Abortion has been an enduring and heated issue in American politics because it pits two major American values against each other: life and liberty. One side
says abortion is an act that ends life. The other says to deny an abortion is to deny individual liberty. Should abortion be legal or illegal in the U.S? The
Declaration of Independence states that there are God-given unalienable rights including ”life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Those that oppose
abortion focus on LIFE, those that support abortion focus on LIBERTY. When does life begin? Some people say it starts at conception, some say early during the
pregnancy, others say later in the pregnancy. An equally important follow up question centers on who should make the determination of when life begins. Many
Republican oppose abortion and support the death penalty. Many Democrats oppose the death penalty and support abortion. Are both positions confusing,
inconsistent? How should we handle dangerous pregnancy? If a late term pregnancy threatens the mother’s life, should we allow for an abortion? Should the
Constitution protect the mother or the unborn baby in this circumstance? While the 1973 Supreme Court case of Roe v Wade gave women the right to abortion, the
issue remains controversial because of its religious and moral components.
WHAT DO YOU THINK Should abortion be legalU.S.?