DV Journal

Parent Fenicia Redman started to give the Great Valley School Board an earful about an assignment in her son’s 11th-grade honors history class–to interview an expert on abortion. But as she spoke, the board left the room rather than hear her or look at a poster showing the assignment.

As Redman continued to speak, a security guard came up to her asking her to stop.

“It’s been five months since this board has acknowledged that minors have access in the library to sexually-explicit material as defined by the U.S. Supreme Court,” Redman said. “Tonight, I have new disturbing information that the library and the 11th grade honors government team developed an abortion interview template.”

“The librarian and the 11th-grade honors team developed an abortion interview template,” said Redman. “This is from the teacher’s arsenal.”

Previously, Redman met with her son’s teacher and the assistant principal about the interview template, which lists links to Planned Parenthood and an abortion clinic in Chester County but not to right-to-life groups.

Redman told board members the librarian, who had developed the abortion template, also posted a tweet threatening U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett that was deleted after parents complained.

“To LGBTQ students, your parents love you,” said Redman at the end of her speech after the board left. Then she told heterosexual students, “Please extend kindness to your LGBTQ peers.”

Other parents spoke to the board about inappropriate books that they believe are pornographic in various school libraries.

Redman previously brought that issue to the attention of former Republican Congressman Lou Barletta, who was running for governor. Barletta later held a press conference on the topic.

After the abrupt recess, other parents talked about who the objective arbiter is for which books can stay and which must go. They also questioned why certain teachers try to force their worldview on students and said parents should be able to determine what material is acceptable for their children.

However, East Whiteland resident Christy Largent said she supports the controversial book “Gender Queer.” It is “a graphic biography of a young female who wants to be male but has to figure out how to incorporate her female body into that fantasy.”

“I found the memoir to be enlightening and a worthwhile read as it takes the reader through the author’s journey of self-acceptance,” Largent said. “Just because a book makes a person uncomfortable, it doesn’t make it harmful.”

Parents at several  Delaware Valley districts have objected to that book, including West Chester Area School District, Central Bucks, and Radnor.

Since many parents got a front-row seat to what their kids were learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, many are telling school boards that they don’t approve of various materials. Along with sexually graphic books, parents have objected to lessons in Critical Race Theory, which teaches students that Blacks are victims and Whites are oppressors.

A spokeswoman for the Great Valley School District did not respond to a request for comment.

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In the wake of a leaked U.S. Supreme Court opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is expected to bring the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) back to the Senate floor. However, he is almost certain to lack the 60 votes needed for cloture — allowing the bill to come to the Senate floor for a vote — or even 50 votes to pass it. On Feb. 28,  Sen. Manchin (D-W. Va.) voted with the Republicans to block it.

In February, Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), who is sometimes described as prof-life, voted to advance the bill with the rest of his Democratic colleagues. His office did not respond to a request to comment on whether he will vote that way again next week.

Casey’s stance on abortion issues has been fluid. Until recently, he said he supported a ban on abortions after 20 weeks — a position in line with a majority of Americans according to Gallup polling. However, he also refused to block changes to Obamacare in 2010 to provide taxpayer-funded elective abortions.

“Casey’s voting record in Congress aligns significantly with abortion-rights groups such as Planned Parenthood and NARAL. He has voted along with Planned Parenthood 75 percent of the time since 2011,” Politico reported in 2018. “And he voted with NARAL Pro-Choice America 100 percent of the time in 2016 and 2017.”

Supporting the WHPA, however, is a new level of pro-abortion politics.

According to an analysis by John McCormack who covers abortion legislation for the conservative National Review magazine, the WHPA creates a federal right to abortion through nine months of pregnancy in all 50 states; overrides nearly all state abortion laws, including parental-consent laws like Pennsylvania’s; weakens “conscience exemptions” to keep healthcare workers from being forced to participate in abortion procedures that violate their religious beliefs; and creates a right for non-doctors to perform abortions.

“WHPA will essentially legalize abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy and undo every state law that has protected children in the womb,” according to the group Democrats for Life America.

While most Americans say they oppose overturning Roe v. Wade, polls consistently show fewer than 20 percent of Americans support unlimited abortion up to the day of birth. However, that is exactly the position every Democrat in the Delaware Valley’s congressional delegation took when they voted to pass the WHPA last fall.

Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (D-Montgomery) tweeted after voting for the bill, “The Women’s Health Protection Act will: Codify Roe v. Wade. Create federal protection against state laws that restrict women’s health. Prohibit unwarranted restrictions that single out abortion services or providers. Beyond proud to serve in this House that passed #WHPA.”

“Like many of you, I was outraged by the leaked draft opinion of the Supreme Court regarding Roe v. Wade – and what this extreme Supreme Court may do to our country,” Dean said in an email.  “Predicting this, in September, the House passed the Women’s Health Protection Act to codify Roe v. Wade. Since then, it’s been stalled in the Senate because of the filibuster.

Rep. Madeleine Dean with abortion protesters at Independence Hall.

“It’s time the Senate carve out a filibuster exception to pass WHPA, as they’ve recently done with our debt ceiling,” she said. “Women must remain free to fulfill their right to privacy, legal and safe abortion, contraceptives, and full healthcare treatment.”

Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Delaware County/Philadelphia) tweeted after the SCOTUS  leak earlier this week, “Women were called hysterical for sounding the alarm about abortion rights. We were told Roe and Casey were settled law. This leaked opinion shows we were right to be terrified. The Senate must move NOW to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act.”

And Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Berks/Chester) said this on her campaign website, “A woman’s health care decisions should be made between her, her doctor, and her faith – not politicians. I am very concerned by state-level laws that inject politics into that decision, as well as the dangerous Supreme Court challenges to Roe v. Wade. That’s why I am taking action by supporting the Women’s Health Protection Act, standing against efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, and working to improve maternal health care access through the Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act.”

Abortion is also on the table in the state legislature. State Senate Republicans are putting forward a bill that would add a constitutional amendment to maintain the status quo of no right to or funding for an abortion.

“Federal courts have long held that the federal constitution does not require taxpayer funding of abortion. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court held in 1985 that the state constitution also does not require such taxpayer funding,” said state Sen. Judy Ward (R-Blair/Cumberland/Franklin/Fulton/Hunterdon).

“If approved, Senate Bill  956 will prevent taxpayer dollars from funding elective terminations and will preserve the authority of elected officials – not the judicial branch – to enact future abortion laws.

“To no one’s surprise, this issue has elicited consternation from abortion rights activists who wield passionate and misleading rhetoric to convince the masses that my bill will lead to widespread bans. Nothing could be further from the truth,” Ward said.

“Currently, Medicaid covers both non-elective abortions and voluntary abortions involving cases of rape or incest but still withholds funding for elective abortions,” Ward added.  “If the state constitutional amendment is approved by the voters, this won’t change. The Abortion Control Act will remain the law, as well. The language does not ban abortions, but rather ensures that abortion policy in Pennsylvania comes from the people’s elected representatives.”

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I’m aware that not everyone is as concerned with abortion as I am. In fact, abortion falls fairly low on the list of “important issues” when voters are in the process of considering candidates. Only people like me, who are profoundly pro-life, or those who are extreme in their support of abortion rights, focus on it.  In that ironic and bizarre way, I have more in common with the head of Planned Parenthood than the vast majority of Americans have with either of us.

But what happened Monday evening was seismic, and its impact is felt by everyone, including those who are more concerned with when or whether Joel Embiid is reactivated to play against the Miami Heat.

If Roe v. Wade is overturned, as seems likely based on the leak of Justice Alito’s draft majority opinion, abortion will not disappear.  It will simply cease to be a federal right, left to the states to legislate and regulate.  That’s the way it was until 1973, and even though I think it should be completely banned (exception: to save the mother’s life), that’s the way it should be in a democracy.  Most Americans are comfortable with some limits on abortion, and if they live in a state that has those limits and they still want to end their pregnancy, they can travel to a more hospitable jurisdiction.

But after almost 50 years of legalized abortion, some people have gotten the idea that it’s a constitutional, unassailable right. They talk about “super precedents,” and “right to choose,” and “reproductive justice,” and all of these empty phrases that sound nice in campaign ads but that really add up to this: We want what we have gotten used to, unlimited autonomy when it comes to pregnancy.

And that’s where it gets interesting. If Roe falls and the states take control of abortion, the people who make the laws in those states will have an enormous amount of power. And in Pennsylvania, we have two crucial elections looming, which will determine whether our next governor is likely to sign or veto pro-life legislation and whether our next senator will vote to codify abortion rights in federal law.

