The Controversial Debate Of Abortion

Although abortion is a political topic that seems very recent, in the United States it dates back to before the early 1820s. Connecticut is the first state to have passed any laws regulating abortion. In 1821, they pass a law prohibiting the use of any sorts of a toxic substance that causes a miscarriage after quickening (the moment a pregnant woman first feels fetal movement) (Wilson, Jaque). Many other states followed Connecticut’s lead (Wilson, Jaque). Besides trying to humanely discard of fetuses, states began banning abortion for population control reasons as well. “In the mid-to-late 1800s states began passing laws that made abortion illegal. The motivations for anti-abortion laws varied from state to state. One of the reasons included fears that the population would be dominated by the children of newly arriving immigrants, whose birth rates were higher than those of ‘native’ Anglo-Saxon

The issue of Abortions has been a controversy for years now. There are two main groups for this problem, Pro-Life, and Pro-Choice. Pro-Life supports the human rights of life should be embraced, by religion and ethics. Pro-choice is when someone wants to make this choice without no remorse of human life, but because someone wants no part of it raising one.

The issue of abortion is has been widely debated for many years and still continues to lead headlines today. It sparks debates in classrooms, courtrooms, and family rooms across the country as the issue is so complex, there are a variety of views and responses to its morality and legality. To understand the current debate over the issues concerning abortion we must not look at this issue from a black and white perspective of what is right and what is wrong , but rather we must take a comprehensive approach which analyzes the complex questions and factors tied to the morality of abortion. By looking at the responses to the question of abortion, as discussed by Mary Anne Warren, Judith Jarvis Thomson, and Don Marquis, we might better understand on how to respond to this issue in terms of what we think and why others assert the view that they do. A comprehensive understanding of the many issues tied to abortion allows one to most successfully defend their beliefs on this complex issue.

Even though the controversial conversation of abortion somewhat prohibits the open talk of there being other reasons that would make abortion essential and sometimes critical to the health of the mother. There are several reasons women are seeking and have sought abortions and were denied or otherwise restricted to laws and/or regulations. Rebecca Traister, senior editor of New Republic magazine, wrote in an editorial about her pregnancy and in her twenty fourth week (which in New York is the point of no return if you weren’t considering keeping the baby) she had thoughts of concern that if there were medical, fiscal or some other event that would cause more damage to not abort. This was a worry of hers, not only for herself but for other women who never had a chance, or choice, at all.

Throughout the history of the world there is nearly four thousand years of abortion history, which we find that from the earliest times this issue has been less about abortion and more about life - its value and its sanctity. Abortion and contraception were lawful at the time of this country 's founding, and then criminalized, state by state, in the mid- to late-nineteenth century. For the century after that, no woman could have an abortion unless a doctor declared that it was necessary to save her life (Abortion and the "Woman Question": Forty Years of Debate).

Many outsiders see the United States as a place of peace and harmony. But for those who live within it, know that it is the complete opposite. The United States has numerous amounts of worldwide problems from the economy to obesity to even pollution. Although some are more important than others doesn’t mean the small issues should go unnoticed. Abortion, the termination of pregnancy is considered a problem by many but also reflected as nonfactor to others opinion. In my opinion, I believe abortion is a growing problem and the people of the United States fail to apprehend it. The actual termination of the pregnancy could leave the mother suffering from a serious illness or even be fatal.

Soon the Supreme Court will hear the most controversial abortion case they have in a decade. The 2013 Texas House Bill 3994, was challenged due to indications that it may be unconstitutional and violate the “Undue Burden Clause” in the US Constitution, which states that a law cannot be restrictive or burdensome of one’s fundamental rights as a human and US citizen. With roughly half of the total 41 clinics closing after the law passed in 2013, women are now waiting longer and paying more for abortions (Goodnough, 2016). The Law, which went into effect January of this year, requires doctors to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the clinic and mandates that all clinics must be considered ambulatory surgical centers, meaning more equipment and higher costs (Hoffman, 2016). Those advocating for the law say they are only looking out for the safety of women. This statement stems from Kermit Gosnell, a Philadelphia doctor who was convicted in 2010 and charged with murder in 2013. The charges were the result of involuntary manslaughter in the case of a late-term abortion at a clinic that had not been inspected in 16 years. This new law hopes to combat such tragedies by requiring admitting privileges at local hospitals. Through the extensive process, unqualified doctors would be identified and those fit would be reviewed regularly (Hoffman, 2016). Unfortunately, this law appears to be somewhat unnecessary and burdensome. The new requirements put stress on the

With the subject of abortion, it seems that no consensus will ever be reached. Those who argue in favor of choice will never see from the perspective of the pro-lifers and vice versa. The major difference is that those who are pro-choice have never been responsible for the deaths of the opposition. Before the Roe v. Wade case made abortion legal in this country, abortions were unlawful in the United States. Anyone who needed or wanted an abortion for any reason, physical or emotional, would have to go to back alley abortionists who would be working with unsafe tools and in unsterile conditions which would be a breeding ground for bacteria and germs. Many women died during these procedures, or from the later infections related to the abortions. Others were left permanently. Decades after the passing of this important piece of legislation, people still debate whether or not abortion should be legal and under what conditions, if any.

