9. “Even if the unborn are human beings, they have fewer rights than the woman. No one should be expected to donate her body as a life-support system for someone else.”
a. Once we grant that the unborn are human beings, it should settle the question of their right to live.
b. The right to live doesn’t increase with age and size; otherwise toddlers and adolescents have less right to live than adults.
c. The comparison between a baby’s rights and a mother’s rights is unequal. What is at stake in abortion is the mother’s lifestyle, as opposed to the baby’s life.
d. It is reasonable for society to expect an adult to live temporarily with an inconvenience if the only alternative is killing a child.
It’s completely understandable that women facing unplanned pregnancies might feel overwhelmed, and no one should diminish the weight of that decision. However, once we recognize that the unborn are human beings, it shifts the conversation. The right to life is fundamental, and it doesn’t increase or decrease based on age, size, or dependence on another person.
We must also consider what’s at stake. The mother is often facing lifestyle changes, difficult as they may be, but the unborn child’s very life is on the line. While pregnancy can be challenging, society frequently asks individuals to make temporary sacrifices for the greater good, and protecting innocent life should be one of those circumstances.
10. “Every person has the right to choose. It would be unfair to restrict a woman’s choice by prohibiting abortion.”
a. Any civilized society restricts the individual’s freedom to choose whenever that choice would harm an innocent person.
b. “Freedom to choose” is too vague for meaningful discussion; we must always ask, “Freedom to choose what?”
c. People who are prochoice about abortion are often not prochoice about other issues with less at stake.
d. The one-time choice of abortion robs someone else of a lifetime of choices and prevents him from ever exercising his rights.
e. Everyone is prochoice with it comes to the choices prior to pregnancy and after birth.
f. Nearly all violations of human rights have been defended on the grounds of the right to choose.
We all value freedom, but in any civilized society, personal freedoms are limited when they harm another person. It’s important to clarify what we mean by “freedom to choose.” Freedom of choice is meaningful when it doesn’t infringe on the rights of others. In the case of abortion, one person’s choice ends the life of another, innocent person who will never have the opportunity to exercise their rights.
It’s also worth noting that there are numerous choices to be made before pregnancy and after birth—choices that don’t involve taking a life. True freedom lies in choosing life-affirming alternatives that protect both the mother and the unborn child.
11. “Every woman should have control over her own body. Reproductive freedom is a basic right.”
a. Abortion assures that 650,000 females each year do not have control over their bodies.
b. Not all things done with a person’s body are right, nor should they all be legally protected.
c. Prolifers consistently affirm true reproductive rights.
d. Even prochoicers must acknowledge that the “right to control one’s body” argument has no validity if the unborn is a human being.
e. Too often “the right to control my life” becomes the right to hurt and oppress others for my own advantage.
f. Control over the body can be exercised to prevent pregnancy in the first place.
g. It is demeaning to a woman’s body and self-esteem to regard pregnancy as an unnatural, negative, and “out of control” condition.
Reproductive freedom is an important value, and no one is denying a woman’s right to make decisions about her body. However, abortion doesn’t just affect one body—it impacts two. Every year, hundreds of thousands of unborn girls lose their chance at having control over their bodies through abortion.
There are many ways to exercise control over one’s body without ending the life of another. Choosing life doesn’t mean a woman loses her autonomy; rather, it affirms her ability to embrace the power of her body to give life. Additionally, the idea that pregnancy is an unnatural or out-of-control condition diminishes the beauty and strength of what a woman’s body is capable of.
12. “Abortion is a decision between a woman and her doctor. It’s no one else’s business. Everyone has a constitutional right to privacy.”
a. The constitution does not contain a right to privacy.
b. Privacy is never an absolute right, but is always governed by other rights.
c. The encouragement or assistance of a doctor does not change the nature, consequences, or morality of abortion.
d. The father of the child is also responsible for the child and should have a part in this decision.
e. The father will often face serious grief and guilt as a result of abortion. Since his life will be significantly affected, shouldn’t he have something to say about it?
While privacy is important, it’s not an absolute right. Just as privacy doesn’t justify harm in other situations, it doesn’t apply when another life is at stake. The involvement of a doctor doesn’t change the nature of the decision; a child’s life is still being ended.
