...and Nicholas L. Danigelis. 2002. Changing Frameworks in Attitudes Toward Abortion. Sociological Forum, Vol. 17, No. 2, 187-201. The article looks at the issue of legal abortion, and attitudes have changed over the years. The researchers examine how the determinants of abortion attitudes have changed between 1977 and 1996, using data from the General Social Surveys. There are several reasons to explain how the approval of abortion has increased between 1977 and 1996. By the 90s, abortion had been legal for two decades, the population had become more educated and more secular, and other sociodemographic trends were consistent with increasing desire for contraceptive methods. For the study, the 20 years are divided into four periods of relatively equal duration and subsample size: 1977–80, 1982–85, 1987–91, and 1993–96. From this, it is noted that early time periods, whites were more approving of abortion than blacks, that pattern had reversed by the late 1980s. As part of their research study, they used weights to control for the effects of over sampling blacks in 1982 and 1987. The dependent variable was a summated Abortion Approval Scale based on the number of “yes” answers to six situation-specific questions about abortion which ranges from a low of 0 that represents complete opposition to abortion in all described situations (“no” to all questions) to a high of 6 that represents tolerance of abortion in all situations (“yes” to all questions). Ten independent variables have...
Words: 2790 - Pages: 12
...Symbolic White Hills ENG 125: Introduction to Literature Elizabeth Parks Symbolic White Hills Ernest Hemingway was a Pulitzer Prize and Noble Prize winning author. He wrote both novels and short stories. While the majority of his work was written with a theme of “death and violence”, his short story “Hills Like White Elephants”, written in 1927, features a much different theme (Clugston, 2010, 7.3). In this short story, the predominant themes are coercion and how difficult it is to make life altering decisions. Hemingway used third-person limited omniscient point of view in writing “Hills Like White Elephants” which means that he wrote the story in the third-person; however, he only discusses one characters thoughts and feelings (Clugston, 2010). Using the literary elements of tone and symbolism, Hemingway was able to explain the difficulty with making a tough decision while being coerced. In “Hills like White Elephants”, you are met with two characters whom you would assume to be lovers, Jig and the American. Hemingway did not give the American a name which leads one to believe that the story wasn’t about him at all. The majority of the story is dialogue between the two characters about whether Jig should get an abortion. The American is trying to coerce Jig into having an abortion. “‘It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig,” the man said. “It’s not really an operation at all.’” (Clugston, 2010, line 41). “As the man persists in opposing the continuance...
Words: 860 - Pages: 4
...By definition, "abortion" refers to any premature expulsion of a human fetus, whether naturally spontaneous, as in a miscarriage, or artificially induced, as in a surgical or chemical abortion. Abortion has been a controversial issue dating back long before the United States Supreme Court’s 7-1 decision on the case of Roe versus Wade. As a result of the case, it was decided that the procedure was a fundamental right. Since then abortion has continued to be a subject that draws fluctuating heated emotions from society. The social predictors of abortion attitudes are greatly influenced by varying religious beliefs, demographics, and political views. Generally, the debate over abortion consists of two stances, pro-choice or pro-life. Those who distinguish themselves as a proponent for the pro-choice attitude towards abortion believe that the procedure is a right that should not be limited by the government or a religious entity. They believe that if women do not have legal access to abortions, these women will resort to unsafe options to eliminate their unwanted pregnancy. Individuals who distinguish themselves as a proponent for the pro-life attitude towards abortion believe that life occurs at the time of conception. Therefore abortion is the immoral killing of an innocent human being. As previously mentioned, this debate stems back to the infamous case of Roe versus Wade. This case originated in Dallas, Texas in 1969 when “Roe”, the legal pseudonym for Norma Leah McCorvey...
