A majority of Americans believe that the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortions in 1973, Roe v. Wade, should stay in place. A NBC/WSJ poll revealed that 40 years later, 70 percent of Americans say the ruling should remain while only 24 percent think that it should be overturned.
According to the research, 54 percent think abortion should be always legal or legal most of the time. In addition, 35 percent think abortion should be illegal but with exceptions. Just 9 percent of Americans think it should be illegal without any exception.
A recent Pew survey found that 40 percent of young adults under 30 years old don't know that the Roe v. Wade decision gave women the right to choose to have an abortion in earlier months of pregnancy without legal restriction, and with restrictions in later months based on the right to privacy.
Half of Republicans surveyed think that abortion should be legal, while an overwhelming majority of Democrats and Independent Party supporters stand against overturning the decision.
74 percent of anti-abortion advocates called abortion a “crucial issue” or "one of many crucial issues." On the other hand, only 31 percent of Roe supporters agree.
In celebration of the 40th year anniversary, the National Organization for Women held a candlelight vigil at the Supreme Court to commemorate the 1973 decision.
Abortion rights advocate Rep. Emily Perry, a lawyer and Democrat from the Kansas City suburb of Mission told the Associated Press that the ruling "should be honored," and that she wishes “the amount of energy put into narrowing Roe v. Wade would be put into school funding or our budget."