There have been few issues as fiercely debated as the issue of abortion. Some view it
simply as an issue of the choice of whether a woman should be able to choose if she
would like to continue a pregnancy to term, or end it. But others view it as a
right-to-life issue, and that no person should have the legal “right” to choose
to take a life of another human being like having an abortion takes the life of
an unborn baby. Scientific advances have proven that unborn babies are truly
alive. For example, an unborn baby’s heart starts to beat at 23 days after
conception, and brain waves can be detected at merely 40 days after conception.
A new individual’s life is present inside the womb, and therefore I believe it
should be illegal to have a procedure done to end that life. The right to make
a “choice” should not over-power the right an individual has to continue their
life- regardless of how young that life is. Abortion takes a life and
disregards that fundamental right to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of
Happiness” that is given in the Declaration of Independence. All other “rights”
become worthless without the right to life. Nothing should justify taking an
innocent life. Even in cases of rape and incest, abortion is wrong because it
ends the life of a tiny human being.
The issue of abortion is so complex because there is a broad range of emotions and opinions associated with it, compounded with the lack of education concerning it. Because the subject is
sometimes considered social taboo, a portion of the population that support
abortion do so not because they have heard facts, but because slogans like “My
body, my choice” appeals to the “No one is in control of me” mentality that
many people tend to gravitate towards. Unfortunately, this logic has led to
many abortion supporters who are unaware of what they are truly supporting and
fighting for. Because they have not been supplied facts like these: the unborn
baby has a heartbeat, the unborn baby has brain waves, its own blood type, DNA, etc., when they hear “My body, my choice” they aren’t aware that it’s not just the mother’s body that an abortion effects.
simply as an issue of the choice of whether a woman should be able to choose if she
would like to continue a pregnancy to term, or end it. But others view it as a
right-to-life issue, and that no person should have the legal “right” to choose
to take a life of another human being like having an abortion takes the life of
an unborn baby. Scientific advances have proven that unborn babies are truly
alive. For example, an unborn baby’s heart starts to beat at 23 days after
conception, and brain waves can be detected at merely 40 days after conception.
A new individual’s life is present inside the womb, and therefore I believe it
should be illegal to have a procedure done to end that life. The right to make
a “choice” should not over-power the right an individual has to continue their
life- regardless of how young that life is. Abortion takes a life and
disregards that fundamental right to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of
Happiness” that is given in the Declaration of Independence. All other “rights”
become worthless without the right to life. Nothing should justify taking an
innocent life. Even in cases of rape and incest, abortion is wrong because it
ends the life of a tiny human being.
The issue of abortion is so complex because there is a broad range of emotions and opinions associated with it, compounded with the lack of education concerning it. Because the subject is
sometimes considered social taboo, a portion of the population that support
abortion do so not because they have heard facts, but because slogans like “My
body, my choice” appeals to the “No one is in control of me” mentality that
many people tend to gravitate towards. Unfortunately, this logic has led to
many abortion supporters who are unaware of what they are truly supporting and
fighting for. Because they have not been supplied facts like these: the unborn
baby has a heartbeat, the unborn baby has brain waves, its own blood type, DNA, etc., when they hear “My body, my choice” they aren’t aware that it’s not just the mother’s body that an abortion effects.
It’s interesting to note the stories of people who have dramatically changed their
position on abortion after simply being told facts about the developing baby
and being informed about what actually takes place during an abortion procedure
and how graphic and disturbing it is. Hearing the truth and facts can bring to
light that the real “choice” they are fighting for is a woman’s choice to
murder her unborn child. Abby Johnson, the Director of Texas Planned Parenthood
(a major abortion provider), resigned after seeing an ultrasound video of a
baby being killed by abortion. She is a prime example of how many people support
abortion because they have not seen the facts that would convince them to do
otherwise. Former abortionists have quit their jobs after coming to the
realization that the tiny arms, legs, feet, and hands that they were ripping
out from the mother’s womb belonged to a tiny human being. Abortion advocate
and President of the National Coalition of Abortion Providers, Ron Fitzsimmons,
admits that “It [abortion] is a form of killing. You’re ending a life.” If
abortionists themselves recognize that abortion ends an innocent life, it would suggest that abortion
deserves to be looked at closely before supporting a woman’s legal “right” to
it.
position on abortion after simply being told facts about the developing baby
and being informed about what actually takes place during an abortion procedure
and how graphic and disturbing it is. Hearing the truth and facts can bring to
light that the real “choice” they are fighting for is a woman’s choice to
murder her unborn child. Abby Johnson, the Director of Texas Planned Parenthood
(a major abortion provider), resigned after seeing an ultrasound video of a
baby being killed by abortion. She is a prime example of how many people support
abortion because they have not seen the facts that would convince them to do
otherwise. Former abortionists have quit their jobs after coming to the
realization that the tiny arms, legs, feet, and hands that they were ripping
out from the mother’s womb belonged to a tiny human being. Abortion advocate
and President of the National Coalition of Abortion Providers, Ron Fitzsimmons,
admits that “It [abortion] is a form of killing. You’re ending a life.” If
abortionists themselves recognize that abortion ends an innocent life, it would suggest that abortion
deserves to be looked at closely before supporting a woman’s legal “right” to
it.
