GOP presidential hopefuls disregard women’s rights by being against abortion

Sunday marked the 39th anniversary of landmark United States Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade. Courts ruled in 1973 that a right to privacy under the due process clause in the Fourteenth Amendment extended to a woman's right to have an abortion. Although it has been in existence for nearly four decades, its validity is being threatened by a scathing group of rich, white bureaucratic men none of which will ever become pregnant. I pose the question: Who the hell do they think they are?

To refresh readers, Republican presidential abortion stances are as follows: While Newt Gingrich does not support a constitutional ban on abortion, he does not believe abortion clinics should receive federal funding. Mitt Romney opposes abortion rights, though he previously supported them. He believes Roe v. Wade should be reversed, leaving the decision of legality to the states. Rick Santorum not only favors a constitutional ban on abortion, but he also opposes abortion in rape and incest cases.

Abortion has been under scrutiny and attracted many diehard critics since its beginnings. This is mostly credited to the role religion has been allowed to play in government when regarding matters of abortion or the reproductive rights of women. It is simply absurd that both Democrats and Republicans would allow their own personal religious views to infiltrate government and their own civic duty. I am tired of politicians attempting to crush the rights of women in the name of religion just for some political leverage.   

With the current state of the law, heavy regulations exist to prevent state regulation or involvement in matters of abortion. If any of the Republican candidates have it their way, my access to female healthcare becomes limited. If states are left to decide, it would most likely be the death of a women's right to choose in the majority of southern states. Being a woman from West Virginia, this terrifies me.

The potential of life is taking priority over an existing life, and I have to wonder if the circumstances would be the same if men were able to become pregnant. Would middle-aged white men be so quick to develop opinions on the matter? Would presidential hopeful Romney be so noble as to "save a beating heart?"

The U.S. has the second highest teen pregnancy and birth rate in the world, trumped only by Bulgaria, according to a study released by the Center for Disease Control in 2009. We have a higher rate of teen pregnancy than any other industrialized nation in the world. According to the CDC, major factors that contribute to teen pregnancy are predominantly socioeconomic. Aside from the obvious factors, being sexually active and a lack of contraception, most can be attributed to living in poverty. Thus, the war on Roe v. Wade becomes not only a war an women as a whole but also on the poor.

Katie Quinonez can be contacted at quinonez@marshall.edu.