At the outset, I don’t expect most Pennsylvanians agree with me that abortion should be criminalized except in cases where the life of the mother is in danger. You don’t have to tell me that my view is to the right of many Republicans and even a lot of run-of-the-mill conservatives. I can’t even get an “amen” from most of my Catholic friends, not to mention some high-profile priests like Jesuit James Martin. But at the very least, most Americans think there should be some significant limits on the procedure, depending upon the circumstances of the pregnancy.

When I helped moderate a debate of Republican senatorial candidates for the Delaware Valley Journal last month, I asked the four local candidates, Kathy Barnette, Jeff Bartos, George Bocchetto, and Sean Gale, what their views were on abortion. Gale was the most overtly passionate stating, “It’s truly a stain on this country, which is why I’ll be the most pro-life senator in the U.S. Senate.” Barnette mentioned her own origins story, revealing that she was a child of rape, and noted, “Based on my experience, I truly believe that life begins at conception, and I will make sure to fight for that when I’m in the Senate.” Bartos took aim at the Democrats currently in Congress observing, “When you have 47 Democrats who voted for legislation on late-term abortion, they will have to answer many questions come election time this November.” And George Bocchetto, who grew up in an orphanage in New York stated that “I wouldn’t be here today if Roe v. Wade were law during my birth, which is why I’m forever grateful that I could survive and thrive the way I did.”

Those were personal answers, deeply felt, and fairly representative of the GOP position on abortion. Contrast that with the Democrat candidates for the Senate. When asked at a recent debate if there were any limits on abortion that he would find appropriate, John Fetterman replied, “I don’t believe so, no.”  He then doubled down, declaring that he wanted to codify Roe into statutory law to essentially frustrate the Supreme Court. Conor Lamb, Fetterman’s “moderate” opponent has gone on record saying, “I think that the right to choose is a right all the way through pregnancy.”

“All the way through pregnancy” is shorthand for late-term abortion. The comments were in response to a question about the Women’s Health Protection Act, and whether he would be able to support any restrictions on a woman’s right to choose. Apparently, he can’t.

As far as the gubernatorial race, every Republican candidate has come out as being pro-life, even if some like Charlie Gerow are more vocal than others. De facto Democratic candidate Josh Shapiro has made no secret that he strongly supports abortion, including late-term abortion.

It takes a lot to come out and say that a woman should be able to have an abortion whenever she wants.  There is something particularly ghoulish in a person who thinks that abortion is “okay” and should not be barred at any moment before the crowning of the baby’s head. And I find it particularly ironic that the type of woman who thinks men can’t have an opinion on abortion is perfectly happy with these men, and these opinions.

If your primary concern this election cycle is something other than abortion, I understand where you might actually spend the next few weeks and months examining the candidates’ platforms and positions. But what happened Monday night changed the whole landscape.

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The leaked U.S. Supreme Court decision potentially overturning Roe v. Wade shocked the country, and those shockwaves are certainly being felt in Pennsylvania. But some voters may be shocked, or at least surprised, by what the reaction to the leaked opinion has revealed about some candidates in the state’s May 17 primaries.

At a press event Wednesday afternoon, for example, Congressman Conor Lamb reiterated his support for abortion without restriction throughout the entire pregnancy up to the moment of birth.

Lamb, a Democrat running for the U.S. Senate, is often portrayed as a moderate. In the immediate aftermath of the leak of Justice Samuel Alito’s draft opinion, Lamb said, “I think the right to choose is a right all the way through pregnancy.”

During Wednesday’s presser, Lamb stood by that statement. “What I actually said is, I believe a right is a right all throughout pregnancy,” Lamb told Delaware Valley Journal.

“And there’s a fair amount of misinformation about what that means as far as the moment of birth. In the last trimester, it is extremely rare for anyone to have an abortion. It’s about one percent of cases. And I think that those cases are well-handled by medical ethics and the way that doctors are trained to make decisions, along with their patients. This whole concept of abortions right before the moment of birth is a fiction.”

Last September, Lamb voted for the “Women’s Health Protection Act,” which would override every state law restricting abortion and mandate Lamb’s no-restrictions stance in all 50 states. Lamb was joined by all of his fellow Pennsylvania Democrats, including Delaware Valley Reps. Madeleine Dean, Chrissy Houlahan and Mary Gay Scanlon.

