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CHAPTER 6
TWO INFAMOUS DAYS IN THE U.S.A.
MARCH 6, 1857
JANUARY 22, 1973
1857:
On March 6, 1857 the U.S. Supreme Court finally decided a very vexing question which had troubled the citizens of the United States for many years. In the landmark Dred Scott Decision the court ruled once and for all that black people were not legal "persons" according to the U.S. Constitution. A slave was the property of the owner and could be bought and sold, used, or even killed by the owner at the owner’s discretion. The ruling was final. It was by the highest court in the land.
Those who opposed slavery protested, but were met with the retort: "So you oppose slavery? It is against your moral, religious, and ethical convictions? Well, you don’t have to own a slave, but don’t impose your morality on the slave owner. He has the right to choose to own a slave. The Supreme Court has spoken. Slavery is legal."
But not for long. It took a bloody civil war to stop
slavery. It took the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution to legally grant freedom, civil rights, and voting rights. From a socioeconomic view, we are still striving for full equality.1973:
On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court finally decided a very vexing question which had troubled the citizens of the United States for many years. In a landmark Decision, the court ruled once and for all that unborn humans were not legal "persons" according to the U.S. Constitution. An unborn baby was the property of the owner (mother), and she could have the baby killed at her request because of her health (social distress). This could be done at any time until birth. The ruling was final. It was by the highest court in the land.
Those who opposed abortion protested, but were met with a retort that seemed an echo of slavery days. "So you oppose abortion? It is against your moral, religious, and ethical convictions? Well, you don’t have to have an abortion, but don’t impose your morality on the mother (the owner). She has the right to choose to have an abortion. The Supreme Court has spoken. Abortion is legal."
The goal of a Constitutional Amendment or reversal by the Court is still ahead. But the pro-life movement continues to grow. It is now the largest grassroots movement in the history of the U.S.A.
Then, the discrimination was on the basis of skin color. Now, it is on the basis of age and place of residence (living in the womb).
| SLAVERY Dred Scott 1857 7-2 Decision Black Non-person Property of owner Choose to Buy-Sell-Kill Abolitionists Should Not Impose Morality on Slave owner Slavery Is Legal |
ABORTION Roe vs. Wade 7-2 Decision Unborn Non-person Property of Owner (Mother) Choose to Keep or Kill Pro-lifers Should Not Impose Morality on Mother Abortion Is Legal |
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