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Many pressing issues face
America
today. Our world today was not what it was five or ten years ago; in
fact, our ability to change and adapt is one of America’s greatest
strengths. Today, American society is severely polarized and this has
contributed to a feeling of constant unrest in many Americans lives.
Issues range from minor to major, local to global, domestic to foreign.
To me, however, I believe the most pressing issue is America’s view on
abortion.
Some might call me crazy, but I believe that if America can agree on how
to work out abortion, we will create a sense of unity within the nation
that could be used as a stepping stone in solving many, many more
problems. Abortion, for many Americans, is an issue about which they feel
very strong; in fact, it is the conviction and solid beliefs that makes
reaching any type of compromise difficult.
I
believe this issue is easily solvable: there is a simple solution that
allows all people to be pleased with the decision. The only abortion law
that should exist is that gives the pregnant woman the right to choose.
Even if she is married, under-age, or a rape victim. It should be the
sole decision of the woman carrying the child.
Is
it fair to create legislation that violates peoples’ beliefs? No. And
making abortions the woman’s choice would eliminate this problem. If a
woman feels it is against her religious, political, or social beliefs, she
can opt to keep the child. If a woman thinks it is best to abort the
child, then she can freely do so. It is unfair to force a rape victim to
keep a child that only reminds her of the traumatic event she is so
desperately trying to forget. Women that become pregnant on accident
would then have the chance to start over. Someone who can’t give the
child what he or she would need won’t have to live knowing that their
child goes to bed hungry each night.
If
the only standard for abortions were to be the women’s consent, it would
not in any way hinder the beliefs of any one group’s religious beliefs.
If this were to be the law, then the legality of abortion could no longer
be debated, but the morality of it could. Therefore, if religions choose
to outlaw it, they can. Doctors can opt not to perform abortions, and
adoption agencies can still make their services available. If this were
to be the law, a pregnant woman would have many options available to her
and the woman, and only the woman, could decide what to do with her
child. In essence, this law protects everybody's rights.
It
just seems silly that in a country that puts such a big emphasis on
individual rights, we are still debating abortion. The answer is simple,
and involves only one important opinion: that of the individual, that of
the pregnant woman.
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