...Abortion in America: Right to Life or Right to Choose Paul Day, Felicia Jones, Thomas Ratcliff, Theresa M. Saau, Natasha Sabbah BCOM 275 June 26, 2014 Cecile Morris Abstract Abortion in America: Right to Life or Right to Choose Arguments for or against performing abortions in the United States, persist and are highly debatable. Since the 1973 Federal Supreme Court ruling of Rowe versus Wade, abortions have become established as legal in the United States. (Glendon, 2003) Legalized abortion in the United States, has received strong support from Pro-Choice proponents such as Planned Parenthood. (Planned Parenthood, 2014) Pro-Choice advocates for abortion, believe that pregnancies can be allowed to be ended prematurely. (MNT, 2009) Pro-Life advocates, on the other hand, view abortion as murder to human life. Opponents to legalizing abortions performed in the United States, often include Pro-Life supporters and certain religious groups. The issue of abortion in American society often involves individual belief and personal choice. The five members of the University of Phoenix’s BCOM/275, Learning Team C, have separated into two groups to debate the pros and cons relating to the legalization of abortions in the United States. Three team members debated the abortion topic from a Pro-Life perspective, and two team members sought to represent the Pro-Choice position. A team debate was held on June 13, 2014. The purpose of the debate, was to gather information from...
Words: 470 - Pages: 2
...Advantages Associated with Abortion Abortion has caused controversy since it was made legal in the United States during Roe vs Wade. Abortion has many risks and negative consequences for women, but it also comes with some advantages. Abortion can benefit some women who seek to a safe way to end their pregnancy. Women who seek abortion may have a baby whom has health problems, has medical complications herself, or was raped and/or impregnated by a family member. With today’s technology, women can test if their baby will be born with some abnormalities. Abortion can give the option to women to choose if they want to abort the fetus that has medical complications. “Technologies have enabled disease detection amongst unborn babies. Giving life...
Words: 1049 - Pages: 5
...demonstrations held every day, yet somehow abortion is still legal in the United States. In the decision of the Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, it was ruled that women have the right, given to them by the Constitution, to have an abortion in the early stages of pregnancy (Infoplease). Hundreds of protesters gather outside clinics that offer abortions and try to present their position on the issue, but it seems as though their cries and complains are never heard. The main question that we must decide on is this: is it just to take away human life before it even has the chance to be lived? Several countries around the world have outlawed the practice of abortion. When deciding the abortion issue, its women’s rights as citizens of the United States versus the religious beliefs of a majority of citizens. What is more important, the sanctity of life or allowing murder on the basis of one’s right to choose? Given the abortion procedure allows women sexual and reproductive freedom, it has unconsciously led to a trend where abortion is being used as a method of contraception. In the United States, 49% of the pregnancies are unintended and American women used abortion as a tool to terminate almost half of these pregnancies (Infoplease). Abortion was not meant to be used in accidental pregnancies, but its purpose was to cease pregnancies that could possibly result in the death of the mother or if the baby had major genetic defects that could possibly be fatal. Abortion was never meant to be used as...
Words: 3303 - Pages: 14
...weaknesses in an argument, like hidden contradictions or bad reasoning’s. The believing game however, is the exact opposite of the doubting game. This practice is using the welcoming process to not only hear the ideas that may be different from our own but to actually believe what is being said. Elbow says, “Often we cannot see what is good in someone else’s idea until we work at believing it.” After reading the article, I fully agree with this approach as even an idea that is not one I agree with should be taken at least under consideration as to what is actually being said. If we do that, we could eventually believe it. ProCon.org has listed fifty two pros and cons of the most controversial issues facing our world today. For the sake of argument and research, I chose the topic of Abortion. On the website, the question is posed, “Should Abortion Be Legal?” To be completely honest, I feel as though abortion should in fact be legal. Secondly, as a man, I feel that I have absolutely no say in what a woman can or cannot do with her body. Abortion has zero effect on me personally as it is not my body. Of course, we can make the argument if it was my wife or girlfriend that I should have a say in the matter, and that could be true however, overall, as a man I do not feel like I can tell a woman what to do with her body. I chose this topic to bring up all the controversy on the topic. Far too many males want to have a say in this and I feel that is wrong. Under the Pro section of...
