Last Saturday marked the 38th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, the highly controversial case which made abortion, in some situations legal. Norma McCorvey, called Jane Roe in court documents to protect her privacy, falsely said she had been raped in an attempt to obtain an abortion for her third pregnancy. At the time, Texas law allowed abortion in the case of rape, however Norma was denied due to lack of evidence and no police report. Norma then gave up her claim of being raped, hired an attorney and sued the state of Texas. Her case eventually wound up on the docket of the Supreme Court, leading to one of the most controversial decisions in American history.
Writing for the majority, Justice Harry Blackmun said that the implied right to privacy in the Constitution is “broad enough to encompass a women’s decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy”. The court’s decision made abortions legal in the first trimester without restrictions.
In the coming weeks, we will look more in-depth at this case and study how the court came to their decision. Supporters feel that a woman should have the right to choose, have reproductive freedom and maintain right to privacy. Opponents say there is no Constitutional foundation for supporting abortions, that life begins at conception and that there is a moral issue at stake.
Honestly, I’m not sure how I feel about abortion. On one hand, my faith makes me think abortion would not be a choice for me. On the other hand, I think it’s easy to say you feel a certain way when you haven’t been in that situation before. I would never want to pass judgment on someone. It’s a tricky situation and one I am grateful that I don’t have to face. So my question to you this week is “Do you favor or oppose the Supreme Court’s decision making abortions within the first trimester legal? Why or why not?” Guys, I want to hear from you too! Abortion is not just a female issue – it takes two to make a child. Answers are due no later than Tuesday, February 1st, 2011.
P.S. The State of the Union was on last night! Am I the only one who was excited? Probably, but I hope you watched it all the same…stay tuned for a recap on next week’s blog.
This is hard! I am entirely passionate on my views with this issue! While I do NOT believe that abortion should be used as a means for birth control, as I think it promote promiscuous and irresponsible behaviour, I DO think it should still be legalized --within the first trimester, sure.
ReplyDeleteIt is the incredibly sad truth that abortion will happen no matter what. It doesn't matter if it is or isn't legal. I would much rather a female have a medically safe facility to have an abortion, rather than a potentially dangerous home method, that could seriously, seriously injure both a child and the mother if it were to go wrong. I have other reasons, but I feel like I should try and keep is simple. That said, I also agree to the right to privacy. If a woman is getting an abortion, it is her decision and she probably has a deeply personal reason for getting one.
I'm so sorry in advance for whomever this may offend. I understand that the issue on abortion is a deeply controversial issue!
I'm not sure. I would not, even if I was rape. There is help for that. And if were someone close by me, who thought about I was make a point to sit them down and really talk about it. theres always adoption. and if you find a woman or couple who wants some while pregnant they could pay for medical bills (if thats what your worried about)
ReplyDeleteI don't believe personal that abortion is fair or right. God creates life and we were to have children. God would not just created life for us to end it before they had a chance to live, He thought of us before He created the earth, so ahead of time He know whattt path He has for us and what path He choices.
Since this is life on earth, sadly we have freedom of will. And we will choice what we want over whats right. I think If it was legal woman would turn to hospitals rather then a coat hanger. So it could be safer, Because some times we only thing of ourselves, which could result in horrible decisions.
I personally believe that abortion should Not be legal. Everyone has the right to make their own decision in life but in this situation I do not think it is up to a women to decide. I feel like a person begins to act like God, controlling whether or not this precious child is good enough to live on this earth or not. This seems like a very selfish act when you think about it. I believe too many people have a " Its all about me" mentality and do not think about the ones around them. It appears to me that this is one of the reasons why our nation is becoming the way it is today...Selfishness. If this world were to think more about others and less of themselves, I believe our nation would be much better off.
ReplyDeleteThere have been millions of babies in America alone that were never given that chance to life. Who knows what kind of great person could have come out of the millions of unborn children? No one, because they were never given that right to life...
While I do not really have an opinion on the subject, mostly because I can see both side of the spectrum. Because of my lack of religious faith, I tend to lend closer to the idea of it being a choice. Especially in cases such as rape. But I also feel like that it shouldn't be a form of birth control, but I do not feel it should be legal.
