Should Abortion be Legalized?

By Humza Jami

Abortion is the medical act of terminating pregnancy by removing an embryo or a fetus from the uterus of a woman’s body. The status quo for abortion being legal varies from country to country. The general trend lies with extremely religious states, including but not limited to the Holy See and Saudi Arabia, resorting to actions such as the cancellation of doctor’s licenses if they perform abortion on grounds other than being the absolute last resort. The absolute last resort implies that the mother’s life is at risk in this scenario.

The side of the argument which in particular fights the case of abortion not being legalized bases their cases on two distinct but intertwining lines. Firstly, they talk about the social and cultural backlash associated with abortion. The social backlash is more or less associated with the labeling of mothers who have undergone abortion as a metaphorical “black sheep” of society. Why and how does this* happen you may ask? They get alienated. They are branded similar to the unfortunate souls who have had miscarriages. They are labeled impure or dirty; having compromised their chastity for the sake of pleasure and getting away with it by simply prancing off to a clinic. The mother starts getting disowned by her own medieval mindset relatives. She becomes the butt of all gossip mongers’ fresh stories. This is absolutely preposterous they argue, and it’s not fair for abortion to be legalized at all as it opens the door for any woman to undergo the treatment and be subject to discrimination from society as a result.

Secondly, they argue that abortion takes away the life of an unborn child, albeit in the form of a fetus. The fetus being an unborn child has rights according to this belief, and it deserves to live its own life, regardless of the precarious circumstances surrounding its conception and hypothetical birth. The call it murder and call those who oppose executions but support abortion hypocrites. According to this belief, human life has begun for the fetus, which is illustrated by “it” being referred to as a person, rather than the “fetus” in speech. When a pregnant woman feels a kick within her belly, she doesn’t say that the “fetus” kicked, but she says that the baby kicked. The baby is a human being, life has begun for it, and it deserves to be given a shot at life is a brief summation of their argument. They believe that even if the parents can’t afford to raise the child, there are a fair amount of adoption schemes and foster homes present to take care of the baby.

Now coming towards what the supporters of the legalization of abortion have to say for themselves, they base their arguments on two primary heads. First comes with the right of the mother having a choice of whatever she wants to do with her own body. The rights of the mother must be prioritized in this case as she is already alive and there are a number of possible complications that could occur with the fetus. The mother might have tried and used every form of sexual protection available to mankind if it was a recreational activity which impregnated her, but that does not mean that she is forced to give birth. After all, if any man can choose leave any of their sexual excursions without any scars that might haunt them for the rest of their lives, why does a woman have carry around a child in her womb for nine months as a one? Why does a woman have to suffer changes to her body which she might not welcome? Is she any less of a human being that she isn’t giving a chance to opt out of it? And it is pleasing to see in this light that legislation does exist, even the strictest of countries, it is permissible to abort if the mother’s life is at stake. If it can be used a last resort in EXTREME situations, does it actually quantify being completely legalized? A large majority out rightly say yes. And yes, legalizing it applies the broader principal of the freedom of choice to the case too, which I believe is an inalienable human right.

Now the second line of argument which people present in favor of legalizing abortion, which concerns permitting abortion in the case of rape. Rape is one of the most terrifying and horrendous things a woman can go through, and a child born of rape would haunt her for the rest of her life. Consider it this way, scars heal, but a child carried around by a woman inside her womb for nine months will be an everlasting symbol of the torture she underwent. And it automatically falls in line of social backlash, a bastard born out of rape would again be labeled as a black sheep, be alienated from society, be the butt of gossip. And again, legalizing abortion for these cases can prevent a bastard from being born, and all of this can and will be prevented.

To conclude, I consider that the arguments against legalizing abortion are flawed in respect as the mother’s rights have to be compromised to ensure that the rights of the fetus are safeguarded. Also, there is social backlash associated with both sides of the argument, with some relief being provided in abortion is in the end legalized. And it is for this reason I would be proud be the chief proposer for the legalization of abortion ANY day. 

Abortion Essay

By Aleena Kazi

Mother Teresa was known to have said, “It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.” Have you ever asked yourself why this is the case? Why is it that a child must be aborted in order for one to live a happy life? Is it not possible to live that life with the child growing in your womb? Is getting rid of it the only way? No, it is not. I for one believe that abortion is wrong and it should not be legalized.

I completely support the fact that a woman should be allowed to choose whether she wants a child or not but the time to choose should be before she has conceived, not after it. I do understand that some women are not given a choice in the case of rape but the woman does not have to abort the child she conceives. The fact that she has been raped cannot be changed. It is done and there is no going back. Aborting her illegitimate child will not save her the humiliation. I believe that she can give birth to the child and if she still feels the need to get rid of it, she can give it up for adoption. No child is unwanted. There would be the argument of physical and emotional pain if this were done but it must not be forgotten that abortion would also yield the same rotten fruit. In fact it would be much more painful as it will cause future problems in giving birth. Abortion will not only kill the baby, it will also harm the mother.

