Skip to content
NOWCAST KOCO 6:30am-7am Weekday Morning
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

Both sides of abortion debate in OKC metro react to news of Roe v. Wade being overturned

Both pro-choice and pro-life activists agree that today's decision will leave a mark on history

Both sides of abortion debate in OKC metro react to news of Roe v. Wade being overturned

Both pro-choice and pro-life activists agree that today's decision will leave a mark on history

JESSICA: ALEX, WHAT ARE BOTH SIDES TELLING YOU AT THIS POINT. ALEXANDRIA JESS AND EVAN, TODAY : IT’S BEEN A VERY EMOTIONAL DAY FOR BOTH SIDES. I’M IN NORMAN NOW OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE I -- AND YOU CAN SEE SOME PRO-CHOICE SUPPORTERS. AN HOUR AGO, I FOLLOWED THEM UP THE STAIRS TO TALK TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY SO THEY CAN VOICE THEIR CONCERNS TO HIM, THAT BY THE TIME WE GOT UPSTAIRS, HE WAS ALREADY GONE. WE KNOW THIS IS A VERY DISAPPOINTING DAY FOR SOME, BUT FOR OTHERS, IT IS A CELEBRATION. IT’S A DAY THAT WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY. >> I’VE GOTTEN A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING ON OUR FACEBOOK, WELL WHAT DO WE DO NOW? >> IT WAS KIND OF A PINCH ME MOMENT. I WASN’T QUITE SURE IF IT WAS REALLY HAPPENING. ALEXANDRIA THE NEWS OF THE : SUPREME COURT OVERTURNING ROE V WADE HAS BOTH SIDES TALKING IN OKLAHOMA. ARCHBISHOP PAUL COAKLEY SAYS HE BELIEVES IT’S A DAY THAT WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED. >> JANUARY 2, 1973, WAS A DATE THAT WILL LIVE IN INFAMY AND PERHAPS IN THE FUTURE JUNE 24, 2022 WILL BE A DAY THAT WILL BE REMEMBERED AS ONE OF THOSE DAYS, -- DAYS. ALEXANDRIA BUT FOR PRO-CHOICE . OKC CO-FOUNDER ANNA ARTZ, IT’S ANOTHER DAY TO KEEP FIGHTING FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS. >> WERE NOW GROWING UP WITH LESS RIGHTS THAN OUR MOTHERS HAD, IT’S INSANE TO HAVE THESE THINGS STRIPPED FROM US. DISAPPOINTMENT, IT WASN’T ANYTHING SHOCKING WE HAD KIND OF GOTTEN THAT LEAK BEFORE THAT THIS IS MOST LIKELY THE OUTCOME OF THE SUPREME COURTS DECISION, SO ITS REALLY JUST WAITING FOR THE HAMMER TO DROP. ALEXANDRIA SHE SAYS THEY ARE : DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO HELP SOME WOMEN FIND THE HELP THEY NEED. >> WE’VE HELPED A FEW PEOPLE WITH LIKE GAS MONEY GETTING THEM OUT THERE, GETTING THEM IN TOUCH WITH THE CLINICS OUT THERE, FINDING WHERE THEY CAN GO AND STAY THAT’S LIKE A CHEAP HOTEL AND JUST REALLY OFFERING TO DRIVE THEM SOMEWHERE. ALEXANDRIA: BUT FOR THOSE WHO SUPPORT PRO-LIFE MEASURES. >> IT’S A DAY WE’VE BEEN PRAYING FOR THIS DAY FOR A LONG TIME. AND I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT THE PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT THE DECISION IS GOING TO MEAN, IT DOESN’T MEAN OUTLAWING ABORTION THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY BUT RETURNING THE DECISION ABOUT ABORTION TO THE VOTERS OF EACH STATE. ALEXANDRIA AFTER HEARING FROM : BOTH SIDES OF THE CONVERSATION TODAY, THEY SAY THIS I
Advertisement
Both sides of abortion debate in OKC metro react to news of Roe v. Wade being overturned

