Abortion
INTRODUCTION
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy in a woman as a result of medical requirement or to avoid unplanned and accidental conception. In most countries across the world, abortion is highly condemned by some groups in the society while other groups support the procedure. According to Christian teachings on life, it is believed that life begins at conception; this means that an abortion is equal to the murder of a human being. The legalization of abortion in America by the Supreme Court in the year 1973, spark controversy debates across the nation. Anti-abortion activists condemned such an act by the highest court claiming that the ruling was against human rights to life. However, many supporters of the bill were delighted with the fact that unwanted pregnancies would be terminated if the woman wishes to do so. This paper looks at the legalization of abortion in America and debates to have abortion illegalized. I support the legalization of abortion and suggest that abortion should remain legalized in the United States of America. Abortion should be legalized as an option for the feminine since the government has no right to interfere with a woman’s body, illegal abortions result in very many fatalities as unwanted or unplanned pregnancies cause economic deprivation and poverty. However, there exists no evidence that is conclusive or disagreement that there is equality of fetus to humans, making it to have equal rights (Kiener 43).
BACKGROUND
Abortion in the United States of America remains a controversial issue ever since it was legalized by the Supreme Court in the year 1973. Some people support it whereas others are against it. There are many calls from human rights groups, politicians, activists and some religious movements to have the ruling reversed and abortion be illegalized in America. The discussion on whether abortion should be restricted or illegalized has been existent since the early 1990s and continues to spark differences among the groups which have different views on abortion in America (Leepson 235). People calling for the banning of abortion give their own views on why it is necessary to have abortion restricted. According to my point of view, the right to procure an abortion gives a woman freedom and control over her body. The government is therefore not required to in any way interfere with the control of any person’s body. Abortion helps a woman in planning of the time and number of children she may need to have, in case of accidental conception, the woman may terminate the pregnancy and thus maintain her desired plan. The control on the number of kids one needs to have will result in the development of the economy of the country through the proper management of the population. Owing to these facts, I support the legalization of abortion in America and thus abortion should remain legal (Wanlund 28).
FINDINGS IN 2013
The politics that surround the topic of amending the abortion bill are much controversial. Some state politicians both senators and governors have made their views known to the public about the need to have restrictions on abortion procedures. Law makers enacted a legislation restricting abortion rights as stated in the Supreme Court ruling (Clark 68). Most state legislation has had their own rights and requirements for abortion put in place. However, most Americans support the ruling that legalized abortion and have in most times voted out and against politicians who have had controversial views on the legislation that concerns abortion rights. The Supreme Court has also been in the favor of abortion right activists by rejecting to enact most state bills that restrict abortions. The congressional republican politicians are in support for the review of the abortion rights bill, but since the democrats are in control of the white house, the calls by republicans may be seen as irrelevant, this is according to the words of the house speaker John Boehner while addressing the opponents of the abortion rights (Kiener 43).
RESULTS IN FINDINGS 2013
In my view, the calls in having the illegalization of abortion in the USA should not be heeded by the Supreme Court. The right to abortion should be guaranteed to most American women; however, I support the amendments that call for the need to have a safe abortion and at the right time. Abortion when done at the right time and purpose will not only save the life of a woman but it will also lead to a planned parenthood that will result in the economic development of America (Mantel 75).
FINDINGS 2015
Restrictions that have been enacted on the process of abortion in some states are yet to be confirmed by the Supreme Court. Majority of the states have been restricting the procurement of abortions with most focusing on the conception period, the waiting period and the qualifications of the person performing the operation. Most states require that abortions done after 20 weeks of conception be banned, and that abortion should be done after at least 24 hours of waiting. The person that performs an operation on a pregnant woman must be qualified and accredited by a hospital.
RESULTS IN FINDINGS 2015
These rules are actually not bad but should be considerate of the situation that has prompted a woman to need an abortion, especially if it is occurring after the set period of time. Also, the waiting periods need to be reviewed and allow room for emergency cases where a woman may be in dire need of the procedure (Wanlund 28). The restrictions on abortion have sparked discussion among the Americans who think they may result in the death of the mother and the child if they are enacted. The Supreme Court is to hear and consider these restrictions in the next one year or two. I suppose the Supreme Court reviews these restrictions and give a verdict that will allow room for emergency procedures. It should be known that most cases of abortion aim at saving the life of a mother in case the pregnancy complicates her health and safety. The activists that call for the illegalization of abortion should first provide alternatives to save the life of a woman who is in need of a procedure to terminate the pregnancy. In case of unwanted pregnancy, the pills that terminate the conception have been made available, although legislators in some states want to have drugs not availed to some people, they are important in regulating the pregnancy case that in turn improves the health care services of the people. Take a situation where a hospital has a capacity for only fifty women in the maternity section, in this hospital, there are eighty pregnant women who all want space in the maternity section. Forty of them wanted to abort but the rules did not allow, what should the hospital do? Such a case shows why abortion should not be illegalized because it allows for economic and social development in the country (Leepson 235).
