It's is 12:45am. Laura Fix and I have been sitting outside the U.S. Supreme Court since 7:30pm and the weather is not on our side. We are 11th and 12th in line for tomorrow's argument in two chalenges to the first-ever federal ban on abortion practice and it's pouring.
I think we both managed to figure out how to sleep in our folding chairs with umbrellas propped above us. Of course, no sooner than we finally managed to doze off the protestors started with megaphones. I woke up and for the first time asked myself what I was doing out here. But perfectly timed came a buzz on my cell phone and a text message from my sister that South Dakotans had defeated the abortion ban in their state.
The megaphones and rain continue and we have another nine hours ahead of us, but I got the reminder I needed as to why I am here. Women's reproductive health care in this country is in desperate need of protection. The defeat of the ban in South Dakota tonight proved that the efforts of the ACLU are paying off. Hopefully the justices tomorrow will recognize the same thing -- doctors not politicans should make medical decisions. For now, its back to sleeping in the rain ...
