Abortion - Right To Choose
Abortion - Right To ChooseMany people believe abortion is a moral issue, but it is also
a constitutional issue. It is a woman's right to choose what she does
with her body, and it should not be altered or influenced by anyone
else. This right is guaranteed by the ninth amendment, which contains
the right to privacy. The ninth amendment states: "The enumeration in
the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or
disparage others retained by the people." This right guarantees the
right to women, if they so choose, to have an abortion, up to the end
of the first trimester. Regardless of the fact of morals, a woman has
the right to privacy and choice to abort her fetus. The people that
hold a "pro-life" view argue that a woman who has an abortion is
killing a child. The "pro-choice" perspective holds this is not the
case. A fetus is not yet a baby. It does not posess the criteria
derived from our understanding of living human beings. In a notable
defense of this position, philosopher Mary Anne Warren has proposed
the following criteria for "person-hood": 1) consciousness (of objects
and events external and or internal to the being), and in particular
the capacity to feel pain. 2) reasoning (the developed capacity to
solve new and relatively complex problems) 3) self-motivated activity
(activity which is relatively independent of either genetic or direct
external control) 4) the capacity to communicate, by whatever means,
messages of an indefinite variety of possible contents, but on
indefinltely many possible topics. 5) the presence of self-concepts,
and self-awareness, either individual or social, or both. (Taking
Sides -Volume 3). Several cases have been fought for the right to
choose. Many of these have been hard cases with very personal
feelings, but the perserverance showed through and gives us the rights
we have today. Here are some important cases: 1965 - Griswold v.
Connecticut - upheld the right to privacy and ended the ban on birth
control. Eight years later, the Supreme Court ruled the right to
privacy included abortions. Roe v. Wade was based upon this case. 1973
- Roe v. Wade: - The state of Texas had outlawed abortions. The
Supreme Court declared the law unconstitutional, but refused to order
an injunction against the state. On January 22, 1973, the Supreme
Court voted the right to privacy included abortions. In 1976, Planned
Parenthood v. Danforth (Missouri) ruled that...
To view the complete essay, you be registered.