Words: 2718 - Pages: 11
...in the world, but an HSRC representative national survey of 4 980 adults (aged 16 and older) during September and October 2003, indicates that Government policy on “moral” issues is more “progressive” than the attitudes of the electorate. Since the 1994 change of Government, the Termination of Pregnancy Act has been passed to permit abortion. Similarly, discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and capital punishment for persons found guilty of murder, have been made unconstitutional. But according to the survey, most South Africans oppose abortion, same-sex adult sexual relationships and support capital punishment. All three issues are, however, hotly contested in civil society. Pro-life activists are objecting strongly to the termination of 300 000 pregnancies since 1996. Divisions exist within the Christian community with respect to consensual sex between adults of the same gender. The re-introduction of the death penalty is policy for several political parties. Public opinion gauged by the HSRC’s 2003 South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS) reflects this contestation. More than half (56%) of South African adults think that abortion is “always wrong” in the event of it being discovered that there is a strong chance of serious defect in the unborn child. Only 21% think that it is “not wrong at all”. It is acknowledged that the way in which a moral-type question is asked and the context in which it is placed, can influence the response. In this case the questions...
Words: 1473 - Pages: 6
...Abortion is one of the most persistently controversial and debated issues in American politics, culture, and media today. While it is depicted as a two-sided argument, with constituents being either prochoice or prolife, the debate over abortion is overwhelmingly multifaceted and involves an extensive look into the healthcare, biology, ethics, morality, and constitutional rights that affect the issue. It is definitively impractical to generate a logically consistent position on abortion without being subject to abandoning another beliefs, let alone attempting to find a middle ground. Yet with any heated debate, the issues cannot methodically be traced into the confines of black and white. In trying to vindicate or denounce abortion, it is often necessary to observe the grey as we attempt to deduce whether, if ever, abortion can be justified. The abortion debate begins with the moral status of the fetus If the fetus has no rights then the abortion is not an issue, but if the fetus does indeed have rights, then abortion does not solely concern the freedom of the mother, rather it constitutes the deliberate destruction of a human being with personal freedom. However, in the cases of self-defense, just war, and capital punishment, don’t we a society allow the murder of human beings, each with their own set of personal freedoms? Implicit in the claim that it is unethical to kill a human being deliberately is the idea that we have rights because we are human beings therefore can...
Words: 660 - Pages: 3
...Culture Attitude towards Abortion Shekemia Figueroa November 6, 2009 Developmental Psychology PSYC 331 Fall Semester 2009 Attitudes toward Abortion in different cultures Abortion is one of the most divisive issues in today society. Abortion is the termination of unwanted pregnancy by destruction of the fetus. It is one of the oldest methods of fertility control and one of the most widely used. It has been and is practiced in all regions of the world. In preliterate societies a woman whose pregnancy is unacceptable to the community, a woman who has broken its rule about appropriate sexual partners or the number of children, a pregnant widow, an unmarried girl or a girl too young, a woman who has had sexual intercourse with outsider or whose pregnancy is the result of an adulterous relationship is expected to have an abortion (Simon, 1). Abortion rights advocates argue that since the fetus develops inside of the woman’s body and since the outcome of the pregnancy will profoundly affect the woman’s life; abortion must remain a woman’s choice in some cultures (Cozic p. 52). In other cultures they believe that abortion should not be a woman’s personnel choice. People have different opinions on whether or not a fetus is consider a human being. Some culture attitudes toward abortion are different than others and they expect the decision to be made by their views on abortion. In 1992 the overall (national) abortion rate was 26 per 1,000 women ( Francome, p. 22). African...
Words: 1580 - Pages: 7
...experiences of the writer that reader can establish connections or may acknowledge it as a worldly or personal crisis. In short story, “Country Lovers” by Nadine Gourdime and “Hills Like White Elephants” by Elswell Hemmingway, both centers around the conflict that involves the issues of forces that may threaten to end love relationships in way both couples didn't want, by exploring the use of literary techniques such as symbolism, climax, and setting. Both stories deal with forces that is causing a love crisis between each other. The theme in “Hill Like White Elephant”, the couples are dealing with the topic of their unborn child and abortion and in “Country Lovers” focus on the love of childhood friends that turn into sexual curiosity that is against society rules and expectation between blacks and whites. Hills Like White Elephants, the whole story is consist of dialogue between a young woman who is nicknamed “Jig” and the unnamed American lover, trying to talk to each other but neither are listening or viewing each other point of views. The “white elephant” symbolizes to Jig's unwanted pregnancy that in her perspective, is proving to be a unwanted gift but precious because of her statement about the setting she residing in where the “hills” located in Eros across a valley that “look like white elephants” are “lovely”, which enlightens the statements to be more of something she want to experience of having the child that is unwanted. However, her American lover only refer to...
