Editor:
Today’s Supreme Court majority espouses “originalism.” That means supporting the Constitution as written, when only property-owning white men had rights. America’s Founders wrote brilliant principles, but life was different then. Many of them were slave owners. That was OK then. DNA proves Thomas Jefferson sired at least six children with his slave Sally Hemings. That was OK then. Alexander Hamilton was killed in a duel. Duels were OK then. Abortions also happened then.
Justice Samuel Alito goes back further in his majority opinion ending federally legalized abortion, referencing writings by Sir Matthew Hale, Lord Chief Justice of England in 1671. Hale sentenced women to death for witchcraft, but his opinion matters now.
Our conservative justices don’t reference Jefferson, who wrote, “Laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind … and keep pace with the times.” That’s diametrically opposed to originalism.
Conservative Republicans once stood for individual rights and freedom and keeping government out of our lives. Today’s Republicans have that backwards, except for guns. They support government intrusion into religion, classrooms, bedrooms and women’s bodies.
If life begins at conception, does the tax deduction for children start then? Is that when child support begins?
If forced birth kills Mom, that’s too bad. No support for unwanted, impoverished kids? Tough. If they get shot at school, sorry, but freedom means unrestricted guns, not the right to life.
MaryEllen Davidson
Reading
Source: Berkshire mont