of a Missouri anti-abortion statue in Webster v. Reproductive Health Services. The court did not overturn Roe v. Wade but it allowed states leeway in limiting abortionrights and appeared to invite challenges that might dismantle the 1973 ruling. TheWebster ruling was a critical event in marking the beginning of a new round of intenseconflict over abortion. The changes that took place in the pro-choice movement as aresult of this decision resemble those that occurred during the post-Hyde period. Prior to the July 1989 ruling the pro-choice movement organized a massiveabortion rights march in Washington on April 09, 1989. The march was intended to senda signal to media reports and received a great deal of publicity. This march provided thegenerations of activists to unite and gain a sense of solidarity and commitment to thepro-choice cause. This march was an important mobilizing event for the movement.Although the ruling was in favor of the countermovement, the pro-choicemovement gained much from the anticipation leading up to the decision. NARAL hadbuilt up its resources and membership increased by one hundred percent. NOWmembership also rose considerably as did Planned Parenthood and the ACLU. In the lightof the defeat, the pro-choice movement was now opened up to new tactical opportunities. Politics began to play an important part of the movement’s tactics. Pro-choicecandidates began to win sweeping elections. New Jersey elected a pro-choice governor asdid Virginia. Framing of the argument shifted into private choice versus governmentinvolvement. The perception among many politician following the Webster decision wasthat the pro-choice position had become politically advantageous. The pro-choicemovement had influenced politics despite the defeat at the Supreme Court.The pro-choice movement is unique in it’s development and continued forcethroughout the decades. It succeeded in overturning abortion laws in 19...
