My name is Bryn Turnquist, and this summer, I was a front leading activist and gathered information on abortion access, and witnessed the fallout directly after the overturn of Roe v. Wade. In this brief synopsis, I cover three of the most impactful moments during our “summer of rage.”
The draft opinion of Roe v. Wade leaks.
The world caught on fire the day of May 2, 2022. Polito leaked a draft opinion of a supreme court case that would overturn the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision. It was a mournful day indeed. I called up my mother, and we cried together. After we cried, I got to work.
I grabbed my friends, some sharpies, and a few cardboard boxes from the trash room. We made our signs and set out to let our voices be heard. We would not back down. We were on a mission to preserve our rights before they were taken from us. This would be the Summer of Rage.
June 24, 2022:
Roe v. Wade is officially overturned.
June 24, 2022, was a turning point for many Americans. After many a plea and failure of the government to codify Roe vs. Wade, the opinion is finalized and published. Justice Clarence Thomas strikes down an essential women’s right- an essential human right. To make matters worse, the official opinion mentions the possible overturn of other unenumerated rights such as interracial and same-sex marriage.
This news further shocked me into gear, and I returned to the streets. It seemed that we had forgotten our rage as quickly as we had accumulated it. After talking to fellow protesters, I understood that the initial draft was not seriously considered by many because it was “just a draft.” This motivated me to prevent this from happening to the rest of my- and everyone else’s- rights. As soon as we forget, we are vulnerable. I would carry my rage with me online, in person, in the streets, everywhere. I was ready to right.
I decided that I was going to take a more active role. I began organizing and planning action and civil disobedience measures. In conjunction with other activists, we planned and executed a major protest down New York City’s Fifth Avenue. I led our group with chants and called those on the streets to join in our action. These actions led to far more interest in our mission.
July fourth? July Farce!
July 4, 2022, was by far the most successful day in our “Summer of Rage.” This was because many Americans were stuck wondering “Why am I celebrating the fourth of July? What freedom?” This rage was channeled into productivity and painted in the streets. We marched from Union Square to Times Square, accumulating more marchers as we went. It was uncomfortable, but so were we. Our protests reached national news networks and provoked reflection throughout the country. What were we celebrating on the fourth of July? We would not be celebrating a country that strips us of our fundamental rights.
Our "Summer of Rage" was largely successful, but there is still much to do. Our society appears to have short-term memory in terms of our government's violations. Although our summer is over, our rage is not. I will continue to aid and abet abortion, and lead the fight for our fundamental right to bodily autonomy.
No comments:
Post a Comment