ABORTION – THE ISSUE Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy. Legal abortions can be performed up until the sixteenth week of pregnancy, after sixteen weeks most doctors or clinics will not perform the procedure unless keeping the baby presents a medical risk to the mother. Even in these situations abortions are very risky after sixteen weeks. The moral question has always been whether or not it should be a woman’s decision to get an abortion. The other side of that question is whether the government should have control over a woman’s body and forbid her to get an abortion. Both the pro-life and the pro-choice supporters on this issue are adamant about their ideas and their beliefs.
Pro-life activists carry a strong argument, and continue to push their beliefs. They feel so strongly about these beliefs that violence has broken out in some known instances. Pro-choice activists, on the other hand, also carry very strong points. They believe that the child inside them is their property and its life doesn’t be until birth. The Church is against abortion seeing it as the killing of a human life. Pope John Paul “condemned abortion as a crime…
urging Roman Catholics to fight what he called an abominable crime and the shame of humanity.” (The Age 6-10-97) and on a trip to Brazil stated “May the abominable crime of abortion, shame of humanity, not condemn the unborn to the most unjust execution – that of the most innocent human beings.” Mother Teresa another widely recognised religious figure was whole hearted ly against Abortion seeing it as “murder” of the innocent. The Catholic Church believes that abortion should be undertaken only in extreme circumstances such as when the mother is in risk of dying. The media on the other hand seem to relay both sides of the issue. The electronic media seem to go by public support that abortion is a woman’s right and that the baby is only a foetus with no feeling. The print media follow the same structure as an opinion article in the Age by Pamela Bone reads “The law should reflect society’s needs, and at this point in time, that need includes safe and legal abortion.” (12/2/98) on making abortion illegal across the states.
The media seems to voice what the statistics show that the 80 000 abortions in a year will still happen even if abortion is made illegal. Abortion is a very controversial, emotional issue that is presented as such. The media does not have a sole stance regarding the issue as the opinions show with many people displaying anger at articles expressing a wish for the legislation of abortion. Morally the issue deals with whether or not the foetus is a life. Many argue that it is and that it every foetus has a soul with its creation.
Catholics State that it is morally wrong to take a life as it is God’s creation and only he can decide when it is time to leave earth. Personally, abortion is a repulsive issue and not just because of what the church teaches. As Warwick Murphy’s opinion letter shows it is extremely infuriating that women or mother’s can “take the easy way out” by choosing abortion because they made the wrong decision or they do not want to take responsibility for their doings. It is unfair to punish a child for their mother’s mistakes or the mother’s lack of thought in whether or not it is the “convenient” time in her life to bring up the child – what about the child’s life? It is easy to sympathise with women who are pregnant due to rape or incest, which are definitely extreme circumstances but a healthy woman who has fallen pregnant has little or no excuses. There are many alternatives to abortion including adoption, surrogacy or even bringing up the child. The effects of abortion can also be worse then having the child.
Many women are said to develop severe depression, violent tendencies or mental breakdowns after an abortion. The consequences can be destructive. Abortion is a very contentious issue that cannot be taken lightly. A close family member (not within my immediate family) experienced many abortions because of an abusive relationship and her husband not wanting the children.
She had an extremely religious upbringing. With each abortion she would suffer depression and many times was hospitalized as she could not eat without vomiting and had suffered severe migraines. She shares her experiences and says “no matter what the circumstances abortion is the most cowardly way out and the disadvantages far outweigh the supposed benefits.” Abortion will forever remain an issue with two sides the right to life or the right for freedom of choice.