The Controversary of Abortion - 626 Words

Abortion has been a controversial topic since being declared a â€Å"fundamental right† following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade in 1973. There are two different areas of advocacy: those who identify themselves as pro-life, and those who identify by pro-choice. Pro-life activists view abortion as an immoral killing of a human being, and do not condone it under any circumstance. Pro-choice activists believe abortion is a civil right, and women should be in control of any decision regarding their bodies. Those who are pro-life believe that life begins at conception, making abortion a murder of an innocent human being. Many pro-life activists who are religious refer to the Sixth Commandment â€Å"thou shall not kill.† They view the fetus as an unborn baby with a fundamental right to live. Furthermore, those who do not condone abortion argue that no civil society permits the harm of another human being. If the fetus is considered as an unborn baby, how can society allow it to be murdered? On the other hand, those who are pro-choice believe that life begins at birth, not at conception. The majority of abortions take place when the fetus cannot exist independently, thus making it impossible to refer to the fetus as a separate entity outside of the mothers womb. The concept of personhood versus the concept of human life is viewed differently by someone who is pro-choice. An interesting concept of personhood comes from the use of in vitro fertilization. If a