Yesterday, our North Dakota politicians were put in their place when district judge Wickham Corwin ruled that a 2011 law passed by the legislature seeking to outlaw one of two drugs used in nonsurgical abortions is unconstitutional. In his 58-page decision, Corwin stated that the state of North Dakota did not demonstrate a "compelling need" to regulate abortion.
 
With a smile and a nod to Corwin, we agree.
 
The only compelling interest the state has in abortion is political, and that's just wrong.
 
By now, you've likely noticed the dangerous trend sweeping throughout the country, with politicians proposing (and in some cases passing) extreme measures that would rob women of the services they need to make personal decisions about pregnancy free from political interference. It happened in Arkansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, North Carolina and Texas; and it happened on our turf too.
 
North Dakota has several anti-abortion laws on the books, with some of those laws currently being challenged by the sole abortion provider in the state. Yesterday's ruling gives us hope for a new trend: one where extreme anti-abortion laws are struck down by the courts.
 
What's up with politicians playing doctor and interfering in private decisions of women? It's time for all of us to tell our elected officials that we've had enough of them making decisions for us.