LQCs: Constraining Rights

As I’ve observed before, conservatives, especially the Christian ones, seem to be about constraining rights (for others) and expanding rights (for themselves), while liberals are about expanding rights for everyone to the extent they don’t conflict with each other. Why are conservatives so intent on running other peoples’ lives?

The better question might be, why are so many conservative states so anxious to pass laws that restrict the freedoms of many of their citizens? Are that they addled with religious superstition? With magical thinking about the “personhood” of a just-fertilized embryo?

Why do they not care that these laws they’re passing are restricting the religious rights of *others*? Isn’t this religious dictatorship by Christians?

\\

News and Comments:

CNN, 24 Jun 2022: Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade

\

NYT, 24 Jun 2022: Here’s what the justices in the majority opinion said about Roe during their confirmation hearings.

They said Roe was settled law. Apparently they lied.

\

Washington Post, 24 Jun 2022: U.S. abortion decision ‘horrific’ and ‘appalling,’ world leaders say

Respect for the US around the world slides still further. The country is being taken over by religious zealots.

\

Vox, 24 Jun 2022: The end of Roe v. Wade, explained

Subtitled: “Roe v. Wade is now overruled. Are access to contraception, same-sex marriage, and even the right to choose your own sex partners next?”

That seems to be what Christians would like to do.

\

Slate, 22 Jun 2022: Is the Religious Liberty Tent Big Enough to Include the Religious Commitments of Jews?

Apparently not. Because conservative Christians *know* that they’re right. And if they can get away with imposing their “values” on everyone else, they will. They are.

\\

Reactions from writers I follow:

John Scalzi, 24 Jun 2022: Today’s Court Case

This court will continue to take rights from Americans as soon as it can. If you’re an American and you don’t think that this will affect you or someone you love, you’re a fool.

Adam-Troy Castro today on Facebook

Now they will go after gay marriage, and do you think they will stop at simply declaring existing marriages null and void? No, they will not.

I am telling you for a fact, and without advocacy: this will not end without blood.

Because there has already been blood.

Jim Wright today on Facebook

Roe v. Wade just ended.

It’s over. And it’s over for a long, long time. Because the Court is going to be Conservative for the rest of our lives.

I don’t want to say I told you so, but I told you so.

I told you the Supreme Court was more important than anything else, more important than your dislike of a certain candidate. I told you. I told you this would happen. This is where we’d end up. It was inevitable if Conservatives took over the Court. I told you. Over and over until a lot of you were sick of hearing it.

And, yet, here we are.

THIS is why Republicans who hated Trump supported Trump — and still do. This is what mattered to them. It mattered more than anything. It mattered to them enough that they’d overthrow democracy to get it.

And here we are.

They’re coming for birth control next, along with LGBT rights and everything else you care about. Count on it. And if you think any of that is settled law, you’re a goddamn fool.

\\

Silver Lining?

NYT, 24 Jun 2022: Trump Privately Called a Roe v. Wade Reversal ‘Bad’ for His Party

Subtitled: “Publicly, former President Donald J. Trump had been remarkably tight-lipped. But privately, he worried the decision could lead to a backlash in the midterms.”