Tennessee passes resolution to make January 22 ‘day of mourning’ for aborted foetuses

Five states already observe the politically-charged holiday

Republican legislators in Tennessee's House are trying to pass a resolution that would create a holiday memorialising the day that abortion became legal.

According to WPSD6, the conservatives want to make 22 January the "Day of Tears" and use it as a day to mourn aborted foetuses and embryos. The resolution was adopted in the state's House after a 72-20 vote.

The "Day of Tears" concept was started by an anti-abortion organisation in Virginia going by the same name. Their ultimate aim is to have the Day of Tears recognised in every state.

Designating a day for a remembrance is a common practice in state legislatures. They often require no debate and are passed as symbolic and non-binding resolutions.

In a state with a Republican-majority legislature, like Tennessee, the resolutions pass without much opposition.

Tennessee and Virginia are not the only states to recognise the anti-abortion event. Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama also observe the politically-charged holiday. Conservatives hope to see the day adopted in states like West Virginia, Oklahoma, Ohio, Mississippi and South Carolina in coming years.

In January, a committee of Republicans in Idaho also moved to recognise the Day of Tears. Its bill would require state buildings to lower their flags to half mast to memorialise aborted foetuses.

“Since that fateful day more than 62 million unborn children have perished,” the Idaho resolution says, according to News8.

The resolution was introduced by conservative state Representative Barbara Ehardt.

“This resolution seeks to honor and help us remember those that have passed on,” she said. “It is another way to remind us of a wrong that we have an opportunity coming up hopefully in the next six months to make right.”

She is referring to a Supreme Court case later this year, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organisation, which some fear – or hope, depending on political affiliation – will end with the court overturning Roe v. Wade.

While abortion opposition has become a foundational belief among the spiritual-political right, most of the US population would prefer the practice remain legal.

A recent SSRS poll found that only 30 per cent of Americans would actually want the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Nearly 70 per cent are opposed to making abortion illegal. Those results, reported by CNN, also line up with similar polls and trends over time.

According to CNN's polling data – which dates back to 1989 – the share of the public that opposed abortion has never risen beyond 36 per cent.