This position is far outside the mainstream, according to polls. Gallup polling has consistently found about 80 percent of Americans believe abortion should be illegal in the last three months of pregnancy. However, it is a position shared by Lamb’s leading opponent, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman.

Asked if there are any limits on abortion he would find appropriate,” Fetterman said, “I don’t believe so, no.” Soon after he tweeted, “Let’s be clear: The right to an abortion is sacred.”

When another reporter asked whether the leaked Supreme Court decision changes the political landscape, Lamb said, “I think obviously what has changed is, the threat is real now,” said Lamb. “People have seen it in print and obviously the print is much more shocking than I think I even expected, in that they want to do a full overturning of this decision. And so that makes people scared of what could lie in store for us in the future, with the specific right to seek an abortion and with a lot of variables and rights.

“So, I’ve noticed in the primary, it’s getting people in a very practical frame of mind about who can win the election in any circumstances. In the general election, I’d expect to see higher participation from women.”

But the general election is months away and some political insiders believe abortion will fade as an issue for many voters.

“Most voters will still be mainly focused on inflation and other pocketbook issues in the fall,” said Christopher Nicholas of Eagle Consulting Group, a veteran Republican consultant.

“The abortion issue in Pennsylvania cuts both ways as there are both pro-choice Republicans as well as pro-life Democrats,” he added.

Political strategist Albert Eisenberg said, “Democrats will see increased turnout from college-educated women particularly, and it could induce young liberals to show up, but they should be careful about overplaying their hand on abortion issues. There are a lot of pro-life, moderate, and conservative Democrats who are drifting away from the party, particularly Black and Hispanic voters, and this could easily backfire and alienate voters they absolutely cannot afford to lose. Will the GOP realize this and take advantage?”

However, Nina Ahmad, president of the Pennsylvania chapter president of the National Organization for Women, said the high court’s decision on Roe might give people “urgency” to vote for Lamb. Her group endorsed Lamb because of his voting record and because they think he can win in November.

“This one (Lamb) is the only one who has a record and has delivered. (Lt. Gov. John) Fetterman hasn’t done anything for women in his time in office,” said Ahmad.

“As you know things are happening in our nation that are putting women’s rights in peril,” said Ahmad. “You saw the leaked document that came out about the Supreme Court decision and that has galvanized people all over this country, as it should.”

National Organization for Women President Christian Nunes said, “When we saw Justice (Samuel) Alito’s leaked draft of this decision and how detrimental this would be to women…not just women, but to everyone. A lot of times when we think about reproductive justice and access to care and abortion, we think it only applies to women but it doesn’t. It affects all of us.”

“When we read the language in the draft, I don’t know about you all but I heard Jim Crow everywhere, right?

“…women were never guaranteed these (rights) beforehand, so if they weren’t guaranteed these beforehand, so if they weren’t guaranteed in the original writing of the Constitution, they’re not entitled to the right to reproductive freedom or abortion access. This is problematic…We have justices stacked in our court who do not believe women deserve to be treated equal,” said Nunes.

Lamb said, “If you look at Alito’s original draft opinion that’s out there, it reflects this view, this backward-looking view that judges like him often have about what was in the Constitution when the country was founded and what life was like back then. Well, that’s the important difference between me and him, in terms of how we see the law and how we see our duty to protect and serve the public.”

“At that time our society was very different and many people standing here would not have had anything like the same rights and the ability to make a life for themselves that they have now…I am not backward-looking. I’m forward-looking.”

Even though there are only two weeks until the primary, Lamb said, “a lot of people aren’t following it that closely.” But the Roe decision might change that, he added.

And Lamb said he also believes he is more electable than Fetterman, who is the frontrunner.

“What I’m trying to do is tell people about my own record of success,” said Lamb. “I’m not trying to tell people the traits I have are somehow superior to everyone else’s. I’m just telling you, I have in fact won in Republican districts three times in a row and that is something unique among the candidates. For both of the other two (candidates) they have only been in competitive primaries among Democrats. And the day after our nomination, you have to step out into a larger world and engage with voters, Independents, and even moderate Republicans to win in this state. And I know how to do exactly that.”

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Various Pennsylvania candidates for the U.S. Senate and governor responded to the pending Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v Wade leaked to the press Monday evening.

Adding to the mix, President Joe Biden also weighed in Tuesday, calling the right to an abortion “fundamental.”

