Is Abortion Bad?

Have y'all been reading the Slate back and forth on "Is Abortion Bad?"
Here's Friday's entry, Thursday's and Wednesday's.

This really is a debate beteween two pro-choicers; one arguing that pro-choicers should try to reduce the rate of abortion through sex ed & contraception, the other arguing, to some extent, that abortion should be available without apology. In essence, it's a debate that's going on a lot, but it's splintering the pro-choice community.

Since you're reading this, here's my take one it. Abortion should be available on demand, with no apologies. Women shouldn't have to justify their choice to me, although I do believe there should be limits on fetal age for abortion (I had a 33 week patient the other day who, understandably, was not allowed to have an abortion). But. Women should have full education and access to birth control. The problem, to a large extent, is education. We don't educate men and women on birth control, and frankly, I'm not sure how to do it. I have patients who have kids, so they KNOW how to get pregnant - I guess it's not just education, but will. I don't have a problem with people who get pregnant and have an abortion, but I'm shocked when they have issues about having abortions - if they know how to get pregnant, and they know how to prevent pregnancy, and if abortion carries personal emotional or religious issues, why aren't they taking steps to prevent pregnancy? That's where I get confused. And that's what I'm not sure how to address, no matter what the high-minded liberals think about parsing small differences when a) we're losing, and b) they get us nowhere. (Wow, I just got mad!)

Comments

[Tannisha]

this is a very good article

[Nick Manning]

I think it is fair to consider whether abortion is wrong even if it is a "legal right." It ends a life - or at least the inevitable potential of a life. Once one acknowledges this, then logically it becomes perilous to maintain such a black-white support of abortion (such as abortion on demand) b/c human dignity, human rights, and respect for the indivual has been inserted into the equation. Which, ironically, are things liberals claim are their guiding values. This is why the pro-lifers have been successful. Like it or not, they have a moral truth on their side which they can always resort to. I think we can all agree, that the laws should be made more narrow and that every woman should be limited to no more than 1 abortion.

[jackie murry]

i think that abortion is bad and wronge.

[Shasta Middleton]

I feel that abortion is bad I think that every child should have a chance to live. this is just my opinnion. if you don't want the baby keep it give it up for adoption.

[Anonymous]

A woman bas a right to do with her body as she desires.
Even if this argument were entirely true (which it is not), this would not give her the right to do with another person's body as she would desire. Abortion involves the death of a separate body, her unborn child's. To argue that the living fetus is part of the mother's body defies reason: which organ of her body is it? When the unborn child's heart beats, whose heart is it? When the fetus's brain waves can be traced, whose brain is it? To willfully end the life of another for one's own convenience has always been viewed as murder.

[josie k]

i think abortion is mean and cruel.
its just the same as child abuse. it should be ileagal! people who do it must be horrible people and just like peaodiphiles should be put into jail

tahh bbe

xxxx

[melanie]

i think that if you can lay down and have sex you can take care of a baby so if you don't want to have a baby don't have sex

[Taylor]

93% of all of those are a result of not wanting the child or inconvenience. Abortions are murder and child abuse. if you are mature enough to have sex, you are mature enough to hold the responsibilities. Some abortions can kill the mother. Its sick. Its a innocent child who's only crime was being concieved.

[melissa]

The baby that you might decide to kill could possibly have take a highly important role in life. Like ben franklin or somebody wh made a difference. Taking away that special oppertunity could have helped people more thsn you think. Dont murder...they feel the pain:[[

[Meghan]

There are three major justifications for banning abortion. The justifications are that a fetus is alive since cell growth and development occur immediately, that the nature of life in the women’s womb is undeniably human because of the miracle of DNA,(it has its own DNA just like you and me) and lastly that abortion terminates the fetus in the womb, which is alive and human by nature, therefore taking the life of the unborn baby. This shows there most definitely is life inside the womb and that it is a human person which is murdered by abortion. I cant stand it when people say that it is not murder, because it IS. The catholic church is notjudgemental on abortion, because even after you have an abortion if you bring yourself before GOD he will forgive you. But you cant have forgiveness without a concept of sin. Babies should have the right to life. Nobody should be able to decide that another is unworthy of the right to life. Yes, Pro-choice is concerned for the rights of the women who is pregnant, and so does pro-life, although they are also looking out for the rights of the unborn baby. If the women is able to give birth she should. If she does not want to keep her baby, women still have options such as adoption.