United States (US) Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday, 3 May, delivered a passionate defence of reproductive rights during her speech at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington.
"Some Republican leaders are trying to weaponize the use of the law against women. How dare they? How dare they tell a woman what she can and cannot do with her own body? How dare they try to stop her from determining her own future? How dare they try to deny women their rights and their freedoms?"
The US Supreme Court has privately voted to strike down the landmark Roe v Wade decision that has guaranteed the right to abortion for nearly 50 years, according to a leaked draft opinion published on Monday, 2 May, by Politico.
Harris, in her speech, asserted that it was the Democratic Party that took the rights of women into consideration.
"Which party wants to expand our rights? And which party wants to restrict them? It has never been more clear. Which party wants to lead us forward? And which party wants to push us back? You know, some Republican leaders, they want to take us back to a time before Roe v. Wade."
She also emphasised on the issue of privacy.
"At its core, Roe recognizes the fundamental right to privacy. Think about that for a minute. When the right to privacy is attacked, anyone in our country may face a future where the government can interfere in their personal decisions. Not just women. Anyone."
"Let us fight for our country and for the principles upon which it was founded, and let us fight with everything we have got," Harris added.
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