DEVISIVE NATURE OF ABORTION.   Term Paper ID:30547 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Contends that the issue of abortion is the most divisive social subject in the U.S.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Contends that the issue of abortion is the most divisive social subject in the U.S. Argues against abortion giving reasons and documentatipn why the idea of "pro-choice" or a woman's "freedom to choose" what to do with her body is morally wrong. Presents arguments on both sides of the issue. Roe v. Wade. Paper Introduction: AGAINST ABORTION “There have been approximately 36.5 million abortions in the twenty-five years since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized unrestricted abortion on January 22, 1973” (AGI 1). These figures, collated by the Allan Guttmacher Institute, a research arm of the Planned Parenthood Association, also states that these figures may well be under-reported by as much as 7 percent. There is no more divisive social subject in America than abortion. Despite the Supreme Court’s Roe vs. Wade decision to “legalize” the woman’s right to choose an abortion, as more and more conservative Christians join the mainstream, there are not merely vocal but also physical antagonisms on the subject. Doctors have been killed, clinics firebombed, and confrontations between the two “sides” h Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. What all this fund-raising, and the attempt to turn evangelicalChristians into a political force forgets about is the fundamental moralityof abortion. "Pope Gregory XIV, who ruled at the end of thesixteenth century, extended the (abortion) period to 116 days...Nor wasacceptance limited to Catholics. It may be simplistic toobserve that if a fetus is legally declared a person, then an abortion ismurder. All of us have feelings about abortion, including the doctors whoperform them, or refuse to do so, as well as the psychiatrists who oftenneed to counsel and treat women for whom abortion is a mental as well asmoral conflict. Even those who are against abortion, regardless of why, are somewhatdismayed by some of the vigorous activities, including clinic bombings andeven the murder of several "abortion doctors". But, the truth is that theanti-abortion issue has brought out some figures who seek publicity (andare getting it). Rather than kowtow to the wishes of the pregnant woman,give someone who wants and is willing to accept someone else's child astheir own, that opportunity. What seems unfortunate is that the battle over abortion has become abattle among various religious sects. Incidentally, according to O'Connor (85) the MoralMajority's initial; fundraising campaign brought in more than one milliondollars a week. But this still does not cover the fact that a fetus is "alive". AGAINST ABORTION "There have been approximately 36.5 million abortions in the twenty-five years since the U.S. According to the1984 American National Election study, 22 percent of Baptists andFundamentalists, 16 percent of Southern Baptists, and 15 percent ofCatholics then believed that abortions should never be permitted. That view remains among many who believe in the sanctity oflife, and in the fact that life exists from the moment of conception. The samesurvey showed that Lutherans (9 percent of whom would permit no abortions)and Methodists (8 percent) were more liberal denominations, Episcopalians(3 percent) and Jews (4 percent_ even more so" (Dworkin 35). His own personal mailinglist of some 25 , supporters formed the initial base for this..."(O'Connor 84). Thepurpose of this essay is to provide some reasons, and documentation, whythe idea of "pro-choice", or the woman's "freedom to choose" what to dowith her body is morally perverted and wrong. Jerry Falwell and the development of the Moral Majoritycome to mind immediately. There is no more divisive social subject in America than abortion.Despite the Supreme Court's Roe vs. Perhaps what the real argument has turned out to be isneither medical nor psychological, religious or moral, but political. This issue is not necessarily a pro-abortion stance, but merely an examination of why there is an argumentagainst legislation, even by many who are opposed to abortion. Except in the caser of rape or incest, everyfetus should be given the opportunity (I hate to say "right") to lifeoutside the womb. One can argue for eternity about when life begins. What we face in the Abortion Debate will have to deal with the legal,and not the moral issues of the life of a fetus. The specter of the drug RU-486 looms. Doctors have been killed, clinics firebombed, andconfrontations between the two "sides" have seldom ended peacefully. Knopf (1993) Guttmacher, Alan: "Yearly abortions in the US: Alan GuttmacherInstitute, 1997 O'Connor, Karen: No Neutral Ground? If these devout believersfeel that abortion is murder, than to murder for their anti-murder beliefsis not only ludicrous, but also totally wrongheaded. Of course,these opinions changed by the eighteenth century. 