USA-Abortion Rights/Utah Residents

Shotlist

Salt Lake City, Utah, USA – June 29, 2022 (CGTN – No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of U.S. national flag, city view, people riding
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Margo, housewife (full name not given):
“I do not agree with the decision and think that they did not do the burden of proof of overturning a constitutional right that’s been there for the past five decades.”

Washington D.C., USA – June 25, 2022 (CCTV – No access Chinese mainland)
3. Various of protesters holding placards, chanting slogans outside Supreme Court

Salt Lake City, Utah, USA – June 29, 2022 (CGTN – No access Chinese mainland)
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Erin Smith, local resident:
“I find it very disturbing, because they’ve decided the fate and actions of millions here in the United States. They only took their point of view into consideration, though the Supreme Court really isn’t meant to do that. They’re really supposed to be looking at the populace as a whole and how the Constitution applies to all, not just a few, which is disturbing.”

Los Angeles, California, USA – June 26, 2022 (CGTN – No access Chinese mainland)
5. Various of protest in progress

Salt Lake City, Utah, USA – June 29, 2022 (CGTN – No access Chinese mainland)
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Erin Smith, local resident:
“They should keep it legal. That’s more of somebody’s personal life. They don’t ever have to share that publicly in any way, shape or form, but with the government making it illegal, they just put a lot of people at risk. Abortions won’t go away, even though they are illegal. They’ll just make them really dangerous again for the population.”

Washington D.C., USA – June 25, 2022 (CCTV – No access Chinese mainland)
7. Various of protesters outside Supreme Court

Salt Lake City, Utah, USA – June 29, 2022 (CGTN – No access Chinese mainland)
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Barbara, housewife (full name not given) (partially overlaid with shot 9):
“I’m saddened and deeply frustrated, and it scares me where this country is going. I think that abortion is a personal decision and it’s part of your medical health, and it should be legal, safe and available to everyone.”

++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
Washington D.C., USA – June 25, 2022 (CCTV – No access Chinese mainland)
9. Protesters outside Supreme Court
++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++

Los Angeles, California, USA – June 26, 2022 (CGTN – No access Chinese mainland)
10. Protest in progress

Storyline

People in the U.S. state of Utah that had an abortion ban blocked have stated that abortion is a right that belongs to every woman, the ban of which would only put more of them at risk.

On June 24, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, that for nearly 50 years ensured the constitutional right to an abortion. Over 10 states preemptively passed so-called “trigger laws” – designed to snap into effect immediately or soon after a Roe reversal.

The Planned Parenthood Association of Utah immediately filed a lawsuit seeking to block the state’s ban on abortion, arguing that the law violates the equal protection and privacy clauses of the state constitution by banning abortion rights in cases of rape, incest, or a mother’s health at risk. Utah has now had an abortion ban blocked in state court, which has allowed abortions to resume in the state.

China Global Television Network (CGTN) talked to Salt Lake City, Utah, residents to find out their attitudes toward abortion rights and whether the state law will protect their rights after Roe v. Wade was overturned.

“I do not agree with the decision and think that they did not do the burden of proof of overturning a constitutional right that’s been there for the past five decades,” said Margo, a housewife.

Other people said that the Supreme Court should look at the populace as a whole, and that it’s disturbing to make decisions by taking the point of view of just a few.

“I find it very disturbing, because they’ve decided the fate and actions of millions here in the United States. They only took their point of view into consideration, though the Supreme Court really isn’t meant to do that. They’re really supposed to be looking at the populace as a whole and how the Constitution applies to all, not just a few, which is disturbing,” said Erin Smith, a resident.

Smith also said that abortions will not go away even if they are made illegal, which will only put more women at risk.

“They should keep it legal. That’s more of somebody’s personal life. They don’t ever have to share that publicly in any way, shape or form, but with the government making it illegal, they just put a lot of people at risk. Abortions won’t go away, even though they are illegal. They’ll just make them really dangerous again for the population,” he said.

Some people said that abortion is a personal decision which should be made by women themselves and be available to everyone.

“I’m saddened and deeply frustrated, and it scares me where this country is going. I think that abortion is a personal decision and it’s part of your medical health, and it should be legal, safe and available to everyone,” said Barbara, another housewife.