Morality and Legality of Abortion

Only available on StudyMode
  • Download(s) : 122
  • Published : October 8, 1999
Open Document
Text Preview
Morality and Legality of Abortion

Somewhere amidst the abortion debates of the last quarter century, the real issue has been lost. The focus has become too religious for a country that has separated church and state. Therefore, I won't argue the religious rights and wrongs of abortion. No answers can be derived until we focus on what the law and our citizens do value, because this is how laws are changed. American laws hold sacred the value of human rights....but when do a woman's end, and a child's begin?

The saving grace, and ultimately, the great flaw of the Constitution is it's variability. Our founding fathers created it as an open door, to allow future generations to correct their mistakes, but also to make them, and to contradict themselves ethically and morally, on the whim of a generation. As a nation, we have always attempted a degree of morality in our laws, a shared belief in what is right and wrong that is eforced by the law. We assert that to ahrm another intentionally or otherwise is wrong and deserving of punishment. Our laws condemn murderers and shun drunk drivers, charging involuntary manslaughter in the case that he/she inadvertently kills another in an accident. There are severe repercussions for rapists and assault of another person. We also often assert that to harm oneself intentionally or in a way that could have been prevented by our own precaution is wrong. These examples include the seatbelt and helmet laws and the ingestion of harmful drugs. In keeping with our common and lawful morality that is careful to protect human life, the legality of abortion appears incongruent.

An important question of this issue is of the point at which the life conceived inside a woman's body is considered a life, rather than her personal property. After conception, is there such a point htat "the right to choose" can be exercised as an alternative to a condom or pill to prevent the said conception? Prochoisce supporters wil continue to...
tracking img