able to get an abortion up to the point of viability, or when the baby can survive on its own outside the womb. Most states hold this mark at around 20 to 24 weeks, so the Mississippi law is a direct violation.
Mississippi said in its original petition that the questions presented to the Court do not require them to overturn Roe or Planned Parenthood v. Casey. In its brief in July, however, the state wrote, “Roe and Casey are egregiously wrong” and said the court should overrule those decisions.
When the Supreme Court agreed to hear the Mississippi case, it said it would consider the question of “[w]hether all pre-viability prohibitions on elective abortions are unconstitutional,” meaning that with this decision, they could rule that states can make their own laws regarding abortion again — even possibly banning it up to the point of conception. The high court could give power back to the states to restrict abortion like they were able to do prior to the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling.