Should Abortion Be Legalized?

Among all the issues that have been fought for or against in the United States, abortion may be one of the most popular issues that Americans are passionate about. Abortion is defined as the removal of the embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end a pregnancy. Thousands of abortions take place every single day, and yet public opinion remains at a standstill as to whether or not abortion is ethical. Everyone holds different opinions on abortion. The proponents believe that it is the women’s private right to determine the future of the baby in her body. On the other hand, the opponents think a woman does not have the right to decide whether the person that she gives birth should live or die. They believe that life begins at conception. In fact, a person’s stance on the issue is often determined by how he views the fetus: a part of the mother’s body or as a human being. I am an opponent, and I believe abortion is murder. Also, abortion should not be legal because it harms women’s health, affects intimate relationship, and women do not have the right to decide the baby’s right to live or die.

Abortion, to some it is the murder of an innocent fetus with a heartbeat. To others it is considered an option to be freed from the responsibilities of parenthood. We all have different views that can be controversial to the opinions of others. Yet, there are proven facts and cases where making abortion illegal is the best decision. Propaganda for Prolife is everywhere, but is there enough to show the world how wrong abortion is? I believe there is not, yet there are some very emotional advertisements that can change your whole perspective. Abortion should be considered illegal because it is considered murder and can have severe consequences for woman, and there are other options to chose instead of abortion.

Imagine a world where women are not allowed to get tattoos, eat fast food, or even paint their nails. That is what the world would look like if the government were to restrict people 's everyday personal choices. Even though many people would think that having all of those things restricted has nothing to do with abortion, that is not the case. Abortion is a personal choice and therefore should have no limits placed on it when it comes to women over 16 because it takes away their rights that were set in the Constitution. The federal or state government should not have the power to dictate what a valid reason is for a woman to get an abortion no matter how horrific it may seem; however, they should have a legal age to get an abortion because children are not capable of making adult decisions on their own. Instead of restricting adults, the government should give women who want an abortion substantial information about the procedure so they can make a rational decision based on fact, not emotion.

The personhood of a fetus is an important determinant of what should be prioritized in the discussion about abortion. Some people regard the fetus as being a person because

In Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem “the Mother” the entire theme was based on abortion. A mother was not emotionally or mentally ready to have children, so she did what needed to be done; she aborted. This poem was written in 1945 and still today’s society still has objections on pro-choice. On January 22, 1973 the US Supreme Court ruled that abortion is a fundamental right that was guaranteed by the US Constitution. In short terms the ruling stated that a woman, with her doctor, could have the option to end her pregnancy. This ruling made abortion legal in the United States which seemed to be a relief for some and others a restraint. Abortion has been a controversial issue in the United States for years. There are one of two sides that can be chosen in this debate; pro-life or pro-choice. Those who believe in pro-life consider abortion as intentionally murdering a human being. In contrast to the advocates, you have the opponents, who believe abortion is not the same as murder that it is here to help not hinder a woman. Having an abortion is a huge decision to be made. The word abortion itself means to remove the fetus from the uterus before it is able to survive on its own. The question that still stirs up an audience still remains “should abortion be legal?”

While studying the debate on whether or not abortion should be illegal, you are approached by many different writers with interesting arguments, filled with their opinions and reasons for why abortion should or should not be allowed. Two essays that have caught my attention while reading about the debate of abortion are: “A Defense of Abortion” by Judith Jarvis Thomson, and “An Almost Absolute Value in History”, by John T. Noonan Jr. Thomson argues that abortion is permissible in cases where the mother’s life is at stake, where the sex was consensual but had faulty contraceptives, and lastly, in cases where the mother was raped. Noonan’s approach to abortion is that almost all cases of abortion are wrong, except if the pregnancy causes

Is a fetus actually a “person” with full moral standing? Not that a fetus doesn’t matter, but is a fetus a person with a right to life over an existing person with full moral standing? I do not believe that it is, but I do not believe it is morally permissible or should even be legal in all cases to receive an abortion. A fetus may not be a person with full moral standing, but it is a potential person with a potential right to life. An abortion is only morally permissible and should be legal if it is justified significantly by reasons such as the child has a severe defect that would cause illness and a short painful life, rape, or to save the mother’s life. A fetus at any stage of pregnancy does not have the significant moral right over a woman making the woman to carry the fetus to term if her reasoning is justified. It should be legal for a woman to receive an abortion at any stage of pregnancy only if justified. A woman is a person with full moral standing who’s right over her body, including the right to defend one 's body, outweighs the right of a potential person’s right to life.

