American History

Abortion is the terminationofapregnancy before birth, which leads to the death of the fetus.  Many people are against it however, it is worth evaluating whether people have to suffer to save a babys life for the cause of stopping abortion. Being one of todays most complex and controversial ethical and philosophical issues, abortion elicits different perspectives for various people. Some may be pro-life, being against abortion and wanting to save the life of the unborn fetus. In contrast, there are those who are pro-choice, advocating the life of the mother.

Induced abortion is intentionally brought upon where abortion is perceived as a choice.  Women resort to abortion when the pregnancy is unwanted, and in other instances, this is chosen when pregnancy presents a danger to the womans health or life.  There are also instances when the fetus is likely to have harsh or stern physical or mental health problems thus abortion may be the only option. Some abortions happen naturally because a fetus do not develop normally or because the mother has had an injury or disorder that precludes her from carrying the pregnancy to term. Such a condition is considered as a miscarriage. Moreover, inducedabortionsare carried out either with the use of drugs or through surgery. Modern medical techniques have made induced abortions simpler and less dangerous. The safest and most fitting method is determined by the age of the fetus. It may be calculated from the beginning of the pregnant womans last menstrual period onwards. A number of surgical methods can be used to induce abortions. Legalsurgicalabortion, when done by a trained surgeon, is in point of fact, one hundred percent effective.

In the United States, the issue of abortion had undergone a million debates. The argument has spilled over into confrontations which have led to legal battles in the courts.  The abortion issue even went up to the Congress of the United States, and the state legislatures.

Many people are against abortion since life begins at conception.  They are firm believers that abortion is similar to murder, as it is taking away a human life even though it is still an unborn child.  People who are pro-life, or those who are against abortion, are encouraged by a yearning to reduce the number of abortions. They reason out that no civilized society should consent to a human to purposely harm or take the life of another human without his consent, which is comparable and akin to abortion. Pro-life activists even suggest the option of adoption which accomplishes the same outcome.  They say that more and more families hope to adopt a child, so there is no need to kill an unborn child when loving parents yearn for a baby. In the cases of rape and incest, medical care may assure a woman that she is unlikely to be impregnated.

Abortion in Perspective
Abortion is in direct defiance of the sanctity of human life.  The argument over abortion has caused many confrontations, which sometimes escalate to violent proportions.  Such violence often occurs at clinics where surgical procedures of abortion are performed (Baird and Rosenbaum,1993). Pro-life groups are basically opposed to violence.  Those who support and tend to go the route of violence are particularly few and frequently are carried out by one person. Those responsible for violent crimes related to anti-abortion often work independently. More so, the U.S. Justice Department confirms that no conspiracy schemes were involved nor plotted out in carrying out such crimes.
     
Frequent violent protests against abortion clinics started in the early 1970s in the U.S., after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion and allowed all women the right to avail the procedure at any time. There were protests in the forms of vandalism, rallies, arson, and firebombing(Alcorn and Morris, 1994). Moreover, protest activities on anti-abortion are on the rise. There are anti-abortion pickets who harass patients. These patients go to visit many of the roughly 800 clinics and 900 doctors offices where abortions are performed.  The patients are beleaguered by pickets.  They are pushed away for some sidewalk counseling and are shown photographs of nearly full-term fetuses. Since 1982, there have been over US thirteen million in damages caused by violent anti-abortion groups in over 150 arson attacks, bombings, and shootings (Alcorn and Morris, 1994). There were three bomb or arson attacks of abortion facilities in the year 1982 two in 1983 and 24 in 1999.

One of the most recent bomb attacks on an abortion center was that carried out by serial bomber Eric Rudolph. He attacked an abortion clinic in the morning of January 29, 1998 at Birmingham, Alaska. The New Woman All Women Clinic, which Rudolph bombed using a remote-control device killed an off-duty police officer, Robert Sanderson, thirty five years-old and maimed a nurse, Emily Lyons. The nurse lost her left eye, and suffered damage to her right hand and both legs.
     
When Rudolph was arrested he did not feel any remorse for the acts which he did, but instead said, what they did was participate in the murder of fifty children a week. Abortion is murder, and because it is murder, I believe deadly force is needed to stop it. Children are disposed of at will. The state is no longer the protector of the innocents (CNN.com, 2005). To this, Diane Derzis, New Woman All Women clinic owner, the occurrence and arrest of the bomber did not stop abortion.  She added, We are not his victims. We are the victors. He did not destroy us. He made us stronger.
     
Apart from the Birmingham assault, there was also a bomb threat in Austin Texas in 2007. Twenty-seven year-old Paul Ross Evans , who is a native of Austin, Texas was detained as he was charged with leaving the unexploded bomb. The bomb was said to have been left in a duffel bag in the parking space of the Austin Womens Health Center, where abortion procedures were performed. An employee of the clinic found the package (MSNBC, 2007).  The device contained some two thousand nails. It also included a propane tank and a mechanism which was similar to a rocket. Fortunately enough, no one got hurt as a bomb squad safely detonated it. A robot was used to disarm the bomb.  
     
Anti-abortion violence, be it in the form of pickets, vandals, arson or bombing have gradually increased and have become unquestionably nasty. The bombings are a terrible way to stop abortion. These are criminal and very damaging to the cause of the unborn.

Conclusion    
As of now, it looks as if the possibility of negotiation on abortion is meek. The conflict among pro-life, anti-abortion, and pro-choice groups in the U.S. will probably persist for a long time. This is likely to lead to more attacks on people and facilities from anti-abortion radicals.