Long Islanders disgusted, elated over Supreme Court abortion draft

A leaked Supreme Court draft opinion striking down the legal right to an abortion left Long Islanders for and against overturning the ruling stunned by its timing but for some, less so by its content.

The court had heard the arguments in December at the heart of the draft — Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which challenges Mississippi’s ban on abortions after 15 weeks — and was widely presumed, with six conservative justices, to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision by June.

Some Long Islanders in support of ending the 1973 ruling legalizing abortion said Tuesday the draft was an answer to their prayers — if an early one — while opponents considered it an outrage and a clear indicator of what's to come.

“It’s way more than just a draft of a devastating Supreme Court decision,” said Joy Calloway, interim president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, which has offices in Hempstead, New York City and upstate. “It’s a clear road map for how the court intends to dismantle our fundamental right to safe, legal abortion … even in this great state of New York where we have the rights to abortion codified in our state constitution, none of us are really safe.”

The Diocese of Rockville Centre appreciates "any opportunity to draw attention to the sanctity of every human life, created by God," said spokesperson Sean Dolan. "As to the leaked draft from the Supreme Court, we point to the statement of the New York State Catholic Conference.”

The Albany-based Catholic Conference said in a statement that leaking the Supreme Court draft was "an egregious breach of trust, and an attack on the integrity of the Judicial Branch of government. When our highest court cannot operate free of political interference or intimidation, it serves as a stark example that nothing is sacred any more. While we fervently pray for legal protections of unborn children, we will not dignify the goals of the leaker by commenting on the contents of the draft document."

The court Tuesday confirmed the authenticity of the draft published Monday night by the news website Politico. 

“I really have prayed for a very long time, and prayed, fasted, gone to church,” said Amanda Bonagura, 39, a member of Respect Life Ministry of Our Lady of Victory Roman Catholic Church, and an advocate of a federal abortion ban.

Still, Bonagura acknowledged, New York State is not likely to outlaw abortion anytime soon.

“Obviously, New York is a tough place, a very tough place," she said.

On Long Island, there were 5,656 abortions in 2019 — 2,996 in Nassau and 2,660 in Suffolk — according to the state health department. By comparison, there were 28,878 live births — 13,877 in Nassau and 15,001 in Suffolk.

In New York City, there were 46,981 abortions and 104,294 live births, the health department reported.

And statewide, there were 74,211 abortions and 220,536 live births.

By Tuesday night, a group of about 100 people, mostly women, rallied outside the Nassau County Courthouse in Mineola. Some held signs with messages such as “Pro-Choice” and chanted “My body, my choice.”

Judi Rosen Lipner, of Melville, said she was “appalled” by the draft decision.

“I had a medical abortion over 20 years ago,” said Rosen Lipner, 67. “That procedure under this opinion would be outlawed today.”

If Roe is rolled back, said Juli Grey-Owens, executive director of the advocacy group Gender Equality New York, at the rally, other federal laws could face the same fate so attendees need to “get out and vote.”

At Manhattan's Foley Square, thousands chanted and jeered the court's draft ruling.

State Attorney General Letitia James led the crowd in a chant of "my body, my choice!"

"This is a call to action. This is a five-alarm fire, my friends. This is the time to act!" James told the crowd, also saying she had an abortion when she was New York City Councilwoman.

"We will not go back into those days when we used wire hangers," she continued. "Not now! Not ever!"

Some protesters held signs. “Abortion on demand without apology," read one. 

"This is safe to you?" said another handwritten in a marker, a hanger pictured nearby.

Kiana Abbady of Freeport, a board member of the Long Island Progressive Coalition, said she was heartened to see President Joe Biden and federal lawmakers speak out quickly against the draft decision. She said that focus should be on states where people will face the greatest challenges in accessing abortion.

“These activists need our support from all Long Island,” she said. “We will have rallies. We will stand in solidarity with them.”

Other abortion rights advocates weren't surprised by the draft's decision.

“I expected it but was still horrified at the same time,” said Sharon Golden of Oceanside, co-administrator of Together We Will Long Island, an advocacy group that focuses on several issues including the rights of women, immigrants and the trans community. “It was our worst nightmare … we’re turning the clock back to the Dark Ages.”

Golden said she is especially concerned about other states banning or heavily restricting abortions, even in cases that involve victims of rape who become pregnant.

Calloway, of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, said the decision, if eventually is affirmed by the court, will set the stage for other important rights to be rolled back.

“It’s not hypothetical anymore. It’s not hyperbole,” she said. “This is the beginning of the slippery slope — voting rights, marriage equality — all of that is going to follow if we don’t address this right now,” she said.

In Louise O’Connor's view, New York would make the right choice if lawmakers banned abortion.

“New York happens to be very, very abortion-minded," said O'Connor, 86, of Life Center of Long Island in Massapequa, which bills itself on its website as "A Voice for the Unborn on Long Island."

"I don’t know what’s gonna happen here, but it’s a step,” she said.

She said of abortion being made illegal in more places: “We’re very optimistic for the future. … We’re not there yet.”