Target: Brian Kemp, Governor of Georgia
Goal: Return to Georgia’s law allowing abortions after six weeks.
Georgia is a state divided on abortion rights. Religious beliefs and tradition often clash with the politics of those who support pregnant women having a choice. Traditionally, the state’s politicians have favored strict abortion regulation, though these policies more recently have been challenged. The result is a battle between legal experts on the future of abortion rights in Georgia.
Georgia enacted a ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy in 2019, but the law was challenged due to its violation of individual privacy in healthcare. In light of the overturning of Roe v. Wade of 2022, the ban was reinstated. However, in the middle of November of this year, a Superior Court judge in Georgia once again determined the rule to be unconstitutional. The back and forth reasonably left those seeking abortions dizzy from understanding what their rights were in the state and if they should go through the arduous process of seeking care outside of Georgia.
Things got even more confusing later, in November 2022, when Georgia’s Supreme Court once again instated the six week abortion ban. Proponents of women’s right to choose were appalled the court would make a decision so quickly after the legitimate legal move barring the ban from state law. Doctors with pending abortions had to weigh their choice to honor previously booked patients or risk their licenses; patients had to find out of they could still get the procedure locally or had to look elsewhere.
Sign the petition below to urge Georgia governor Brian Kemp to stop playing with women’s health and honor the original court ruling prohibiting the ban on abortion after six weeks.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Governor Kemp,
Disagreements in politics are completely understandable. The foundation of the United States allows individuals to rightfully disagree on topics, even if they may strongly divide us. The courts, nonetheless, should stand for the integrity behind these rights and uphold decisions made within themselves. If these entities cannot honor these legitimate decisions, how can the people trust them to uphold the law and the best interests of the people?
The fight concerning a six week abortion ban in Georgia has shifted from legal steadfastness to a theatrical drama. Judges and other legal experts fighting each other over your state’s abortion policy illustrates the chaos resulting from a clash between personal opinion and the law. The courts determined in 2019 the abortion ban after six weeks is unconstitutional, yet this was fought by others who presumably have an equal grasp of legality in the matter. With the ban being found, once again in November 2022, to be legally unsound but then immediately contradicted by other legislatures, it appears Georgia has lost sight of what ultimately is important: the people.
This back-and-forth in your state is too much. Of course those in the legal system are going to have disagreements, but to continuously allow a legal line to be established and shortly thereafter moved sends the message that pride in winning is more important than acknowledging the legitimacy of initial court rulings. These laws are about freedom of choice and women’s health, not a feather in the caps of lawmakers.
We urge you to stop playing with women’s health and honor the initial ruling that a ban on abortion after six weeks is a violation of privacy and unconstitutional.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Own work
