Abstract
The debate concerning the legal status of abortions is one of the most controversial topics of public discourse in the U.S. throughout the years after impacting court cases such as Roe v. Wade (1973). This being due to the fact that such court case decision protected women's right to privacy- more specifically the right to abortion. Many will argue that abortion is immoral since the fetus is a human being, and thus should be given the same rights as any born individual. Believing that the killing of an unborn fetus is murder, since “life” begins at conception. Such supporters are known as “pro-life” or “anti-abortion” activists. Meanwhile, the opposing side – “pro-choice” supporters believe that women should have control over their own body and that an unwanted baby should not be brought into the world (Should Abortion Be Legal? n.d.). This topic has very logical arguments for both sides, I believe however, that abortion should only be permitted in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is in jeopardy. Such viewpoint can be seen as a “compromise” because it makes abortion illegal, but it also creates exemptions for those in very complicated or unwanted situations.
Keywords: Abortion, pro- life, pro- choice, rape, incest, abortion policies
Introduction
As I previously mentioned, the legality of abortion is one of the most argued and controversial topics in the United States. As our nation becomes more liberal and promotes individual rights, many wonder to what extent such liberties apply to. Prior court cases have established the decision to protect women's right to privacy, however many arguments have rosen both for and against such choice. In this paper, I will not be writing solely in support or against legalizing abortion, but instead take a middle stance. I believe abortion should be illegal since it is murder, yet exemptions should be made for certain women in very complex situations. My position takes into account the arguments for and against. In the paragraph following, I will be discussing some of the arguments of the topic, within my chosen literature. In order to make wise and knowledgeable decisions, I believe people need to comprehend both sides or point of views before “picking a side.” Continuing, I will discuss and critically analyse the literature, I will give my views regarding the persuasiveness of each argument and either agree or disagree with it. In my third paragraph, my own stance will be presented, here I will talk about my view concerning the legal status of abortion. I will state my thesis or hypothesis concerning my topic. Afterwards, in the next paragraph, I will give the reasoning behind my perspective and justify it with different reasons or backup information to prove my point. I will also give my concluding remark and tie everything together. While doing this, I will once again mention the topic of discussion, the preceding disputes, and my own beliefs in a logical manner.
Discussion
Arguments
In the modern world we live in, protesting for individual rights and liberties has become something natural since people are not afraid to express their beliefs nowadays . Due to the public demand, abortion has become one of the most talked about topics in politics and became a platform issue in the 2012 presidential election (Clark, 2012). Many arguments have risen since then and pro-life or pro-choice groups have expanded immensely as people become concerned over the issue. According to Raquel Lopez, those who are against abortion base their ideas on moral or religious perspectives. Pro- life activists believe abortion is immoral since the fetus which is considered by both groups as “a human being,” is not being given “full rights” (Lopez, n.d.). Thus, abortion is murder for the unborn child is “deprived from its right to choosing to live” (Lopez, n.d.). Abortion is practically ignoring the idea that life begins at conception. Religion completely rejects the idea of abortion, believing it is wrong under any circumstance. The main argument being “ that all life is sacred and abortion terminates life” (Lopez, n.d.). On the other hand, pro-choice supporters focus more on parents who “ do not want to have a child considering the future implications of having an unwanted child” (Lopez, n.d.). Contradicting the reasoning of anti-abortion, they believe that the “unborn is not intrinsically valuable because of a lack of ability to reason and self-awareness” hence, while the fetus is a “human”, aborting it should not be considered murder since its not yet viable (Lopez, n.d.). Those for abortion also take into the consideration the feelings of the parents or circumstances the fetus will be born into. They argue that the parents will not be interested in taking care of the baby or its raising if it's conceived forcefully. Thus possibly leading to “child battery, child sexual molestation, verbal abuse…” (Lopez, n.d.). Pro-choice activists also argue that abortion should be legal if its risking the life of the mother, a result of rape, or if the parents are not fit to raise a child (drugs/alcohol) / do not want it.
Critical Review
Both pro-life and pro-choice supporters illustrate valid and logical reasons regarding the legalization of abortion. However, some of the arguments did appear stronger than others, and vise-versa in my opinion. Therefore, there are arguments that I support and others which I do not agree with. For example, I agree with the moral idea that a fetus is a human and that abortion is murder for the unborn baby has “rights” and had no say in the matter. The fetus did nothing wrong, instead, I believe it is the parents fault for not being precautious or using contraceptives. Thus they should be responsible of their actions. Yet I do not think that the religious view is strong, since there is a wide range of religions which creates diverse opinions/ cultures. I feel like such argument is biased and directed for those in the catholic or christian church. Meanwhile the opposing side demonstrated different rationales. A point that really reached out to me was when they mentioned how certain exemptions should be made for cases of rape, if the life of the mother is at risk, or if the parents are unsuitable due to alcohol or drug misuse. I feel like this has been one of the strongest justifications because it is very logical and specific. I definitely agree with this since its stating that abortion should only be legal in extreme situations. Which is why I reject the legalization of abortion if the parents simply “do not want” their offspring. If such scenario were possible, then society would become irresponsible and not accountable of their actions, they wouldn’t use protection if abortion were legal and easily accessible. Overall, I found both sides of the argument to be equally persuasive on some aspects and each demonstrated reasonable points for or against abortion.
Personal Stance
After critically analysing and taking in different perspectives, I feel like my own position has been solidified. Pro-life and Pro-choice activists are both correct in my opinion. Neither one is less correct than the other or irrational. Which is why I believe abortion should be illegal in the United States, however, exemptions or exclusions should be made in very specific situations. For example, abortion should only be allowed for cases that involved rape, incest, or if the mother's life is in danger. Those scenarios are very unpleasant and unfortunate which is why I think the women should be given the choice to abort. My argument is a “compromise” as I mentioned previously, because I am taking into account both viewpoints.
Justification
I believe my reasoning is the most ideal because components from the original arguments can be witnessed. Such stance is known as a “moderate perspective” (Lopez, n.d.). The reason being that my views are neither conservative or liberal, my stance is in the middle depending on the point being made. Just like anti-abortion activists, I believe that abortion is morally or ethically wrong because it's “intentionally end[ing] human life” in simple terms, murder (Aborting the Pros and Cons of Abortion, 1999). Yet, abortion supporters are right when they claim that a woman should have the freedom to do whatever she pleases with her body only if the pregnancy is an outcome of rape/incest or is threatening to her life. Therefore, if a woman wants to abort, she has to prove her circumstances before a court and then have the procedure done. Thus, it will prevent anyone without valid reasons to end the life of their unborn baby. My viewpoint satisfies key elements of both perspectives, while still taking into consideration the feelings of the mother/father and the given rights of the fetus.
Conclusion
As time passes, I am sure more arguments will continue to rise regarding the legal status of abortion. Possibly leading to new court cases which could favor or go against the decision held in Roe v. Wade (1973) of protecting women's right to privacy. Anti-abortion or pro-life supporters will continue to fight for the fetus’s rights, since the unborn baby deserves the same rights as any individual. Unlike pro-choice activists which focus on the mothers say of the situation and believe she should be free to do as she pleases with “her” body and the being “inside her.” Despite the very convincing statements each stance has, I stand strong with my own view. Abortion should only be legal for those in very undesired situations, and otherwise illegal for everyone else in the United States.