Abortion decision remains divisive

The two sides in the abortion controversy continue the debate. and Booyeon Lee For both sides in the abortion debate -- arguably the most divisive issue currently facing the country --Eyesterday was a day to reflect as well as to act. It was 25 years ago yesterday that the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its landmark Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized most forms of abortion. At Penn and across the country, protesters from both sides of the abortion debate marked the anniversary. Many of the University's women's rights groups protested in support of abortion rights yesterday on College Green. And although the campus was largely devoid of pro-life demonstrations, huge crowds gathered in Washington, D.C., to urge the Supreme Court to repeal the decision. What the demonstrations amply illustrated is that the only undisputed facts about the Roe decision is that it inarguably failed to settle the abortion debate in America. Since 1973, in fact, pro-life groups have continued their fight to regulate or outlaw nearly all forms of abortion. And although abortion remains legal throughout the country, pro-life forces have made significant gains in recent years. In 1992, the Supreme Court's Planned Parenthood v. Casey decision -- while generally reaffirming the Roe ruling -- cleared a path for greater government regulation of abortion before fetal viability. In the aftermath of the decision, dozens of states have passed laws making it more difficult for women -- particularly those who are under-age or poor -- to have abortions. Last year, wide-spread public outcry over so-called "partial-birth" abortions -- most of which occur fairly late in a pregnancy -- have led many politicians, including several Democrats, to agree to some limitations on a woman's right to choose. For many beleaguered pro-choice groups, then, yesterday was not simply an occasion to celebrate past triumphs. Instead, under fire from both their enemies and many of their erst-while Democratic supporters, yesterday was a day to take up arms --Eagain. "Psychologically and emotionally, [abortion] is a traumatic experience in itself," said College junior Sapana Donde, the co-chairperson of Penn's chapter of the National Organization for Women. "Women should have the choice to make that decision. Either way [a woman] chooses, she should be respected." Moreover, the Roe verdict still does not mean all women have access to safe abortions, according to Hema Sarangapani, the other co-chairperson of the Penn chapter of NOW. "Policy does not necessarily equal implementation," the College sophomore said, noting that 83 percent of U.S. counties and more than 25 percent of metropolitan areas do not have a clinic or doctor who performs abortions. Advocates of abortion rights also face increasing challenges from federal legislators. The November 1996 elections brought forth a solidly anti-abortion Congress, with a majority of 221 of 435 members opposing abortion rights. Recently, Congress has banned abortion for women in federal prisons and prohibited coverage for most abortions in federal employees' health insurance, except in cases of rape, incest or when the woman's life is endangered. Opponents of abortion around the country also marked yesterday's anniversary of Roe, vowing to continue the fight to ban the procedure. Near the White House, thousands of demonstrators pounded white crosses into the ground as a symbol of the 35 million abortions performed since the Roe decision. The protesters then marched to the Supreme Court. Anti-abortion protester Marian Neff, 52, said she was urged by a doctor to have an abortion for her own safety, but she refused. "I have a 21-year-old son, who was almost aborted?and he's healthy as an ox," she told a reporter. The Associated Press contributed to this article.