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Norwalk photos: Abortion rights rally on the green

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(John Levin)

NORWALK, Conn. — More than 100 people met Saturday morning on the Norwalk town green to protest in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn 1973’s landmark abortion decision Roe v. Wade.

Protest signs included these comments:

  • “Nine people appointed for life by political systems, interpreting a 250-year-old document written by slave-owning white men, is NOT a democracy!”
  • “Shame on you SCOTUS! We will fight!!”
  • “Don’t call yourselves ‘pro-life’ if you only value certain lives.”

“While abortion care will remain available in Connecticut under state law, officials vocalized their concern for the future if a GOP-controlled Congress were to pass a national ban on abortion. And, they reminded the public of the power in voting,” Connecticut Public reports.

(John Levin)

Speakers included State Reps. Matt Blumenthal (D-147) and Jillian Gilchrest (D-18), co-chairs of the Reproductive Rights Caucus in the General Assembly.

Blumenthal later announced his thoughts on Twitter:

“Millions of people across this country, especially women, will soon lose their fundamental right to decide when and whether to be pregnant, and face risk to their lives and health as a result.

“But this not the end of the fight. It’s just the next chapter of a battle women and others have been fighting for centuries. We must not flag in that fight. We, the overwhelming majority, must show that we will stand for equal rights and autonomy for all.

“And that means we *all* must stand up — especially men, who for too long have been too silent.

“Here in Connecticut, and across the country, we must show that we won’t go back.”

 

Friday’s SCOTUS  ruling “effectively made abortion immediately illegal in 13 states and cast a shadow over the future of abortion rights across the nation,” Axios reports.

“As states began to enact abortion bans and clinics stopped offering the procedure, large crowds gathered in cities including New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta, some jubilant, others dismayed at the decision that stripped away women’s constitutional right to abortion,” NBC reports. “Both sides predicted the fight over abortion would continue.”

Some of the photographs below contain foul language.

From left, Wolcott residents Tay Madore,Taul Valentine and Emily Valentine. (John Levin)
State Rep. Matt Blumenthal (D-147). (John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
Dana Laird, left. (John Levin)
Dana Laird shows a detail from her protest sign. (John Levin)
Norwalk Common Council member Josh Goldstein (D-At Large) leads Saturday’s rally on the town green. (John Levin)
(John Levin)
From Left, Norwalk Democratic Town Committee members Tina Duryea, Eloisa Melendez and Elsa Peterson Obuchowski. In front, Duryea’s dog Frida. (John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
An abortion rights demonstrator dressed in a Handmaid’s Tale costume, Saturday on the Norwalk town green. (John Levin)
Council member Dominique Johnson (D-At Large), a District 143 State Representative candidate. (Diane Keefe)
(Diane Keefe)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
State Rep. Jillian Gilchrest (D-18). (John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)
(John Levin)

Comments

18 responses to “Norwalk photos: Abortion rights rally on the green”

  1. diane keefe

    To be clear, Democrats protect a women’s right to choose the timing and number of children she will bear. The Republicans generally with few exceptions do not protect that right. Republican judges just reversed 50 years of progress for women. A nationwide ban is next if anti choice Republicans win the majority in the US Senate this November.
    Please volunteer for Maggie Hassan for US Senate in NH. or John Fetterman in PA in addition to working for the re-election of all Democrats in CT.
    Forced birth Repuplicans support cuts to programs funding healthcare for poor immigrant women and children and oppose paid family leave to make it affordable for working moms to have time with their babies.
    Republicans have also been blocking progress on climate change which threatens human life far more than pregnancy terminations. Elections matter. Lives are at stake.

  2. Piberman

    BLM taught us “all lives are precious”. Now we know “some are expendable”. We’re making “progress” ?

  3. John O’Neill

    Interesting group of pictures. Jillian Gilchrist – Did anyone ask her why her mostly white district receives more Educational funding than Norwalk? Funny, I don’t see her coming to Norwalk to help fight for those young children who weren’t aborted and need financial help in school.
    While everyone should have an opinion I do find some of those signs distasteful. In fact, I would assume moderators would probably not print a comment if it contained some of these slogans…At least I would hope so.

  4. Justataxpayer

    Wow. We had a whole hullabaloo over a gent with a FJB sign yet it’s Aok to carry signs using p@@@y and tw@@. Oh well, I’m just a man so what do I know?

    Many year ago I saw a video of an abortion taking place. I’m on the fence a bit about what I believe. I will say that that video made me see things differently.

  5. Georgios

    Amazing how many people would gather to protest. This was never a “constitutional right”. Roe v. wade was on a flimsy base at best. Amazing how the left chooses to be known as the party that supports murdering unborn children…

  6. Beth

    Signs are great. Now let’s voice those opinions at the ballot box!

  7. willy

    So many misguided souls using their kids to spread a message they can’t even comprehend. Good thing those kids weren’t aborted because now they ironically serve a purpose. Anyways, it is good to see only dozens showed up; clearly the rest of the city is pro life.

  8. Patricia H.

    My body, my decision, and I am a mother who VOTES!!! Great message and awesome posters!!! I applaud you all!!!

  9. Audrey Cozzarin

    This discourse is alarming.

    I don’t need to hear from a single man about abortion if he is not pro-choice–men will never be forced to carry a baby to term. Abortions have always happened and will continue to happen–the difference is whether they are safe or unsafe.

    The sovereignty of a woman’s body is the point. The sovereignty of my body is something I will defend to the end, in concert with my sisters, inviting my brothers to join in solidarity with us.

