The Unheard Voices of a Child - Research Paper Example

Abortion: The Unheard Voices of a Child Angela D. Humphrey Dr. Abi Mehdipour SOC 3357 XTIA/Term 5 Sociological Aspects of Human Sexuality 21 July Troy University eCampus Contents Thesis Statement: Abortions have become the norm in American societies. With every abortion that takes place, there is a silent scream from the unborn child. The rights of the unborn are thus forever terminated. Abortions are immoral, unethical and does not constitute a voice for the future. Abstract God is the creator of unborn children. He forms children in the womb of a mother. There God creates an eternal bond between mother and child. Psalm 139:13 says, “For you created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” (New International Version, Psalm 139:13). As God forms the union between mother and baby, nothing should cause them to separate, except God through natural birth or natural miscarriage. God values the life of His children. Abortions are tragic and selfish. It does not correct a wrong. The heartbreak and grief of aborting a child can be prevented. Abortion: The Unheard Voices of a Child Finding out that one is pregnant and the anticipation of giving birth to a child is looked to be a wonderful experience, but not every person thinks this way. More females, once pregnant, are electing to have a procedure done called Abortion. Many people are not made aware of what really happens during an abortion. Nationwide, many professionals considers this alternative safe, however, studies of psychological and physical damage along with testimonies paints a totally different picture. One that clearly shows abortions should not be legal. Abortion is a highly contentious issue that has been at the center of a fierce political debate throughout most of the last century. From progressive reformers fighting to legalize contraceptives as early as the 1920’s, to the legalization of abortion nearly fifty-years later, abortion has always engendered passionate intensity on both sides. In 1973, in the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, abortion was legalized and since over 40 million abortion procedures have completed in the United States – nearly 1/3rd of the entire total of actual births (Wilke 1990). Consider for instance Fig. 1, which demonstrates that the population of states marked in red is equivalent to the amount of abortions since the early 1990s. These are staggering figures, further complicated by the growing trend within American society towards the acceptance of abortion as morally justified, when, in actuality, abortion is the murder of innocent lives. This essay demonstrates this concept by debunking a number of common misconceptions about abortion, ultimately demonstrating the overwhelming need of society to moves towards once again prohibiting abortion. When examining the nature of abortion in the nation and indeed the world it’s necessary to consider various demographic factors as they indicate the nature and focus of the problem. A recent report has indicated demographics shifts among abortions among Americans (Wind 2010). In these regards, abortion has increased by nearly sixty-percent among lower economic status women. These are startling figures as this has been a steadily trend since the 1990s, with a twenty-seven percent increase noted since that period. The increasing amount of abortions by individuals under the Federal poverty line also increased during the recent recession. In these regards, it’s believed that individuals might be increasingly having abortions as a means of avoiding the financial burden of the child. While such a thought process is surely practical it leads one to question whether the individual is truly acting with the right intentions in mind. While financial aspects of life are clearly important elements, few would argue that the life of a child should not hang in the balance because the individual does not have the financial means to pay for their survival. In these regards, it’s clear that increased emphasis needs to be placed on educational practices among these individuals and new measures taken to promote contraceptives among these individuals. In terms of broader countywide demographic factors regarding abortion there are a number of notable factors. It’s indicated that the majority of women having abortions are in their twenties, with fifty-six percent of the public being in this category. Similarly, the majority of women having abortions already have children, with six in ten having abortions already having children. Furthermore, the majority of these women intend to have children in the future. In terms of ethnic breakdown, statistics demonstrate that forty-one percent of people having abortions are white, thirty-two percent are African-American, and twenty percent are Hispanic. While the majority having abortions are white, it’s argued that a higher percentage per capita abortion are African-American as indicated by the white majority population. In these