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Overturning Roe v. Wade may be irrelevant

James Maxon

Minot

Roe v. Wade was decided while I was still in law school. Now, as I enter my 75th year on this earth, the division regarding abortion continues. Obviously where one stands is a core belief which means minds are made up……period.

That said, what will be the practical, albeit, provincial effect on residents of the state of North Dakota if Roe v. Wade is overturned? There is presently only one abortion clinic in North Dakota. It is located in Fargo. Fargo and Moorhead are twin cities. Isn’t it predictable that the Fargo abortion clinic will move across the river to Moorhead? The Red River that divides these two towns is quite elementary to cross. Minnesota has not erected a wall to hinder their fellow Scandinavians from crossing the state border. It is 268 miles from Minot to Fargo. The interstate bridges are all less than a mile long. How much will accessibility to abortion for North Dakota women really change.

Additionally, abortion is legal in Canada. Regina, Saskatchewan, is 244 miles from Minot. Grade school math tells us that Regina is 24 miles closer to Minot than Fargo-Moorhead. Winnipeg, Manitoba, is 287 miles from Minot, a mere 21 miles further than Fargo-Moorhead.

In 1973, AL Gore had not yet invented the internet. Jeff Bezos had not yet invented Amazon. At the present time, a significant percentage of abortions are accomplished by medication, not by surgical procedure. Legislation attempting to modify behavior has its limits. Prohibition, criminalizing marijuana, prohibiting interracial marriage, and punishing homosexuality have all been tried by various state legislatures. No matter what your personal feelings may be on these issues, it is clear that restricting them has been ineffective. Overturning Roe v. Wade will relocate, not abolish abortion. Feel free on both sides to pound your drums. That is exercising your right of free speech. Meanwhile, while noise continues, so predictable behavior unmodified by judges with whom they disagree.

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