Abortion is viewed as a negative decision to some people, but in recent years with the advancements in technology and prenatal testing, selective abortion has started to become widely popular among the newer generations. It is a very controversial due to many people believing it is unethical and a poor decision. There are many logical reasons for a woman wanting an abortion for a child with a disability such as, getting raped, not being financially stable enough to give the child a good quality of life, and the disruption of families a child with a disability can cause (D.I. Bromage). I believe women should be able to do whatever they choose with their body and if they want an abortion, no matter how healthy or not the baby is, they should be able to go through with an abortion without backlash.

Abortion has been a recurring issue in our society for over a century, responsible for countless marches, protests, and debates. Both sides display zealous passion for their belief. Since the well-known Supreme Court case of Roe v. Wade, declaring that women can constitutionally decide for themselves whether or not to have an abortion, Pro-life activists across the country have have dedicated their lives to overturning this amendment (Roston 2008). Beginning in the late 1800s, as birth control and contraceptives gained popularity, Americans became more dependant on these means of “protection,” increasing sexual behavior across the country (Judie 1986). Later, abortion was legalized as a potential solution to the resulting unintentional pregnancies, sparking empathy in people who believed in the humanity of the unborn child (D 'Souza 2009). The Right-to-Life movement was only the start to the wildfire of pro-life citizens throughout our nation.

Abortion has become a common argument topic in America; numerous individuals consider themselves pro-life and others pro-choice. Those who consider themselves pro-life oppose abortion, while those who are pro-choice advocate for abortion to be legalized. I believe that abortion should be illegal and that life should be recognized upon conception.

One of the most highly controversial ‘right’ taking place in the United States of America today is abortion. Abortion is the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy (oxford). Abortion is one of those issues which polarises ones opinion. It is something which many people have strong feelings for or against and in some cases, this has resulted in protest and violence. In the United States alone there are roughly about 1.2 million abortions are performed yearly, that’s about 3 out of 10 women (Trupin). Abortion is one of the most common medical procedures. The reason why abortion is so highly controversial is because some see it as murder and some see the fetus as just a clump of cells.

As more laws are formed concerning basic human rights, this nation is certainly progressing quicker than others, but not quick enough. Activists are constantly battling to secure protection, equality, and resources for every community. We know they’re succeeding as issues, such as gay marriage, are being addressed and are close to being secured. One topic that is continuously being debated, and slowly making progress, is women’s health; more specifically, abortion rights. Granted, abortion is legal in the United States since Roe vs Wade in 1973 however, the law is constantly being targeted by conservative politicians and states. Their strategy has changed throughout the years. Instead of aiming to illegalize abortion, they are focusing on strictly regulating eligibility. For a nation that prides itself on freedom, there are still those who strive to limit and regulate women’s choices. Gender equality will not be achieved if women cannot have full control of their own bodies. Organizations such as Planned Parenthood, not only provide crucial services to sustain a safe and healthy lifestyle, but also advocate on behalf of those who are incapable of doing so. Such organizations should be encouraged and supported, instead of condemned.

In the United States in 1848 the Women’s Rights Movement began and a little shy of 100 years later in 1920, women all across the nation were said to have finally gained their rights. A hot topic that is one of the most refuted in today’s society is abortion. One may not see abortion to be acceptable, although, does it make it right to take away that right from someone else? It has taken women a lot of fight and willpower to gain rights to their own bodies, illegalizing abortion would take that right away. Therefore, the question is, should abortion continue to be legalized?

“One of the luckiest things that can happen to you in life is, I think, to have a loving mother and a happy childhood,” quoted by Agatha Christie. Every child deserves to be brought up into a loving, and stable environment with the love and compassion of their mother. This is unfortunately not always the case, due to abortion procedures not being legalized and or denied, many mothers seeking an abortion are forced to give birth to a baby that was initially not wanted. There are several causes as to why mothers seek abortion in the first place, followed by the effects the child and mother are faced with by bringing up a child that is initially unwanted. In order to bring a life into the world, the mother must be financially set to properly care for the demands that a newborn baby has, or else the consequences in not having a stable source of income may hinder a child’s upbringing.

Imagine your life in the hands of a teenager. This is the case of many unborn children. In today 's society teens are allowed to have abortions with or without parental consent, even under the age of 18. Allowing abortions is overriding the basic human rights. Teens under the age of 18 shouldn 't be allowed to have an abortion because of the basic human rights of a fetus. Teens themselves don 't have certain rights so how are they allowed to have rights over someone else 's life. Teens under the age of 18 can 't get major surgeries without parental consent, yet an abortion is a major surgery. To every problem there is a solution. To overcome this problem a law that no teens under the age of 18 should not be able to get an abortion without parental consent should be enacted. This law can be made by Roe V. Wade enacting an age limit up to at least teens under the age of 18 require parental consent in order to have an abortion.