Abortion Debate and the Presidential Elections - Essay Example

s Abortion Debate and the Presidential Elections The presidential election 2012 was a tumultuous affair that was not only fervently discussed by all news channels, but had provided a never-ending supply for dialogue, when topics for discussion were scarce. The abortion debate sparked great interest amongst voters and ultimately resulted in restoring Barrack Obama for another term in the White House. Amidst heated censure that Romney attracted for his shifting stance on the issue of abortion, Obama landed great support from the democratic faction of the American society. The debate was a focal point in history, as it not only dealt with a great human rights issue but also assessed the validity of the ruling established in Roe vs. Wade. Romney overtly expressed his distaste for abortion and was proud of his Pro-Life views. He actively sought the support of people who wished to overturn the Roe vs. Wade and further established that his presidency would discontinue the Federal funding provided to organization that supported abortion. On the other hand, democratic nominee Obama had openly criticized Romney for his lack of consistency over the matter, as he had expressed an inclination towards the Pro-choice stance on the matter; Obama campaign was quick to criticize this move on Romney’s part and accused him of ‘playing politics’. (CNN, 2012) It was indeed ostensible that Romney, a former proponent of the Pro-choice stance on the matter had quickly molded his views according to the Republican point of view. This was a questionable move on part of the Romney campaign that may have lead to the loss of support, however Obama campaign had not only promised to preserve the Roe vs. Wade ruling but also gave people the hope that they would actively work to reduce the need for abortion in the society (CNN, 2012). He believed in maintaining the federal funding provided to family planning agencies, but he had elucidated on the fact that he wished to protect women’s interest without infringing upon their rights and wanted to embolden the efficacy of other methods that would prevent an unwanted conception. From a sociological perspective, Abortion represents a symbolic interactionist social issue, because it is an issue that entails multiple facets that has to be taken into account and rouses several different interpretations that leads to a disparity in public opinion. In other words, individuals may regulate their opinion on an issue according to their interpretation of the matter, which is subjected to change. Abortion is a multifaceted issue, it legalization and illegalization raises several questions on the grounds of morality and human rights. Besides morality, one also has to take the medical condition of the mother into account along with the method of conception. In my opinion, pregnancies occurring as a result of rape and incest deserve a right to choose whether or not they want to continue with the pregnancy. One of the most fundamental rights of their body was infringed upon by a deviant, which in no way holds them liable to put them through the physical and mental labor of pregnancy. In line with medical research, it is indeed true that the fetus after a certain amount of time develops the feeling of pain, which not only makes abortion a risky matter for the unborn child but also for the mother as well. In those circumstances, there should specific legislation whereby, the mother and the child should become the responsibility of the state. However, there are pregnancies that occur within lower class segment of the population, many are not aware or educated enough to get access to or be able to use contraceptive and often end up with an unwanted pregnancy. Hence, the state needs to protect their interest as well and they cannot be held completely responsible for the turn of events. On the other hand, being a symbolic interactionist social issue, abortion is the premature termination of life hence is often equated as murder. People further believe that abortion is a completely irrelevant and even abominable solution to an unwanted pregnancy and they should practice abstinence or use contraceptives in order to avoid such situations. On religious grounds, abortion is a crime, but so is any form of contraception and the only viable solution to the problem is abstinence. The opposing side further reiterates that abortion results in several medical complications for the woman’s future pregnancies and may also lead to ectopic pregnancies, if the abortion is not carried out in a safe environment. Despite the furor raised by the republican section of the society, as of now, the legislation passed by Supreme Court in Roe vs. Wade is integral but the state needs to come up with preventative measures rather than further escalate the on-going debate over the matter. As mentioned earlier, there are several circumstances surrounding abortion and the state needs to curtail their degree of intervention, respecting an individual’s right to privacy and then come up with an all-encompassing policy that deals with it in the best possible manner. Being a secular nation, the religious argument may not apply on to everyone and moreover, there are many circumstances that should be taken into consideration. Abortion is not only a question of giving a woman the latitude to choose, but it is a question of carefully assessing the health of the mother and the health of her child, whilst simultaneously deliberating over the circumstances under which the abortion is being sought. Both sides of the argument are indeed valid, but personally I have an inclination towards the Pro-Choice stance and legalizing abortion would further save many young women from seeking back-alley abortions that leaves them physically scarred and also results in several complications that renders them incapable to conceive for the rest of their lives. The propositions made by the Obama campaign are just more reasonable and the average American needs to understand and practice all the ways though which an abortion can be avoided. Raising awareness regarding contraceptives is important and people should not be able to take advantage of the legalization of abortion to suit their promiscuous sexual behavior. In conclusion, I still stand by the fact that abortion should be legalized, but the state needs to have an all-encompassing legislation that takes the woman’s circumstances and the current stage of the pregnancy before going ahead with the procedure. Though, many people have expressed even harsher attitudes towards abortion, but being a part of the symbolic sociological paradigm the issue of abortion consists of grey areas and it cannot be treated as completely ‘black’ or ‘white’. However, in order to help the society reach an agreement over this matter, the government needs to be more open and must adopt a “prevention is better than cure” attitude. This goal seems achievable only through educating the masses and helping them adopt healthy sexual behavior and further enlightening them about abstinence. Work Cited CNN Political Unit. “Romney’s abortion comment draws democratic criticism”. Cable News Network. October 2012. Web. 13th December 2012. Read More