Should Abortions be Legal - Research Paper Example

? Should Abortions be Legal? Your al Affiliation Section I: Thesis Abortion must be made legal in all the liberated and civilized societies. In most of the societies, abortions are considered to be unethical, immoral, and wrong. Though, it is high time to think rationally on a human concern rather than joining the debate of right and wrong. It is crucial to open our mind and genuinely accept women as human being who in capable to decide about her body and future life. The paper argues in favor of the legalization of abortion in all the democratic and free societies who claim to protect individual rights and liberty of their citizen. Individual Right and Freedom First of all, illegalizing abortion is against individual right and freedom of woman. Government or any individual has no right to decide whether women should or should not make her available for a year long physical, psychological, emotional, and financial commitment in addition to her after-birth life-long responsibilities as mother. Becoming a mother should be her (and partner’s, if he is there) own choice. No one else can decide about her or in the words of Judith Jarvis (1971) can take the rights of her body .It is her right to choose when she wants to offer her body and soul for such an intense and important commitment which is not only vital for mother and child but also for whole family and society. Legalizing abortions ensures her liberty and well-being as a balanced and complete human. Abortion and Killing Abortion may be immoral but it does not equate killing since fetus is not a complete human. Pro-life or anti-abortionists’ most important argument for not legalizing abortion is that it equates killing human. But, fetus is a “potential human” not a complete human being like woman. If every “potential human” is to be protected and brought to this world, then, all of contraception methods and family planning awareness campaigns must be banned. Every ovum and sperm should be protected because they are “potential humans”, sounds nonsensical though. Legalizing abortions does not equate killing but it will ensure healthier, happier, and cherished mothers and children. Legalization and Abortion Rate Legalization will not increase abortion rate or urge infanticide .Abortion rate remains same even it is not legalized, however, then it contribute to women mortality and other physical complications. According to research done by Guttmacher Institute and World Health Organization, abortion rates among rich and poor countries are same irrespective of the legality or illegality during 1995 and 2003. It reports that half of the worldwide abortions are considered to be unsafe. Moreover, abortion is safe in countries where it is legalized while threatening and performed clandestinely where it is outlawed (as cited in Rosenthal, 2007). Women’s Exploitation Legalization will decrease women exploitation, particularly, in case of rape, disability of child, financial constraints on family or mother alone. Legalization is essential for preventing teen pregnancies when another child (mother) is at emotional, psychological, and health risks throughout her life. Illegalization may inspire her to use unsafe methods which can lead to death or sterility. Safe Options Legalization will ensure safe abortions options. In countries where abortions are not legalized or woman is not aware (in case of legalization) back-allay abortion services by incompetent medical staff leads to complications. Furthermore, self-induced abortions by inserting strange stuff and taking strong drugs not only lead to complications, illness, and pain but also death. Legalizing abortions provide safe and economical methods by recommended clinics and hospitals. Abortion, Mortality and Complications Legalization is the key to decrease women mortality and avoid complications. Outlawing abortions take heavy tool on women’s health and life as a whole. Number of deaths as a result of unsafe abortion is unknown because numerous deaths were not recorded officially. According to scholastic estimates, in United States only, five thousand women died annually due to unsafe abortions (as cited in Leavy & Jerome, 1962, p.126). Illegalizing Abortion is Discriminatory Abortions had always been practiced whether legalized or not. Abortion rate is estimated to be two million per year in 1890s with one to two million in 1920s and 30s in comparison to 1.3 million in 2005. Let alone the choice of safe and unsafe abortions, getting it has always been a matter of her economic condition, racial background and locality. Rich and stable women opted safe options hire trained doctors or leave for another country if it is not legalized. Poor women, however, are left on the mercy of government policies and legalization debate and opted unsafe and dangerous abortions (Boston Women’s Health Book Collective & Judy, 2005, p. 407). Criminalization of Abortions Legalization stops criminalization of abortions. Outlawing abortions urges poor and unaware women to obtain abortions through back-allay from incompetent professional with dubious motivations. Some women obtain self-abortions, such as; they insert coat hangers, knitting needles in vagina and uterus, douche with strong caustic solution, and take hazardous drugs and chemicals. These women experience severe psychological pressures, such as, shame, depression, and fear originated from criminalization of abortions (Boston Women’s Health Book Collective & Judy, 2005, p. 407). Anti-abortion legislation originated from birth control and suffrage movements; it was an effort to push women back to their traditional childbearing role (Reagan, 1997, pp. 11-12). Government Role Government should stay out of women’s personal decision and right to choose. Legalization matter should not be politicized rather it should be decided purely on the basis of women, children, and family health, happiness and financial conditions. Government role is not interfering in individual decisions but to influence people for better decision making for collective good. Future of Unwanted Child Anti-abortion legislation keeps the future of unwanted child at stake. Legalizing abortions is necessary because, government can’t ensure that children born “unwanted” or against the choice of parents, particularly mother will grow up as productive or normal part of society. Considering the fact that mother can disown such children, unattended and not properly taken care of, they can become disadvantaged and criminals. Those who want to