  10. Seve

    It is interesting–actually disgusting to view the profanity utilized by these protestors. I guess that it is understandable coming from people who are okay with killing babies.They obviously do not understand the legal issues at hand that makes this law untenable.

    Nor do these folks give any weight to the fact that abortion in Connecticut will not change. It may be changing in other states which either will ban it, or like California where they are proposing to make killing a baby legal up to 28 days AFTER a baby is born. Now that’s real progress!

    Unlike these sign-makers, I actually read the 250-page decision and it was well thought out and informative. The court admits that it (9 unelected judges) has no legal authority with which to grant rights that do not exist in the Constitution. If that were normal, these same judges would have almost tyrannical power which would upset the delicate balance power that protects us all.

    The previous law relied on fabricated theories (acknowledged by the late Ruth Bader Ginsberg) of due process–absent any historical precedent. In fact they listed over 23 states where it was illegal going back as far as the 1800’s.

    The stare decisis argument is totally ridiculous. Under that theory the Koramatsu decision would not have been overturned (internment of Japanese citizens in WWII) and the Jim Crow laws would still be in effect. And why doesn’t “stare decisis” seem to matter when talking about the 2nd amendment–an actual right guaranteed by the constitution?

    Because Roe set such a dangerous legal precedent, the Court correctly returned the decision to each individual state. Recall that In our country the people are the sovereign power. They only lended that power to the federal government which was created by the states–NOT the other way around.

    So to the sloganeers, there is no need to protest here in Connecticut. The people of Texas and Oklahoma for instance have every right to petition their legislature and elect leaders who will pass laws which reflect their morals. This is the way a republic should work.

    The real “tell” is that the anti-abortion lobby hasn’t been able to muster congressional support to change the constitution because the would have done it by now.

    Finally to all the “my body, my decision” people, where were you when the government was forcing you to take an experimental gene therapy that doesn’t protect you from getting the disease for which it was intended and actually can hurt you?

    P.S. I’m actually okay with abortion up to 15 weeks or so BUT there few if any good reasons to abort a baby after that. Nor should we abort the Constitution for abortion.

  11. Just Mike

    Wow. They’re sure to gain respect and support with those hateful disgusting signs. Putting the SC judges address on a sign can be construed as a threat. To the one whose sign says “Dont have sex with us”….dont worry. We wont! Same people chanting “my body my choice” were in favor of forcibly compelling people to take a vaccine they may not have wanted. Ever stop to think about that? Shame these people seem all to ignorant to really understand the legal aspect of this. Abortion was NEVER a constitutional right. This kicked it back to the legislature and out of the hands of 9 people which is where it should be settled. You hated that 9 people made abortion illegal? well 9 people made it legal. you see the weakness in your argument? America will need the Congress to find a sensible middle ground. Which is where most of the country sits anyway. People say how much better things are in Europe? Most of Europe has a 15 week cutoff, without extenuating circumstances. Much stricter than the US. Pro Abortion people you brought this on yourselves. You went too far demanding late term abortions, which the vast majority of Americans are AGAINST. They don’t seem to care of even acknowledge there’s another life involved. Like the GREAT Ronald Reagan said ““I’ve noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born.” Greatest quote ever.

  12. Bob Schumann

    At this point, if you want to protect the right of citizens to choose for themselves in the state of Connecticut, do not vote for a Republican for any municipal to statewide office. It’s just that simple. Watch the Republican controlled states to see why and by all means,to protect your rights get out and vote this fall and every fall! We can still save our democracy as long as we vote against those trying to take our rights away from us.

    “

  13. Bob Schumann

    “Bob Stefanowski, the Republican gubernatorial nominee, also sought to downplay the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn nearly 50 years of legal precedent.

    “Today’s Supreme Court ruling has absolutely no impact on Connecticut residents. I will continue to support Connecticut’s state law, which has codified a woman’s right to choose.”

    That’s what the liars Gorsuch, Kavanagh and Coney Barrett said under oath to congress about Roe v. Wade being settled law until they got in. Don’t let any Republicans running for Connecticut state office saying that fool you. Once they get in, they will de-codify it.

  14. Bob Schumann

    https://tommccallum.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/fingers-crossed-scotus-roe-vs-wade.jpeg

  15. meritt

    The only sign that makes sense is the woman wearing the t-shirt that says “I am woman. Watch my vote.” Because that is exactly what these 9 Supremes gave back to the people – the power of our vote. They took the decision making AWAY from the 9 court justices. Is everyone too dumbed down to see it?

  16. carol

    so sorry I did not know about the group on the green,I would have been there. the republicans lost my vote. MY BODY MY VOTE AND IT WILL NOT BE FOR A REPUBLICAN.

    VOTE,VOTE,VOTE.

  17. David McCarthy

    Bob Schulman…great comments…don’t vote for any of our reasonable and responsible neighbors because of something at a national level. Makes perfect sense. Harry and Bob continue to perpetuate their cleptocracy and you’ll be moving to Florida and wondering why.

    Just Mike…thanks for saying what we were all thinking.

    I also note that no one anywhere in this discussion addresses the issue. No one can articulate why Roe should’ve been upheld factually based on a “right to privacy” so they don’t even try.

    Lastly, all y’all need to help me understand why no one is upset w racism or violence being deployed in this effort..you can call Clarence Thomas names and threaten to kill justices you disagree with (not here, but nationally) and the doxing of justices in the first picture is beyond reprehensible and that should be removed as the only reason for including it is to incite violence

  18. George

    My body my choice

    Okay, so my body my choice has to apply to vaccine mandates too.

    See how that logic works?

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