It is no surprise that the abortion debate has once again have brought into the mainstream focus this year. Yet, this time around the age old debate is now attacking organizations that offer such procedures, vilifying the entire organization for only one service it offers. This vilification has continuously gained momentum for ages, but it was the attack upon Planned Parenthood earlier this year that has brought the debate to head once again. Recently Pro-Life groups took up arms to destroy the organization that they believed that had fetal “corpses [being] desecrated for profit” (Moore 3), a phrase they use to ignite emotional response. These people believe that the videos are the greatest indicator of what the organizations partakes in, immoral and unjust activities and thus should be defunded. Thus, comes about the argument between the morality and the legality of continual federal support of an organization that offers such treatments even if such procedures are a small portion of its services. But Planned Parenthood is more than a few morally ambiguous services. The organization is a healthcare center, a symbolic step in the women’s rights movement and an informational hub for those who need it, all which dictate the very reasons why the organization should remain funded. The lackluster arguments of religious moral obligations attempts to strip people of their right to have such an organization around.

The debate over abortion has divided Americans into polarized sides since the Supreme Court’s 7-2 decision in Roe v. Wade on January 22, 1973, where the Court deemed abortion a fundamental right under the United States Constitution. The lawsuit began when Norma McCorvey became pregnant with her third child in 1969 and could not get a legal abortion in Texas. With her attorneys, they filed a lawsuit. Roe v. Wade reached Supreme Court appeal in 1970 (Rovner). At this time, there were a few related court cases whose decisions directly affected McCorvey’s case. Griswold v. Connecticut decided that there is a right to privacy in the Constitution. Younger v. Harris decided that federal courts could not hear civil right cases by a person currently being prosecuted for a matter arising from that claim. In U.S. v. Vuitch, the court ruled to criminalize abortion with the exception if the mother’s life was endangered and it also labeled abortion as an emergency medical procedure (Masci). These cases laid out a foundation for McCorvey’s attorneys as the rulings were then applied to her case, benefitting their arguments tremendously.

Abortions continue to be a controversial topic for not only the American people, but the congress as well. Republicans argue their views on why the American people should not be forced to pay taxes that will directly go to abortions procedures, and Democrats continue to rebut. This controversial debate revolves directly around Planned Parenthood. GOP continues to push the ban on federal funds allotted to this particular organization, due to its involvement in abortions and alleged tissue and stem cell sales. But how is tax payer’s money actually being directed to abortion procedures? Realistically, taxpayers last year alone spend 528 million dollars that directly went to Planned Parenthood (Planned Parenthood, 2015). However, that money

The topic of abortion in the United States has been and remains one of the most controversial issues in western culture and politics. An abortion can be defined as the expulsion of a fetus from the uterus before it can survive on its own. This comprises two major forms of abortion: spontaneous, which is often referred to as a miscarriage or induced abortion, which is the deliberate termination of a pregnancy. The term is commonly used to refer to the induced abortion, and this is the abortion, which has been filled with controversy. The sides involved in the debate are basically divided by party lines, generally with liberals as “pro-choice” and conservatives as “pro-life.” Behind the battles are divergent views on when human life begins,

One of the most controversial issues in American society is the topic of abortion. The options of what you can do with your body seem to just get slimmer and slimmer. However, we find that members of the American society are not the only ones dealing with these issues. Many countries around the world are on the fence on whether or not to ban the option of abortion.

Dating all the way back to the 1800’s, abortions have been taking place all over the world. In the US abortion laws were created around 1820 stating that women would not have abortions after already being pregnant for four months. Then by 1900 most abortions were outlawed. It wasn’t until 1956 that all fifty states had

Abortion is the most controversial right being debated in the United States today. People from both ends have powerful opinions over the topic. Truth is that most Americans today have at least one friend or family member that has had an abortion in the past or is in the process of having one done. As human beings, we form a variety of opinions based on the situation we are presented with, but for the most part when speaking about abortions people are very close-minded. Most Americans narrow their opinions down to its either right or wrong, there is no in between. Reality is there are many different factors one must take into consideration when it comes to abortion. In the United States, one in every three women will have an abortion.