FINDINGS 2014
The supreme court of America should not impose any new restrictions on the abortion bill as demanded by a section of legislators and anti-abortion activists. The current bill that legalizes abortion is good and has considerations for all the situations which may prompt an abortion. Regulations should be made on the procedures and the qualifications of the abortion practitioners only so that to ensure the abortion procurement is safe and secure for the woman. Anti-abortion restrictions such as the waiting period and the point of abortion should not be restricted by the court and this will make it easier to save a woman in case she is in need of an urgent abortion procedure.
RESULTS IN FINDINGS 2014
Imposing restrictions on abortion will spark further controversy and debates among most Americans who support the abortion rights, therefore the government may face strong opposition if restrictions are placed on the abortion bill. Also, many people who may want to procure abortions may proceed in secluded hidden places that are dangerous and may easily result in the death of the mother or the child. These restrictions from different states aim at making abortion too difficult to be performed and this is almost the same as banning the process of abortion. The restrictions go against the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that allowed for legal abortion and thus should not be enacted (Mantel 75).
Anti-abortion groups in most states of America want the leadership to completely term the whole process of abortion as illegal. These groups claim that the legalization of abortion in America is against the human right to life. The termination of the life of a fetus after it has been formed in the womb of a woman is termed to be murder of the unborn child. On the other hand, groups that supports the rights to abortion, usually challenges the restrictions that have been imposed on the abortion bill. These groups in their view term the restrictions as ways of making abortion too difficult to be done. In majority of the states, the groups that support the abortion rights have more representation than those that are against the abortion bill, this means that many people would like to have abortion legal and unrestricted in the United States of America (Wanlund 28).
DISCUSSION
According to the articles that have been written about the abortion bill and the controversy it causes among many Americans, the issue of abortion and its legalization remain very crucial in the United States. Call for restricting and abortion from most republican politicians and anti-abortion rights groups have been met with resistance from groups that support the abortion rights. Over a long period of time, the Supreme Court has had some of the state restriction rejected and not made into effect. The imposition of restrictions on the abortion bill will mean people are not free to enjoy their rights to safe and planned family (Clark 68).
In the recent times however, the rates of abortion have been reported to decrease in the United States. This decrease has been linked to the reduction in unwanted pregnancies and the use of contraceptives to prevent the fertilization in women. However, abortion supporters claim that the restrictions imposed on the abortion bill have been a major reason to the decrease because poorest women cannot afford the hospital surgical process and thus end up giving birth to unwanted babies.
The Supreme Court is in the highest rank to determine if the restrictions from the states on abortion can be imposed on abortion or not. Therefore, the warring sides on the abortion bill should present their views about the abortion process that has been legalized and reasons to why abortion has to be termed illegal. The Supreme Court has been in the recent times faced with challenging cases that result from the controversial abortion restrictions. The court has been more active than legislatures when it comes to matters concerning abortions as it has been claimed by some authors. Most of the plaintiffs in the court are in support of the legalization of abortion and removal of restrictions on the abortion bill, and thus this makes it necessary for the Supreme Court not to impose any restriction on the abortion bill (Wanlund 28).
CONCLUSION
In case of unwanted pregnancies that may result from rape or incest, abortion is the only option to have the pregnancies terminated. Also, at some instances, the mother may be in a complicated health situation during pregnancy that may make it difficult for her to continue carrying the baby and thus prompt an abortion. Furthermore, the baby may be determined to be having a very bad state of deformity either physically or mentally and thus to relieve the parent of the burden, an abortion may be necessary. Owing to the various reasons, there was legalization of abortion by the Supreme Court of America in the year 1973. However, the ruling has been usually facing opposition from various people who want the bill to be reversed and abortion be banned. I think the banning or restriction of abortion will be a burden to many women who may get pregnant under undesirable circumstances and may need an abortion to remove the pregnancy. Therefore, abortion should remain legalized in the United States of America.
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