Today, the ultra-estimable Linda Greenhouse, once the Supreme Court reporter for the NYT, published a NYT opinion essay about a SCOTUS case concerning women’s emergency health needs and abortion in Idaho, a case which was surprisingly dismissed. No decision. Greenhouse points out how not much attention has been paid to it for obvious reasons about other immediate SCOTUS decisions.
She analyzes the conflicting opinions about the dismissal, through which she goes behind the Court’s closed doors to wonder about the tensions within. It’s a sort of locked room thriller.
Given what has happened in the past few weeks, Times readers’ comments have encompassed more than their reactions to the specific article or essay. Understandably, there are a heap of apocalyptic predictions, dire warnings and expressions of despair.
But then, from a mostly nameless reader, there was this:
This, and many other cases decided by this rogue SCOTUS during this term and last, are a call to action to all Americans. To women, whose lives, rights and autonomy are clearly subordinate, in the view of this court, to those of collections of cells. The pro-life party my eye. To people of faith other than radical, evangelical Christians, and to those who have no religious faith. To anyone who believes that their right to live (life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness being stated explicitly in the Declaration of Independence) is superior to another’s right to own weapons of mass destruction. To anyone who wishes that there will be a life sustaining planet beyond the baby boomer generation. To those who believe that our government is not, in fact or practice, a monarchy, and that it was not established to advance the interests of the wealthy and powerful. To those who believe that love is love is love. To those who value and embrace diversity, and appreciate that it was and is foundational to the success of this nation in every realm — from the economy to medical and technology innovation to arts and culture and music and all that enriches, enhances and preserves life. If ever there was a time for a figurative revolution, it is now. A call to “arms”, so to speak. To all those who care about our future, VOTE, as if your life and the lives of those you love, depend on it. They most certainly do.