COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Supreme Court on Friday stripped away the nation's constitutional protections for abortion that had stood for nearly a half-century. The decision by the court's conservative majority overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling ruling and is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states.
The ruling is getting mixed reviews from advocates here in the Midlands.
The Palmetto Family Council says Roe v. Wade getting overturned brings hope to conservative Republicans while the Appleseed Legal Justice Center, which represents many reproductive advocacy groups in the state, is asking 'what's next?'
The exciting part for us is that, you know, to be honest with you, a lot of conservatives have hoped for this day for nearly 50 years," said Mitch Prosser with Palmetto Family Council.
Prosser said the new ruling, which overturns Roe v. Wade, will allow for a wider platform for pro-life issues, "including palliative care focusing on foster care and adoption and what it looks like in the community to wrap their arms of support around those in foster care and adoption."
Sue Berkowitz with South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center said the decision will help South Carolina legislators to move forward with banning abortion.
"And so, for South Carolina, my understanding is the legislature is already poised to come in on July 1st and make decisions about a woman's health care," Berkowitz said.
Berkowitz said the decision is inconsistent with another decision the court made on gun laws. In the decision against gun laws, the Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional for individual states to make laws about guns.
"And then we have a decision today where constitutional right was thrown back to the states with the knowledge that many states, probably half of them, would take that constitutional right," Berkowitz said.
People who support and oppose the decision gathered at the State House Friday to voice their opinions.
"I am here to see what's next on our agenda," Bonnie Stanley said. "I know that Roe versus Wade has been overturned, which personally I'm okay with that. I'm totally against abortion. I'm completely against it."
Stanley said the decision came down to being about personal rights more than it was about abortion.
Another person said she's upset that nothing was done before getting to this point.
"I am distraught, I am upset I am angry, saddened any kind of negative adjectives that I can find," Camille Roberson said. "I feel betrayed by our Democratic leadership. I guess I expected this from what comes from the right."
For now, South Carolina waits to hear from Governor McMaster on whether there will be a special session to decide the fate of abortion in the state.