Essay on The Roe V. Wade Case

Whether or not women should have the right to an abortion is an argument that is on the news a lot nowadays. This argument dates back to the early 1970s and the Roe v. Wade court case. In fact, the Roe v. Wade case is one of the most talked about supreme court cases to date. It took place in Texas, where state law only allowed abortion to save the life of the mother. “Jane Roe”, a pseudonym for the appellant, wanted to have an abortion. However, the appellee, Henry Wade, argued that it was unconstitutional and against the law. The case was argued on December 13, 1971, and after almost three years, a decision was made on January 22, 1973. It was a 7-2 decision for Jane Roe. Abortion, it was decided, “Fell within the right to privacy protected by the fourteenth amendment” (oyez 1). Abortion laws of forty six states were changed because of this decision. It is clear that the Roe v. Wade case made a big impact everywhere in the United States. Because of the national impact of this case, the president, Richard Nixon at the time, had a lot to say about it. However, he never publicly voiced his opinion. Instead, he reacted privately, but his reaction was caught on tapes. These tapes were made a day after the decision through a secret recording device in the oval office. The tapes were not released until 2009, thirty six years after they were made. President Nixon was known to be opposed to abortion, however the tapes expressed mixed feelings. In a recording of the tapes, found on…