Recently in Florida, the courts ruled that a 16-year-old girl was not mature enough to decide to have an abortion. Instead, judges decided for her that she would, despite this supposed immaturity to make decisions about her own health and life, need to be a mother. That’s an alarming contrast to the people of Kansas earlier this month strongly defending their access to important health care, with around 59% of voters rejecting the ballot measure to take away their right to abortion even as Republicans spread disinformation attempting to trick people into voting for it (by lying about what a vote in favor meant).
Recently in Florida, the courts ruled that a 16-year-old girl was not mature enough to decide to have an abortion. Instead, judges decided for her that she would, despite this supposed immaturity to make decisions about her own health and life, need to be a mother. That’s an alarming contrast to the people of Kansas earlier this month strongly defending their access to important health care, with around 59% of voters rejecting the ballot measure to take away their right to abortion even as Republicans spread disinformation attempting to trick people into voting for it (by lying about what a vote in favor meant).
The stakes are high. Yet here in Hawai‘i, Republicans like Duke Aiona and the other gubernatorial candidates he defeated in the Primary have been too timid to clearly state their intention to protect our rights. Instead, they’ve attempted to dodge the issue by saying that the state Legislature passes bills. It, of course, does; but that hasn’t stopped Republicans from talking about other issues they need the Legislature to pass bills for. And this separation of powers doesn’t stop governors from vetoing bills or stop candidates from stating their support for rights. All they need is the courage and moral compass to stand for Hawai‘i rather than be afraid that you are learning what they think will lose them your vote.
The Democratic Party of Hawai‘i will not shy away from supporting your rights. And we understand that people should be able to start families whenever they want, not when Republicans say so.
Nationwide, Republicans are fighting to force children to have babies when those children are impregnated by a rapist. They’re forcing doctors to watch their patients get closer to losing their uteruses and their lives because Republicans have abolished their ability to make good medical decisions when there’s an unviable or even already-dead fetus involved. Republicans intensified their efforts after the Republican-packed Supreme Court’s decision to allow states to deny Americans their right to abortion. And other rights, even those not directly related to health care, are also threatened by the decision.
Rights are not assured in Hawai‘i; they must be fought for and protected. In 1993, the Hawai‘i Supreme Court found that laws restricting marriage to just opposite-sex couples violated the equal rights protections in our state Constitution. But shortly after, a ballot measure was passed allowing the state Legislature to define marriage however it wanted, which it then did to deny equal rights once again. It wasn’t until 2013 that equal rights to marriage were passed.
Rights are still in jeopardy or have already been lost in other states. They will continue to be eroded away by Republicans if voters stand by and let them get away with it. We must all work to ensure that Kansas is not our last victory.
Sources:
• npr.org/2022/08/18/1118114568/florida-court-teen-abortion-immature-parental-consent
• washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/08/02/kansas-abortion-texts/
• hawaiinewsnow.com/2022/07/21/live-debate-gop-gubernatorial-candidates-make-their-case-voters/
• youtube.com/watch?v=00_bX8UY0T4
• youtube.com/watch?v=QXesK-EurXk
• cnn.com/videos/health/2022/07/18/woman-carried-dead-fetus-texas-anti-abortion-ban-cohen-new-day-dnt-vpx.cnn
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Dennis W. Jung is the Chairperson for the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i
