The Abortion Pro Choice Philosophy
Most people come to America for freedom; whether it is for freedom of religion, speech, or choice. If God gives us the freedom of choice, who is man not to. It is the government's duty to protect the rights of the people. Therefore, there should be no debate about whether or not abortion should be made legal. Arguments against pro- choice are religiously biased; overlook the fact that the legalization of it benefits the health of women, and deny women the right to do what they want with their bodies.
People who are against abortion believe that it is unethical to abort babies and that to do so would be to perpetrate the role of God. The problem with their assertion is that not everyone has the same moral standards. Furthermore, not everyone believes in God, so to involve Him in the equation would imply that there is a universal religion. When pro- choice is portrayed in this manner, the opposing side's views threaten "the vital separation of church and state. Religious ideology should not be a foundation for law in the United States." (Abortion ProCon.org) If laws were created based on people's conscientious beliefs, America would lose its substance because diversity is America's middle name. Believers of pro- life often criticize those who believe otherwise by saying that abortion is equivalent to taking the life of a human being. "Abortion is not murder because it is performed before a fetus has developed into a human person". (balancedpolotics.org) Professor Dr. Mark Mercer argues that "a child likely only gains personhood at around 18 months to two years of age" so technically the fetus is not human. A major problem with this "debate is that the two sides aren't in direct opposition." (Undergraduate Student in Linguistics and Philosophy) The pro- life side forces its moral beliefs on people. They say that abortion is wrong and justify their claim with their moral beliefs which is invalid because each individual believes differently. Having the choice to make a decision that will surely impact one's life is far more important than a moral view that is subject to change with time.
Ever since the Roe v. Wade case, a Supreme Court decision that made "abortion legal in the United States" (Jone Johnson Lewis), practices concerning abortion have evolved. There are many misconceptions about the safety of abortion. "Today, abortion is one of the safest procedures thanks to the dedicated work of abortion providers across the country". (National Abortion Federation; NAF) Other alternative contraceptives do not always work so abortion is one more option that women should have access to. Just like any other contraceptive, abortion may impose side effects, but overtime it has been made a safe procedure. History has shown that when something is illegalized, it often times makes the situation worse. If abortion were to be illegalized "back alley abortions would increase… leading to increased risk of young women dying or becoming sterile". (balancedpolotics.org) It is said that "one women dies every 7 minutes around the world due to an unsafe illegal abortion". (Orlando's Women Center) That statistic alone should be enough to encourage the legalization of abortion because making it illegal only opens the door for negative outcomes. Making abortion illegal or legal would not affect the number of abortions that occur every year, but it would affect the alarming issues that come along with harmful illegal abortions. Keeping abortion legal helps protects the lives and well-beings of women who are faced with tough decisions when it comes to pregnancy.
America has come a long way in terms of women's rights but to illegalize abortion would be to take a step back. In the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson wrote that everyman is endowed "to certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". (ushistory.org) If everyone is entitled to the pursuit of happiness, why can't a woman choose to abort her baby if it makes her happy. Women fought for the right to have a say so. It would be demeaning for the government to take it away. In many cases women and even girls, become pregnant unexpectedly due to rape. No one should be forced to have a baby if they do not want to, especially if they do not see themselves as fit mothers. Because "the life of a baby depends upon the mother's health" (Dr. Norbert Hoerster), it would be damaging to bring a child into this world knowing that they may not have an equal shot at life. Why penalize a baby when you can save them from sure devastation? Abortion is a safe way out for women who face pregnancy complications. Without the legalization of abortion women whose lives are endangered because of pregnancy would be forced to suffer. Forcing a woman to have a baby is tantamount to controlling aspects of society that should be left up to individuals.
Abortion is something that probably will never be agreed on but having the choice should not be a matter of debate. Taking away choice means implementing control over the bodies of women. Women are not property so the only person who should have authority over their bodies is them. Pro- choice does not necessarily mean one is for the killing of babies but it does mean that women are entitled to do what they want with their bodies, which is most likely what they think is best.
Article name: The Abortion Pro Choice Philosophy essay, research paper, dissertation