Hello,
My English 102 class asked that we choose a topic to that can be debated for a research paper. I choose abortions in which I am pro-choice. My argument that I want to address is that abortions are not the murder of a child and that woman have the right to privacy in America. Can you please look at the paper and let me know the areas I should elaborate and also areas you see that are a weakness?
a tough decision to make
Through discussion, we are able to broaden our perspective on a controversial issue known as abortion. The debate on a woman's reproductive rights is an issue in our society that will remain constant. Pro-life and religious followers often feel that life begins at conception and the fetus has a right to life. The other side which is Pro-choice believe that life begins at the child's first breath, which side is correct? Can the removal of a fetus be viewed as murder or a homicide?
After looking at the structure of other countries, I'm glad to say that we are blessed to be able to debate issues such as abortions in America. Our voices are taken into consideration at the election polls that can enforce or change existing laws. Countries around the world have different laws that range from legalized abortions, limited abortions, with exceptions, to absolute ban.
What will the world look like if all abortions are made illegal? The choice to terminate the pregnancy through medicine and a trained professional lessen medical risks for a female. The country of Ireland has a complete ban on abortions, which force women to cross the border into countries where the procedure is legal. (Marty 2019) Time constraints, and financial burden may keep women within the country and find alternatives such as harmful drugs and dangerous activities to force a miscarriage.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville published an article that gives a breakdown of the four main stages of an unborn human go through. These include zygote (from conception to 4-5 days); blastocyst (from 5 days to implantation in the uterine wall- about 9 days); embryo (from implantation to first sign of brain waves-about eight weeks); fetus (from about eight weeks to birth). The article also states that 80% of women who have an abortion do so within the first 10 weeks. A heart beat is detected around 22 days after conception, brain waves after 8 eights, and the development of lungs after 26 weeks. It's important to understand that the woman's body doesn't see a missed period or any signs until after the 5th week of pregnancy. Women who take contraceptive that allows them to experience a period every three months will also have a harder time noticing the obvious sign of a missed period.
There are Americans that are opposing views that suggest that an embryo (implantation - first brain wave) have the same human rights as a living being. The suggestion is that once a woman is impregnated, this is a human who has the right to life and to be carried to full term. A religious mindset also suggests that a medical procedure that removes an embryo or fetus from a woman's body is to be considered a sin and murder. Research also states that up to 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage before the 20th week of pregnancy. ("Miscarriage in the First Trimester" 2014)
Authors Haugen, Musser, and Lovelace published a book titled "Abortion" which they suggest that the ban on abortions is a modernized enslavement of women. Women who feel the need to abort pregnancies will be forced to carry a child to full term. Who does abortion hurt the most, the woman or the embryo? A portion of women who choose to pursue the path of termination of pregnancy do so because of rape, contraceptive failure, disability of the fetus, or lack of financial support. While adoption is an option, the emotional cost of bearing a child may be too much to endure. At the time of the publication in 2010, the World Health Organization estimated that 110,000 women die each year from illegal abortions and up to 6 times as many suffer injuries related to these. (Haugen, Musser, & Lovelace 2010 40)
The option of abortion does not necessarily mean that an individual supports abortions. Pro-choice supports a woman's decision to make the choice that suits them. The choice to keep, abort, or carry to full term and place the child up for adoption. Listening to both sides of the spectrum allows us to have a better understanding and help us evolve. A woman who makes the decision to abort a pregnancy may follow through no matter the legal status. There is a greater risk involved in back alley abortions and alternative options. Accessibility to a procedure that is deemed as a necessity for Americans should remain a legal right nationwide.
Pro-life supports state that the termination of pregnancy goes hand in hand with murder. Let's keep in mind that the hunting of animals for sport is legal in America. The purchase of a weapon, camouflage, and taking time to hunt and kill a living being is far worse than aborting a pregnancy. Both of these examples are legal on a federal level in America, but one is overshadowed in the news over the other. Molly Fosco published an article titled "If abortion is murder, then miscarriage is..." which discusses the increase in miscarriages during times when abortions are illegal or unavailable. The article goes on to discuss that abortions and miscarriages are within the same league and should be protected under the same law.