Surprisingly, even some people who say that they oppose abortion, because they know that it takes a life, support it and see it acceptable in cases of rape and incest. This brings to question
why a baby conceived by rape or incest would deserve less of a right to live
than a baby conceived through a healthy love for two people. If we have
determined that the unborn baby is indeed alive, then it is a LIFE regardless
of how it was brought into existence. The rapist/ baby’s father’s action that
was the cause of the baby’s conception was an act of violence, but it is the rapist
who should be punished for his actions, not the baby created as a result of
them. Sadly, oftentimes it is the rapist that gets punished with jail time and
gets to go free but his baby who receives the death penalty.
Some would argue that making a woman carry her rapist’s baby to term would be cruel and that abortion would simply end the trauma that the woman is experiencing, but it is important to look at statistics and what women who aborted after rape had to say about it. Many of
them said that they felt a compounded guilt and shame because even though the
rape was not their fault, they perpetuated the violence that they experienced
by killing their unborn baby. Jackie tells her story in the book Aborted Women, Silent No More: “I soon discovered that the aftermath of my abortion continued a long time after the
memory of my rape had faded. I felt empty and horrible. Nobody told me about
the pain I would feel deep within causing nightmares and deep depressions. They
had all told me that after the abortion I could continue my life as if nothing
had happened.” It is necessary to recognize the fact that abortion is often
times extremely traumatic for anyone, especially sexual assault victims, and is
not the solution that the wounded, scared woman deserves. She deserves better
than abortion, better than being told to kill her own child in response to the
pain that someone else caused her. Society’s answer to women who are facing
unplanned pregnancies due to rape or incest should not be to pressure them into
having an abortion, but rather to support them and help them find healing and a
sense of redemption from their pain with a new life that they can nurture.
why a baby conceived by rape or incest would deserve less of a right to live
than a baby conceived through a healthy love for two people. If we have
determined that the unborn baby is indeed alive, then it is a LIFE regardless
of how it was brought into existence. The rapist/ baby’s father’s action that
was the cause of the baby’s conception was an act of violence, but it is the rapist
who should be punished for his actions, not the baby created as a result of
them. Sadly, oftentimes it is the rapist that gets punished with jail time and
gets to go free but his baby who receives the death penalty.
Some would argue that making a woman carry her rapist’s baby to term would be cruel and that abortion would simply end the trauma that the woman is experiencing, but it is important to look at statistics and what women who aborted after rape had to say about it. Many of
them said that they felt a compounded guilt and shame because even though the
rape was not their fault, they perpetuated the violence that they experienced
by killing their unborn baby. Jackie tells her story in the book Aborted Women, Silent No More: “I soon discovered that the aftermath of my abortion continued a long time after the
memory of my rape had faded. I felt empty and horrible. Nobody told me about
the pain I would feel deep within causing nightmares and deep depressions. They
had all told me that after the abortion I could continue my life as if nothing
had happened.” It is necessary to recognize the fact that abortion is often
times extremely traumatic for anyone, especially sexual assault victims, and is
not the solution that the wounded, scared woman deserves. She deserves better
than abortion, better than being told to kill her own child in response to the
pain that someone else caused her. Society’s answer to women who are facing
unplanned pregnancies due to rape or incest should not be to pressure them into
having an abortion, but rather to support them and help them find healing and a
sense of redemption from their pain with a new life that they can nurture.
It is important to realize that we are surrounded by people every day that are here because they were conceived by rape, and they are individuals who deserve life just as much as someone whose
birth was planned. Rebecca Wasser-Kiessling put it very clearly when she said,
“I believe that God rewarded my birth mother for the suffering she endured, and
that I am a gift to her. The serial rapist is not my creator; God is.” Similarly,
Julie Makimaa, who was conceived as a result of rape said, “It doesn't matter
how I began. What matters is who I will become.” These two women are examples
of the fact that babies conceived by rape or incest are just like the rest of
us: they deserve the right to life.
All life is precious, regardless of its beginning, and it deserves to be protected and defended even when it is still in the womb. No situation should justify taking an innocent life via
abortion, even in cases of rape and incest. It is important to educate
ourselves and our friends about the effects and truths about abortion so that
we can be better equipped to defend life and take a stand for those who do not
have a voice, as well as protect women from making a choice that could haunt
them the rest of their lives. True care and compassion considers both the life
of the mother and the unborn baby involved and loves and defends them both.
birth was planned. Rebecca Wasser-Kiessling put it very clearly when she said,
“I believe that God rewarded my birth mother for the suffering she endured, and
that I am a gift to her. The serial rapist is not my creator; God is.” Similarly,
Julie Makimaa, who was conceived as a result of rape said, “It doesn't matter
how I began. What matters is who I will become.” These two women are examples
of the fact that babies conceived by rape or incest are just like the rest of
us: they deserve the right to life.
All life is precious, regardless of its beginning, and it deserves to be protected and defended even when it is still in the womb. No situation should justify taking an innocent life via
abortion, even in cases of rape and incest. It is important to educate
ourselves and our friends about the effects and truths about abortion so that
we can be better equipped to defend life and take a stand for those who do not
have a voice, as well as protect women from making a choice that could haunt
them the rest of their lives. True care and compassion considers both the life
of the mother and the unborn baby involved and loves and defends them both.
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