Words: 881 - Pages: 4
...Everydayfeminism.com/2013/01/why-no-government-funding-for-abortions-actually-means-no-choice-for-low-income-women/ Why ‘No Government Funding for Abortion’ Actually Means No Choice For Low-Income Women Imagine this – you’re poor and pregnant. Maybe you’re unemployed, having been laid off from your previous job and struggling to pay rent. Maybe you already have three kids to take care of and you cannot afford a fourth. Or maybe you’re still in high school, know nothing about raising a child and don’t know where to turn for help. You know that you can’t afford this baby — you’ve weighed all possible options and the money just aren’t there. You’re barely making it as it as. And so you decide that the only responsible option is to get an abortion. Given how much you make, it seems expensive, but you also know that it will be much cheaper than raising another child. So you begin the planning process. You do some research to find out much an abortion costs in your state. You currently receive federal and state Medicaid so you wonder if your health insurance will cover abortions as well. And then you learn that it’s prohibited, due to the Hyde Amendment, a regulation that restricts all federal funding for funding in Medicaid except in cases of rape and incest. The Hyde Amendment is not a permanent law. It is a “rider” that, in various forms, has been routinely attached to annual appropriations bills since 1976 (just 3 years after Roe versus Wade). That means every year, it...
Words: 3201 - Pages: 13
...of the wording in the abortion law, saying that he was incapable of distinguishing which of his patients were eligible for the laws exception.54 He appealed for the court to legalize abortion and suggested that should they fail to do so, they change the wording of the law.55 Hallford’s desire was to ensure the safety and care of his patients, while practicing under clear and concise laws. The court dismissed his testimony due to his impending cases.56 In the process of making the decision for abortion, the court discussed the Hippocratic Oath.57 In this oath, the doctor swears that they will not aid a woman in having an abortion or gives her the means to do so...
Words: 955 - Pages: 4
...I think that black women are the target of anti-abortion campaigns because of the statistics that say black women abort babies at rate higher than white women. I don’t think this is by coincidence that this happens. Economic circumstances play a huge role in this disproportion. Since 42% of women who have abortions are poor, this makes sense that they wouldn’t want to bring a baby into the world on a destitute budget. It’s rather discouraging to know that a woman on medi-cal cannot get a root canal, a crown, and so on without coming out of pocket herself, but this same woman can allow a doctor to murder her unborn fetus for free. Problems with your teeth can lead to bigger issues that could be detrimental so one would think that adequate health care would be provided to help this issue. However, that is not the case the government would rather dole out money to a medi-cal recipient for the termination of an unborn child. This just makes me think that there is an underhanded ulterior motive. It just doesn’t make any sense to me. I think these abortion clinics are strategically placed and accessible to black women because of ability to kill off more African American’s and legally call it a “woman’s right”. This plague is killing babies and cutting of their chances to help change our society. This in my opinion, is an example of black genocide, and I think Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics play a huge role in this...
Words: 260 - Pages: 2
...Define Feminism. Is feminism still relevant in the 21st century? Why? According to Jessica Valenti’s Full Frontal Feminism, feminism is “the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes” and the movement is centered around the practice of this belief. Feminism is still very much relevant in the 21st century because, on a national and global scale, there is no social, political, and economic equality. Most countries and societies are still very much socially, politically, and economically male dominated. An example of social inequality among the sexes is evident in “That time of the month” by Dinsa Sachan. Sachan discusses how little girls in India are raised to believe that their menstruation cycle something to be ashamed of because they are considered to be impure (Dinsa Sachan, 2015). As a result, girls and women in India stay away from religious icons and rarely leave their home during their menstrual cycle. Dinsa Sachan then goes on to discussing how a young couple, Gupta and Paul, use comedic comics to educate little girls on what the menstrual cycle is and how they can take care of themselves during that cycle. The idea of the menstrual cycle being an “impure” is not just found in India -- many other countries and individuals across the globe use this belief to put women at a social disadvantage. An example of political inequality and economic equality is evident in Terry O’Neill’s “Layers of Injustice”. O’Neill discusses how women are politically misrepresented...
