FREE ESSAY ON THE ABORITON CONTROVERSY

THE ABORITON CONTROVERSY

The Abortion Controversy
For centuries, abortion has been a heated topic among all peoples. Ever since abortions
have been performed in the United States, they have been protested and debated by many.
Both sides of the issue have been sharply disputed to no avail. One of the most famous
abortion cases is that of Roe vs. Wade. It was the very case that made abortion laws what
they are today. In 1973, abortion was legalized under the constitutional right to privacy
(Sproul 77). Ever since then abortion has been in and out of the courts, and I don't see
that stopping anytime soon. 
In fact, after the Supreme Court made its decision in 1973, the number of abortions rose
quite evidently (www.plannedparenthood.com). However, since 1989, the number of abortions
in the United States has been declining. This is most likely attributed to both practical
and political factors, including changing attitudes and better methods of birth control.

While abortions are now legal in the U.S., this now presents the question widely asked:
Are abortions the right thing to do? Everyone has his or her own answer to this question.
Each individual carries his or her views on the topic, most being either pro-life or
pro-choice. There are even strong anti-abortion groups that act out in violent manners.
We hear of countless abortion clinic bombings and murders of doctors who perform this
procedure. Although it is not extremely common, there are 209 incidents on record in the
U.S. since 1984 (Cameron 17). This, in my eyes defeats the whole purpose of being
pro-life. If someone is so concerned about the welfare of an unborn child, killing a
doctor or even the mother carrying the child is doubly wrong.
In fact, nearly half the women in the United States will have an abortion during her
reproductive years. Seventy percent of these women intend to have children sometime in
the future. Among those having abortions, three quarters of them are not ready to have a
child, two-thirds cannot afford it, and half do not want to be a single
parent(www.plannedparenthood.com). 
I, personally, consider myself to be pro-choice. Abortion isn't necessarily always the
answer, but in some cases it is. I believe each intelligent woman has a right to decide
for herself what to do to her body-to a point, that is. A woman should be able to make a
decision based on the own morals and beliefs and life circumstances, with out anyone else
intruding. But I also believe that every situation is different. There are different
consequences to weigh out for each woman. I am aware that abortion is a big decision to
make, but in some situations many women feel it is the only thing to do. Take rape for
example. The child is the innocent one in this case, and most times the father is the
guilty one. However, there is a huge psychological strain to be dealt with by only the
woman. Why would she want to carry the child of a man who committed a violent act such as
rape on her? Another position where I find it almost obligatory is in the case of incest.
As this isn't terrible enough as it is, an added issue of pregnancy is devastating. In
these cases, I believe that sometimes abortion is the only answer.