Editor’s Note: From the Back Forty is Liberty Nation’s longest-running and most popular weekly column. Capturing the truth each week from heartlanders in flyover states, LN gives voice to the hard-working Americans otherwise ignored by the coastal elites.
Summer arrived this week, and in most parts of the Heartland, there wasn’t a changing climate to be found: it’s supposed to be hot, humid, and full of county fairs and outdoor concerts. That news aside, Flyover folks were gaggling like geese over the latest SCOTUS decision. The US Supremes ended the week with a kaboom and a call from the Commander-in-Chief to drive the progressives, the left, and undeclared independents to the polls in November to rectify what he called a “tragic error.”
President Biden stated: “This fall, Roe is on the ballot. Personal freedoms are on the ballot.” But are they? Or is 2022 still a red Tsunami? After all, it’s always been “the economy, stupid.”
As Liberty Nation was first to report:
“Justice Samuel Alito wrote the Court’s opinion, joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. Justices Thomas and Kavanaugh wrote concurring opinions, and Chief Justice John Roberts wrote an opinion concurring in the judgment.”
[substack align=”right”]What the Red States Said
Flyover folks weighed in on the decision from all points, and here’s what they had to say. In the purplish state of Arizona, Dave Metcalf wasn’t worried about Roe being the death knell on Republicans winning midterms: “I don’t see it that way. The people who are upset by this decision were never going to vote Republican anyway. I believe that many people who tended to stay home will come out to vote Republican to preserve this decision. At the end of the day, we all see what’s at stake every time we buy groceries or gasoline.”
We heard from Mike McGee in the ultra-conservative state of Utah: “I’m not sure Roe v Wade means as much to as many people as we have assumed it did all these years. But, so as not to be misunderstood, I think there’s going to be a pretty good group, causing a big ruckus, they’re gonna be very vocal, and sound like there’s a lot of them, but in the end, I don’t think there are really that many support them after all.”
There was a lot of talk about Roe ever being constitutional, and several heartlanders thought it prudent to get the reality of the situation out as fast as the progressive left. Mitch Wade in Oklahoma wasn’t too worried about violent protests or lack of choice. Still, he did point out that educating the masses will not be easy: “If it [continually] can be explained properly to let people know that each state has the right to decide, then it won’t be an issue. But listen to the talking heads, and that point isn’t brought up at all.”
Kansas folks weighed in as well. One man in Topeka, Chris McGinty, took his pleasure at the ruling a bit dark, stating: “Roe v. Wade aborted in the 190th trimester.” Gary Chin in New Mexico lamented that his state would allow for abortions no matter what: “Sadly babies up to and after birth will still be allowed to be killed in New Mexico. Democrats are demented.”
In Texas, Gary Rodriguez celebrated cautiously: “What I’m worried about is the backlash the Dems are going to orchestrate in response to this. They will probably double down on the gun control issue now, more than ever.” Gay Garmon in Jackson, MS, agreed with the SCOTUS decision as well: “Back to the states where most everything belongs. (Including education.)”
Wisconsin’s Aeron Broxsma had a bit of frustration-purge in his short rant: “Biden can’t lower inflation, won’t support American energy, can’t ride a bike, and knows squat about the Constitution.”
You get the gist of the discussion across the very red and a few purplish states: states’ rights are a good thing. And this good old boy from Bama, Mitchell Bates, is afforded the last word: “Watching libs meltdown over the SCOTUS decisions on abortion and gun rights is almost as delicious as when Trump beat the snot out of Hillary… the whining… the crying… the screaming… the outlandish lies… nectar of victory.”
Well, at least in flyover territory.
