Abortion: A Controversial Issue in US Politics - Essay Sample

Introduction

Abortion involves the aspect of termination of pregnancy intentionally (Head, 2020). The action underscores women ending their pregnancy through the completion of the undeveloped embryo or fetus. Abortion has, for a long time, been a subject of controversy in the United States politics with the supporters of abortion rights underlying that the embryo or fetus is not a person. That made the government have limited rights to ban it unless they have a clear proof of the embryo or fetus being a person. The opponents of abortion, on the other hand, underscore the scope of their reason from the spheres that the embryo or fetus is a person and that it is the responsibility of the government to ban abortion unless it can prove that the embryo or fetus is not a person. Every US state has seen the legalization of abortion since 1973 following the rule by the supreme court Roe v Wade (1973) of women's having a right to making their medical decisions regarding their bodies (Head, 2020). The ruling underpins the fact the fetus' right too, albeit after its progression and portrayal as an independent person or upon reaching a viability threshold. Abortion, therefore, remains a subject of controversy with the pro-life asserting that the act is morally wrong as it involves killing a life. In contrast, the underscoring pro-choice abortion to be okay whenever the mother chooses. At the same time, the moderates juxtapose the moral willingness to allow abortion in exceptional cases that are medically and legally okay.

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Discussion on Abortion Arguments

Most women make the decisions on abortion based on pragmatics, believing that they have a right to choose, coupled with the knowledge of their safety and the simplicity of the procedure. A critical analysis of the psychological impact of the decisions of abortion on women illustrates that after abortion, women have a feeling of relief, self-esteem, coupled with the ease of emotional distress. On the other hand, almost 10 % of women experience difficulties in emotions after an abortion (Alanson, & Asitbury, 1995). Similarly, it is women who are at risk of distress following conflicting decisions concerning coerced decisions on abortion. Despite the political, religious, or moral persuasion, abortion comes down to a very intimate personal conclusion that a woman has to make with some traumatic aspects. The painful decisions are stemming from abortion, raising the baby to allow a mother's family to increase the baby but to carry emotional pains and personal sacrifices.

Pro-choice assert that fetuses are neither persons nor societal moral members as compared to women who are undeniable members of the moral community. It is for that reason that they juxtapose that it is the women's moral and constitutional right to have medical decisions on their bodies. Hence it would be untenable for the law to deny them their right to abortion or making safe abortion difficult for them. Pro-life, on the other hand, asserts that a woman's freedom of control over her body extends to the spheres of birth control and sterilization and not abortion. Besides, they say that the fetus is a human life, with values and rights to life, just like other humans. Similarly, they elucidate that the permissive laws support the cause of male support and responsibility towards childrearing and do not extend to the spheres of feminism.

Views on Abortion

Abortion can be viewed in the realms of three dimensions underlying first the conservatives held by the pro-life proponents; secondly, the extreme liberals conducted by the pro-choice activists, and third is the moderate views which lie between the extremes (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy,2020). Pro-life proponents who hold conservative views on abortion assert that the life of humans commences from the unicellular zygote, and the religious stance, under the human image, one should not procure an abortion since it is a sin to kill according to the ten commandments. Hence they not only consider abortion as an act of homicide but a sin. Those with liberal views on the same, on the other hand, argue that the personhood of humans begins after birth; hence women should be allowed to have a right of choice over their body. Moderate proponents of abortion, on the other hand, underscore the moral relevance of a breakdown on a biological development processes in between the unicellular zygote to birth that may determine the justifiability or non-justifiability of procuring an abortion. In their view, they elucidate a gradual process of being a fetus to being an infant whereby the fetus may not necessarily be considered as human but an offing of humans with different moral status. The moderate therefore believe that abortion should be allowed on exceptional cases like medical emergencies or a last resort probably on cases of rape or incest.

The debate on whether or not abortion should be legal has led to a divide on opinions. The proponent, commonly known as the pro-choice, juxtaposes abortion as a right to the women that should never be limited by any institution whatsoever, from the government or any religious authority that outweighs that right limed by the fetus or embryo. They alert failure to legal options would make pregnant women resort to unsafe, illegal abortions. Opponents, popularly identified as pro-life, have a firm belief in the notion of life beginning immediately after fertilization hence rendering abortion an immoral killing of a human being besides inflicting suffering on an unborn child. They also advocate for the consideration of couples who are unable to conceive and are waiting for adoption.