Words: 735 - Pages: 3
...Abortion Abortion is a serious issue that is always discussed in America. Abortion is known world -wide as a termination of pregnancy. Currently in many states it is becoming illegal and abortion clinics are being shut down. The topic of Abortion cause a huge debate in America, there are people who are completely against in and people who are strongly for it. Abortion should not be completely illegal but, it should only be offered to people who have had a traumatic life event that has happened to them. Americans who are against abortion have very strong reasons for their choice. There are citizens who believe life begins as soon as an egg is fertilized and if pregnancy is terminated it is as if one is committing murder. People who are pro-life also believe that in real society it wouldn’t be allowed to harm a living person so it shouldn’t be allowed to harm a fetus. They also believe in cases such as rape or incest abortion shouldn’t be allowed because it punishes the child instead when it should really be the suspect who should be punished. A huge ordeal that could prevent pregnancy in the first place in using contraceptives, abortion shouldn’t be the ultimate back up plan. Women should be responsible enough to use protection when being sexually active so they don’t immediately turn to abortion when they suspect they are pregnant. After having an abortion it is told that some women have doubts about the decision they have just made. A lot of girls who go through with...
Words: 841 - Pages: 4
...Sara Jones Sociology December 12, 2006 Abortion Abortion touches politics, but is not consumed by it. Abortion views, pro or con, generally consume the life of the individual holding them. Abortion as an issue of public debate is largely a twentieth-century phenomenon. But the debate began much earlier, not over abortion, but over how social issues would later be viewed. There is even argument over what the term abortion means. Abortion moved from a practice that occurred behind closed doors and only for a select portion of the population to a practice that virtually skyrocketed among the general populace, rich or poor. The pro-life side will contend that the term pro-choice is an altogether unfair designation. What their opponents really are, they will argue, is pro-abortion. On, the other hand, pro- choice proponents will likely argue the term pro-life is unfair, partisan description. Pro- choice advocates will argue that they are pro-life about the mother. Their opponents are “anti-choice” or “anti-reproductive rights.” Pro Life The ultimate pro-life goal is quite direct and very simple. Pro-lifers want an amended U.S. Constitution, to the Canadian Charter of Rights that will give equal protection law, to, to all living humans from the time their biologic life begins at conception. Pro-lifers have a goal and it is a Constitutional Amendment returning the right to make decisions about each individual state in the U...
Words: 571 - Pages: 3
...Argumentative Essay: Should Abortion Be Illegal? The legalization of abortion has been an issue that has been argued both publically and privately for several decades. In all social circles this subject is very sensitive because of the moral and emotional factors involved. For the religious community, it’s a matter of morality and biblical law. For the lay person or non-religious community it’s a matter of choice. In the political arena it’s a matter of economics. The one factor that stands out the most about this issue is that it is of a personal nature. The question at hand is should we legalize abortion, and should women on government assistance be able to receive an abortion as the expense of tax payers? In order to respond to this question responsibly let’s take a look back history to get a better understanding of abortion. Abortion actually dates back to Biblical times when women consumed an herbal concoction that would induce a spontaneous expulsion of a fetus. Though this practice often resulted in not ending the pregnancy or in the death of the mother and the fetus it was documented (Fox, 2012). Throughout history there have been documented incidents of abortion. In fact, in early American history, abortion was illegal and the death of the fetus was considered to be murder. Since the great legal battle of Roe verses Wade (Profile, 1973), advocates of women’s rights have continued to fight for a woman’s right to choose. This brings Fox, P. (2012). About...
