What does mom really want this year for Mothers Day? For some women, the answer may be the opportunity to protest the possible end to abortion rights in this country.
A number of such protests could be taking place Sunday, which also happens to be Mothers Day, in light of the leaked draft Supreme Court draft opinion that overruled Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 decision that established a woman’s right to have an abortion without government interference.
Specifically, the group Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights is calling for non-violent protests outside churches that day. It’s also encouraging mothers to post protest videos on social media.
“The Supreme Court is on track to take away women’s right to abortion within weeks. Only the people can stop this!” the group says on its website.
The pro-choice group Ruth Sent Us, named after the late Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, has been sending a similar message — and calling for Mothers Day protests at Catholic churches. In a tweet, it pointed to the fact the court’s key conservatives are Catholic.
These calls are already prompting a response from law-enforcement officials. In New York City, the police department has said it will increase patrols at Catholic churches.
The pro-choice protests in various forms are expected to continue beyond Mothers Day. Indeed, there’s a broader Mothers Day “strike” campaign that’s set to run from Sunday through May 15. It calls for women to cease working and shopping during that period or engage in other forms of protest.