Furthermore, the father of the child should not be disregarded. Fathers often feel deep grief and guilt after an abortion, knowing they had no say in the decision. Since the father’s life and emotions are also impacted, it is reasonable to suggest that he should have a voice in the process.
13. “It’s unfair for an unmarried woman to have to face the embarrassment of pregnancy or the pain of giving up a child for adoption.”
a. Pregnancy is not a sin. Society should not condemn or pressure an unmarried mother into abortion, but should help and support her.
b. The poor choice of premarital sex is never compensated for by the far worse choice of killing an innocent human being.
c. One person’s unfair or embarrassing circumstances do not justify violating the rights of another person.
d. Adoption is a fine alternative that avoids the burden of child-raising, while saving a life and making a family happy; it is tragic that adoption is so infrequently chosen as an alternative to abortion.
e. The reason that adoption may be painful is the same reason that abortion is wrong—a human life is involved.
Pregnancy, even when unexpected or outside of marriage, is not something to be ashamed of. Society should support women in these situations, not pressure them into abortion. It’s essential to help them see that their worth is not diminished by their circumstances.
Adoption is a life-affirming alternative that brings joy to families and gives a child a future. While the decision to place a child for adoption can be difficult, it avoids the lifelong regret and grief that often follow abortion. The pain of adoption is rooted in the value of the child’s life—because every life is precious.
14. “Abortion rights are fundamental for the advancement of women. They are essential to having equal rights with men.”
a. Early feminists were prolife, not prochoice.
b. Some active feminists still vigorously oppose abortion.
c. Many of the assumptions that connect women’s welfare with abortion, the pill, and free sex have proven faulty.
d. Some of the abortion-rights strategies assume female incompetence and subject women to ignorance and exploitation.
e. Abortion has become the most effective means of sexism ever devised, ridding the world of multitudes of unwanted females.
It’s important to acknowledge that many women who have fought for equality were also pro-life. Early feminists like Susan B. Anthony were staunchly opposed to abortion, believing that it harmed both women and children. Today, many women continue to reject the idea that abortion is necessary for women’s advancement.
True equality doesn’t come from the ability to end a life. In fact, the widespread availability of abortion often subjects women to exploitation, as they are pressured to abort in order to meet societal expectations. Instead, we should focus on supporting women through their pregnancies and ensuring they have equal opportunities without sacrificing their children’s lives.
15. “The circumstances of many women leave them no choice but an abortion.”
a. Saying they have no choice is not being prochoice, but proabortion.
b. Those who are truly prochoice must present a woman with a number of possible choices instead of just selling the choice of abortion.
c. “Abortion or misery” can be a false portrayal of the options; it keeps women from pursuing—and society from providing—possible alternatives.
When we say a woman has “no choice” but abortion, we’re not really being pro-choice, but pro-abortion. To be truly pro-choice, women must be presented with a range of options, not just abortion. We should support women by offering them real solutions that honor both their lives and the lives of their unborn children.
The portrayal of “abortion or misery” leads to hopelessness, but there are alternatives. Countless organizations provide financial, emotional, and medical support to pregnant women in need, ensuring that no woman feels forced into abortion.
16. “I’m personally against abortion, but I’m still prochoice. It’s a legal alternative and we don’t have the right to keep it from anyone. Everyone’s free to believe what they want, but we shouldn’t try to impose it on others.”
a. To be prochoice about abortion is to be proabortion.
b. The only good reason for being personally against abortion is a reason that demands we be against other people choosing to have abortions.
c. What is legal is not always right.
d. How can we tell people that they are perfectly free to believe abortion is the killing of children but that they are not free to act as if what they believe is really true?
It’s commendable to be personally against abortion, but the reason for opposing it is the same reason we must speak out against others choosing abortion. If we believe abortion is the taking of an innocent life, then it’s not just a personal belief—it’s a moral imperative. Just because something is legal doesn’t make it right, as history has shown time and time again.
We can’t tell people that abortion is the killing of children but that it’s perfectly fine for others to do it. Standing against abortion means standing up for the innocent, even when it’s difficult.
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