Aborting The Debate on Abortion

Throughout history, the decisions made in Supreme Court cases and the outcomes that followed, have helped to shape our country into what it is today. In 1973, the Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade took place. This case dealt with abortion and whether or not it should be legal. If it were deemed legal, the next question was whether regulations should be put in place, or if women should be allowed to abort the fetus freely at any point during their pregnancy. The court ruled 7-2 that abortion was legal, but that it may be restricted by the states to varying degrees. States do not have the right to regulate abortions in the first trimester, and they may regulate, however not ban, the abortion during the second trimester. States may also ban abortions completely by the time the woman has reached the third trimester of her pregnancy. The states should have no say in how a woman chooses to handle her pregnancy; the only ones who should have a say are the women who are pregnant.

There is no doubt that abortions themselves are emotional. Dr. Joseph Randall, a now ex-abortionist who has performed approximately 32,000 abortions, states that after the operation, the baby must be reassembled--”arms, legs, head, chest, everything. That’s when it got rough," he explains. This allows us to see that an abortion is not simply removing something as insignificant as an apple seed from a woman’s body; but that, in fact, a semi-developed being is removed during the  procedure. Dr. Anthony Levatino, also a now ex-abortionist, describes the experience as, “throwing children into the garbage." He explains that it felt incredibly wrong, especially when he would see couples who were having difficulty conceiving. There were women who could not have a child, and every day he was removing unborn children from the bodies of women who were able, but did not want, to have a child. The procedure is the destruction of human life, there is a developed human inside of the uterus, and it is a difficult thing to have to deal with. Regardless, in the end it does not matter how the doctor feels; the woman carrying the child wanted that abortion. That abortion, in her mind, was her best option and that right should not be taken away.

There are several reasons a female may wish to have an abortion. Some of these reasons include rape, incest, risk of death during childbirth, and not being able to properly provide for the child once it is born. Many argue that adoption is available, and that it should be the alternative. However, adoption is not easy to deal with either. Giving birth to a child whom you have carried for 9 months, and having to hand it to somebody else is heartbreaking as well. There is no right or wrong decision. Women should be free to make the decision that best suits their personal needs and wants, assuming that they are aware of the risks and psychological effects it may have on them. If a woman chooses to go through with it, knowing all aspects of it, there should be no debate. It is her body--it is her choice.

This issue is still debated today. Our country’s laws still follow the policy of Roe v. Wade, yet like anything else, everyone has their own opinion. Gallup’s annual ‘Values and Beliefs’ poll found that 58% of Americans want all or most abortions illegal--this means that 58% of Americans are pro-life, believing that the child deserves a life and that the woman should not decide whether it does or does not. With that being said, a mere 39% of Americans support abortion and are pro-choice, meaning the woman has the right to decide what is best for herself. As the president, there should be a point made to educate, yet not attempt to persuade, women into deciding one way, or another. The only ones who should have any say are the women themselves. Sending them to counseling sessions, and establishing mandatory waiting periods to allow them to re-think their decision, is indirectly being persuasive.

A young woman by the name of Sarah, had experienced this first-hand. Sarah was 26-years-old and had decided that an abortion was her best option. Before she could receive the procedure, Sarah was forced to wait a mandatory 48 hours; it was a chance to possibly re-think her decision. When she did not change her mind, she returned to the clinic closest to her home. She describes her first appointment as over four hours long. This appointment consisted of a blood test, an ultrasound, a review of her medical history and mental stability, which is reasonable. However, at the end of the appointment, Sarah was sent to a counseling session. Sarah was told numerous times that if she had changed her mind, there are several support groups to help her through her pregnancy. Once she had made it through that, she could now provide informed consent, and receive her abortion.

Although Sarah, along several other women in the world successfully received an abortion, there is a large portion of those who do not. Women across the country are being made to feel as if what they are about to do is wrong and shameful, and given a chance to “fix their mistake before it is too late”. The mandatory waiting periods, and long counseling sessions may persuade some women into not going through with the abortion, and that may not be what is right for them. Who is a random individual on the street at a ‘pro-life’ rally, to tell a woman what is right for her? It is safe to say that a woman who decides to go through with an abortion, gave it quite a bit of thought. It is a difficult decision, and once they have made that decision, the rest should be handled professionally. Everyone is different--everyone lives different lives. With that being said, let women live theirs.

Sincerely,

Jillian