Words: 884 - Pages: 4
...When talking about abortion rights there is a big controversy about why women should and shouldn't have that right. Put yourself in a women's position having to deal with a big decision to get an abortion or keep a baby. It is a lot of pressure and there are many men who oppose abortion rights along with women, although men don’t share the same connection to the fetus as the mother. People who are against abortion rights believe it violates civil rights--technically, the baby is not considered a human but a fetus. The political concerns of abortion is if the women should have the right to her body or does her body basically belong to the government who is proposing this abortion law. Abortion is a tough dilemma to deal with in the state of law. There are many reasons to why a women should not have the right to get an abortion. The biggest one that caught my attention was, it violates the fetuses civil rights conforming to Live Action News, “Unborn children are deprived of life – the most basic right of all – simply based on their location (their mother’s womb) and their developmental status,” the multitude of people who are against abortion...
Words: 1225 - Pages: 5
...other. Making us feel a sense of acceptance. When it comes to abortion we have a different opinion regarding right and wrong and often lead to disagreements, arguments, and altercations. Although we all have different opinions and beliefs, we need to express and educate our self’s in abortion, Pro-life, Pro-Choice, and or no choice to hopefully understand how sensitive the issue really is. An abortion is a procedure that is used to end a pregnancy. It is terminated by medicine or surgery that removes the embryo or fetus and placenta from the uterus. It is done by a licensed physician leaving it up to the women to end a pregnancy. According to the US statistics one in every three Women will have an abortion by the time she is 45 years old. Abortion is considered to be safer than child birth and the serious complication rate is less than one percent .Abortion is legal in the United States and is far more complicated than most people imagine. American women have right to obtain an abortion in all fifty states, through all nine months of pregnancy, for any reason. As time goes by a woman has the option to terminate the unwanted pregnancy. The cost of an abortion is determined by how far along pregnancy is. An average ten non hospital abortion at ten weeks is $523.00 and for a non-hospital abortion at twenty weeks is $1,339.00. Under federal regulations abortions cannot be paid for with federal funds. Although, abortion is considered to be safer than child birth and the serious complication...
Words: 1423 - Pages: 6
...Should Abortion be Legal? Julianne Jackson PHI 103 Fabio Escobar June 11, 2012 Should Abortion be Legal? Abortion is something that I am for, not against. I was raised as a Christian and I believe that, “thou shalt not kill” however, there are circumstances in our lives that cause us to believe differently. Life is about making choices and our maker and society gives us the freedom to choose. It is because of these choices that we will make a decision as to if we are ethically right or wrong. This is because regardless of what people may believe abortion is neither right nor wrong. It is the matter of a personal opinion where each side can say with conviction that the other side is wrong. Abortion is the removal of an embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end a pregnancy. Abortion is one of the most controversial issues around and it will remain an issue that will never be agreed upon. The issue of morals has been put into the question of whether it should be legal to have an abortion thus elevating the subject to a higher level. Some people no longer look at abortion as a question of choice but as a question of morality, and these perceptions have led to a full-blown debate over something that should not be questioned. A single pregnant woman brought a class action suit that challenged the Texas law that prohibited abortions except when medically advised with the purpose of saving the mother’s life. Roe was the single mother in this case and Henry Wade was one...
Words: 2349 - Pages: 10
...Thinking | Should Abortion legalized | HONORAY ARD | | Nuwanthi Kaushalya Sudharshan | 4/29/2016 | There are variations within each group depending on how liberal or conservative one’s opinions are, some individuals who are pro-life believe that in cases of rape or incest abortion should be allowed, and some pro-choice groups favor waiting periods and other restrictions on abortion. They only want women to have control over their bodies and futures. Therefore, contrary to popular media portrayals of the debate between pro-life and pro-choice groups, there is not really a clear line between the two sides of the argument for many. No matter which side you have personally taken.It is important to understand what the opposing position believes. The more you know about the arguments in favor of or against abortion, the better prepared you will be if you must make this type of decision regarding your own pregnancy. The proceeding procedure and elaborates some of the irrational argumentations or logical fallacies that associated with traditional and effective abortion strategies. Recently, there are many controversial topics in this world, and abortion is one of them. So I choose to talk about should abortion be legal. In this essay, I'm going to talk about pros and cons of abortion. It was not a big problem before; however, recently the number of abortions increases rapidly. In some countries, abortion is legalized and in some country abortion is treated as a crime...