outlaw abortions should ensure those children’s safe, healthy, and normal if not bright future. Section II: Anti-thesis Individual Right and Freedom Legalizing abortions lead to curbing fetus right and freedom to live. Women are blessed for pregnancy. Their bodies are uniquely designed to endure the long duration of pregnancy and give birth. Fetus has rights on mother’s body just like she has. We cannot deny fetus rights just because he/she can’t speak for himself. Mother has a special bonding with child since conception and it is her responsibility to keep him/her alive and protected. If mother has individual rights and freedom to chose, why shouldn’t the fetus is given the choice to his own life? Furthermore, one should not forget that it is not just about mother and her choice, father’s choice and rights are equally important. On Abortion and Killing Abortion is immoral and equates killing that can even urge infanticide. Embryo is genetically different from egg and embryo, it has 46(0r 47) chromosomes while sperm and egg both have 23. Trained geneticist can differentiate between DNA from embryo and egg or sperm; however, he can never differentiate between the DNA of embryo and fully grown human being (Anderson, 1997). Fetus is not a “potential human” but a “complete human” his DNA (the very foundation of being human) is formed right after conception, it is just that its development is in early stages of life. If their being on earlier stages of life can make them lesser of human or non-human than what pro-abortionists have to say about born children, they are just nice months older than fetus. Abortion is killing human and legalizing it can give rise to infanticide, therefore, it must be banned. On Abortion Rate Legalizing abortions will definitely increase the rate of women practicing abortion. Easy access and unquestioned morality will lead to obtain abortion for convenience. People will utilize it brutally for their own sake. Women Exploitation Legalizing abortion will not decrease women exploitation. Some consider that abortion is permissible when the girl is raped because she is innocent, she should not be punished for pregnancy. They should also consider that fetus is innocent too, he can’t even decide for himself. Whether it is rape, disability of child, or financial constraint, abortion can not be allowed on basis of sympathy. After all, the world is not a bed of roses for any one. Today’s teen is not unaware; prevalent sex education should ensure the responsibility of child as a result of getting engage in sexual activity. Legalization of abortion will rather increase the exploitation of women, not only by their male partner but by their own selves. Sex is a privilege that comes with responsibility, if mother is not prepared for baby, either she should avoid it or should use better contraception methods. Linking Legalization and Safe Legalization and safe abortion option are purposely linked; in fact, the problem is due to lacking medical facilities, education system, and unavailability of medicines (O’Bannon, as cited in Rosenthal, 2007). Health facilities will remain same in developing countries and legalizing won’t make any different. Legalizing abortion can do little or nothing to avoid complications and woman mortality. Abortions are inherently dangerous for women, be it legal or illegal. According to Warren Hern, no surgical procedure is as neglected and undermined in its potential danger as abortion (1984, p.101). Abortion is also unsafe for women when it comes to her emotional and psychological well-being. Abortion is Itself Discriminatory Illegalizing abortion is not discriminatory. Lack of proper education, less effective contraception, and access to substandard medical facilities lead to higher rate of abortion related deaths and complications among women of color. In its true sense, abortion is discriminatory as it prefers woman’s right to choose over fetus right to life. Choosing the Little Devil over Big one There is no way legalization can prevent criminalization. People who get engaged in providing substandard services should be handled by law. Permitting a crime for the sake of avoiding the other is nonsensical. Furthermore, women should be educated about the risks involved in self-abortion and better contraception methods. Government Role It is true that the matter of abortion should not be politicized; however, government has to intervene in a matter that is concerned with public on such a huge scale. State can not neglect the protection and life of its citizen to be (fetus) while protecting the rights of its existing citizens. In fact, state’s stance on this matter develops the nation’s understanding as a whole. Safe or no Future at all Outlawing abortion may keep the future of a child’s life at stake while legalizing it erodes any chance of his life. The term “unwanted child” does not take away the chance of life from a child. What if some children lose their parents or mother in an accident? What if a mother does not love her child because of some psychological problem? Does that imply that the child should be killed? Off course, not all criminals are “unwanted” or “abandoned” kids. Moreover, there is always a choice to give the child for adoption. Section III: Synthesis Individual Right and Freedom Legalization of abortion does not curb the right of life for fetus because it is not living yet. Even if we accept the rights of fetus over mother, women’s right to her own body and well-being is more important than that of fetus. We must remember that legalizing abortion does not mean that women go against her nature and abandon the responsibility or bonding with child. In fact, bonding is not established in case of fetus at early stage. Love and bonding are matter of mutual consent; we can not ensure love against mother’s consent. Moreover, father’s choice is important before conception, after conception, it should be done with mutual consent. However, the final decision has to be woman’s because she has to suffer the pains alone. Killing is for Living Standards of morality change in an evolving society with time. Embryo’s genetic make up may be the same as full-grown human’s, but it doesn’t breathe, feel, touch, suffer, and think like woman. Therefore, life, health and well-being rights of woman supersede fetus’ right of life. Abortion is not killing because the term applies only on human, embryo is an entity which is not living, and therefore killing a non-living entity is out of question. Legalizing abortions is not comparable with killing