Some people say that there is no point in banning abortion. Why? Because people do it anyway in unhygienic conditions. This way the lives of the women are more in jeopardy. So by legalizing abortion there would be less danger to the woman’s life. This is true but by legalizing abortion it would be granting permission to end countless lives. Quite a few people would get abortion for ridiculous reasons such as conceiving a girl instead of a boy and some men might even force their wives into getting an abortion at times. I do agree that this would happen even if abortion was banned, in illegal conditions, but the number of such cases would be less. If there were a law against it, it would discourage some to go through with this process, if not all. It is said that a bird in hand is better than two in the bush. It is better to have less such cases than more.

The most vital reason as to why I believe that abortion should not be legalized is that to abort a child is to take a life. If you kill someone you are called a murderer but why isn’t the same title used when you abort a baby? It is the same act. An unborn child is still a child. The very second a woman conceives, she brings a new life into the world. Just like you want to be given chances at worldly things you should give the child growing in your womb a chance at life. Who are you to decide whether someone should live or die? Everyone has a right to live and you are no one to snatch away that right from an unborn, innocent baby. It is a living, human being! Aborting a child is murder! It is a crime. The child can feel the pain after a certain month, if it is being aborted. Has it ever occurred to those of you who get their children aborted, what happens to their remains once they’ve been removed? Many a times, the fetuses are thrown into dumpsters where cats, mice and birds eat them. Does that not make you wince?

As Ronald Reagan said, “I notice that all of the people who support abortion are already born.” What if your parents ever told you they once thought of aborting you? How would that make you feel? It isn’t really fair because you’ve already been born. It is also morally and religiously wrong to end a life. You speak of humanity but where is the humanity when it comes to killing a defenseless child? I firmly believe that the taking of innocent lives is not acceptable and that there should be laws preventing such a cruel process.

Technology has made the world smaller but put an end to meaningful communication. Do you agree?

by Sarah Fariduddin

The faster the means of communication, the more meaningless they grow. Indeed getting in touch is only a click away but emotions have lost their role in most part.

As our individual lives get busier, and we get even more engrossed in urselves, many would argue that advancing technology has maintained relationships and connections through the telephone, cellular phone and most importantly the internet. Television and multimedia has enabled viewer’s world over to obtain information of the social and political ongoing of the remotest areas. Networking websites like Orkut and Facebook have reunited long lost friends and help keep hundreds of friends updated with the most trivial and tiniest details of life through virtual socialization, many lonely hearts have claimed to find solace as they come to develop a sense of belonging through the constant comments and ‘likes’. To what extent is this sense of belonging is true and how strongly we empathize with a tragic piece of news on the television is a point worth consideration.

Pressing a few keys enables us to hear the voice of a close one but the small time allotted to such a telephonic conversation limits the understanding of complex feelings of the person at the other end. Simply hearing the voice is not enough to completely develop a connection. Spending time in person and a face-to-face conversation is the key to understanding a person completely. Though easy, this one phone call does not develop the emotional support and mutual trust that a physical interaction does. As phone calls have been alternated with the option of a voice message, communication has message in

the briefest way possible.

As few people realize social networking is actually lass about connecting, it is more about the self. Constant status updates and posting albums and links that only express oneself further is rather a way of getting your own message across rather than understanding the others. Moreover, the constant response to these is an addictive proof of being noticed. Rather than limiting a strong, emotional bond to a tight group of five, social networking throws us into an abyss of  hundreds of “well-wishers”, or rather acquaintances than friends. Posting the most personal feelings or conversations make it vulnerable to the eyes of a great many acquaintances. An equally personal and heart-felt response is highly unlikely from the audience thereby resulting in greater detachment and declining sympathy. The purpose of a loyal, everlasting bond is ultimately lost here.

Not only says so a critic but recent research conducted by sociologists has concluded that social networking in fact renders one lonelier.

Getting in touch with those living thousands of miles away, across the other end of the world has indeed been blessed by the likes of instant messengers and video conferencing software but yet again such speedy interactive methods keep emotional attachments, mutual understandings at bay unless it is only a business contract that needs approval. Indeed the E-generation has thrust business and trade into a golden era but it is worth remembering that personal emotions play no part in a business deal.

The simplification of technology unfortunately is not simplifying the complex nature of a human being. Human beings are in fact complicated creatures and like any being require looking after. This sets us off into a quest of emotional support. Quick, snappy ways of communication are not helping to solidify this support but only weakening these fragile bonds further as lesser time and attention is given.

As television channels and other media multiply, a vaster array of information is displayed for us to choose from. It is not unusal to receive sermonizing anecdotes or discriminating jokes through a single sms. Control over information is also weakening as is the sensitivity to others’ values and feelings. A selfish, fanatic would not consider twice before forwarding a message brazenly slandering a bold actress or mocking a universal ethnicity. Indeed freedom of expression is like sms or email become simpler and more liberated, the minimum amount of thought is put into constructing them. Instead of being utilized for constructive, educative purposes, cheaper and improved means of communications are being used more for the proliferation of conspiracies, gossips and non-sensical trivia. Greater accessibility has lead to inefficient monitoring of such forms of communication while more and more people continue to waste time clicking away on their latest, fanciest, cellular gadgets.

It is detail and time that develops everlasting connections. Unfortunately the latest means of communication are thriving by eliminating exactly these aspects of communication. Such bridges built on precarious foundations are unlikely to last for long and hence highly unlikely to possess any meaning.