ReplyDeleteThe reason is, what would you do to someone who did commit an abortion. That's a question everyone should ask. (If you count abortion as murder) do you put the death penalty on the mother? Do you just hit their hand with a ruler and say, "don't do it again!" Do you find it? Most don't know how to answer that.
This is a fantastic video on that question;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk6t_tdOkwo
This is a hard topic to talk about since it has so many feelings behind it. I know that I would not have an abortion if I were to get pregnant. I know someone who was once very close to me who decided to have an abortion so she wouldn’t "ruin" her body. This is an example where I would not condone the procedure. I had found people who would actually cover the medical bills and adopt her child but she still didn't want to do that to herself. Let’s just say she is no longer a part of my life. I think that if you are just irresponsible and think that you are invincible you should be prepared for the outcome. However it becomes a hard topic when you think of a woman who has been raped. I would have no clue how that would feel to have that mans child growing inside my body so it would be hard to say if you should allow it if a women had been raped. Maybe I the rape can be proven and not just if the women says she had been. I really don’t know!
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion.. the situation at hand, realistically if a person is unfit to raise a child then this is an easy route to see when your in the situation. Also, look at how many people out there in the world today that have 7-8 kids and can barely support their family. Look at how many orphanages there are. Also there are a lot of families out there and people that are unfit to raise kids. For lack of a better term, trashy, ignorant people that just do it to do it without thinking of the consequences. There's a very simple way of avoiding having kids, wear a condom and use birth control. I can see it both ways, abortion can be a good thing and a bad thing. Its a moral gray area depending on the situation. I really don't think religion has a thing to do with it.
ReplyDeleteI think abortion is wrong. Life begins at conception according to scientific evidence. Apportion is a poor excuse for birth control and has serious side effects. Take for instance the abortion clinic that was raided in Pennsylvania, the body parts that the police found in the raid, and the stories that led to the raid (reported to the police from the women who had abortions) is a perfect example of why "man" should not be given the legal opportunity to take a life. True rape should be reported to the police and the woman given the rape pill. Reproduction needs to be taken seriously.
ReplyDeleteI think that abortion is wrong. I don't agree that anyone on this earth has the right to say who lives and who dies. We are all created equal so what makes that baby any different from you or me? I know some people are not ready for a baby, but there are millions of family that would love to adopt a child. Besides that everything good and bad happens on this earth happens for a reason. What if that baby grew up and found a way to get rid of cancer or do something amazing for this would. We wont know because we didn't give him a chance.
ReplyDeleteI feel that abortion is wrong. From the moment of conception the fetus is a living being. Because of my faith I don’t think I go through an abortion I would put the baby up for adoption. Even if I was in that situation it would be hard for me to put my child up for adoption.I feel for families who want to have children but can't.
ReplyDeleteWhile I do agree with a lot of people that abortion should not be used as a form of birth control, I do think it should be legal. I dont think anyone has the right to tell someone what they can or cant do with their own life and their body. Abortion should be very rare and it really should only be necessary for medical reasons, but it should be available and safe. If it wasnt there people would take matters into their own hands and it wouldnt be safe for the patient. Desperate people will do desperate things.
ReplyDeleteIn the case above i can see where abortion can come in to play of being important. However just like she was okay with aborting the child she should have been okay with giving it up for adoption. What gives a person the right to play the part of a higher powers job? It brings up the question, should people be allowed to get a doctor to help them take there own lives? They don't let a person get help with that but yet turn around and take a new born's life just because they don't want a child or because in this case she didn't want one off of being raped. Where do we draw a line? I feel let them be born and give the child up. Because just like a person might be upset about not knowing the child later in life, putting them to rest still weighs heavy on a persons mind as well.
