I wrote this during religion.....
Abortion is not illegal. I was going to say that abortion is legal, however my close-minded religion teacher stated that there is no law in the constitution saying that abortion is legal, however there isn't a law saying that it is not. It has been this way for all my life and for all of the lives of my friends and classmates. Although abortion was permitted while we were in our mothers' wombs, we are all still here today. Why is that? Because our mothers chose life. Catholics have been taught to choose life. But how can we make this choice if we are not entitled to choose? God gave us free will. If abortion was to become illegal, we would not be able to use our hearts and decide what we are going to do with our bodies and the life inside of it. I would never, ever have an abortion, personally. However, some women truly believe that abortion is the right choice for them. And these people are entitled to safe medical procedures and proper post-abortion counseling if desired. Whatever the woman's priorities are, are her own, and hers only. I am proud to say that I am pro-choice, as hard as it may be when people around me have different opinions. When people hear that I am pro choice, they say that I am anti-life. I am not. I believe that those people capable of making choices should be allowed to make them. The choice to have an abortion is not always a selfish one. However, it is in some cases and I will not argue with that. Sometimes, though, a seemingly selfish abortion is actually essential to preserving a woman's mental health. Even if a woman does choose to abort for the most selfish of reasons, she should still be entitled to do so if she desires.
Moreover, a ban on abortion would not stop abortions from occurring. According to Mr. Crapanzano, about 66% of the US population is opposed to abortion. So, we need not be concerned about those 66% having abortions. The remaining 34% consists of approximately 50% women and 50% men. Since men are incapable of carrying a child, only half of that group, 17% could possibly have an abortion. Additionally, many pro-choice women would never have an abortion themselves. So, let's say that 15% the of the population is "at risk" of aborting a baby. Not a large percentage at all. This small group of women, should they become pregnant, should be entitled to make the decision about whether or not they will keep the baby for themselves.
A ban on abortion would pose a major health risk for these aforementioned women. If a woman wants to have an abortion, she will have one, regardless of whether or not it is legal. Aside from the option of going to illegal and quite possibly unsafe clinics, it is possible to kill the fetus on your own. I have known people who have done this, and it is extremely dangerous, but it works when there are no other options. For whatever reason, these people believed that they could not have this baby, and even though abortion is permitted, they were unable to get to a clinic and "took care of it" themselves. Maybe it's because they are young, in school and have a life ahead of them. Maybe it's because they were raped. And maybe it's because they're just ashamed of themselves and can't bear to let someone know that they're pregnant.
My mother grew up in a time when abortion was illegal. She knows about the horrors of the places offering illegal abortions. You can't pretend that abortions won't exist if they are made illegal. If you care to see the horrors that existed, watch a movie like The Citer House Rules. Granted, it IS a movie and takes place a long time ago, but still, it gives you a view into what people go through.
So maybe the majority of the women having the abortions are not poor. Maybe their reasons to abort are not legitimate in your eyes. But everyone is entitled to making a choice. Way too often, I have heard the phrase, "Your mother was pro-life." I beg to differ. My mother is pro choice. She chose life.