Viewpoint: Support candidates that support reproductive rights

Karen Jarussi

Petition gatherers in Montana have recently submitted over 117,000 signatures to put reproductive freedom on the ballot in November. Yay! That is a great step toward protecting our reproductive rights and privacy.

We should not have to do this, but out current reproductive freedoms hang on a 1999 Montana Supreme Court decision, the Armstrong case. If the Montana Supreme Court changes in makeup, we could end up being like Florida and Texas. The risk of going back in time is too great!

Trump and the Republicans put three anti-choice justices on the U.S. Supreme Court, and they gutted Roe v. Wade. Next, they’re coming for birth control. The same thing could happen here in Montana.

As in everything, your vote matters! In November, we must elect Judges and State and National candidates at every level who will uphold our rights. This pretty much rules out Republican candidates, who oppose a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body.

Women many decades ago fought courageously to protect our right to reproductive freedom. Many young people may not remember that time and take for granted their rights in this area. But they are far from guaranteed.

Please, for women’s and daughters’ and granddaughters’ sake, vote for those who will support our hard-earned reproductive freedom and privacy in health care. If not, then you are voting to take one more step on the slippery slope toward Republicans taking away women’s rights, one at a time.