ReplyDeleteI have always thought that it should only be a choice for victims of rape. However, CiCi brought up a point that I had never thought about before- if a woman wants to abort a baby, it would be much better to have it done by a medical professional. However, I'm not sure how often people actually have abortions done in their homes and such, which also makes me question how relevant that argument could be. But even taking that into consideration, I still feel that it should only be a choice if rape is involved. I think that people who use abortion as a form of birth control shouldn't be allowed to procreate at all. I understand that women do it sometimes because they feel they can't take care of the child, but there's always adoption. I can't stand the fact that there are so many couples who would give anything to have a child, and yet there are still so many people who get pregnant and don't even care, so they just abort it with out even thinking. I know someone who dated a girl and ended up getting her pregnant. He knew she was pregnant, but one day she just decided to get an abortion without even consulting him really. She basically told him she was going to do it and there was nothing he could do to stop her. They broke up shortly after, but he's still upset about it to this day, and that was 5 or 6 years ago. So to sum this all up, I think that abortion should not be legal for just anyone. If there are medical problems, is a viable circumstance. A very sad one, but I also know of someone who got pregnant and they found out the baby has all sorts of neurological problems, along with other health problems, so the doctors are reccommending that she abort it. Also if the woman is raped, she should have a choice, but my hope would be that she could atleast carry the baby and then give it up for adoption if it was too hard for her to keep it, which is completely understandable. There's a female evangelist whose name is currently escaping me, but she was the result of a pregancy that happened after her mother was raped, and her mom chose to carry her and then give her up for adoption. I think it would be terribly difficult to carry a child after such a situation, but if they could, and then they could give it to a couple who can't have children, that would be amazing. But in other cirumstances, I think that if you're going to have sex, you need to be prepared to face the consequences. If you can't take care of a kid, then keep your pants on and your legs closed. Don't take an innocent life just because you accidentally got pregnant and you're too selfish and lazy to take care of it.
ReplyDeleteI believe that if one engages in a sexual act with full knowledge of the consequences then that person should not be entitled to abortion. I agree with allison that it should be allowed for serious medical reasons and rape victims. Someone who is raped, I believe they should have a right to choose. I couldn't imagine the emotional turmoil of having to live with such a tragic event and having the reminder of it in your body for 9 months. If a woman decided to go on with the pregnancy then good for her.I'm not in this situation and therefore I dont truly know what I would do (if raped). If you do it for a selfish or irresponsible reason, you should be reprimanded for it. But at the end of the day, people will do what they want regardless of the legal status. Everyone is entitled to make their own decisions. Hopefully they will make the right one for themselves.
ReplyDeleteI think women should have the right to choose if they want an abortion or not. Many people are so close minded about this topic. Think about if you were in that situation, you can't really say what you would do until you are in that situation. Everyone is in a different place in their life financially and emotionally. I know that I want my children born into the best possible atmosphere that I can provide. I don't want to subject them to a miserable life because I was not ready for them. A women should not be punished for getting pregnant, nor should the baby. But in thinking about the baby, it needs to be taken care of and provided for. If the conditions can't be met then why bear the child? I don't think it is fair for someone else to decide whether or not someone can support a baby. But again, this is a topic that many won't be forced to deal with so how will they ever know what it's like?
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely a difficult topic. I wouldn't say that I agree or disagree with the Supreme Court’s decision to make abortion legal within the first trimester. I believe that people have free will. Whether you are religious or not, you learn that people are going to do what they want regardless of how the Supreme Court rules or what the bible says vice versa or what the constitution implies.
ReplyDeleteI personally would never get an abortion; I just couldn't live with myself. Some people have strong validated reasons for why they would get an abortion one of the most common reasons is rape. I will say that using abortion to compensate for lack of birth control is not acceptable. It all directs back to the root of the issue of whether people believe having an abortion is considered killing another life.
Overall as I've said before, whether it’s the law, religion, or even personal beliefs that are against or band abortion; People have free will and will find away to do what they want regardless.
I honestly strongly disagree with abortion. I feel that God is the only being that has right to take life, because he created it. I feel that if a child is unwanted adoption is always an option, there are many very deserving couples that are unable to have children of their own, why deny them the possibility of taking care of that child. I also feel like who knows what that child could become and how that child could make a difference in the world. Ultimately, it comes down to a religious stand point, I truly believe only God has a right to take a human life. If you do not want a child don't have sex. If you are raped put that child up for adoption.