Pro-Choice and Pro-Life Arguments of Abortion

Pro-choice activists argue that abortion is a fundamental right for women's decisions over their bodies. They base that argument from the sphere of the US Supreme Court Declaration of abortion as a fundamental right provided in the constitution based on the landmark case Roe v Wade in 1973 decided in favor of abortion rights (Head, 2020). Prochoice, therefore, asserts that abortion is a right of privacy encompassed on the decision of women on whether or not to terminate the pregnancy. Pro-life, in response to this view, oppose the killing of an innocent being, asserting that it is wrong even if the human is yet to be born. In support of their opinion, they argue that the killing of unborn babies is against the federal Unborn Victims of Violence Act that as enacted in the quest of protecting unborn children against murder and assault (Pros and Cons of Current Issues, 2019). Hence anyone intentionally attempting to kill or killing unborn humans should be punished under the federal law of the state.

The pro-choice additionally underlie abortion as a choice of reproduction that allows women's empowerment in giving them control over their bodies. They say a woman's decision on whether and when she desires to have children is a central idea to her independence and ability in the determination of her future. The women's ability to have sovereignty over their reproductive lives have enhanced their participation in the sphere of their equal partnership in both economic and social lives in nation-building (Ethics Guide, 2014). Pro-life, on the other hand, illustrates that life begins at conception upon fertilization and that the unborn children, just like any other human being, have a right to life too, a fundamental right that needs to be protected.

Similarly, the pro-choice activists argue that modern abortion procedures are safe and may not cause lasting health issues like infertility or cancer, coupled with fewer risks of women dying during abortions. They add that pregnancy-related cases are more prevalent during childbirth than during the procurement of abortions. Pro-life proponents, on the other hand, underlie that abortion may pose future medical risks on the mother following the fact that most first trimester miscarriages are attributed to prior abortions that were induced mainly by vacuum aspirations. Additionally, there is an association between breast cancer and abortion since abortion is associated with increased cases of breast cancer. Moreover, the Pro-choice advocate asserts that professionally and legally performed abortions lead to a reduction in mental injuries and death caused by illegal and unsafe abortions. That is following the fact that before legalizing abortion, women would opt for unsafe abortions that could result in most of their deaths. Pro-life, on the other hand, assert that abortion may result in psychological damage to young adult women who engage in it. It may lead to subsequent anxieties, coupled with depressions and sometimes later suicidal thoughts on the women who had earlier terminated their pregnancies owing to the feelings of sadness and regrets.

Similarly, the advocates of pro-choice are in the notion that a baby should never be brought the world unwanted since having a child is a vital decision that needs adequate preparation, consideration, coupled with planning. Most unintended pregnancies have close associations with the defects of birth, increased child abuse risks, low weights at birth, maternal depressions, reduced breastfeeding rates, delayed entry to prenatal care, lo attainment of education, and physical violence during pregnancy. The proponents of pro-life, on the other hand, argue that abortion enhances a culture in hitch human life can easily be disposed of, thereby demeaning the value of human life. They assert that it is not only frightful h but also saddening that there are children who would never see the light of the day, owing to abortion and that it is okay to throw anything and anyone that inconvenience us.

Conclusion

Abortion, which involves the termination of pregnancy, has been a subject of controversy with both the pro-life and pro-con activists having divergent views on the same as the moderate form of a middle ground between the two. Despite the aspects of women having medical rights over their bodies a purported by the pro0choice proponents, abortion should never be legalized as asserted by the pro-life activists. That is since everyone has a right to life, and it may cause future medical problems on those who go for it despite the mental problems encompassing depression, regrets, and suicidal thoughts that come with it later in life. It should only be procured in emergencies like when the mother's life is endangered or in of rape or incest scenarios as underscored by the moderates. Women should, therefore, accept the responsibilities that come along with child production instead of punishing children for their mistakes, if not, they should opt for adoption agencies since several couples are unable to sire children, yet in need of them.

References

Alanson, S., & Astbury, J. (1995, September).The Abortion Decision: Reasons andAmbivalence.US National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health. Retrievedfrom DOI: 10.3109/01674829509024461Ethics Guide, (2014).Arguments in Favor of Abortion.BBC. Retrieved fromhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/abortion/mother/for_1.shtml

Head, T. (2020, January).What is the Definition of Abortion? ToughtCo. Retrieved fromhttps://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-abortion-721095

Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2020).IEP. Retrieved fromhttps://www.iep.utm.edu/abortion/

Pros and Cons of Current Issues. (2019, September).Should Abortion Be Legal? ProCon.Org.Retrieved from https://abortion.procon.org/