Wilmington residents react to Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) – Following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade on Friday, reactions are pouring in from residents across the Cape Fear on both sides of abortions.
WWAY spoke with a local pastor, Pro-Choice North Carolina Foundation, and women organizing Wilmington for their reactions to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.
In Roe v. Wade, the court ruled the constitutional right to privacy and due process gives women the right to make individual decisions about whether to carry a child or terminate a pregnancy, meaning that states could not individually ban abortions.
Friday’s ruling will allow regulation of abortions to be determined by state lawmakers. Reaction to the decision has been mixed.
“I think that it’s very important that this decision extends the promises of the Declaration of Independence of unalienable rights to the unborn. The rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. So, I am very pleased with the decision,” said Sam Zumwalt, St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church senior pastor.
“Six justices on the Supreme Court have stripped half of Americans of a fundamental right. Advocates have worked hard to make sure that we are actually unique in the Southeast and that abortion is still going to be legal, even after this decision, and we haven’t had any new abortion restrictions in North Carolina since 2016, we’ve worked hard to do that, and we’re going to continue with that fight,” said Tara Romano Pro-Choice North Carolina Foundation executive director.
At this time North Carolina still allows abortions, but under the new ruling could be later changed by lawmakers.
“Overturning the Roe v. Wade does not take away the right to legal abortion, and it does return to the states the right to decide what their laws will be regarding abortion. As a Christian I am pleased with that Roe v. Wade is overturned, because I am pro-life, but I do recognize Roe v. Wade does and does not mean,” said Zumwalt.
“We’re not going to be doormats, we’re not going to lay down and just take it. I hope we’re not defeatist I really hope that this doesn’t deflate us or that we even have people that will complacent,” said Lynn Shoemaker, ‘Women Organizing for Wilmington’ founder & president.
Although North Carolina allows abortions, it does have some laws restricting them. NC requires people seeking abortions to receive state-mandated counseling, and wait 72 hours before receiving one.
