Abortion
During the past century, abortion has joined race and war as one of the most debatable subjects of controversy in the United States. The issue of abortion causes discussions about human interactions where ethics, emotions, and law come together. There are many reasons why women decide to have abortions. Some women have abortions because of health complications, some have marital problems, and some lack responsibility. Whatever the reasons a woman decides to have an abortion, it seems only justified that she should be able to make decisions in regards to her life and body. The decisions that she makes in regards to what she does with her body and the fetus will be beneficial to both the woman and the fetus because it will prevent many problems from occurring in the future.
Abortion is defined as "the induced termination of a pregnancy before it is capable of survival as an individual" (Frohock). Abortion has been around for thousands of years in every inhabited corner of the globe. It has always been accepted as a means to prevent the suffering of both woman and potential child. It has been practiced widely in every society for many reasons including famine, war, poverty, overpopulation, or simply because a woman felt she was not ready for a child (Whitney). No one ever questioned a woman's right to this procedure. After all, who but God had the right to judge what a woman did with her own body? This thought process lasted until the 1800's. During this era of change, people began to turn their attention in a new direction, the fetus. They began to protest abortion as cruel, inhumane, and murderous. Filled with a new sense of purpose and the glory of a fresh, righteous cause to uphold this new morality swept the countryside enveloping everyone in its wake. Abortionists who were once revered and depended upon were now scorned and threatened. Though abortions still happened with regularity, they were kept silent and seen as a matter of shame....
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