Without any doubts, an abortion is one of the most controversial issues people may face with. Some people can easily agree to abortion and do not think about the consequences, possible future, and the life, taken from a non-born baby. Jay Budziszewski is a Professor of Government and Philosophy at the Texas University.
He is an author of What We Can’t Not Know. In this article, he analyzes whether an abortion is wrong or not and presents clear evidences of his ideas and standpoints. He makes a wonderful attempt to distinguish the idea of moral realism and a kind of belief in natural law.
His points of view are rather clear and comprehensible; he prefers to analyze then present some concrete ideas. Budziszewski may say “Yes” to abortions, taking into consideration certain moral principles and situations; I cannot agree to his position because baby’s killing not can be but should be stopped any way, as no one has the right to take a life away, specially, the life of your own baby, who even has no opportunity to breath.
An abortion is one of the biggest crimes any person can ever commit. Unplanned pregnancy is so frequent nowadays, and people have a wonderful opportunity to choose whether they are ready to have a baby or not. If the answer is negative, the result is obvious: it is high time to visit a doctor and sign for abortion. Is it right? Hardly!
There are lots of countries, which permit abortions, however prohibit “nontherapeutic” operations at the end of the first trimester. (Shrage, 4) Of course, one of the brightest discoveries of people living in the XX century is the right of choice.
People do not have to do something they do not really want. However, is it possible that people do not want to have babies? Who has the right to decide when abortion may be allowed and when it may not? It is quite possible to agree to abortion “but not in the last trimester.” (Budziszewski, 89) Is it really correct? Do people have the right to make such kinds of decisions? Babies, who are not born yet, are also humans, and have the same right for living.
Lots of women can find a wonderful reason to have an abortion: they are not experienced enough to create families and bring up children, they want to entertain much more time, and they do not want to be obliged to keep an eye on someone so soon. Due to the fact, that people have such a right not to do what they do not want, an abortion turns out to be rather a good way out.
“Many people oppose abortion on moral grounds without considering it to be a violation of rights, which should be addressed by law.” (McElroy) To my mind, it is one of the good reasons to prove that abortions are not right. In the fight that takes place between the opponents and opponents of abortions, any fact costs a lot.
If it is possible to connect the prohibition of abortions to the law, it is high time to take this step. Let us try to imagine the situation, when women, who have the right to decide whether to give birth to a baby or not to give, always find another reason to continue their living without babies and to entertain a bit longer. Population will decrease; manufacturing will decrease; people will lose their money and even start starving. Is it what women want to bring our society to? Women cannot even imagine that their unwillingness to have babies and the right to have abortions may lead to such terrible consequences, which may destroy the world we live in.
One of the reasons to support abortions is physical condition of a future mother. “Women should always have the right to preserve their life or health when it is threatened by the continuation of a pregnancy.” (Balkin, 291) When medicine is unable to save both a child and a mother, the only person, who should decide is the mother. It may also happen that the mother is unconscious.
In such case, the closest person should make this terrible decision and provide doctors with the decision. It is always very difficult to decide who should be saved and who should be lost, however, our life is not easy, and people have to make such decisions from time to time.
Budziszewski underlines the importance of natural law. Sins, which made by people during abortions, cannot be forgiven. However, he tells that the time, when the nation may repent, will come. (Budziszewski, 94) Is it possible to be repented after the suicide is committed? Who will forgive all those sins?
A mother, who has already made a mistake? A father, who did not have enough powers to stop it? Grandparents, who may not even know about the pregnancy? Or, a child, who was deprived of the opportunity to become a part of this world? People always make mistakes, and an abortion is one of the most unforgettable sins. Even a woman survives it, she will never forget about it; and this is why it is crucially important to think millions of times about whether an abortion is worth such emotions or not.
Works Cited
Balkin, Jack, M. “Abortion and Original Meaning.” Constitutional Commentary 24:2, (2007) 291.
Budziszewski, Jay. “What We Can’t Not Know.” Human Life Review 22:4 (Fall,1966), pp.85-94. 29. Web.
McElroy, Wendy. “Abortion: A Principled Defense of a Woman’s Right to Choose.” Individualist Feminism. 2008. Web.
Shrage, Laurie. Abortion and Social Responsibility: Depolarizing the Debate. Oxford University Press US, 2003.