Abortion Essay, Research Paper

Abortion, one of the most controversial issues debated today, can easily be broken down into two distinct viewpoints: those who support abortion and those opposed to abortion. Pro-life and Pro-choice viewpoints are at the complete opposites of the spectrum and argue every issue from murder to morals and values to violence. In the two articles about abortion, “Abortion Is a Selfish choice,” and “Abortion Is Not A Selfish Choice,” each side argues their case and justifies their position. The first article “Abortion Is a Selfish Choice,” acknowledges that those who choose abortion are acting in their own self-interest while the opposing article, “Abortion Is Not a Selfish Choice,” argues that the fundamental issue in the abortion debate is the right of women to make their own decisions about reproduction. Both viewpoints provide reasons to question one?s own strongly held opinions. According to the authors of Opposing Viewpoints, “Careful examinations of others? views can lead to the readers? understanding of the logical inconsistencies in their own opinions, perspectives on why they hold an opinion, and the consideration of the possibility that their opinion requires further evaluation” (Bender and Leone, 11). Both articles provide extensive examinations over selfishness and abortion and from my own experiences with abortion I believe it is a selfish choice.

In the first article, “Abortion Is a Selfish Choice,” Mother Teresa argues the position that those who choose abortion are making a selfish choice. Mother Teresa states that “Abortion destroys one?s ability to love because people who choose abortion do so to avoid the hurt that unselfish love of their children would require” (48). In the article, there are three key points that Mother Teresa stresses. First, she acknowledges “Breaking the Peace,” then “Abortion Leads to Violence,” and finally “Adoption, Not Abortion.” In these three subtopics, Mother Teresa not only acknowledges that abortion is a selfish choice, but by reading her carefully balanced views, it enables us to understand the full complexity of her argument.

In her first subtopic, “Breaking the Peace,” Mother Teresa argues that abortion is taking the love of a child and this is where love and peace must begin. Mother Teresa pleads, “But I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is war against the child, a direct killing of the innocent child, murder by mother herself” (49).

In Mother Teresa?s next subtopic, “Abortion Leads to Violence,” she observes that, “A country that accepts abortion is not teaching people to love, but to use violence to get what they want. This is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion” (50). Mother Teresa states her clear position on abortion here and continues arguing that the child is God?s gift to the family and each child is created in the special image and likeness of God (51).

The third main topic in Mother Teresa?s article, “Adoption, Not Abortion,” concludes that a mother should put her child up for adoption rather than use abortion as their only alternative. Mother Teresa defends her position about adoption by stating that “We are fighting abortion by adoption – by care of the mother and adoption for her baby. We have saved thousands of lives?By adopting a child, these couples receive Jesus, by aborting a child, a couple refuses to receive Jesus” (51). Here, mother Teresa concludes that adoption is the best solution, and in her closing, she compares abortion to poverty. In Mother Teresa?s conclusion she observes:

When I pick a person from the street, hungry, I give him a plate of rice,

a piece of bread. But a person who is shut out, who feels unwanted,

unloved, terrified, the person who has been thrown out of society – that

spiritual poverty is much harder to overcome. And abortion, which often

follows from contraception, brings people to be spiritually poor, and that

is the worst poverty and the most difficult to overcome.

According to Mother Teresa?s argument, “Abortion Is a Selfish Choice,” it is clear that she would go to extremes to save the life of just one baby. Mother Teresa acknowledges the alternatives to abortion in her article, and she establishes a clear argument against Pro-Choice. Her values and beliefs are affirmed by the church and scriptures taken straight from the Bible, and these sources establish credibility, support, and evidence for her beliefs.

Contrary to Mother Teresa?s argument, “Abortion Is Not a Selfish Choice,” written by a Revolutionary Worker, argues abortion is the fundamental right of a woman to make her own decisions about reproduction. According to the Revolutionary Worker, “A woman who decides to have an abortion because it is not a good time to have a child is not making a selfish decision, because a woman?s physical and mental health are her right to function fully in society and take priority over reproduction” (53). In the article, “Abortion Is Not a Selfish Choice,” there are three main subtopics that the worker focuses on. The Revolutionary Worker maintains that abortion is: “A Life and Death Issue,” “A Sacrificial Act,” and “It Is a Fetus, Not a Child.” The Revolutionary Worker based his defense around these three issues and defends women?s rights in the abortion debate.

According to the first subtopic, “A Life and Death Issue,” the Revolutionary Worker defends his position and argues his case by stating:

There are many reasons why women get abortions. And they are all valid. No woman should feel guilty about terminating an unwanted pregnancy. And no woman should buy the crap that having an abortion is selfish? The birth of a child can be a source of great joy to a woman. But it can be a nightmare for a woman who for whatever reason does not want to have a child at a particular time or under particular circumstances. In such cases forcing women to continue a pregnancy is extremely cruel and sadistic. It will affect her entire life, and no woman?s life should be twisted in such a way. No child should be born unwanted. No woman should be forced to choose between compulsory motherhood and a back – alley butcher. Banning abortion is like rape – the violent assertion of male dominance and male supremacist society over women, the forceful and violent control of women?s bodies, in the most personal dimensions.

