Dear Future President,

Our country is under attack. No Mr/Mrs President, not by terrorists or the North Koreans. We are under attack by our very own citizens.There is a moral war occurring and it has never been more obvious since the start of this year’s election. The cause of this war is the issue of abortion: should it be legalized or not? There are two sides most people fall under: Pro-Life and Pro-Choice. Supporters of Pro-Life believe life is a gift from God and must be treasured. They say life begins at conception; abortion is premeditated murder. Supporters of Pro-Choice, however, advocate for legalized abortion. Both are on two extreme sides of the spectrum. I’m here to tell you there is a third perspective. It is possible to be pro-choice while being pro-life. The power to end an issue that has our country split in two is in your hands.

The first amendment guarantees five basic freedoms: freedom of religion, speech, petition, press, and assembly. These freedoms are such a fundamental part of our identity as citizens of the United States. We proudly tell other countries about how progressive we are when it comes to the freedom to voice different opinions openly. The government has never before tried to force one viewpoint upon all of its citizens. However the issue of abortion seems to be the one exception. 

Pro-Life supporters believe life begins at conception. I personally believe life really begins once the fetus can be viable outside the body so at the age of 24 weeks. Similarly you may have different opinion as to when a fetus is truly alive and has rights. The fact that we are allowed to have differing perspectives on an issue is the beauty of our country. Outlawing abortion would infringe upon this beauty. Rather than placing restrictions on abortion, you should focus on allowing people to make their own decisions. If a person feels abortion is a sin then they can choose to keep the child. However if a person feels they can't take care of a child at the time then they too should be able to choose. Being Pro-Choice simply means the choice to have an abortion is up to the citizens. Just as we are allowed to decide what kind of jobs we do, who we marry, and what clothes we wear, we should be allowed to decide for ourselves whether or not we want children. 

 Pro-Life supporters are suggesting that their personal beliefs about life should be forced upon everyone in the country. If I were forced to make such an incredibly difficult decision, I would take into account my own and family's beliefs. At that moment I  wouldn't care what the President of the United States thinks I should. It would be an unbelievably personal decision and it should be kept such. The government has no right to interfere in its citizens' personal affairs. It would be a violation of our constitutional rights. Women already have to suffer through gender pay gap, sexual assault, and day to day sexism. Don’t take away the last thing they have left: the freedom to choose what they want to do with their bodies. 

Sincerely,

A concerned citizen