Abortion - Pro Life or Pro Choice 3
5/2/2012
WRT 120
Persuasive Essay
Pro Life or Pro Choice
As citizens of the United States, we all posses the right to choose as a central liberty, unless it is the right to cease a pregnancy. In the last few decades, abortion has become a much-discussed subject. It has been a central point in many political affairs, such as selecting justices for the Supreme Court, and a frequently debated issue for candidates for state and local offices, as well as for the U.S. Presidency. As early as 1923, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution protects personal decisions regarding marriage and the family from governmental intrusion. In 1965, the Court ruled that the state couldn’t prohibit a married couple from practicing contraception. In 1972, it extended the right to use birth control to all people, married or single. And in its 1973 ruling, Roe v. Wade, the Court held that the Constitution’s protections of privacy as a fundamental right encompass a woman’s decision to have an abortion. On the 36th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision, President Barack Obama said that it “stands for a broader principle that government should not intrude on our most private family matters,” but he also went on to say, “no matter what our views, we are united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the need for abortion, and support women and families in the choices they make” (Falcone).
What exactly is abortion anyway? Depending on whom you ask, one will always get different answers, but the dictionary defines abortion as the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus. Abortion has been traced back to ancient times and has continued through the 19th century, despite bans in both the United Kingdom and the Unites States. In the 20th century legalization of abortions began. There are many factors to consider in choosing whether or not to carry a
WRT 120
Persuasive Essay
Pro Life or Pro Choice
As citizens of the United States, we all posses the right to choose as a central liberty, unless it is the right to cease a pregnancy. In the last few decades, abortion has become a much-discussed subject. It has been a central point in many political affairs, such as selecting justices for the Supreme Court, and a frequently debated issue for candidates for state and local offices, as well as for the U.S. Presidency. As early as 1923, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution protects personal decisions regarding marriage and the family from governmental intrusion. In 1965, the Court ruled that the state couldn’t prohibit a married couple from practicing contraception. In 1972, it extended the right to use birth control to all people, married or single. And in its 1973 ruling, Roe v. Wade, the Court held that the Constitution’s protections of privacy as a fundamental right encompass a woman’s decision to have an abortion. On the 36th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision, President Barack Obama said that it “stands for a broader principle that government should not intrude on our most private family matters,” but he also went on to say, “no matter what our views, we are united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the need for abortion, and support women and families in the choices they make” (Falcone).
What exactly is abortion anyway? Depending on whom you ask, one will always get different answers, but the dictionary defines abortion as the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus. Abortion has been traced back to ancient times and has continued through the 19th century, despite bans in both the United Kingdom and the Unites States. In the 20th century legalization of abortions began. There are many factors to consider in choosing whether or not to carry a
Cited: Duscheck, Jennie. Life Cycle, Human. Web. 9, Nov. 2009. http://www.biologyreference.com/La-Ma/Life-Cycle-Human.html Falcone, Michael. On 36th Anniversary, Obama Praises Roe v. Wade Precedent. New York Times. 22, Jan. 2009. Web. 9, Nov. 2009. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/on-35th-anniversary-obama-praises-roe-v-wade-decision/ United States of America. U.S. Federal Government. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Child Welfare Information Gateway. 2008. Web. 2 May 2012. <http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/statistics/adoption.cfm>.