Pennsylvania voters face a stark choice between the positions of the Republican candidates and those of the Democrats. Not surprisingly, Republicans staked out pro-life stances, and Democrats argued for a woman’s right to choose. Indeed, Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who is running for governor, has been airing ads touting his pledge to protect a woman’s right to an abortion. If elected, Shapiro promised to veto any anti-abortion bills that come to him from the legislature.

And if the leaked draft holds true, the states will have a larger role in determining abortion law. Here are comments from some of the Republicans who are running for governor:

“Once the repeal of Roe v. Wade is official, I am calling on the General Assembly to hold a vote on the Heartbeat Bill (that stops abortion once a baby’s heartbeat can be detected). The time is now for action to protect the rights of the unborn,” state Sen. Douglas Mastriano (R-Franklin) posted on Facebook.

Bill McSwain said via Twitter: “If true, this is, of course, the correct decision, both constitutionally and morally. But this leak is an outrageous attack on the court.”

Charlie Gerow told the Delaware Valley Journal, “I am praying that the leaked document is, in fact, the final decision of the court. It would allow the American people, through their elected representatives, to enact new laws protecting unborn children and honoring women. If Roe is overturned, our job will be to work with the legislature to build consensus and pass the strongest protections for unborn children and women.”

Lou Barletta said, “If this turns out to be accurate, it will be a long-awaited victory for unborn children. In the time since Roe v. Wade was handed down in 1973, tens of millions of babies have been killed, and all through the decades, the pro-life movement has fought to get to this point. If this draft ruling is indicative of the final majority opinion, it will save untold millions of innocent lives in the future. As I have made clear, I will not prejudge or predict what kinds of legislation may come before me, but I will be a pro-life governor, and I will sign pro-life legislation.”

And Dave White mentioned his disabled son, saying, “If (the) report is accurate, it is both a moment of joy and simultaneously one of great sadness. With joy for the millions of innocent lives that will now be spared, but with sorrow for the tens of millions who were never given a chance to laugh or to love. The loss to our society and our humanity that 50 years of Roe has stained our nation with will never be erased, but … I am encouraged that the Supreme Court appears prepared to overturn the injustice that was perpetrated through the Roe v. Wade decision.”

“Every day, I see the grace of God through the eyes of my son, Brian,” he added. “For 33 years, Brian’s life has been our family’s greatest blessing, and it is Brian’s love that drives me to be a better husband, a better father, and a better governor for all Pennsylvanians.”

White said he would be the best candidate to defeat “unabashedly pro-abortion Shapiro.”

And Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Gale said, “In this era of fake news, I pray that the revelation of Roe v. Wade’s reversal is true. Abortion is an atrocity and a stain on our nation. The United States Supreme Court’s 1973 decision legalizing the murder of the innocent unborn was not only unconstitutional but morally reprehensible. If and when Roe v. Wade is overturned and the issue of abortion is returned to the states, as the Republican governor of Pennsylvania I will fight to ensure every life in the womb is protected from the moment of conception.”

Sen. Pro Tempore Jake Corman said, “I am pro-life and have supported extending protections to the unborn since I first ran for office. While I will wait for the formal opinion rather than a leaked draft, you can rest assured that I will sign pro-life legislation that respects life and protects the innocent.  A Corman administration would move swiftly to work with the legislature to craft pro-life legislation that accomplishes these goals.”

Some Senate candidates also commented.

“The court is right. Roe was wrongly decided. Abortion laws should be left up to the American people and their elected representatives. I look forward to supporting pro-life legislation that saves innocent lives in the U.S. Senate,” said Dr. Mehmet Oz, a Republican.

Republican Dave McCormick called the leak, “What an earth-shattering breach of trust that is further evidence of an assault on our institutions.” If the high court overturns Roe v. Wade, he said, “This would be a huge step forward and a huge victory for the protection of life…This is an issue on the campaign trail. It’s already been a flashpoint,” adding that he is pro-life.

“If you’ve heard my story, you know how grateful I am for the decision my grandparents made to support my very young mother and allow me to live rather than be aborted,” said GOP candidate Kathy Barnette. “My life matters. All lives matter and I value all life, from conception until natural death,” Barnette said. “Every one of us was created with a purpose and I am greatly encouraged to see that our nation is prepared to engage in the long-overdue discussion about when life begins and when constitutional protections come full force.”

However, she decried the leak and said those responsible must be “held accountable.”