ReplyDeleteabortion should be every woman's right. it should not be a form of birth control. when the abortion occurs should be decided by the mother and her doctor. so i guess i would be oppose to them making any decision on when and how a woman does any medical procedure including abortion.
ReplyDeleteI feel it is right to be legal because everyone's situation is different. Many people can't afford the children that they bring into this world and that causes a lot of poverty and sadness. As some people have said, children are precious, and that is exactly the reason that I feel they don't deserve to be brought up in that sort of situation. Every child deserves a loving home who was ready and wanting a child. Yes, I know adoption is an option but the majority of people who think they want to give up their child for adoption end up not being able to go through with it once the child id born. Not only is this incredibly sad and unfair for the adoption parents who have been anxiously awaiting their new bundle of joy but it is unfair for the child who could have potentially had a very loving and caring family but now has a very selfish mother who wasn't thinking about the better life for her child. I feel very strongly about my opinion on this topic and children should only belong in households that have the time and money for them, so abortion should absolutely be legal.
ReplyDeleteThis is one issue that I can actually say that I know a little bit about and that can make me more mad then anything when people aren't willing to listen to the other side. I am prochoice completely but I understand where people are coming from when they are prolife. I am prochoice because if for some reason a 12 year old girl is raped and becomes pregnant, she shouldn't have to destroy her body. Also, I am one of those people that if the mom and dad are completely cracked out on whatever drugs and the baby is going to be way worse off. So I believe it should be legal to get an abortion. But I understand where people are coming from on the other end too.
ReplyDeleteBeing a christian woman and also a person who is pro life, I do not favor the Supreme Court desicion. Even though, in the case of rape, the baby does not deserve to die. It is not the baby's fault if a woman has a unplanned pregrency.He or She doesn't get a choice and it is unfair he or she has to die because of it. Even though a woman is in first trimester and some people do not view a egg or a fetus being human yet. I however do. I tried to be understanding of the other side but all I can think about is the child's life. Adoption is a way better choice.
ReplyDeleteTionda Burch
I completely agree with CiCi on this. Although, this is a life we are dealing with, we must also look into the mothers life. I could argue back and forth points of both sides, but instead I'll just give an answer. I believe that everybody gets a choice on what they want, but before they make the choice they should be fully informed on processes and what exactly happens. Being informed can change or alter a decision, and i believe that people should know what they are getting into.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, this is something that should be avoided in the first place. If a couple is not ready or does not want a child they should take precautions so that an abortion won't be necessary. In the case of a rape, I believe that it is completely acceptable for the woman to get an abortion. However, being raped is only one of the situations where abortion should be considered. If a teenage girl were to become pregnant, due to making poor decisions, she should not be forced to raise a child. Ultimately, I think that an abortion should be the decision of the female/her family/partner, but should not become another form of birth control.
ReplyDeleteI feel that I am on the fence with this issue. I do not believe that it should be legal for women to get abortions. I do, however, believe that if abortion was not legal in the first trimester women would find other means of getting rid of unwanted children. I believe that once a fetus is conceived, it becomes a life. To me, it's a moral issue. I can't imagine someone choosing to kill me without me having a say because it was not convenient for them. I do believe that woman facing this issue because of rape must face a huge decision. I can't say what I would do. Overall, I believe that women should not be able to just go get an abortion because they want to. However, without a choice, women may turn to original abortion tactics such as "coat hanger abortions". It's a tough call, but I do not personally believe it should be legal.
ReplyDelete-Alicia Abney
I think abortion should be legal. I think it is unfair to say only rape victims should be allowed because then you would have false rape claims etc. It should not become the new "birth control" but i think it would help with the amount of kids who are not getting fed every night etc. And it should absolutely be private, just like any other medical record. If a woman chooses to have an abortion then that is her choice, and for the most part she probably wouldn't be fit to raise a child anyway.
ReplyDelete