Abortion: A Given Right or an Immoral Blunder?

Perhaps no other social issue has been as divisive in America over the past two decades as abortion. Since the Supreme Court's landmark 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, which legalized a woman's right to an abortion in most cases, the nation's political, religious and social landscapes have been sharply split over abortion, and there are few indications that compromise is on the horizon. The Wall Street Journal, in an editorial on August 14, 1995, summarized the stark nature of the debate, noting, "Either you believe in a woman's absolute 'right to choose' or you think abortion, at any stage of a pregnancy and for any reason, is murder. You're either a 'baby killer' or a 'defender of the Constitution.'"

Vocal and often militant antiabortion groups, such as Operation Rescue, consider terminating a pregnancy to be murder in all cases. Many of them will stop at virtually nothing to end the practice, including breaking the law in order to prevent legal abortions from being performed. Such attitudes are generally held by social and religious conservatives who believe that human life begins at conception. Although the Republican Party itself is divided over the issue of abortion, most of its leaders are opposed to the practice and are in favor of keeping a plank in the party's platform, added in 1992, that commits the party to seeking a constitutional amendment banning abortion.

At the opposite extreme are people and organizations, such as the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARRAL) and the National Abortion Federation, who say that a woman should be able to choose to have an abortion in any circumstance. They say that a fetus is not a human being and that there is absolutely no moral judgment involved in terminating a pregnancy because the decision boils down to simply whether or not the woman wants to, or is physically able to, bear a child. The Democratic Party's platform stresses support for abortion rights.

Most people belong in the vast middle of the debate, however. Polls have shown that although most Americans support a woman's right to an abortion, they favor certain restrictions on the practice. Several analysts maintain that that reflects continued uncertainty as to the moral issues surrounding abortion as well as a tendency to seek the center so as to make the debate less polarizing. Many supporters of abortion rights do not want to be seen as condoning the practice or to appear to be insensitive to moral issues. That group includes Former President Clinton, who says he wants abortion to be "safe, legal and rare."

But compromise remains elusive. Over the past two years, defenders of abortion rights have been under attack, often literally. Since March 1993, five abortion doctors and clinic workers have been killed in the U.S., and there have been 37 incidents of attempted or successful arson or bombing of abortion clinics, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Emboldened by the growing conservative mood of the American public, pro-life advocates have initiated efforts to chip away at the legal rights guaranteed to women under Roe v. Wade. The Republican-controlled 104th Congress, which took office in January 1995, has a large number of members, especially freshmen, who have vowed to pass a constitutional amendment banning abortion. Many of them are influenced by the Christian Coalition, which in its "Contract with the American Family" goals statement calls for Congress "to begin the process of restoring respect for the sanctity of life of unborn children."

Sources

Byrd, Shelia. "Bill Requires Parental OK for Teen Birth Control." Wall Street Journal, February 8, 1995,

Egelko, Bob. "2 Women at the Heart of Debate." San Francisco Chronicle, May 18, 2005, www.sfgate.com.

Fahey, Tom. "Easier Access to 'Morning After' Pill OK'd." New Hampshire Union Leader, May 26, 2005, www.theunionleader.com.