children and does not urge infanticide. Furthermore, abortion rate is increasing whether legalized or not. In today’s world, women is becoming more educated and aware of their rights, it is hard to force them for something they consider oppressive, even if it is their child. Furthermore, today’s educated women should be trust for her decisions about her body and future. Off course, opponents or proponents of abortions can not love a child more than the mother, if she wants to abort, who we are to tell her otherwise? Awareness Kills Exploitation Legalization of abortion will promote awareness about safe abortion methods and practitioners. Consider a teenager pregnant with a rape, her psychological, emotional, physical, and financial state does not allow her to give birth. It may sound moral for the sake of argument, but in real world, who will ensure the protection and well-being of both mother and child? Furthermore, at one level or the other, society and parents should understand their responsibility about teenage pregnancies. Safer the Better Health care services must be lacking in developing countries but it can provide better form of abortion as compared to untrained practitioners or mother herself. Legalizing abortion will not only ensure safer abortion but also better education for next conception. The impact of abortion on women’s emotional well-being will not last long with family and medical practitioner’s support. A research done by Guttmacher Institute and World Health Organization found that in Uganda, abortion is illegal. In 2003, estimated abortion rate was 54 per 1,000 women and it is over twice the rate in America (21 per 1,000 in 2003), the lowest rate was in Western Europe where abortion is legalized with readily available contraception (as cited in Rosenthal, 2007). Abortion, Mortality and Discrimination Every year, several hundred thousands of women are diagnosed with complications and health issues due to substandard, unhygienic, and self-induced abortions. Even after treatment, many left with chronic pain, illness, or infertility. Poor women and women of color are at higher risk as compared to white women. Illegal abortion related death rate among women of color is four times than that of white women (Reagan, 1997, pp.211-13). Lack of awareness and financial constraints are crucial factors which lead to little or no method of contraception and safe sex. Therefore, when it comes to aborting the child due to financial reasons or women unable to bear the child due to her working conditions or health, they seek back-allay abortions which may be less expensive but lead to life-long health risks and even mortality. Developing countries are the best example, if abortion is made legal and services are provided in government hospitals, many precious lives can be saved. On the other hand, rich or privileged women are not exposed to such risks. Handling Criminalization Legalization of abortion and government sponsored education will leave rare chances of back-allay abortions done by untrained practitioners or self-abortions. Medical criminals must be handled by law, but without legalizing, their activities will not come to an end. Government Intervention Off course government can intervene but not for making the matter worse. How can a government deny an individual’s right to liberty and freedom of what she wants to do with her body and future life? Edward Abbey (1988, p. 203) criticized government on making childbearing compulsory and regarded it as “rape by state”. Government should: legalize the abortion, work on safe sex education and contraception methods awareness campaigns rather than enforcing women against their will. It is highly unrealistic for government to first outlaw abortions and then curb back-allay abortion services, and try to save the lives of those women who use unsafe abortion methods. Abandonment and Adoption It may be hard to accept but abandoned, neglected, and hated children can never grow and become a productive part of society. According to Donhhue and Steven (2001, p.379), legalizing abortion reduced crime rate significantly. Approximately after eighteen years of abortion legalization, crime reduction becomes obvious. It is estimated that legalized abortion caused 50 percent of recent crime reduction. Furthermore, impacts of adoption are not quite different from abortion on a mother’s emotional and psychological well-being. It may be easier to abort at the early stages of conception rather than giving birth to child and then give him forever. Here comes the bonding and association that can never be overlooked. In a democratic society today, it is imperative to legalize abortion in order to save women’s right and protect the future children. The very idea of abortion may seem cruel in isolation, but the consequences of illegalizing it on women, children, family and society as whole are far more vicious. It is high time to legalize abortions for balanced, content, and happy mothers with their most adored children at right time in their lives. Governments should fund safe-sex education and better contraception methods rather than investing into providing care for abandoned children and curbing crime and criminals resulting from illegalizing abortions. It is highly likely that abortion rates will automatically decrease with better education and freedom to chose, after all, who does not love children? Work Cited Anderson, K. (1997). Arguments against abortion. Probe Ministries International. Retrieved from http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/arg-abor.html Boston Women’s Health Book Collective& Judy, N. (2005). Our bodies, ourselves: a new edition for a new era. New York, NY: Touchstone, Rockefeller Center. Donohue,J.J.III & Steven, D .L.(2001).The impact of legalized abortion on crime[Abstract].The Quarterly Journal of Economics, CXVI(2),379-420. Edward, A. (1988).Nature love. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, LLC. Hern, W.M. (1984). Abortion practice. California: Lippicott Williams and Wilkins. Jarvis, J. T. (1971).A defense of abortion. Philosophy & Public Affairs, 1(1), 47. Leavy, Z. & Jerome, K. (1962). Criminal abortion: human hardship and unyielding laws. Southern California Law Review, 35, 126. Rosenthal, E. (2007, October 12). Legal or not, abortion rates compare. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/12/world/12abortion.html Reagan, L. (1997). When abortion was a crime: women, medicine and law in the United States, 1897-1973. Berkeley: University of California Press. Read More