Words: 1085 - Pages: 5
...“Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway is a short story every student studying English Composition should read. The narrative explores the difficult topic of abortion which college students should read about. Not only did the story explore the couple's dynamic it also delved into the feelings each partner had about the pregnancy. In “On Reading Fiction”, the author explains that readers enjoy fiction for three reasons, because it is an escape from reality, a possible answer to problems in their lives, and allows the reader the comfort of knowing that others are facing the same problems and feeling the same emotions as them. The author states, “we like it because fiction, as an image of life, stimulates and gratifies our interest in life.” This is without a doubt true, knowledge is power and reading about people’s lives and their experiences gives a leg up to the reader in his or her own life. While there are numerous short stories to choose from, “Hills Like White Elephants” should be part of the curriculum for college students because it digs deep into the conflicts everyone may face at one point in their lives about decision making, relationships, and changing your destiny. Being an ongoing issue in society, the topic of abortion is important to read about. Regardless of gender, reading about abortion is important because both parties should have a say in whether to keep the baby. Although not pointed out in black and white, in “Hills Like White Elephants” the reader...
Words: 955 - Pages: 4
...The alternative method for amending the Constitution requires no less than 34 States calling for a convention to come together and re-write the legislation. A current event is the confederate flag in South Carolina that is being called to be taken down by Gov. Nikki Haley. This is a prime example of three fourths congressional vote for the law to be passed that has been being fought for many years, but still no conclusion to the votes (Fieldstadt). In years past, there have been proposals to take down the confederate flag, but because there hasn’t been a majority rule, the law hasn’t changed. Situations have led up to dissatisfied communities, like the young man who was burning the Confederate flag in South Carolina. He was a part of a “white power ideology” which made him feel like he was against another race, which led up to 9 personnel being killed. The Founding Fathers believed the formal system they instituted to amend the constitution provided a majority rule system, ensuring each amended law would be in the benefit of the people. Take for...
Words: 1219 - Pages: 5
...Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137 (1803), was a landmark United States Supreme Court case in which the Court formed the basis for the exercise ofjudicial review in the United States under Article III of the Constitution. The landmark decision helped define the boundary between the constitutionally separate executive and judicial branches of the American form of government. The case resulted from a petition to the Supreme Court by William Marbury, who had been appointed by President John Adams as Justice of the Peace in the District of Columbia but whose commission was not subsequently delivered. Marbury petitioned the Supreme Court to force the new Secretary of State James Madison to deliver the documents. The Court, with John Marshall as Chief Justice, found firstly that Madison's refusal to deliver the commission was both illegal and remediable. Nonetheless, the Court stopped short of compelling Madison (by writ of mandamus) to hand over Marbury's commission, instead holding that the provision of the Judiciary Act of 1789 that enabled Marbury to bring his claim to the Supreme Court was itself unconstitutional, since it purported to extend the Court's original jurisdiction beyond that which Article III established. The petition was therefore denied. McCulloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. 316 (1819), was a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of the United States. The state of Maryland had attempted to impede operation of a branch of the Second Bank of the United States by imposing...
Words: 1973 - Pages: 8
...going to be groups or even individuals that will have their own beliefs and may even try to push those beliefs onto others. So because of this domestic terrorism is going to be around for a long time. Looking through history I have found a few domestic groups that weren’t mentioned in part ones essay but I feel should be addressed. Ku Klux Klan can never be ignored as one of the most prominent of all domestic terrorist groups in the United States. Another one is Phineas Priesthood, and lastly a group Americans must focus on is Black Liberation Army. These are the three that I think should really be focused on, for they seem to be mentioned by the F.B.I. in a lot of Domestic Terrorism articles. Ku Klux Klan (KKK), just the name sounds of something bad is about to happen. The Klan has been causing havoc since 1865. Is definitely one of the oldest and most infamous for violence than any other domestic group on American. Most believe that blacks are the main subject of the Klan, but that isn’t necessary true anymore. They tend to focus on attacking Jews, immigrants, gays, and lesbians. Immigrants is their main issue now (Klu klux klan, 2013). The Klan is considered a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center and Anti-Deamination League. The first Klu Klux Klan was established in the Southern States and many members would weir robes , mask, and conical hats. Hats shaped like cones. Most Klans are recognized by burning crosses and associated with opposing against...
Words: 1692 - Pages: 7
