Beslissing van Hooggerechtshof over de abortuswet in Texas betekent meer dan de korte termijn-effecten

Mijn reactie bij een filmpje van de Family Action Council of Tennessee over de uitspraak van het Hooggerechtshof over een Texaanse anti-abortus wet die de uitspraak Roe versus Wade die vrouwen het recht op abortus geeft in Texas praktisch buiten werking zet. Dat is in de VS niet alleen bij progressieven hard aangekomen. Mijn reactie bij deze video:

Strange of you to celebrate Texas’s anti-abortion law. The law is un-American not only because it goes against the freedom and pluralism of young Americans in particular who are less and less religious, but also because it represents a radical, Christian vision supported by a shrinking percentage of the population.

It is the politicization of the Supreme Court that makes political positions more important than careful legal positions. This is a break in the trend that could also turn against conservatives in the long run. What if a progressive state like California, New York or Massachusetts decides to ban guns? The logic would be that the Supreme Court would support such a law. But it would lead to a tremendous polarization between left and right, as this Texas anti-abortion law does.

The fact that conservative chief judge John Roberts took a stand against Texas’ anti-abortion law indicates that its proponents are radical conservatives who are more extreme than Roberts. Whatever one thinks politically, it is not sustainable and undesirable for a country if a small radical minority imposes its will on the majority. That’s what happens here.

That is a bad development for the unity of the US because it makes the highest legal body of the nation lose credibility. It is out of balance with the mood in the country. There can only be a reaction to this, which may turn to the progressive side. In the end, no one benefited from that.

There is another Christian argument against Texas’ anti-abortion law. Christianity in its pure form is a religion of forgiveness and compassion for the weak. Remember the story of the Good Samaritan.

This ruling brings the battle between Christians and non-Christians to a head. As a result, extreme Christians alienate both moderate Christians and non-Christians (who now make up a quarter of the population) and Christianity as a religion is politicized because it ends up in the corner of intolerance and mercilessness. Christianity is being stolen from the faithful by radical right-wing politicians and opinion makers.

The ruling by a narrow majority (5-4) of the Supreme Court is bad for US citizens, the credibility of Christianity as a religion of compassion, public health, politics and the US justice system. Anyone celebrating the ruling should think beyond its short-term effects.