Abortion

9 Pages 2267 Words

but God had the right to judge what a woman did
with her own body? This thought process lasted till the 1800's. During
this era of change people began to turn their attention in a new
direction, the fetus. They began to protest abortion as cruel, inhumane,
and murderous. Filled with a new sense of purpose and the glory of a
fresh, righteous cause to uphold this new morality swept the countryside
enveloping everyone in its wake. Abortionists who were once revered and
depended upon were now scorned and threatened. Though abortions still
happened with regularity, they were kept silent and seen as a matter of
shame. "Over the next hundred years, public sentiment for the fetus
continued to rise until the inevitable happened in America during the
early 40's; Abortion was made illegal." (Cohen 17). There was much back
patting and congratulations among the pro-life supporters. And why not?
They had succeeded in saving the lives of the hundreds of innocent babies
who would have been senselessly slaughtered for the convenience of
selfish, ignorant, and irresponsible women. Because of this new law,
women would settle down and raise families or give these beautiful
children over into the hands of the hundreds of loving couples who were
just waiting for a baby to call their own. It seemed that the perfect law
had just been passed. Or had it?
It has been proven time and time again throughout history that the
human spirit will not allow prohibition. Something inside us feels the
need to strike out at that which restrains us and holds us from the life
we want. Just as prohibition of alcohol made a black market for liquor (a
virtual underworld was immediately erected to fulfill the new need for
abortions). Government, through regulation, had once again created a need
that would be fulfilled by the lawless. Most doctors, fearing
incarceration, refused to treat the women who so desperately wanted
abortions. Women, seeing no ot...