Roe v Wade is a court case that changed women's rights for the better in the 1970's. Human rights begin with those who are living, breathing, and have rights to make decisions. The termination of pregnancy is not the murder of another human being due to the lack of the fetus' first breath. The final decision of Roe v. Wade was made on January 22, 1973 in a 7-2 ruling. The outcome states that a pregnant person has the constitutional right to an abortion due to a person's right to privacy. (Marty 2019) While abortions are legal as a federal law, the issue can be banned and illegal at the state level such as Alabama.
The embryo can turn into a fetus, which has the potential to be a living breathing human being. During the beginning stages of pregnancies, do you feel that the small pea sized embryo has legal human rights as an adult? Scientists can tell you the stages of development a fetus is at but a pregnancy caught early on can be terminated if need be. A late term procedure is heartbreaking to have someone describe to you what happens step by step. There are different ways this can be performed such as taking a pill to stop the heartbeat, then have the doctor take the embryo out carefully.
Imagine a family who lives in a low income community with children and no plans to grow their family. The couple chooses to use condoms due to the low price compared to that of a vasectomy or the procedure to have your tubes tied. The woman becomes pregnant and is left with the decision to abort the pregnancy early on or carry to full term and raise the child. Individuals who are pro-life and pro-choice may have been in the same situation, wondering what decision is best. I personally have religious friends who are pro-life and have had to make the decision to either use Plan B or have an abortion because this was what was best for themselves.
Robin Marty published a book called "Handbook for Post-Roe America" which strives to give individuals information about life post the Roe v. Wade ruling and giving timeless advice. Women take different paths in life and for some, the path leads to the same place. While you are planning your life and have a time frame of when you choose to start a family, measures can be put into place now. Contraceptives such as condoms, birth control, and Plan B on hand can be helpful to have on hand. Plan B is in no way to be used on a regular basis, but to be taken in extreme situations as this can be considered as a "mini abortion". When Trump took office, liberals felt as though there may be a future ban on abortions and raised prices on emergency contraceptives so people started buying these in bulk online.
Women take different paths in life and some of us have to make tougher decisions. Decisions based on our religious views, financial status, age, location, or family situation. Pro-choice means just that, to have a choice. Allowing women the right to make a choice does not suggest that Pro-choice means Pro-abortion. Abortions and miscarriages fall within the same realm which occur to a significant amount of women in the early stages of pregnancy. The fetus has yet legally become a member of society and breathe its first breath. The right to privacy is a fourth amendment right given to all members of America, including women who choose to abort a pregnancy. A woman chooses to abort the possibility of a child and is in no way committing an act of murder.
Works Cited
"Abortion." Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, siue.edu/~evailat/el10.html.
Fosco, Molly. "If Abortion Is Murder, Then Miscarriage Is ..." OZY, ozy.com/immodest-proposal/if-abortion-is-murder-then-miscarriage- is/93773.
Haugen, David M., et al. Abortion. Greenhaven Press, 2010.
McBride, Dorothy E., and Jennifer L. Keys. Abortion in the United States: a Reference Handbook. ABC-CLIO, 2018.
Marty, Robin. Handbook for a Post-Roe America. Seven Stories Press, 2019.
"Miscarriage in the First Trimester." Our Bodies Ourselves.Some of your arguments are weak or childish. For example, you talk about animal hunting or buying a gun to compare it to killing a baby. In that aspect, you could have compared killing a mosquito (a "living creature") to killing a human being, but that would obviously made no sense.
Also, you discuss "women rights" but don't mention anything about the bad choices of women who get impregnated. Women don't get pregnant on their own; they make certain choices which have consequences. You are eager to defend women's "rights" but you are silent about their stupid choices. If you drink and drive, you go to jail and nobody sane would try to argue that being stupid and paying the price violates somebody's "rights."
Finally, you like discussing "breathing." In that case, all your arguments could be used against anybody in hospital who cannot live without a breathing machine support. By your own definition, that person is not a human any more and should be subject to euthanasia.
Overall, a confusing paper with weak or illogical arguments. You conveniently don't discuss things that would destroy your own talking points.
