Abortion Bans, Anti-Choice Urban Planning, and Judicial Thank-You Notes

Mississippi: Following in South Dakota’s Footsteps

Now that the South Dakota legislature has passed a widespread abortion ban, other states want to get in on the action. Not to be outdone, Mississippi is also about to pass a sweeping abortion ban that would outlaw most abortions in the state.

The Newest Assault on Choice: Urban Planning

CNN is reporting that Domino’s Pizza founder, Thomas S. Monaghan, wants to build a town in Florida that would run on what he sees as Roman Catholic principles. Not only would it be impossible to obtain an abortion in the town, called Ave Maria, but pharmacies would not be allowed to provide birth control pills or condoms. The ACLU is already looking into the legality of Monahan’s proposed urban-planning policies.

Alito Thanks Focus on the Family

Why did Justice Alito write a thank-you note to anti-choice organization Focus on the Family? James Dobson, the organization’s president, read part of Alito’s thank-you note on his radio broadcast. The Supreme Court Justice wrote that ”the prayers of so many people from around the country were a palpable and powerful force. As long as I serve on the Supreme Court, I will keep in mind the trust that has been placed in me.” Both Alito and Dobson claim that the note is harmless but groups fighting for the separation of church and state disagree.