In response to and in anticipation of protests over the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine urged Ohioans on Friday to engage in a “civil debate” in a message that was both televised and uploaded on the governor’s Twitter account.
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“It’s going to be very easy to let this debate get down and be rough and tough and there is nothing wrong with a spirited debate, but I think the way that we do it and do it in a civil way and with respect for each other is important,” DeWine stated. “We must do it in a way that recognizes that smart, sincere, dedicated, and caring people can have very, very different and equally heartfelt views,” he clarified.
DeWine stated that he would collaborate with the General Assembly and local communities to increase the quality of pre- and post-natal care, as well as mental health care for women and children.
“I believe that all Ohioans want this state to be the most pro-family, pro-child state in the country, and we are making great progress in creating an environment here in Ohio where families and children can thrive and live up to their full potential,” DeWine declared.
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Republican Ohio Attorney General David Yost announced on Twitter that he launched an “emergency” motion in federal court on Friday to lift the injunction against the state’s Heartbeat Law. Abortions would have been prohibited as early as six weeks into a pregnancy under the law.
Contrarily to DeWine’s attitude, California governor Gavin Newsom was “pissed, resolved, and angry” as he signed a new bill expanding abortion rights in the state on Friday.
Also read: Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom signs bill protecting abortion rights in California
“Never would this happen if men were the ones having babies – ever – and you know that, and I know that. Every damn person knows that. And that’s the elephant in the room,” Newsom claimed. “Because women are treated as second-class citizens in this country. Women are treated as less than. Women are not as free as men. That’s pretty damn sick.”