Words: 1515 - Pages: 7
...Throughout the United States, the use of abortion is an ongoing controversy and a prominent issue in modern day society. Questions are always raised, whether one is against abortions or is it supported. The abortion issue has become one of the most controversial problems of today and is a very sensitive subject in American politics. When talking about this issue, there are two sides that one can take. There is the Pro-life side, which believe that abortion is not a good thing and should be banned. Then there is the Pro-choice that believes it is a woman's choice if she wants to carry the baby or end the pregnancy. There are many pros and cons to each of the argument. Pro-life and pro-choice supporters differ in many of their opinions, specifically, regarding when life begins and the affects abortions have on the mother and child. Abortion should be supported is because it is a harmless medical procedure. Medical abortions have less risk of serious problems and do not affect a woman's health...
Words: 563 - Pages: 3
...do a on the ethical and controversial issue of abortion. In this report I will cover both sides of the abortion issue. I will summarize the stands of both Pro-Life advocates and Pro-Choice, by presenting arguments from organizations, authors, and journal articles from each side. As well as give a brief history on abortion and a look at the laws that govern this issue not only here at home but around the world. In conclusion of my report I will give my views on the issue and on which side of the fence my beliefs put me on. So lets begin. Up until the early 1960s abortion was illegal. Almost forty years after the Equal Rights Amendment was first introduced to Congress. However, abortion was not always a crime. During the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, abortion of early pregnancy was legal under common law. Still abortion was illegal during a time when women had little to no rights over what they said, or desired and certainly no control over their right to give birth or not. Even still generations of women persisted in the need to control the amount of children they would have. In a time where birth control was very ineffective or not at all the likely hood of an unwanted pregnancy was inevitable. During the more than 100 years abortion was illegal in the United States some late-nineteenth-century doctors believed there were two million abortions a year. Many women died as a result of trying to have illegal abortions, but if these numbers are even close to being...
Words: 1961 - Pages: 8
...Abortion has been a topic of great controversy for nearly forty one years now. In 1971 a single, pregnant female sued the state of Texas because the law stated that an abortion could not be performed unless it was medically necessary to save the mother’s life. Her doctor was also a plaintiff in the case because he was facing two counts of murder for performing an abortion on a mother that was not medically necessary. A couple who could not have children and believed taking an unborn child’s life was unethical and wrong counter sued with the defense attorney by the name of Wade. This brought about a court decision almost two years later upholding legalized abortion and stating the laws in Texas were vague and unjustifiable. Stating that it was a woman’s right to choose abortion. Allowing women the option to have an abortion up until twenty four weeks gestation. Leading the way for other states to change their laws governing abortions. This brought about a whole new issue as to whether abortion should be legal or not. Prior to Roe vs. Wade an abortion could not be performed unless the mother’s health was at great risk. After the case, many states reevaluated their laws so that mothers could have an abortion for various reasons including “just because they weren’t ready to settle down.” This decision divided the American people as to whether it was ethically and morally right for a woman to choose abortion. In 2013, there were over one million abortions performed in the United...
Words: 1827 - Pages: 8
...being able to experience the world we know of today? Many bypass this thought process when considering abortion. Women instead think of themselves and their situation when debating the option of abortion. Life is valuable period. Regardless of whether there are good outcomes of abortion, or negative outcomes of abortion, I am against abortion. Regardless of what is going on in life, women know that the only way to not get pregnant is through the choice of abstinence, but they still choose to have sex. With this being a problem it makes abortion look really evil due to careless and selfish choices that women are making today. Abortion has been overthrown and battled in many courts with different cases and the procedure of abortion has granted because the right of the constitution protects the choices that women make with the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendment. The constitution protects the rights of women in many different ways including the choice of what women want to do with their bodies. These three amendments make abortion legal and create a bigger problem of diminishing this evil operation for the fact that abortion has been approved by judges all across America. In prior cases, such as Roe vs. Wade, argue that in the case of abortion, it is unconstitutional to take the rights of women away as a citizen and force women to birth a child. In the case of Roe vs. Wade, abortion was granted and deemed constitutional and this decision was based on the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendment...
Words: 3178 - Pages: 13
