BY WALTER ELLIOTT
MONTCLAIR – The greater “Local Talk” service area, like the rest of New Jersey, has had a ringside seat to the tumult over abortion access that large parts of the United States have been having since June 24.
There are 13 states whose trigger ban bills took effect when a 6-3 majority of the U.S. Supreme Court, on June 24, overturned the right to privacy provision of the 1973 “Roe v. Wade” ruling that permitted nationwide abortion access.
SCOTUS, by ruling in favor of Mississippi’s 15-week blanket abortion ban in “Dobbs v. Jackson Medical Health Organization,” has turned abortion access authority to the states, territories, first nations/tribal lands and military facilities.
The ruling closed the above said Jackson, Miss. clinic that was the last one in that state performing abortions.
Another 13 states are standing by with their own restrictive legislation. They are waiting how state courts will settle conflicts over new and pre-1973 abortion laws, fetal personhood, interstate travel, citizen lawsuits, freedom of religious expression and other permutations.
Those here along or near Bloomfield Avenue, except for several protests and statements from some public and religious officials, appear to be quietly going about their business.
A majority of the State Legislature and Gov. Phil Murphy signed the “Freedom of Reproductive Choice ” legislation Jan. 13 – well in advance of the SCOTUS’s June 24 ruling and Associate Justice Samuel Alito’s leaked May majority opinion. (Alito opines that “abortion rights” are “egregiously wrong” since abortion is not listed in the 14th Amendment’s Due Process Clause.)
The Jan. 13 bill preserves New Jersey women’s choice in deciding on and accessing abortion services.
State elders had also passed and signed an additional pair of “reproductive rights” bills July 1. The measures include privacy protections for abortion providers and women who had traveled from out-of-state for abortions here.
New Jersey, however, is not immune from SCOTUS’ June 24 ruling and its resulting rippling changed post-Roe landscape. Those who favor abortion restrictions are praying and proposing changes here.
There were five human beings – two women, a man and a boy minding a small dog – standing on the end of the sidewalk where Church Street and South Fullerton Avenue meet Bloomfield Avenue June 25. It was one among those in South Orange’s Spiotta Park, drawing 1,000 people, and others praising or condemning SCOTUS’ ruling across New Jersey that weekend.
That Montclair Central Business District point, landmarked by a pine tree, has been the scene of many celebrations, observances and demonstrations since Church Street was remodeled in the 1990s.
This one was no different – except that the adult quartet were protesting the overturning of Rowe v. Wade on national abortion access.
The adults were holding signs like “Bans off Our Bodies” to the approving honks of passing Bloomfield Avenue motorists every minute.
“Local Talk” asked one protester whether she had gone down a block south to the Pilgrim Medical Center at 393 Bloomfield Ave. – across from which have been periodic Right to Life anti-abortion demonstrations. (Pilgrim opened there in 1989.)
“No, I’d get harassed by them,” said the woman, “but I like to harass them back.”
“Local Talk” eventually caught up with three of the anti-abortion access protesters who were standing underneath Pilgrim’s front awning at around 9 a.m. July 13.
One of the trio, all of whom were of senior citizen age, handed out anti-abortion pamphlets. to passing pedestrians. The second woman, who was greeted as “Elaine,” wore a sandwich man board heralded by “Take My Hand – Not My Life.” The third, a man, had arrived after 9 a.m.
“I’ve been doing this for 36 years,” said Elaine. “Since the ruling, I thought there would be more cursing at us. There’s only been a little cursing at me.”
Elaine’s female colleague meanwhile greeted an approaching man while “Local Talk” tried to remember whether New Jersey had a minimum distance area between the protesters and Pilgrim’s front door. The man, who was familiar to the trio, was offered and had received a sandwich and bottled water from them.
“Local Talk” received a “Pregnancy: Facts and Resources” pamphlet. It was folded to show the panel on fetal development up front. Unfolding the pamphlet’s six panels revealed contacts to “Pregnancy Resource Centers” – including for the First Choice Resource Center of Montclair.
First Choice, another four blocks east along Bloomfield Avenue, lists a range of provided contraception and pregnancy resources on its website – except abortion. The Montclair location (Newark is among its additional places) is closed except to appointments.
The June 28 foursome’s demonstrations happen to look across Bloomfield Avenue up North Fullerton Avenue – where Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church and Planned Parenthood reside directly across each other.
Planned Parenthood of Montclair’s office, which had just opened for the day July 13, buzzed “Local Talk” to the receptionist’s lobby. PPM, going by its foyer plaques, had set up shop here in 1991.
The pleasant receptionist referred “Local Talk” to PP of Metropolitan New Jersey’s Newark headquarters. (PPMNJ has two Newark offices and a fourth in East Orange.)
PPMNJ’s website lists abortion and abortion referral among its service offerings. Its announcements include donating to the newly-established Abortion Support Fund and offering current “public affairs and medical center advocacy” volunteer opportunities. and, for Autumn 2022, internships.
The Immaculate Conception Church – which anchors Immaculate Conception High School and the St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish (with nearby Our Lady of Mt. Carmel) – was dedicated here in 1891. It is among 150 parishes across four counties comprising the Archdiocese of Newark.
The parish office research forwarded “Local Talk” contact numbers to Pastor Fr. Benny Prado. That parish-level response, however, was not received by press time.
“Local Talk” did attend a 5 p.m. June 25 Mass at Orange’s St. John Church – where Rev. Joseph R. Laracy officiated.
Laracy, from “The Mother Church of the Oranges” pulpit, referred to the SCOTUS ruling in that Saturday afternoon homily with “there is more work to do.” He led parishioners in a responsive prayer that legislative leaders be open to God’s Word.
The Roman Catholic Church and many churches in the Protestant evangelical movement have been in the “Right to Life” forefront for decades. They maintain that human life begins at conception.
Sen. Edward Durr (R-West Deptford) had introduced Senate Bill S1107 during the State Legislature’s Jan. 1-June 30 session. S1107 got as far as the Senate’s Health and Senior Services Committee before the June 30 deadline.
Durr’s bill would ban abortions after 12 weeks. There would be exceptions when the mother’s life is in danger and for reported rape or incest. Only physicians would perform abortions.
Senate Republicans have annually introduced and sent to committee S649. That bill would ban abortions after 20 weeks.
Judicial and legislative observers are meanwhile wondering whether SCOTUS will follow their originalist interpretation of The Constitution to other “implied rights” the last 50 to 154 years.
Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, in his concurring opinion, that other “implied rights,” including for marriage without gender restriction or access to contraception, may be challenged.
