Abortion Rights

Frank Darko

Professor Nargiza Matyakubova

English 21003 – F

Argumentative essay: First Draft

                                    Abortion Rights

On January 22, 2019, as I walked from the streets on Manhattan from a busy day at work, I was surprise to see that the number of people on the streets has exponentially increased. People were screaming, shouting and celebrating all over the city of New York. Pink smokes covered the whole city and traffics had intensified. This celebration was so intense that one might think that it will never end. A I walked through the crowd, I asked one person what the celebration is all about. With much enthusiasm and smiles, she informed me that a new reproductive act had been passed. Initially I could not believe it. I thought to myself are we really celebrating the killing of babies? Then I was informed that it is not a celebration for killing babies, but the celebration is based on the fact that women can now have abortion as an option.

Abortion is a very controversial topic which raises a lot of emotions when discussed. Unfortunately, the topic cannot be avoided. Most people get married to get babies. People spent a lot of money in order bear children. Others also detest protecting the right of babies because to them a baby cannot be considered human yet. There is a huge spectrum of people with different views and opinion on the topic of abortion. Planned parenthood was established help people understand and also deal with the emotional trauma that comes with not abortion just abortion but pregnancy as whole. Although Dr. Leana Wen who was appointed as Planned Parenthood Federation of America president in 2018, states that the core mission of planned parenthood abortion (Carter). This statement reveals  the bias involved in the pIanned parenthood as such I strongly stand against the idea of abortion and as such abortion should be illegal and our society must drown upon it.

There are so many reasons why one might support the idea of abortion. Some believe that abortion should be allowed because some circumstances such as; the mother's life been endangered or when a woman gets pregnant through horrible acts such as rape. I once spoke on the topic of abortion to group of students. One student in tears, challenged my views with on the topic and revealed that she was raped as a child. She wanted to keep the baby, but she knew that keeping the baby will affect t her emotionally. Statistics collected by Guttmacher institute shows that the number expectant mother that ate at risk of death is very low. In order words, the idea that abortion should be allowed just because some people go through complication is not valid. Of course, the low number does mean we have to ignore the people going through a such terrible trauma, but the solution is not allowing abortion. There are always exemptions to any rule. With that being there is the option of adoption.

As started earlier, the controversy on abortion stands on the question; when does life began? The genesis of life has been explained various forms through philosophy, religion, and sometimes morality. From figure 1, it obvious a baby has almost developed fully at week 16. The best way to explain when life began is through biology. There are two basic components that distinct on cell type from the other which is its molecular component and how the cell behaves (Condic, 2008). Both sperms and eggs are cells. But when they fuse together, it is evident that new pattern of behavior and a new molecular makeup is created. Although a sperm and egg are considered as cells, they do not carry the complexity of a zygote (Abort73.com). Minutes after a sperm fuses with an egg, there is a mechanism that blocks other sperm from fusing with the egg. It is important to notice that there is clear difference between organisms and cells. Cells are considered as the basic unit of life.

Figure 1

On the other hand, an organism is are defined as “a complex structure of interdependent and subordinate elements whose relations and properties are largely determined by their function on the whole (2) an individual constituted to carry on the activities of life by means of organs separate in function but mutually dependent: a living being” (Merriam – Webster). Organism can be considered to be living beings. A zygote carries features that makes it qualified as a living being. The zygote is not just any ordinary human cell. The zygote on its own begin to mature and grow into an embryo. The egg and sperm on their own do not mature or grow. Eggs disintegrate after month with no fertilization. There is no shadow of doubt that the sperm-egg fuse produces a coordinated interaction that is fundamental for the development of an organism. Zygote have much in common with a living organism than with a sperm cell or egg cell. This definitely shows that life begins at conception and aborting a zygote is no different than killing a human.

            Furthermore, the question of the baby being part of the physiology of the mother also arises.  Again, the best way to ask this question is sticking to what science says. In living things, DNA carries the instruction code for the physiological development of an individual. It is obvious that a zygote is inside womb of the mother, so it is very easy to assume the baby is part mother’s physiology. It is important to note that an individual’s body part all share the same genetic code. As such if the baby is part of the physiology of the mother, they will both share the same genetic code. Interestingly, this is not the case. The genetic make up of the baby is distinct from the mothers’. The baby develops its own heart, brain and most importantly blood type. The baby will depend on the mother specifically for exchanges of gases to survive but just so as new born babies. New born babies depend on their mother to survive anyways. It is very unlikely for the new born to survive on its own if abandoned by parents. Do we have the right to kill new born babies just because they depend on their parent so survival? Dr. Albert Liley, father of fetology in his speech “the termination of pregnancy” stated that “physiologically, we must accept that concepts is, in a way large measure, in charge of pregnancy…... Biologically, at no stage do we have to concede the idea that a fetus is an appendage of the mother (Abort73.com, 2009).

.           Also, one of the claims for pro choice is that pregnancy can be dangerous for the health of the child or the mother. As stated earlier, few complications should never be a reason to totally accept abortion as the way to go. Women that go through abortion are more likely to lose their lives that women that go through labor. Although the longer keep the child, the riskier it is to abort a baby, but it does eliminate the risk involved. Abortion is far more dangerous and has cause large number of deaths, mental and physical damage to a lot of women.

According Guttmacher institute, who compiled statistical data on abortion in the United states I. 2017, states that approximately 862,320 abortion to place in 2017. The data showed than less than 0.5% participants of abortion were victim of rape. Abortion done because health issues accounted for 7%, which included fetal health problems and physical health problem to the mother (The case against abortion) This data clearly shows that the number women aborting because of complication and rape so few that it is not really support the claim for legalizing such a cruel act.

The topic of abortion really raises a lot argument. With that been said, it is very important to allow science to determine why it is inhuman to abort babies. Most people say a man is not in the right position to have an opinion on this topic. Just as with crime, every citizen has the right to voice their opinion. If we are ready to do whatever we can to save new born babies no matter how critical their health condition might be. We can take it a step further and save babies even if they have not been born yet.  Our judiciary system enforces that murdering a pregnant woman is a double murder but when the mother chooses to abort the baby, they do so as their right. All life must be treated equally, irrespective of how many years, week, whether in the womb or outside the womb.

 

Works Cited

·         Carter, Dennis. "Rewire News." 12 05 2018. <https://rewire.news/article/2019/01/09/abortion-remains-our-core-mission-says-planned-parenthood-president/>.

·         Condic, M.L. (2008).  “When does human life begin?  A scientific perspective.” Westchester Institute White Paper.  1(1): 1-18.  Westchester Institute for Ethics & the Human Person,  Thornwood, NY.   (available at: http://www.bdfund.org/whitepaperst/). [Reprinted in: Natl Cathol Bioeth Quart. 9(1):127-208.]

·         Abort73.com. "Medical Testimony." 17 January 2009. 24 February, 2009, <http://www.abort73.com/index.php?/abortion/medical_testimony>.

·         Flower M. Neuromaturation of the human fetus. Journal of Medicine and Philosophy 1985;10:237-51. Grobstein C. Science and the unborn. New York: Basic Books, 1988: 

·         homson JJ. A defense of abortion. Philosophy and Public Affairs 1971;1,1:47-56, and the enormous literature this essay has elicited over the years.