And Republican Jeff Bartos said in a tweet: “If this is authentic, the Supreme Court and the DOJ must investigate this leak immediately and hold the responsible person(s) accountable. Roe was wrongly decided. The court now has the opportunity to follow the constitution and allow the states to protect the unborn.”

Former Ambassador Carla Sands said, “If Roe v. Wade is overturned, the American people and their elected representatives could then enact measures to uphold and protect the sanctity of all human life. This development underscores the need to elect a U.S. Senator who is truly and unequivocally pro-life. In the U.S. Senate, I would vote in favor of sensible legislation with the goal of saving unborn human lives.”

As for the Democrats running for Senate, state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta tweeted, “Just last week I stood up in the face of fierce opposition and defended the need to expand the court and begin the hard process of rebuilding public trust in this critical institution.”

In a statement, Kenyatta added, “This is a sad day for our nation. Make no mistake, we arrived at this moment because Mitch McConnell shamelessly packed the Supreme Court with radical right-wing extremists. That is why, as your next senator from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I will fight to expand the Supreme Court to reflect the will of the people and to restore the balance of justice in America. And as we figure out how to navigate this painful moment I encourage everyone to be gentle with themselves. I know how deeply held the right to choose is for each of us, especially to the women leading my team. On the debate stage last week, I stood in the face of fierce opposition from my primary opponents on the matter of restoring balance to the Supreme Court and I will proudly do the same as your nominee and as your senator.”

John Fetterman said in two tweets: “Let’s be clear: The right to an abortion is sacred. Democrats have to act quickly – get rid of the filibuster to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act + finally codify Roe into law. We cannot afford to wait.” And, “We cannot afford to wait. Send me to Washington, and I’ll be that 51st vote to codify abortion rights into law.”

Also on Twitter, Congressman Conor Lamb said, “If Dems lose in PA, Congress may never save Roe. Poor women will suffer most. I voted to put Roe into law, I’m endorsed by @NationalNOW, & I’ve voted 100% pro-choice while winning in GOP districts. That’s my record. If I’m your nominee I’ll give you the campaign you deserve.”

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It’s a columnist tradition to write an “end of year” piece about the preceding 12 months, and put everything into focus and context. Many folks try and give a positive spin to catastrophic events, prompting the thought:  can you ever have too much hope? Others are matter of fact in their examination, while still others would find something to complain about even if Jesus came back to earth, gave everyone a blanket absolution and distributed loaves and fishes like Oprah delivering cars in her heyday. (It’s a joke. I already went to confession. Lighten up.)

I used to write that sort of column, obviously lacking in both creativity and ideas, but this year I decided to do something different. This year, I am going to focus on the one event that, for me, synthesized pretty much everything that’s been happening over the past 365 days.

I’ll call it The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and it refers to December 28th, the day that this country lost three of its most notable citizens. Each of them represents an aspect of this country that defines our complications, our virtues and our vices.

On that day, we lost John Madden, Harry Reid and Sarah Weddington.

The first two are fairly well known, and don’t really need an introduction. The last is not a household name, but she’s very familiar to those of us who fight for the lives and dignity of unborn children.

Let’s start with The Good.

John Madden is an example of the best this country has to offer in terms of human beings. He was big, brash, honest, authentic, funny, warm, and deceptively simple. This was a cross between Yogi Berra and Tom Brady, someone who had the gentle approachability of a loveable goofball but the steel-trap mind of a killer (or Super Bowl champion). Very few individuals personify the greatest game, football, the way that Madden did. For Philadelphians, we might hold out for John Facenda and that voice. For old-timers, it might be Vince Lombardi or even Tom Landry and their bespoke sobriety on the sidelines.

But Madden crossed generations, which is understandable since he’d been playing, talking about, coaching or simply breathing football since before I was born (and I just turned 60). He was a championship coach, an Emmy-winning broadcaster, a creative genius in the video game world and someone who loved the game with every sinew of that substantial body. To see someone who was so passionate about something so American, and know that he lived a life filled with grace and gratitude, is its own unique sort of blessing. He was, indeed, The Good.

