Since the Supreme Court’s devastating Dobbs decision, the people of Georgia have suffered at the hands of our state’s near total abortion ban. And as the fight for reproductive freedom rages on, one thing has become overwhelmingly clear: abortion bans are highly unpopular and the American people want abortion access to stay in place. In fact, in some cases, Americans’ support of abortion has increased since Roe v. Wade was overturned, with a record-high of 69% believing that abortion should be legal in the first three months of pregnancy.
State by state, voters are showing up in record numbers to that effect. From Kentucky to Ohio, Kansas to Vermont, we’ve seen voters mobilize and unequivocally choose to protect abortion rights despite all odds. And this November, abortion will be on the ballot in both red and blue states, giving a critical opportunity to make their voices heard on this crucial issue. Georgia, too, must seize this moment – it’s time to put abortion on the ballot in Georgia.
Currently, Georgia has one of the nation’s strictest and most severe abortion bans, outlawing abortion at six weeks. Most people do not even realize they are pregnant at six weeks, so stripping them of their reproductive health care options before they even know they need them is life-threatening. Studies have shown that states with abortion bans have some of the worst health care systems, which rings true in Georgia.
Abortion bans hurt Black, Brown, and young communities the most facing the highest rates of maternal mortality due to racial discrimination and economic disparities. Georgia, in particular, has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the country, almost twice as high as the national rate. To make matters worse, the South is an “abortion desert,” with the nearest clinic potentially hundreds of miles away — further limiting and restricting our reproductive health care options. This data makes clear what Georgians already know and have experienced. We deserve better than this.
The will of the people is clear: a 2022 poll found that nearly two-thirds of Georgia voters oppose the state’s six-week abortion ban. Georgians overwhelmingly reject laws that endanger the lives of millions of people each year and threaten their well-being. Many Georgia legislators have made efforts to honor their constituents’ pleas and have been drawing attention to the dire need for reproductive health care and abortion rights for years. While it may not always seem like it, there are lawmakers on the right side of history. Most recently, Representative Kim Schofield introduced HR 836, a resolution in the Georgia House, to let the people decide, a measure that would establish a fundamental right to reproductive freedom. This resolution would codify abortion rights into state law once and for all, and if passed through both chambers, would go to the voters in November.
While it is unfathomable that these anti-choice lawmakers in our state are going against the will of voters on abortion access, it’s not altogether surprising. Right here in Georgia, lawmakers pushed through SB 202, one of the worst anti-voter bills in the nation, which made it illegal to offer food and water to voters waiting in line and put the ballot box farther out of reach. Restricting bodily autonomy and democracy go hand-in-hand, Georgia is the epicenter of both fights. Witnessing these attacks has been alarming, but we refuse to be silenced.
Republican politicians are fighting tooth and nail against efforts to put abortion rights on the ballot because they fear what would happen if the people’s voice prevails. In states that have let the people decide, the voters have overwhelmingly turned out in favor of each initiative. Voters should have the opportunity to decide what access to reproductive health care options should look like – not lawmakers or courts with political agendas of their own.
It’s Georgians’ turn to decide whether they want to enshrine abortion rights in their state, and we should have the opportunity to do so, unfettered by intimidation or criminalization. This November, Georgians must have the freedom to steer the future of our state in a direction that reflects our collective will and values. To make this our reality, it’s essential that abortion is included on the ballot.
State Representative Park Cannon serves the citizens of Georgia’s House District 58. The new District 58 includes a diverse cross-section of intown Atlanta within Fulton County. Specifically, Westview, Harris Chiles, Ashview Heights, AUC, The Villages at Castleberry Hill, Castleberry Hill, Vine City, Downtown, Old Fourth Ward, Inman Park, Poncey-Highland, Southwest Atlanta, Laurens Valley, Campbellton Rd., Adams Park, Venetian Hills, Oakland City, Bush Mountain, and the West End. In 2021, Rep. Cannon was named “Legislator of the Year” by the National Black Caucus of State Legislators.
The post State Rep. Park Cannon and Davan’te Jennings: It’s time to put abortion on the ballot in Georgia appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.