Abortion And Clinic Violence Essay

Abortion has been a heated debate in the United States for decades. Since before the ruling on Roe v. Wade, it is clear that this is an issue that is far from ever being decided upon. Between those who are pro-life and those who are pro-choice, scholars from both sides work on disproving the morality of the other side. With the evolution of abortion laws and regulation through the decades, it is difficult to imagine the United States without conflict pertaining to abortion. Despite pro-life and pro-choice agendas, the country is in ever-changing opinion when it comes to abortion.

While the pro-choice group has political support, the pro-life members have ideals centered on ethics. Such ethics derive from religious beliefs, as those of Randall Terry, “leader of the militant anti-abortion group: Operation Rescue” (Randall Terry). Terry has led many protests at abortion clinics, causing public disruption and more than fifty arrests. Along his side are his wife and members of his church. This further shows the kind of people in support of life for the child to be. Although their reason to protest is rational, the methods for spreading their ideas are questionable. NAF (National Abortion Federation) has “reported more than five thousand crimes against pro-choice organizations, clinic members, and even new reports” (Raw Story). Among these crimes are, burglary, vandalism, trespassing, and stalking. In other words, these people claim to be pro-life, but will put lives in danger to send a message.Represented above is a political cartoon of a man holding up a sign saying: “PRO-government in your private LIFE.” This image suggests that being pro-life will lead to government intrusion in a woman’s privacy. The fact that a man is holding the sign, further emphasizes the growing support from men in this

Before women had rights to decide whether they could keep their baby, some states didn’t allow abortion, therefore requiring women to give birth to their child. In today’s current issues, abortion is still a controversial subject with millions of people supporting it or not supporting it. Every woman has the right to make changes to her own physical body, and those rights should not be taken away, according to the constitution. In the very famous case in 1973, “Roe v. Wade”, the United States Supreme Court legalized abortion throughout the first trimester of pregnancy. In the article, “Roe’s Pro-Life Legacy”, it is explained how after this movement, the right to abortion, lives have changed and led to lower abortion rates (Sheilds 2013.)

Abortion has been a complex social issue in the United States ever since restrictive abortion laws began to appear in the 1820s. By 1965, abortions had been outlawed in the U.S., although they continued illegally; about one million abortions per year were estimated to have occurred in the 1960s. (Krannich 366) Ultimately, in the 1973 Supreme Court case of Roe v. Wade, it was ruled that women had the right to privacy and could make an individual choice on whether or not to have an abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy. (Yishai 213)

In contemporary America it can be argued that nothing is more contentious and controversial of an issue than abortion. From the vehement pro-life movement to the impassioned pro-choice coalition, this policy issue is one that has become increasingly important in our society. This debate has raised important questions regarding the value of human life, at what stage of development does a fetus have it’s constitutionally ensured rights take hold over that of the mother and at what stage can a state start regulating abortions.

In 1973, Roe v. Wade ruled a state law that banned abortions, except in the cases of risking the life of the mother, unconstitutional (Garrow 833). The Court ruled that states were forbidden from regulating or outlawing abortion performed during the first trimester of a woman’s pregnancy, could pass abortion regulations if they were related to the health of the mother in the second and third trimesters, and pass abortion laws protecting the life of the fetus in the third trimester (Paltrow 18). However, the primary concern would remain to be the mother’s health, regardless. Roe v. Wade, controversial since it was decided, divided America and continues to spark debates,

Abortion was still causing problems ten years after the Roe v. Wade case decision. The decision caused division and created virtually two groups. As a result of the decision relating to abortion two types of groups emerged pro-life and pro-choice. “The pro-life group feels women should not have an abortion; whereas pro-choice believes the woman herself should have the right to decide if she wants an abortion” (Brannen et al 788). “Pennsylvania law issue in Casey regulated abortion requiring physicians to provide women with information about fetal development and alternative to abortions” (Brannen et al). The

