GeraldVelasquez

11/17/14

Abortionisthemedicalprocessofendingapregnancybykillingthefetus.
Dependingonhowfaralonginthepregnancyyouenditbyeithertakingmedicationor
havingthefetussurgicallyremoved.Abortionisahugenationaltopicofdiscussionandisa
battlebetweenpeoplewhoareprolifeandthoseprochoice.Prolifeisbeingforthe
eradicationofabortionwhileprochoiceisbeingfortheabilitytochoosetohaveanabortion.It
reallyboilsdowntomoralsversuslawsandmoresotheunderstandingoftheextentofthese
laws.
FormanyreligionsabortiongoesagainsttheirbeliefssuchasChristianity.Beinga
ChristianmyselfIamagainstabortionandbelievethattotakeawayaunbornpersonslifeis
thesameastakingoneswhoisalreadybornandshouldbeconsideredasmurder.Onlyway
youwouldbeabletojustifyabortionwebeifitinsomewayjeopardizedthewoman'sphysical
lhealthinanextremeway.Forexampleifitinsomewayjeopardizedthewoman'slife.Others
alsoargueandsaythatifitinsomewayjeopardizedthewoman'smentalhealthitwouldbe
excusable,forinstanceifthemotherwasrapedandtheideaofthischildbeingbornsome
howtraumatizedherthensheshouldhavetherighttoanabortion.Ihoweverconcur,Ithink
thatsthesameasmesayingthatifmysibling/friend/familymemberhadachildwithamanI
deeplydislikedandwouldtraumatizedsheraisedthischildthatihavetherighttokillthis
personbecausemymentalhealthwasatrisk.
Whenitcomesdowntomoralstheyreirrelevantinthesensethatinthecourtoflaw
theymeannothing,whichiswhytheargumenttrulygetsinterestingwhenwegetintothe
constitutionalaspect.Whenitcomesthetheconstitutionthemaingroupwhobenefitsisthe
theprolifegroupmainlybecauseofthefifthandfourteenthamendments.Thefifth

amendmentstatesNopersonshallbedeprivedoflife,liberty,orproperty,withoutdue
processoflaw.Thefourteenthamendmentjustmadethatportionofthefifthamendment
applicabletothestates.WhatitreallyboilsdowntolikeIsaidbeforeunderstandingtheextent
oftheselawsinthiscasereferringtowhetherornottheunbornfallundertheconstitution's
definitionofanyperson.Theresstillotherwaythepeopleofprochoicecancounterthis,
letssaythatthecourtsdecidethattheunborndocountaspersonstheconstitutionnever
directlymentionsanythingaboutabortion.Theyalsoarguethatifunbornarecountedforasa
personthenwewouldhavetocountfetusesforthecensus.Theyalsoarguethatthe
constitutionimpliestheexistenceofamoregeneralrighttoprivacy,andtherefore,since
abortionisaprivatedecisionbetweenawomanandherdoctor,abortionisaconstitutionally
protectedright,thenagainitisalsonotdirectlyreferringtoabortion.Onceagainitallgoes
backtowhetherthisunbornchildisaperson,ifsothenabortionisntaprivatedecision
betweenawomanandherdoctor,becausethepersonaffectedisntinvolvedinthedecision.
Sothemainquestioniswhethertheunbornchildisaperson.
Thesetwogroupscanprobablycancomeupwithamilliondifferentreasonwhyyou
shouldbeprolifeorprochoicebuttherearesomepointsthatarefrequentlymade.Themost
commonandobviouspointmadebytheprolifegroupisthefactthatthefetusisahuman
beingfromthemomentofconceptionmeaningabortionismurderandthereforeshouldbe
illegal.Anotherfrequentlymadepointwasthatallbabieshavegreatpotential,awomancould
possiblyabortafetusthatcouldhavegrownuptobeofgreatimportancetosocietyorthe
worldatlarge.Whilethesearegoodpointstheprochoicegroupshastheirfairshareofpoints
also.Oneisthateverychildshouldbebornwantedandnotjustborntobedealtwith.Also
tiesintothenextpointwhichisthatplannedchildrenoftenhavebetterlifeprospectsbecause
caregiversarebetterpreparedtosupportthechildphysically,emotionally,andfinancially.

Onemorepointtheyusuallymakeisthatmostfosterhomesandorphanagesarebeyond
capacityandbykeepingthechildandputtingthechildintothefostercaresystemwould
weighevenheavieronalreadyscarceresources.
Althoughthesestatescannotdirectlybanabortiontheydofindotherwaysto
maneuveraroundthatandstillendabortion.ForexampleTexasdidexactlythat,thelawthat
isnowineffectinTexasrequiresallabortionclinicstobecomeambulatorysurgicalcenters,
orminihospitals.Mostclinicscannotaffordtheextensiverenovations,whichincludethings
suchasspecificventilationsystemsandhallwaywidths.Thisandanotherprovisionofthe
samelawrequiresallabortionproviderstohaveadmittingprivilegesatalocalhospital,evenif
thereisnohospitalintheareawillingtograntsuchprivileges.Thesetwolawscaused80
percentofthe44clinicsinthestatetoclose.Anotherstatewhichattemptedthismethodis
Mississippibuttheyweren'tassuccessfulasTexas.Thelawwouldhaverequireditsdoctors
toobtainadmittingprivilegesatlocalhospitalsinordertocontinueitspractice.Thelawwasnt
putintoorderduetoa2to1vote,thepaneloftheUnitedStatesCourtofAppealsforthe
FifthCircuitruledthatbyimposingalawthatwouldeffectivelyendabortioninthestate,
Mississippiwouldillegallyshiftitsconstitutionalobligationstoneighboringstates.
Abortionisaclashbetweenmoralbeliefsandconstitutionalrights,andalthoughsome
maythinkabortionismorallywrongmeansnothing.Thefactthatmakingabortionwould
violatecertainconstitutionallawsthatprotectthepeoplesprivacymakesitanongoing
argument.Noonecanreallysaywhenorhowthisconflictwillendbutafterlookingintothe
situationmoreindepthicansaythatmyviewhaschanged,Idobelievepeopleshouldhave
therighttohaveanabortionthoIwouldntusethismethodmyself.