The second subtopic, “A Sacrificial Act,” acknowledges women?s rights to abortion and that U.S. state laws are making it harder and harder for women to exercise their rights for abortion. The author goes on to argue that no matter how late in the pregnancy, a fetus is not a child and abortion is not murder.

In the third and final subtopic, “A Fetus Is Not a Child,” the author defends the notion that before birth the fetus has no independent existence, but is a developing mass of tissue integrally connected to the women?s vital biological process (56). The author acknowledges that the overall physical and social well being of women must take priority over any subordinate process, such as reproduction (56). And, in conclusion, the author argues that a woman who is forced to bear a child against her will is assaulted and degraded in body and spirit.

According to the second article, “Abortion Is Not a Selfish Choice,” the Revolutionary worker tackled one of the most controversial issues about abortion – the question of when life begins. The worker develops his position on abortion by justifying women?s rights and defending the notion that a fetus is not a child, but a mass of tissue. His position on the subject clearly demonstrates that he is Pro-choice and that abortion is an absolute right and should not be restricted in any manner.

The controversy surrounding abortion will never end. There will always be two extremes to abortion. Pro-life and Pro-choice activists will always remain as long as women are continuing to give birth. Although some people feel very strongly towards sensitive subjects, such as abortion, others stay very neutral in their beliefs. I personally believe that abortion is a very selfish act, and that it is murder if a woman willingly had sex and a pregnancy was the final result from that encounter. I do not believe, however, that abortion is wrong in all senses, though. I believe that a woman has the right to abort if her health is at risk, if the child was a product of rape or incest, and finally if the child was going to be born with a defect. Now some anti-abortion activists might say that I am not Pro-life because I believe in aborting under extreme circumstances and they would argue that there is absolutely no justification to abort. Yet, I consider myself Pro-life because I believe a woman should not abort under any circumstance except the very few extremes, and feel there are so many preventive techniques on the market today, for both men and women, that it is foolish to use abortion as a solution or a method of birth-control.

From my own experiences, I agree with Mother Teresa that abortion is a selfish act. Abortion is a selfish act because it denies the unborn child?s rights. Abortion is a selfish act because a woman is more concerned with her own happiness than the life of a human being. Abortion is a selfish act because it is final, and once it is done, there is no turning back. Many women who abort argue their cases on the grounds that “They could not give the child the right life” or “I am not yet fit to be a mother.” But what is the right life and how fit does one have to be to become a mother? I have two words for women who preach lines like these: Adoption and Responsibility. If women feel that they could not provide adequate homes for these babies, then there are other alternatives to abortion, such as adoption. And women who feel that they are not yet ready for children should accept the consequences of their actions, take responsibility, and should not be engaging in sexual activity.

From witnessing my own friends? encounters with abortion I believe it is a selfish act. As a teenage girl, I witnessed many of my closest girlfriends have abortions. My closest girlfriend, Lisa, had an abortion and it was the hardest and most painful experience she has ever had to face. On the other hand, my other friend, Danielle, has had not one, not two, not three, but four abortions. This is not only sad, but utterly disgusting. How ignorant does a woman have to be to abort four times before turning to birth-control? She completely lacked responsibility for her actions and because of her sheer ignorance and immoral values, four innocent lives were lost. Not only did she use abortion as a form of birth control, but did not even feel remorse about it when it was over. I remember Lisa and I went with Danielle to have the procedure done, and after it was finished she came from the room laughing and asking where we were going for dinner. Needless to say, after that night, I never thought of her the same way again. I remember thinking to myself, someone who could remain so cool and calm after committing murder, for the fourth time, could no longer be a friend of mine.

In my opinion, abortion is not only wrong, immoral, and a selfish act, but it is murder. Denying an unborn baby the right to life is one of the most selfish things a woman could do. No matter what a woman?s defense there is no argument strong enough to bring a child out of this world, except in extremely limited situations. I agree with Mother Teresa in that abortion is a selfish act. I am more apt to feel that abortion is selfish act because of the example demonstrated by my girlfriend Danielle. If denying God?s plan four times is not a selfish act then I do not know what is. Mother Teresa?s article made a very poignant defense, one with which I agree and she could not have said it better when she summed up her entire article, in one detailed quote, by stating that, “By abortion the mother does not learn to love, but kills even her own child to solve her problems” (48). Mother Teresa?s quote does not only acknowlege abortion as a selfish act but shows how abortion is exemplified as a simple and painless procedure taken to keep a woman?s life from entropy.