Partial-Birth Abortion: The Logical and Illogical Arguments

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Partial-Birth Abortion: The Logical and Illogical Arguments

In 1992, a new abortion procedure was introduced to the United States public. It was first performed by Dr. James McMahon and explained by Dr. Martin Haskell (Scully). It was used during the second and third trimesters (around twenty to twenty-four weeks along) and involved partially delivering the fetus so the doctors could remove the baby’s brain with suction (Wagner). The term “D&X”, which stands for “intact dilation and extraction,” was used to refer to this procedure (Hoyt). It was not until a few years later that debates about this procedure came about. In 1995, “Representative Charles Canady (R., Fla) introduced the Partial Birth Abortion Act” (Scully). Since then, the issue has been debated extensively. There have been questions about the accuracy of some facts that have been presented. This extremely political issue has more than just the usual two sides: Democratic and Republican. There are people against it who would like it banned completely, while others are against it but do not think it should be banned. Then, there are some who are in favor of it because they see nothing wrong with it, while still others are in favor of it just because they think that doing away with it would take away women’s rights. Those opinions and any others can mainly boil down to proponents and opponents of partial-birth abortion. In many articles over the years, both proponents and opponents have each given their logical appeals, emotional appeals, and ethical appeals while trying to destroy the other side of the issue.

The first topic to discuss is the logical appeal of the argument. According to the proponents for the issue of part...

... middle of paper ...

...here is now a ban on partial-birth abortion in the United States, passed in March 2003.

Works Cited

Black, Chris. “The Partial-Birth Fraud.” The American Prospect 12 (September 24, 2001): A2.

Bordlee, Dorinda C. “Partial Birth: What Next?” Christianity Today 44 (August 7, 2000): 67.

Hoyt, Mike. “Abortion: Partial Truths.” Columbia Journalism Review 36 (May-June 1997): 12(2).

Scully, Matthew. “Partial Truth.” The Human Life Review 24 (Summer 1998): 103(4).

Strickler, Karyn. “Partial Birth Abortion Bans: Why Does the Big Lie Continue?” http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0312-10.htm. Published March 12, 2003. Accessed April 15, 2003.

Wagner, Teresa R. “The Partial-Birth Abortion War.” World and I 14 (September 1999): 86.

Walker, Graham. “Why stop at the third trimester?” The Human Life Review 22 (Winter 1996): 105(2).

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