Very few topics in life will stir up emotions and strong opinions on a universal scale. Abortion is one of them. Let’s look closer at some of the main reasons why:
Religious
This is often the main objection that faces pro choice advocates. America is and has always been a deeply religious country. An article in The Atlantic had stated “no rich country prays nearly as much as the US and no country that prays as much as the US is nearly as rich.” It is a very accurate statement. As of 2018, 87% of Americans still affiliate with an organized religion and pray regularly. Compare this with the rest of the developed world, namely Europe and we can see the true perplexity of this number.
The far right has always staunchly opposed abortion, sometimes even in the case of rape, and they will continue to do so. In the mean time the growing liberal, non-religious movement sees abortion as a women’s rights issue that feminists work so tirelessly to further. Beyond that they see it as an option that people expecting a baby should be entitled to. Freedom is an availability of every possible option. This is truly the foundation of American culture and the virtue with which our capitalist system is derived from. Denying abortion to pregnant women is seen as a curtail of freedom to liberals but as a criminal act of murder to the right wing of the country.
Moral
Putting religious beliefs aside, from a moral perspective abortion is also very controversial. There is a lot of differing views on what is right and wrong when it comes to having an abortion. It is not only strictly religious people who have a problem with the act of it, but people with their own moral compasses or those who refer to themselves as humanitarians. Many people see abortion as wrong and cruel. They view it as murdering a life because they argue that the fetus is a living structure that has a right to continue developing and leave the mother’s womb. It is very hard to criticize such a claim. This is not a tangible thing that can be proven; it is a philosophical and moral train of thought.
Child Support and Economic Status
Abortion also ties into child support or lack thereof. If the biological father of the child isnt okay with paying child support or being financially involved in the baby’s life then he may likely be very supportive of the pro-choice belief. The mother herself may also desire to have an abortion due to a lack of economic support from the father. She may feel alone, as so many women do, and not ready to go through the process of supporting a baby on her own. Government assistance only goes so far. There is so much that a baby requires and the woman or the man may be struggling financially and not ready or able to take on the expenses of that child. It is not as simple as getting a job. There are people from lower socio-economic neighborhoods that do not have access to good paying jobs or to higher education. Economic conditions are a major reason why many feel abortions are appropriate and even necessary to have happen.
Dysfunctional Family Environments
Another reason people are in disagreement over abortion is that many feel dysfunctional people should not be having children. The thinking is that we already have so many children in foster homes and orphanages who are at a disadvantage. And we have children who grow up in toxic environments. This is different than a financial shortcoming. These particular parents never wanted to have children or were not ready. There are a host of reasons why these people are not adequate parents.
Some of the main issues are drug use and abuse, addiction, criminal activity, and a lack of maturity and responsibility among parents-to-be. To allow a person to be born into an environment such as this is seen as a worse fate than aborting the child. Children who grow up in an environment such as this do not get a fighting chance. It is well known that a situation has to be extemely dire before the State intervenes and removes a child from his or her parents. Thus, these children are trapped in such a bleak environment and do not get a chance to live the way they deserve to. Pro-choice advocates see it as a mercy on the coming child to prevent him or her from ever having to deal with this toxicity in the first place. But then the pro-life party will strike back that life in and of itself is a tremendous gift that should not be denied to anyone. Life carries with it potential for change and you never know the hand you get dealt or the opportunities you find along the way that change the course of your life. This is a positive perspective on life while pro-choice advocates may be seen as more realistic than positive.
Health
The final major reason, and albeit not as popular, is the health of the parents-to-be. A small section of pro-choice people argue that if a person has a medical history of cancers or other genetic conditions that inhibit a long, full life they should be able to abort the fetus. The obvious counterargument is that medicine is advancing every day and so many conditions can and in the near future will be better treated. There is also the argument that since offspring is a game of probability, the parent may have a child that is born without any of their poor genetic conditions. For people who become pregnant unexpectedly, they may be very fearful of burdening a child – and themselves – with a genetic condition.
Abortion is not a Black and White Issue!
Abortion is not simplistic at all. It is a multifaceted issue and it will always be under heated debate. The reason that the issue has resurfaced is due to all the abortion clinics being shutdown across the country amid the Covid-19 shutdown. This has refreshed the abortion debate in America once again, with many being horrified on the state-wide targeting of abortion clinics. Many on the opposite hand are relieved and elated by what is going on. Instead of picking a side, lets turn to the facts for clarity.
The updated statistics are that 1 in 4 women have had an abortion and only 1.5% of abortions are due to incest and rape. The rate is even higher in New York City than the national average, with about 35% of babies being aborted. The need or desire for abortions obviously isnt going away. What is needed is for more open and less defensive dialogue in America. Issues do not get resolved by talking at each other, insulting one another, or even worse, joining a group with an “us versus them” thought process. We need more respectful conversation where we are just as empathetic of other people’s perspectives as we are our own. In the comment section below, let us know what your personal opinion on abortion is and your sentiments about what is going on in America right now because of it.