Roe v. Wade: how did this decision influence you personally?

[Permanut]

5. It was common knowledge in the 1950's in Portland, Oregon..

that a doctor Ruth Barnett was doing abortions every day, and made a lot of money doing it. She did them correctly, and the local police and city administrators mostly looked the other way. There was a tacit understanding that she was saving lives by providing an alternative to the "back alley abortion".

She served time twice in Multnomah County jail, and once for "a stretch" in the women's state prison in Salem, but never lost the conviction that she was providing a necessary service to the women of Oregon.

After Roe v. Wade, the black cloud was at least partially lifted from her and the other abortion providers, and it was apparent to me, even as young as I was then, that Roe v. Wade had not opened the floodgates of abortion; they were happening anyway, and the local women were just fortunate to have Dr. Ruth Barnett to help them using medically sound practices.

Overturning Roe v. Wade would not stop abortions; it would make them more dangerous, because not everyone would have a Dr. Ruth Barnett to turn to.


http://www.oregonlive.com/O/index.ssf/2009/08/early_portland_abortion_provid.html