Last week, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, which was almost always considered and judged as a “settled matter,” it not only changed the law, but has set up our nation for countless known and unknown issues ahead.

Taking the decision about individuals’ health out of their hands is incredibly disturbing and just morally wrong. And what are the consequences? So many, but let me focus on one major issue: the life and well-being of children after being born.

You have all seen people holding up signs stating “We will adopt your baby.”  To those who support this draconian ruling, this seems like a simple solution: Give birth. Your baby is adopted. You are done.  But in reality, it is not that simple.  Many are unaware that unless it is a planned adoption (with financial agreement), any child “given up for adoption” at birth is immediately placed in the foster care system.

What will the impact to the foster care system be with the potential of so many new babies being placed “in the system?” Not every baby born is the perfect “Gerber Baby.” Are these people holding up the “We will adopt your baby” signs considering the births that just should never have happened: those that medically should have been terminated early, due to chromosome defects, Tay-Sachs, and other even more life-threatening issues that will cause serious birth defects? Who will adopt these children? What foster care families or facilities are prepared to take care of children with these life-threatening issues?

There are amazing “good humans” who become foster parents.  But unfortunately, there are also many people who become foster parents “for the check.”  As a young man, my foster parents were in the second category, and when I turned 18, “aging out” of the foster care system, they handed me a trash bag and told me to leave what I thought would be my “forever home” because they were “no longer receiving their check.”

So where will all of the supporters of this disheartening Supreme Court decision be when all of these unwanted infants are born? What consideration has been given to these infants’ quality of life? Who will take care of them? Do we count on our elected officials? Will there be federal aid, state aid, county aid? Who will they turn to as their medical needs increase? Where will the good foster parents turn to for medical assistance… for emotional assistance?

Will we be returning to the time of orphanages? It’s a dirty word for many, but may be a new fact of life.  Just as our prison system has become a “for profit” institution, making millions for a select few, will orphanages be the next “pot of gold?”  Will those “orphans” then be turned out onto the streets when they too “age out of the system?

Do I sound angry? Good. I am. You should be.

I am male, happily married and the father of five children, all of whom came through the foster care system. Some of our children have medical and emotional issues, and we are fortunate enough to be in a financial situation to get them the help they’ve needed.  But we are not in the majority. We worry about the thousands of babies that will be born each year with no one to love them, to care for them, to take responsibility.

As stated above: there are currently more than 485,000 youth in foster care in the United States.  What will that number be next year? And the year after that, and after that?  And once again — who will take care of these youth?

The Scheer family and Comfort Cases support all who can become pregnant and their freedom of choice.