It’s perhaps unfair to call Harry Reid “The Bad.” The former senate majority leader and longtime senator from Nevada was actually a very effective legislator, and someone who, in his own way, served the country that he loved. There’s nothing particularly “bad” in that. However, Reid was also a forerunner of that type of partisanship that morphed into what we see today. He was the sort of Democrat who wanted to win at all costs, did not brook opposition, could not work “nicely” with his colleagues on the other side, and who was as intransigent in his own way as Donald Trump showed himself to be years later. Reid was the Jurassic version of today’s “Squad,” just with more gravitas and less hair. I don’t mourn his loss as much as I mourn the loss of the civility he helped, in his own way, to destroy.

Which brings me to the ugly, the very, very ugly. Sarah Weddington was a woman of outward beauty, which contrasts so sharply with the body of her life’s work. Weddington’s name is well known in Pro Life circles, because she was the woman who, as a young lawyer in Texas, argued the case for legalizing abortion before the Supreme Court. She was successful, and the decision in Roe v. Wade is largely attributable to her legal skills as well as her legal dishonesty.

The case should never have come to the high court, since it was already moot by the time it was in the hands of the justices. Norma McCorvey, the nominal “Jane Roe,” was no longer pregnant at the time that the case was argued. There was no “pregnant woman” seeking an abortion before the court. There was no longer a “case and controversy” before the court, meaning that the whole thing was what we lawyers call “moot.” But Weddington ignored that, pushed on, and was the driving force behind the decision in Roe.

Harry Blackmun gets the credit (or the blame) for penning the majority decision, but had it not been for Weddington, who actively pursued this case so abortion would finally be legalized, we would not be here 49 years and millions of lost lives later. The great irony of Weddington’s death is that it fell on the Feast of Holy Innocents, a day that Catholics venerate in memory of the babies murdered by Herod when he learned that the Christ Child had been born. How fitting. I like to think those babies are at the Gates of Heaven, asking St. Peter to forgive Weddington, and let her in.

So this day, in the last week of a very difficult year, is what I think represents the arc of our lives in 2021. The Good, the (not so) Bad, and the Ugly.

That’s life.

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With oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) on Wednesday in a Mississippi case that could determine the future of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, various Pennsylvania politicians and interest groups weighed in.

The case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, would ban abortions after 15 weeks in Mississippi. It’s possible the high court could uphold the law by effectively striking down the 1973 ruling. It established a legal right to abortion and restricted the ability of elected legislators to pass laws regulating the controversial medical procedure.

The court is also considering a Texas law that imposed a “fetal heartbeat” restriction on abortions in the Lone Star state. Justices allowed that law to take effect but may issue a ruling abrogating it later.

Pennsylvanians in the pro-life camp say they fervently hope the court upholds the Mississippi law.

“It’s all about the constitutionality,” said Tom Stevens, president and CEO of the Pro-Life Union of Greater Philadelphia, which held a prayer vigil in front of Planned Parenthood in Philadelphia Wednesday morning to ask God to give the Supreme Court justices “wisdom.”

“We’re hopeful that this could even be an overturning of Roe v. Wade and, as we know, Roe v. Wade is bad law,” Stevens said. “And also, the world has changed since then. With today’s modern technology, we’re able to see clearly that a baby early in the womb is a baby.”

The Planned Parenthood Association of Pennsylvania (PPAP) also held demonstrations around the commonwealth Wednesday.

“We are a state with some abortion access in limited areas, with a limited number of providers,” said Signe Espinoza, PPAP executive director. “The results of this Supreme Court case could put pressure on the entire abortion access network throughout the country — including Pennsylvania.”

Some statewide 2022 political candidates offered their thoughts on Wednesday’s hearing.

“It appears the Supreme Court is leaning toward upholding the rights of the states to set limitations on abortion,” said Kathy Barnette, a Republican Senate candidate. “If that ends up being the final decision by the court, that states have the power to limit and restrict abortion, it would be in keeping with the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Democrats for Life President Monica Sparks addresses a crowd outside the DNC headquarters in Washington, D.C. on November 30, 2021.

“In a culture where we are rapidly moving through the Constitution like a whale moves through a net, where our legislators are interacting with the Constitution as if it’s just a list of suggestions, the court’s decision to actually uphold the U.S. Constitution would be a welcome salve for our limping document. Personally, as someone who was conceived through rape when my mother was just 11 years years old, I will always stand alongside those who stand in the defense of life.”

Charlie Gerow, a GOP strategist who is running for governor, agreed the justices may rule in favor of upholding the Mississippi statute.