regards, it’s indicated that “while white obtain the majority of all abortions, their abortion rate is well below that of minority women. Black women are more than three times as likely as white women to have an abortion, and Hispanic women are roughly two times as likely” (‘Abortion Facts’). In terms of religious demographics of abortion it’s indicated the Protestants receive the majority of abortions with 37.4 percent. Catholic women receive approximately thirty-one percent of abortions, and Jewish women receive 1.3 percent. Individuals with religious affiliation receive approximately twenty-four percent of all abortions. In terms of world abortions there are a number of notable demographic factors. Annually there are forty-two million abortions that occur worldwide. In addition, there are 115,000 abortions that occur internationally per day. The majority of these abortions occur in developing countries, with eighty-three percent occurring in these regions, and seventeen percent occurring in developing regions. In terms of age, teenagers account for approximately twenty percent of abortions. Girls under fifteen years of age constitute 1.2 percent of abortions. In considering these demographic factors it’s clear that they point not to the necessity of performing abortions, but instead the overriding need for increased amounts of education and birth control mechanisms to prevent further abortions. A number of myths and misconceptions contribute to the growing trend of support for abortion within the United States. One of the prevailing trends of feminist thought is the idea, often quoted as, “My body my choice.” Meaning that since it is the woman’s body in which the child is residing, the woman should have the right to choose whether or not to terminate the life. When considered logically this line of reasoning considerably breaks down. First, the child is comprised of genetic input from both the mother and father; therefore, the child can be deemed independent from the maternal body, as its variant DNA constitutes an entirely new form of life. In this instance, the child is not fully an element of the woman’s body, as it comprised of variant DNA, and is only reliant on the mother for room and boarding, so that ultimately the child is an independent being (Young 2). Another large misconception held by people who commit abortion is the belief that the aborted child is not alive. Going by the standards of all contemporary science, as well as religious doctrine, the unborn fetus is considered a human. According to Merriam-Websters Dictionary’s definition of organism, this is "an individual constituted to carry on the activities of life by means of organs separate in function but mutually dependent : a living being (As cited in Young 3)." In addition, the biblical scripture indicates a similar line of thinking; The Bible states, “Before I was born the Lord called me (Isaiah 49:1).” There are also a number of other considerable facts that supports the decision to outlaw abortion, as it constitutes murder. Consider for instance, medical science. The heart starts beating shortly after conception – as science demonstrates this occurs only 18-25 days after conception. Another reason considers the nature of brain waves. An individual is declared deceased by medical standards when their brainwaves cease to exist. Medical research has demonstrated that electrical brainwaves exist in children after only 43 days after conception. Using the logical of contemporary medical science then, the fetus should be considered a child extremely early in the process of pregnancy. Finally, at early phases of pregnancy the child begins to take on sensory perceptions; for instance, at only eighty days into the pregnancy the child is able to detect touch, light, sound, and heart. In great regards then, the only difference between the unborn fetus and a ‘living’ child is the fetus’ existence within the mother. In conclusion, the necessity of prohibiting abortion is evident. This essay has considered various aspects related to abortion, including demographic factors, all of which indicate the need to prohibit future abortion procedures. Continuing to allow abortion within the country is the same as instituting state-wide support of murder, as the fetus is truly a unique and precious human being. References Questions and Answers, Hayes Publishing Company Inc. Cincinatti, OH, USA. p143 Schwarz, Dr. Stephen, The Moral Question of Abortion Ohio, 1990. NIV Bible (1987) Zondervan. ‘The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform’ Abortionno. http://www.abortionno.org/Resources/fastfacts.html Wilke, JC (1990) Heartbeat, vol 3, no 4, Edward Lenoski, December 1980; cited in Abortion Wind, Rebecca. (2010) ‘Abortion Has Become More Concentrated Among Poor Women’ Media Center. http://www.guttmacher.org/media/nr/2010/05/04/index.html Young, Curt. (1984) The Least of These: What Everyone Should Know About Abortion, Moody Press, Chicago, IL, p215 Appendix Fig.1 Equivalent Amount of Abortions Read More