Pro-choice activists are planning protests in churches on Mother’s Day and are preparing visits to Supreme Court justices’ homes next week to express anger over an anticipated ruling overturning legalized abortion.
The activist group “Ruth Sent Us,” named for the late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, is challenging people to protest inside a Catholic Church on Sunday and it published a map purporting to show Republican-appointed justices’ homes for a “Walk-by Wednesday” demonstration.
“Whether you’re a ’Catholic for Choice,’ ex-Catholic, of other or no faith, recognize that six extremist Catholics set out to overturn Roe,” the group said on Twitter. “Stand at or in a local Catholic Church on Sun May 8. #WarOnWomen #MothersDayStrike.”
The group published locations for three of the justices in Virginia and three of the justices in Maryland in a map embedded on its website. The “extremist justices” targeted by the activists include Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito, Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas.
Not all of the targeted justices are Catholic and at least one of them may not be on board with the leaked draft opinion overturning legalized abortion.
While Justice Neil Gorsuch was educated at a Catholic school as a child, he said during his 2017 confirmation hearings that he then attended an Episcopalian church in Colorado.
According to CNN, Justice Roberts was prepared to not join the draft opinion circulated by Justice Alito overturning Roe v. Wade and the 1992 case Casey v. Planned Parenthood.
The activists, however, believe protesting at churches and at the justices’ homes is in keeping with their beliefs of “Women Deserve Trust,” “Black Lives Matter,” “Love is Love,” and “No Human Is Illegal.”
“Our 6-3 extremist Supreme Court routinely issues rulings that hurt women, racial minorities, LGBTQ+ and immigrant rights,” the group said on its website. “We must rise up to force accountability using a diversity of tactics.”
The Ruth Sent Us protesters’ website said its credo is in keeping with the late Justice Ginsburg’s own beliefs.
Conservatives argue that the protesters are besmirching Justice Ginsburg’s name. Judicial Crisis Network President Carrie Severino said the pro-choice group is helping to desecrate the civility and decency that Justice Ginsburg fostered during her lifetime.
“Would Justice Ginsburg have appreciated people picketing the private home of her colleague for whom her husband had baked birthday cakes and who regularly would gallantly escort her off the bench following arguments (Justice Thomas)?” Ms. Severino said on Twitter.
Congress also has taken notice of efforts to target individual Supreme Court justices. Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Republican, said Thursday he introduced the “Supreme Court Police Parity Act” with Sen. Chris Coons, Delaware Democrat, to provide enhanced law enforcement support to the justices and their families.
According to Mr. Cornyn’s office, the bill would extend security protection to the justices’ families, extend arrest authority to Supreme Court police when people interfere with the court’s work, and make obstructing or impeding Supreme Court police a crime.
Barricades have also been constructed surrounding the Supreme Court in Washington.
The “Ruth Sent Us” group is organizing its actions on social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, and it pledged on Twitter to share videos of people participating in protests and tag them so that they get attention on social media, too.
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.
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