Kamala Harris urged abortion activists Sunday to keep fighting while accusing the U.S. Supreme Court of taking away women’s “right” to abort their unborn babies.
Townhall reports the Democrat leader gave a speech to mark the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade in Tallahassee, Florida, near the state Capitol where lawmakers may pass additional protections for unborn babies this year.
“The right of every woman in every state in the country to make decisions about her own body is on the line,” Harris said.
“For nearly 50 years, Americans relied on the rights that Roe protected,” she continued. “Today, however, on what would have been its 50th anniversary, we speak of the Roe decision in the past tense, because last June the United States Supreme Court took away that constitutional right, a fundamental right, a basic freedom from the people of America, from the women of America.”
The 1973 ruling forced states to legalize abortion on demand up to viability and allowed abortions up to birth. As a result, the lives and rights of more than 64 million unborn babies were destroyed.
However, Harris claimed her support for unrestricted abortions up to birth and taxpayer-funded abortions puts her on the “right side” of the debate, NBC 10 reports.
“We are fighting for something. History is going to show we are on the right side of this issue,” she told a group of abortion activists ahead of her speech Sunday. “So let us not be deterred, let us not be overwhelmed. This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves.”
In her speech, she specifically criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a pro-life Republican and likely presidential candidate, for wanting to protect unborn babies’ right to life. According to The News Service of Florida, Harris used the word “freedom” frequently and attacked DeSantis with one of his own quotes: a description of Florida as “freedom’s vanguard.”
“Can we truly be free if so-called leaders claim to be quote, I quote, on the vanguard of freedom while they dare to restrict the rights of the American people and attack the very foundations of freedom?” Harris said.
In June, since the Supreme Court overturned Roe, 14 states have begun protecting unborn babies from abortion and more are fighting in court to do so. Florida began limiting abortions after 15 weeks last year as a result of the Dobbs v. Jackson ruling. Now, state Republican leaders are considering additional legislation to protect unborn babies when the new session begins in March.
The Republican Party of Florida responded to Harris’s speech by calling out Democrats’ abortion extremism, according to Townhall.
“Democrats are proudly cheerleading barbaric policies to allow unrestricted abortions — including infanticide. That’s all anyone needs to know,” the party said in a statement.
Two new polls show growing public support for legal protections for unborn babies. Last week, a Marist College poll found 69 percent of Americans support limiting or banning abortions, up from 62 percent in June. Another new poll from UMass Amherst found a 5-percent drop in those who say Congress should pass a law to make abortions legal nationwide and a 6-percent increase in support for a national abortion ban, WCVB News reports.