Since the early 1970’s abortion has been an important issue to the United States (Tietze 1). The problem begins with whether it is the woman’s choice to keep or terminate her pregnancy or the government’s choice. When this problem happens, a woman loses her right as a person. Most women argue about this issue, but if you look at it, it is the woman’s body, and she should do with it as she pleases. I believe that if a woman, under the right circumstances, should be able to make her own choices in life and not be influenced by family or the government. Some women have accepted the definition that a woman’s prime role as wife and mother is to have control of one’s own body and mind (Reardon 3) .Once they had choices about life roles, they felt that they had the right to choose abortion or not. Any and every woman should have the ability to choose when to have a child in their lives. Many women feel that if they did not have the right to choose an abortion, they would have passed by many opportunities to create a better life for themselves. Some people might not agree with their decisions, but in the ends it is theirs. Many people believe abortion is a moral issue, but it’s also a constitutional issue (Messerli 1). The right of the woman to speak about this issue is hers, and is guaranteed by the ninth amendment, which is the right to privacy. The ninth amendment states, "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." (Boland 7) This amendment guarantees the right to women, so if they choose to have an abortion, up to the end of their first trimester it is theirs. Regardless of morals, a woman has the right to privacy and a ... ... middle of paper ... ... Life?” Messerli, Joe. Published; 02/22/2009.paragragh1. 12/15/09. http://www.balancedpolitics.org/abortion.htm Reardon, David C, “Rape, Incest and Abortion: Searching beyond the Myths” Reardon, David C. published in; The Post-Abortion Review 2(1) winter 1994. Paragrah3. 12/13/09. http://www.afterabortion.org/rape.html Tietze C, Henshaw SK. “Induced Abortion: A World Review” 1986. New York: The Guttmacher Institute, 1986. 12/13/09. http://www.prochoice.org/about_abortion/history_abortion.html Torres, Aida. “Why Do Women Have Abortions?” July/August 1988. Alan Guttmacher Institute, pages 169 to 176. 12/13/09. http://hli.org/files/PLTP%20Why%20Women%20Abort.pdf Wear, Ken. “Abortion: Let's Apply More Reason and Less Emotion to the Public Debate” Wear, Ken, published; Nov. 1999. Paragraph 6, 12/13/09. http://www.rationallink.org/abortion.htm
"Abortion: In Law, History & Religion." Childbirth By Choice Trust. May 1995. 26 April 2004. <http://www.cbctrust.com/abortion.html>
Over the course of the last century, abortion in the Western hemisphere has become a largely controversial topic that affects every human being. In the United States, at current rates, one in three women will have had an abortion by the time they reach the age of 45. The questions surrounding the laws are of moral, social, and medical dilemmas that rely upon the most fundamental principles of ethics and philosophy. At the center of the argument is the not so clear cut lines dictating what life is, or is not, and where a fetus finds itself amongst its meaning. In an effort to answer the question, lawmakers are establishing public policies dictating what a woman may or may not do with regard to her reproductive rights.
Warren, M. A. (1973) 'On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion', Monist, vol. 57, no. 1.
The current issues concerning a woman’s right to an abortion include the debates between pro-life and pro-choice groups that promote either restrictions or extensions to a woman’s ability to receive abortions respectively, along with debate about the role that the government should play in the process of limiting or extending rights. Pro-life groups argue many points against abortion including the beliefs that life begins at conception, adoption is a viable alternative to abortion, the procedures sometimes cause medical complications, a...
...ther’s sovereignty over her body outweigh the right of an unborn child to live. The answers to these questions are very diverse as a result of the diversity of the American society. With the issue of abortion, one’s attitude toward it is going to be based on many things such as religious background and personal morals. There is no black and white answer to the abortion issue. Luckily we live in a country where we are able to decide for ourselves whether something is morally right or wrong. Thus, ultimately, the choice is ours. As with the many other ethical issues which we are faced with in our society, it is hard to come to a concrete answer until we are personally faced with that issue. All we can do is make an effort to know all of the aspects which are involved so that we may be able to make a sound decision if we were faced with this problem in our own lives.
Hinman, Lawrence. “Abortion: A Guide to the Ethical Issues.” May 13, 2010. University of San
Every day, an overwhelming amount of human beings’ lives are terminated. The culprit: unwanted pregnancies. Many woman are (not by choice), becoming pregnant as a result of unsafe sex, rape, and other things. So what is one to do when they discover that they’re pregnant? They have some alternatives: (1) have the child and raise it (2) have the child, then give it up for adoption (3) get an abortion. Sadly, many women choose alternative three, unaware of what they’re getting themselves into.
Mohr, James C. Abortion in America: The Origins and Evolution of National Policy, 1800-1900. Oxford [Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, 1979. Internet resource.
Warren, Mary Anne , and Mappes and D. DeGrazia. "On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion." Biomedical Ethics 4th (1996): 434-440. Print.
Kennedy, Florence. "MIT Pro-Choice -- Reasons." MIT Pro-Choice -- Reasons. MIT Pro-Choice, 19 Apr. 2007. Web. 19 Mar. 2013.
It is almost unanimously agreed upon that the right to life is the most important and sacred right possessed by human beings. With this being said, it comes as no surprise that there are few issues that are more contentious than abortion. Some consider the process of abortion as immoral and consisting of the deprivation of one’s right to life. Others, on the opposite end of the spectrum, see abortion as a liberty and a simple exercise of the right to the freedom of choice.
One of the most controversial issues in society today is abortion, and as of now, is morally acceptable because of Roe vs. Wade. However, when a study taken by Minnesota reveals that women who have had an abortion have 10 times the risk of committing suicide than women who have not had an abortion, it’s time to seriously think about whether or not abortion should be acknowledged as morally right. Considered by some to be a form of murder, anti-abortion laws should apply to all women in order to prevent any emotional mishaps of the abortion victim and to save the lives of the innocent human beings not yet born.
With the issue of abortion, we are able to relate it easily to several principles throughout the Constitution. Every human has the right to make decisions about their own body, and this includes a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy. The Constitution doesn’t classify an unborn baby as a human. Which leads straight in to the 14th amendment, a right for personal privacy and not allowing the government and Constitution to be a pressuring standpoint in this decision on whether you want to keep your child. As a human, we have the rights that no state shall make or enforc...
Abortion is an extremely controversial issue and one that is continually on the forefront of debates. Those who oppose the idea (Pro-lifers), thinks it is an act of woman playing “God” who live from who dies. Yet, whether an unborn baby constitutes a normal person is questionable; a pregnant woman, on the other hand, has the undeniable right to choose whether she wants to have a child or not. Therefore, the decision to have an abortion is the personal choice and responsibility of the woman, because prohibiting abortion impedes freedom of choice and endangers the physical and mental health of women.