Children’s Rights

Cynthia Malone

PHI 107

Jerry Voltura

10/25/2010

In the constitution it states we have a freedom of speech…In our law it says you shall not murder. Murder is against the law in all 50 states, and people everywhere seem to agree that there isn’t really an age limit on murder…except under the premises of abortion. Abortion has been legal in the United States since January 22nd, 1973 (Luker, K., vol 16, no.3). Although everyone agrees that murder is illegal and anyone who murders someone should be brought to justice, often times mothers are able to abort their unborn babies and simply walk away. “Abortion refers to any pregnancy that does not end in carrying a live baby.” Thus, miscarriage can be labeled abortion as well- but it is not the lawful act of taking another human’s life. What are the numbers that abortions carry? Many babies die unborn because their mothers decide to have an abortion? The numbers may shock you. According to AbortionNo. Org’s fast fact list, about “42 million abortions…[And] 115,000 abortions occur each day.” (http:/www.abortionno.org/Resources/fast facts.html) Where do the abortions happen? About 83% of abortions happen in developing countries and about 17% happen in developed countries. In the United States alone, about 1.37 million abortions occur each year and about 37,000 abortions occur each day. That’s 37,000 children who die each day-children who would have had otherwise productive lives, who would have been successful, who could be happy living…well, anywhere. Yet because of a decision made by a woman in distress, they are not allowed to have happy and meaningful live. Their lives, their childhoods are cut short by a doctor ending them…a doctor who was supposed to do not harm…a doctor who took the oath to do not harm.

Prior to the repealing of the law, 30 states stated that abortion was illegal; one stat said it was legal in the case of rape, two states said it was legal if the birth of a baby endangered the woman’s health, and four states stated that abortion was legal “upon request” (Luker, K., vol 16). Now, because of the repeal of the Roe law, every state is required by law to allow abortions.

The status quote seems to be lined up against mothers who have abortions. Some people think that mothers who have abortions are evil and don’t want their children. Some say that that’s not true, that the women, for whatever reason, right or wrong, were not ready to have a child. Abortions were legalized in 1973 when a woman named Ms. Roe requested to abort her child-a request which was denied, because Texas only allowed abortions in the case of saving the woman’s life. The case resulted in abortions being legal in all 50 states. One article about abortion by Suzanne Staggenborg clearly states that “…a woman has a right to do what she wishes with her own body.” (Staggenborg, S., 1995) However, shouldn’t babies be granted that same right - even though they are unborn and cannot say they want to live?

The status quo in the 50 states is all about the same - you are allowed to commit abortions. Most people in the United States agree that abortions should be allowed under the constitutional laws of the state. However, few people state that there should be children’s rights as well. For whatever reason, people do not seem to want to admit that unborn children should have their own rights. That’s not to say that abortion should be considered illegal in every single case - like in a case of danger to the women’s health or a case where the woman is a victim of rape - but there should be more effort put into the children’s rights as all.