158 issue 6, pp 985-986, June 2 1 Currie, Stephen: Abortion: Opposing Viewpoints Digests, San Diego CA:Greenhaven Press (2 ) Dworkin, Ronald: Life's Dominion New York: Alfred A. Of course,what pro-abortionists are NOT saying is that, as a result of an abortionfetuses will die. Wade decision. guilty or uneasy aboutthe choice they made. WORKS CITED: Benedek, Elissa P. Abortion Politics in an Age ofAbsolutes Boulder CO: Westview Press (1996) It was nothing less than a fund-raising effort."Having founded the Moral Majority in June 1979, Falwell took to theairwaves...to initiate a major fundraising effort. Those who are pro-abortion willsay that abortion is "impossible to eliminate. However,the decision seemed to leave it up to the individual states to come totheir own decision. "Most people assume thegreat, divisive abortion argument is at bottom an argument about a moraland metaphysical issue: whether an even just-fertilized embryo is already ahuman creature with rights and interests of its own"(Dworkin 3 ). Interestinglyenough, these figur4s also tend to relate to social status of those polled,which would translate to upper social strata more "liberal" about abortionissues than lower, and middle class. What is often overlooked in the pro-choice movement is that there aresurely sufficient families who cannot have their own children, or arewilling to adopt. In looking back in history, it is interesting to note that evenCatholics accepted abortion. But, itmight be wise to stop worrying about chronology, and worry instead aboutfinding some means to extend that fetus' life and, hopefully, have itbecome a productive member of the world's society. "Facts and Feelings" Washington D.C.: The AmericanJournal of Psychiatry, vol. In otherwords, what these people are saying abortion is wrong, but there should notnecessarily be a "legal" pronouncement about it. In this regard, the issue of separation ofChurch and State is often raised. Thus, tocompromise concerning abortion goes against many individuals' firmly heldreligious, moral, or ideological beliefs" (O'Connor 3). "In the United States opinions aboutabortion correlate dramatically with religious belief. Of course, it is doubtful that any state will venture into thisgray area, and have the Supreme Court make a moral decision, rather than alegal one. There are many arguments about the issue, and that means that "sides"tend to be chosen and viewpoints magnified. These figures, collated by the Allan GuttmacherInstitute, a research arm of the Planned Parenthood Association, alsostates that these figures may well be under-reported by as much as 7percent. We cannot permitpharmacology to disrupt the life cycle as long as there are loving arms andadoptive parents to nurture a child unwanted by its birth=-mother.Abortion, except in extreme cases, is not a necessity. Supreme Court legalized unrestricted abortion onJanuary 22, 1973" (AGI 1). As one psychiatrist writes: "...we often treat femalepatients who have had an abortion and feel upset. "Once again we must take care not to become confused bythe ambiguities in the word 'person'...A state may punish someone whoeither deliberately or recklessly injures a pregnant woman, and punish himmore severely if the injuries result in fetal dame or miscarriage" (Dworkin113). "By the mid-Nineteenthcentury, abortion was typically regarded as both criminal and immoral"(Currie 12). As theauthor points out, the issues go far beyond merely conservative or liberal,politically or religiously. It has been turned into a "cause", when what is really neededis some self-examination and a reliance on one's fundamental beliefs in theright to life. As was mentioned earlier, the hue and cry about abortion began afterthe Roe v. It is difficult for some people tobelieve that their government has a right to legislate an issue that shouldbe a moral and religious one- something that a person who either has ordoes not have faith, should decide. There needs to bemore compassion, not just "choice" before a fetus is aborted. "Theabortion issue has put policymakers and citizens in myriad political andpersonal dilemmas because many people view abortion issue in moral orreligious terms; others view it s a matter of personal liberty. Wade decision in1973. However as O'Connor(1996) points out, the national debate and the anger of the opponents didnot really surface until after the Supreme Court Roe v. Dworkin (1993) has his explanation in that theCourt decided that the fetus was not a "constitutional" person. The decision to have an abortion is not an easy one,and the procedure itself leaves patients with a host of unresolved issues"(Benedek 985). As long as there arelogical and competent advocates against abortion, then there are no one'srights being trampled and no hatred involved. Wade decision to "legalize" the woman'sright to choose an abortion, as more and more conservative Christians jointhe mainstream, there are not merely vocal but also physical antagonisms onthe subject. If abortion is made illegal,illegal clinics will spring up all over, many with unsanitary facilities,and poor treatment; women, we are told, will die" (Currie 5 ). Protestant denominations havetraditionally held more or less the same opinion" (Currie 11). If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.