[wagglebee]

I think the Dred Scott Decision is used because it retrospect it is so blatantly immoral. However, purely in terms of horrible decisions, I think it makes far more sense to compare Roe to Plessy v. Ferguson (which is also the only SCOTUS decision which a future SCOTUS subsequently overturned, Dred Scott was made moot by post-Civil War amendments).

[Alberta's Child]

The Dred Scott decision was not "blatantly immoral" at all. It was based on sound judicial reasoning, and groundly strongly in the text and intent of the U.S. Constitution as it was comprised at the time.

In fact, Dred Scott is still the law of the land in some respects -- though (obviously) not with regard to slavery. The basic underlying premise of that case -- that only a "person" has legal standing in a U.S. court of law -- still holds true to this day.