“I’m very, very grateful to my birth mother for doing the right thing,” said Gerow, who was adopted. “I’m incredibly blessed she made that decision.”

If he becomes governor, Gerow says he would sign a law to make abortion illegal after a baby’s heartbeat can be heard. A similar law was previously vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat.

“I’m a great believer in the blessings of life,” said Gerow.

Republican gubernatorial candidate and former congressman Lou Barletta said, “Abortion takes the life of a child, who if it were allowed to be born, would have all of the rights of any other human being. At that point, killing the baby would rightly be called murder. Abortion activists like to say that abortion is ‘healthcare,’ but where does the unborn baby go for healthcare?

“As Americans, we should do all that we can to protect the most vulnerable, and that should include unborn children,” said Barletta. “I am hopeful the Supreme Court will uphold the Mississippi law.”

Board member Patrick Stanton prays with members of the Pro Life Union of Pennsylvania outside Planned Parenthood in Philadelphia.

Republican Dave White, a former Delaware County councilman who is running for governor said, “As one of 14 children in my family, I’m a strong supporter of life. It’s our duty as a society to protect the most vulnerable among us, including the unborn, and I’ll be following this case closely.”

For Democrat Dr. Val Arkoosh, chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners and U.S. Senate candidate, the issue is a woman’s right to choose.

“This case represents the biggest challenge to Roe v. Wade in decades, just a month after the Supreme Court heard arguments over the six-week Texas abortion ban,” said Arkoosh. “As a doctor on the labor and delivery floor, I sat with patients learning hard truths about their pregnancies and facing difficult choices. But they were choices that were theirs to make. I have seen firsthand how important it is that every patient have access to the full range of healthcare choices and the danger that could come with limiting those decisions. It is truly life and death and we need to act to codify Roe v. Wade.”

GOP gubernatorial candidate Guy Ciarrocchi, who is on hiatus from his job as the president of the Chester County Chamber of Commerce said, “I am pro-life. But, whether or not one agrees with Roe v Wade, we should all be saddened to know that millions of babies have died—30,000 each year in our state. The decision focused on a baby’s viability in 1973. At a minimum, we should all agree that viability is now much, much earlier due to scientific advances. So, Roe is now not only bad law, it’s based on very, very outdated science. It is time for Roe to be replaced.”

Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Gale, a candidate for governor, promised to “protect every child from the moment of conception. Allowing the most defenseless and voiceless among us to be murdered in the womb is unacceptable, unethical, and unforgivable. Under my leadership, Pennsylvania will be a sanctuary state for innocent unborn human life.”

A spokesman for state Sen. Jake Corman (R-Centre), who is also running for governor, said Corman is “pro-life and a supporter of Pennsylvania’s Abortion Control Act and has worked to strengthen the law. With advances in medical care, he supports doing all we can to protect the sanctity of life.”

Dr. Nche Zama, a cardiothoracic surgeon who is running for governor said, “All human life is precious, including the unborn, and must be cherished and protected.”

“While I am not supportive of unsustainable, and historically-ineffective, draconian and vigilante policies such as we have witnessed in Texas, I understand that there are extremely rare cases where an abortion is medically indicated,” said Zama,  Republican. “Like many clinicians  I do believe that a woman faced with a decision to commit an abortion is really crying out for help and no policy on this matter can ever be effective if it is punitive, does not address root cause, and fails to consider her an important stakeholder. She needs counseling and other resources that can enable her to appreciate the alternative of preserving human life including the option of adoption. What the general public may not be aware of is the long term adverse remorseful psychological impact on a woman after an abortion. By the same token the woman who has rejected the abortion alternative should never feel abandoned by society as she struggles socially and economically to raise the child. To be effective and meaningful our commitment to the preservation of human life must be holistic and not only to satisfy a fleeting agenda.”

In contrast, Attorney General Josh Shapiro, the only Democrat running for governor so far, released this statement:

“The Mississippi case before the United States Supreme Court could nullify the law of the land set by Roe v. Wade, and rob women of their constitutional right to control their own bodies. The extremists behind these laws won’t stop with abortion. A decision upholding Mississippi’s law would threaten many rights Americans have come to depend on, including the right to marry and access to contraception, based on a radical, narrow-minded, and unilateral reinterpretation of the Constitution. My office filed an amicus brief in this case supporting a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion, and we will continue to use the full force of this office and decades of precedent to defend that right.”

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