Both pro-choice and pro-life activists agree that today's decision will leave a mark on history

For some Oklahomans, the news that the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade is something to celebrate.For others, it’s a huge disappointment.But for both sides, it’s an emotional day. It’s a day that will go down in history. “I’ve gotten a lot of people asking on our Facebook, ‘Well, what do we do now?’” said Anna Artz, co-founder of Pro Choice OKC. Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley said: “It was kind of a pinch-me moment. I wasn’t quite sure if it was really happening.”|MORE| Gov. Kevin Stitt, AG John O'Connor discuss Supreme Court overturning Roe v. WadeThe news about Roe has both sides talking. Coakley said it’s a day that will always be remembered.“Janu. 2, 1973, was a date that will live in infamy and perhaps June 24, 2022, will be a day that will be remembered as one of those dates in the history of our nation,” he said.But for Artz, it’s another day to keep fighting for women’s rights.|MORE| Roe v. Wade Overturned: What are Oklahoma's anti-abortion laws?"We’re now growing up with less rights than our mothers had. It's insane to have these things stripped from us,” she said. "Disappointment. It wasn't anything shocking. We had kind of gotten that leak before that this is most likely the outcome of the Supreme Court’s decision, so it’s really just waiting for the hammer to drop."She said pro-choice activists are doing everything they can to help some women find the help they need.“We've helped a few people with like gas money getting them out there, getting them in touch with the clinics out there, finding where they can go and stay — that's like a cheap hotel — and just really offering to drive them somewhere,” she said.|MORE| AG O'Connor activates Oklahoma's anti-abortion 'trigger bill' after SCOTUS overturns Roe v. WadeBut for those who support pro-life measures, “We've been praying for this day for a long time. And I think it's important the people to understand the significance of what the decision is going to mean, it doesn't mean outlawing abortion throughout the country but returning the decision about abortion to the voters of each state,” Coakley said. Both sides agree that today is only the beginning, but one that will leave its mark on history.

For some Oklahomans, the news that the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade is something to celebrate.

For others, it’s a huge disappointment.

Advertisement

But for both sides, it’s an emotional day.

It’s a day that will go down in history.

“I’ve gotten a lot of people asking on our Facebook, ‘Well, what do we do now?’” said Anna Artz, co-founder of Pro Choice OKC.

Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley said: “It was kind of a pinch-me moment. I wasn’t quite sure if it was really happening.”

|MORE| Gov. Kevin Stitt, AG John O'Connor discuss Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade

The news about Roe has both sides talking. Coakley said it’s a day that will always be remembered.

“Janu. 2, 1973, was a date that will live in infamy and perhaps June 24, 2022, will be a day that will be remembered as one of those dates in the history of our nation,” he said.

But for Artz, it’s another day to keep fighting for women’s rights.

|MORE| Roe v. Wade Overturned: What are Oklahoma's anti-abortion laws?

"We’re now growing up with less rights than our mothers had. It's insane to have these things stripped from us,” she said. "Disappointment. It wasn't anything shocking. We had kind of gotten that leak before that this is most likely the outcome of the Supreme Court’s decision, so it’s really just waiting for the hammer to drop."

She said pro-choice activists are doing everything they can to help some women find the help they need.

“We've helped a few people with like gas money getting them out there, getting them in touch with the clinics out there, finding where they can go and stay — that's like a cheap hotel — and just really offering to drive them somewhere,” she said.

|MORE| AG O'Connor activates Oklahoma's anti-abortion 'trigger bill' after SCOTUS overturns Roe v. Wade

But for those who support pro-life measures, “We've been praying for this day for a long time. And I think it's important the people to understand the significance of what the decision is going to mean, it doesn't mean outlawing abortion throughout the country but returning the decision about abortion to the voters of each state,” Coakley said.

Both sides agree that today is only the beginning, but one that will leave its mark on history.