In 1973, the Supreme Court made a decision in one of the most controversial cases in history, the case of Roe v. Wade (410 U.S. 113 (1973)), in which abortion was legalized and state anti-abortion statues were struck down for being unconstitutional. This essay will provide a brief history and analysis of the issues of this case for both the woman’s rights and the states interest in the matter. Also, this essay will address the basis for the court ruling in Roe’s favor and the effects this decision has had on subsequent cases involving a woman’s right to choose abortion in the United States. The court’s decision created legal precedent for several subsequent abortion restriction cases and has led to the development of legislation to protect women’s health rights. Although the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade was a historic victory for women’s rights, it is still an extremely controversial subject today and continues to be challenged by various groups.

Adams, E. Jill. (2005). THE ABORTION RIGHTS CONTROVERSY IN AMERICA: A LEGAL READER. Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law & Justice, 20, 308-320. Retrieved on February 26, 2017, from EBSCOhost database

The decision in Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court case that legalized abortion in the United States, had a very evident and profound impact on the social and political climates of the United States. Before the case, it had seemed that abortion was a settled issue in America: a majority of people opposed the practice, and a majority of states had abortion bans. However, by the 1960’s, political factions and campaigns were rising up and stirring the waters of reproductive rights. Abortion had changed during the courses of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, morphing from a private practice of the people into a great political divide. Abortion was actually easily accessible during the Nineteenth Century, but the rise of religious fundamentalism compelled citizens to become involved in either the protection of the fetus or the defense of reproductive rights. Roe v. Wade has been either labeled as the legal settling of the abortion issue or the igniter of change in regards to abortion. The decision not only affected the minds of the people, but the decision had also set a legal precedent that affected more than thirty Supreme Court cases that later dealt with abortion (Planned Parenthood).

While the history component is important in understanding the future of abortion in the United States, an examination of the varying ideological arguments is paramount as well.

Abortion is a controversial topic that has plagued the country for decades. Even after the 7-2 Supreme Court trial (Roe vs. Wade) made it legal for women to choose to get abortions. This decision was based off the right of privacy coupled with the agreement between the woman and the state. Due to this decision abortion rights vary from state to state, in fact, about 85% of United States counties do not provide abortion services. Even though, abortion is ten times safer than the actual process of giving birth and 68,000 women died from resorting to “back-alley abortions.” Knowing all this, there are still two main groups arguing

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on the 1973 Roe v. Wade interpreted the constitutional right to privacy portion to entail a woman’s right to abortion. This case gave rise to the most intense and political debate in the U.S. today. This debate was further complicated in the 1992 decision in the Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, which allowed for states to enact legislation to restrict and regulate abortion. The dispute over abortion rights has remained constant over the last 20 years between 1973 and 1994 (Carmines, & Woods, 2002). Moreover, there is a sharp divide between Democratic and Republican parties. Democratic party elites have taken a pro-choice approach while Republicans are pro-life. According to a survey

The United States has been divided now over the issue of abortion for thirty-three years since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Roe v. Wade in 1973. As of today, over 45 million legal abortions have been performed in the United States. Pro-choice advocates hold these 45 million abortions as being 45 million times women have exercised their right to choose to get pregnant and to choose to control their own bodies. To pro-life, or anti-abortion, advocates these 45 million abortions constitute 45 million murders, a genocide of human life in the United States propagated by the court’s ruling in Roe v. Wade. The debate over abortion in the United States is thus a debate of two extremes. One side argues from the personal liberty of the mother. The

Sensitive topics such as abortion have always caused turmoil in society, either because of religion or politics. Regarding the issue of abortion, there are two “sides” or groups called pro-choice (supporters), and anti-choice (non-supporters). Moreover, the real problem begins when violence comes up from any group, and this will always be an issue no matter what subject we are referring to. On the article “Violent anti-choice rhetoric must end, or anti-abortion violence never will” the author, Jessica Valenti, expresses her frustration about the violence and misuse of words from anti-choice supporters towards women and pro-choice supporters specifically, implying examples of shootings on clinics or threats over the phone made by anti-choice