Should the Government Have the Power to Regulate Abortion?

Maria Acquaviva

ENC 1101: Paper #2

Professor Chambers

October 10, 2005

Should the Government have the power to regulate Abortion?

"One in four people in our generation are not living because they were killed before they were born" ("Abortion Arguments"). One of the major problems and misconceptions with the topic of abortion is that people do not realize that life starts at conception. Many people are not aware that life of this they justify abortion. Abortion is a controversial issue that has an affect on almost every American, whether they have had an abortion, knows a person who has had an abortion, or has an opinion about abortion. I believe that having an abortion is morally wrong and I do not think that the government should fund abortions.

There are many different opinions regarding abortion and many ways of dealing with this issue. Economic status, race, religion, and education also influence whether people are pro-life or pro-choice ("Abortion Arguments"). Individuals that are pro-life believe that life begins at conception and think there are no exceptions for abortion. For example, pro-life advocates think that rape and incest are horrible crimes and should be punished, but they do not think that if a child is conceived during these crimes the child should be killed. Someone who is pro-life also believes that the government should not fund abortion or any organizations dealing with abortion. Many people who are pro-life believe that the Bible backs up their views and understandings that they strongly believe in. Also, individuals that are pro-life think that the case Roe vs. Wade, which legalized abortion on demand in America, is one of the most important and devastating decisions made by the Supreme Court ("Abortion Facts"). These are the main beliefs and views of people who are pro-life.

On the other hand, there are those in our society who feel differently about the topic of abortion. People who are pro-choice believe that it is against human rights and other people in society should not tell them what to do or how to act with their mown body. They also feel that other people should not try to impose their moral beliefs on them. Some people that are pro-choice believe that the fetus is not a life form or a human being; they think it is a mass of tissue and has no deeper meaning ("Abortion Facts"). They also think that every child should be wanted and that parent should want to take on the responsibility and not think of that child as a burden. They think child should be aborted to avoid neglect and unhappiness in the future child's life. They feel that if unwanted children are born then abuse will increase. Another point that people who are pro-choice emphasize is that keeping abortion should be kept legal for women and children who have been a victim of incest or rape. They feel that it is not fair to the victims of these crimes and they should not have to suffer through nine months of pregnancy for a child they did not plan to have. It is also very dangerous for a young girl to go through labor. They think that abortion is safer than childbirth.

There are different alternatives for women who have an unplanned pregnancy. Those alternatives are to go through with the abortion, put the child up for adoption, or to take on the responsibility of raising the child. Some of the positive aspects of adoption and abortion are that you will be free to pursue your goals and dreams that you had before you were pregnant. Also, you will not have to care for a baby before you are ready. Moreover, you will not have the worry about the financial burden of caring for a child or trying to find someone to look after your child while you hang out with friends. If you decide that you are not capable of becoming a parent and cannot uphold the responsibilities, then you can feel confident that your child will be happier with another family and that they are loved appropriately