Women and reproductive rights are a constant source of heated discussions between pro life and pro choice advocates.
Making the ‘Right’ Choice
As with any heated debate, it can be easy to choose just one side of the argument and forget about the other side. Let’s give pro choice a chance to speak up too. Pro life organizations are vehement about the fact that abortions are a bad thing and that they should never be the right choice – unless in extreme circumstances. But why are pro choice advocates just as committed to their cause? First of all, the choice concept is one for the modern woman. In the time where a woman can get anything they want at any time of the day or night, it seems that ordering up a procedure for their body is a choice they want to have. This doesn’t mean that all women will make that choice to have an abortion, but having that as an option is a concept which makes sense.
Who’s in Charge of a Woman’s Body?
Pro choice supporters believe that the only person who should be in charge of the decisions they make when related to their own bodies is not some moral figure, but themselves. Women, they feel, have the right and the ability to make the best decisions for their body. No law should stand in the way of their having the ability to make their own choices. However, pro life supporters believe that killing is killing is killing, and the choice to abort a fetus should not be a choice, just as murder is not.
Can God Trump Free Will?
There is a longer argument here, one which can not be solved. (Sorry about that.) If pro life advocates are supporting the morality of not killing and pro choice advocates are supporting the right to choose to abort a baby, it seems that the groups are at an impasse. Neither side seems to be willing to budge, even a little bit. One might say that this is an argument between the will of God and the will of a woman. Shouldn’t a woman be prevented from killing? Sure. Shouldn’t a woman have the right to make the choice to have an abortion? Sure.
Too bad there is no right answer for every woman. That would make things a lot easier, wouldn’t it?