Abortion: Con, Research Paper Example

Abortion is an issue that has divided Americans for decades. The debate rages on, without either side’s proponents winning many converts over to their way of thinking. It is interesting that a great number of people are apathetic about lots of issues, but when it comes to abortion, most people have a definite opinion. I am no exception.

This should not be a divisive question, because we know that a fetus is alive and to kill it is murder. One of the commercials in the most recent Super Bowl featured Tim Tebo, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback of the University of Florida, who gave a message favoring Pro Life. Why was this controversial for some people? More than a few of America’s sports “heroes” have fathered six children with four different women, never elevating any of them to the level of “wife,” (Copeland, 10a) so what is possibly wrong with Tim Tebo declaring his status as a virgin and urging others to keep their unborn children alive?

Some will counter with the tired argument that a woman should be the sole decision maker about her own body. They say that to deny her the opportunity to go into a clinic and ask some physician to kill her unborn fetus is wrong. Following the historic Roe v. Wade (1973), women have exercised that right the Supreme Court allowed by disposing of thousands of unborn children during the first trimester of their pregnancies. We have numerous laws that tell us what and what we cannot do with our bodies. For example, we cannot put certain substances into our bodies unless we are willing to break the law. Therefore, why do we tolerate a governmental decision that wants to provide so much “choice” for women who have largely been irresponsible in their personal actions and are going to follow up their shortcomings by endorsing the killing of their own offspring?

It is past time that Americans stood up for children unborn who are not able to speak in their own defense and say, “But what about my rights? I want to live.” A recent independent politician declared that abortion was made illegal in the Declaration of Independence when it talked about “inalienable rights…life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” That candidate, Alan Keyes went on to make a salient point about this topic:

The right to life of all innocent persons, from fertilization to natural death, is God-given and unalienable. That is why we consider it to be a moral imperative to fully establish in law that Personhood is granted by our Creator to all human beings from the very beginning of their biological development (Keyes, ¶ 1).

People under 21 years of age cannot go into a store and buy alcohol. Before age 18, they cannot exercise the right to vote. Fifteen states currently allow such minors to abort their children without even involving their parents in this most important, life-changing/life-ending moment (About Alaska). This national trend erodes parental authority and encourages teens to live aimlessly.

I welcome any contrary argument to the facts that I have offered here. This is because I can counter all objections to the position I have taken with current, factual information that makes sense for all Americans. A Constitutional Amendment should be enacted that would end the nonsense of the abortion battle. Then, finally, perhaps we could get back to the promotion of family values and moral living.

Works Cited

About Alaska. “Parents and Abortion.” State Legislatures 34, 1, 10.

Copeland, Andrea. “Don’t Condemn Tebo for Super Bowl Abortion Ad.” USA Today 04 Feb 2010: News 10a.

Keyes, Alan. “God-Given Rights.” On the Issues Every Political Leader on Every Issue from America’s Independent Party 2008 Platform & Constitution 20 Aug 2008.