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Statement of Rev. Carlton W. Veazey on the 34th Anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Decision:
It Is Time to Break the Silence about Injustices

Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.
- Proverbs 31:9

This is the 34th anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. For almost the entire time that abortion has been legal, women who are poor and marginalized have been denied services. Under Medicaid, poor women do not have the same ability to make decisions about childbearing as those who can afford services or have private insurance. As a minister, I cannot accept such an injustice.

Today, I ask you to begin to break the silence about the struggles of women of color, poor women, and young women. I ask you to work with me to restore their rights.

I ask you to remember those who are in poverty. Remember Rosie Jimenez and so many others who died of a back-alley abortion because they could not afford a legal procedure. Remember that many women are trapped in poverty and despair because of unintended and unwelcome pregnancies. Such pregnancies are a fact of life for millions of women, but for those who lack resources, they can be an overwhelming burden. For teens from low-income families, an unplanned pregnancy often means the end of schooling and the continuation of the cycle of poverty. It is no wonder that, in America, poor women are four times more likely to have an abortion than their better-off sisters.

People who are poor and marginalized struggle in the most adverse circumstances to create a dignified, hopeful family life. As the economic divide between the “two Americas” widens, so does the struggle of those in poverty to provide for their family. Let us not make the moral error of talking about birth control and abortion in a vacuum, without referring to a woman’s entire life and circumstances. Poverty goes hand-in-hand with single parenthood, an increased risk of violence and abuse, lack of childcare, lack of health insurance, inadequate education for better-paying jobs, and low contraceptive use. Women make life decisions according to their circumstances and opportunities. As long as women become pregnant unintentionally, a woman who feels unable to raise a child—or raise another child at that point in her life—must have access to abortion.

Faith is such a powerful force when it is put in action. My prayer today is that faith will guide us to remember that we are all children of God and all worthy of compassion..

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January 18, 2007