Being on Both Sides of the Abortion Debate

Abortion is arguably the most brutal and barbaric practice that people find socially acceptable today. This is especially true when you consider how easily most situations of unwanted pregnancy could be prevented.

I am completely against abortion, because I believe it's an immoral act against the most innocent of humans: The unborn. Once an ovum is fertilized by a spermatozoa, the building blocks for a human being are in place, so at a cellular level life begins at conception. Those that would argue against that idea seem to disagree on the basis that an embryo has no central nervous system, and certainly isn't sentient. My answer to that argument is to ask, do you remember being born? If you can't remember being born, we have no evidence that you were sentient at the time, so do you advocate infanticide? This is why my logic and moral position on abortion is based on the existence of human life, and not being sentient, or having a central nervous system, or being able to feel pain. I'm very pro-life, more so than some people that would allow exceptions in the case of rape or incest. This is because I don't think it's moral to ask the most innocent being in existence, the unborn, to pay for the mistakes of others with its life. Adoption is always an option, and can even be a temporary one, unlike the act of aborting a pregnancy.

At this point in my writing, if you're pro-life you probably agree with me, but brace yourself, because it's very likely the next principle I share will conflict with yours.

Now that I've thoroughly explained the logic behind my moral stance, I'd like to share my legal stance on abortion. I believe in my heart of hearts the only thing we can truly own without a doubt in this life is our bodies. We should be the sole deciders of what to do with our body, including what we put into it or what we remove from it. To lack ownership and control over your own body is tantamount to slavery. This is why I oppose legislation that restricts abortion. Morally, it's an abhorrent practice, but so is slavery. I know this may seem like what George Orwell called double-think to many people, but the only way to reconcile the two main principles I listed and hold dear is to separate them into morality and legality. I'm certainly not willing to let the government decide what's best for me, and I wouldn't wish that treatment on anyone of sound mind.

Anyone reading this and thinking of having an abortion, please don't. Every human life has infinite potential to change our world for the better, and I will appeal to your humanity in any way I can to convince you to carry your child to term. I can only hope your decision to keep your child will justify my legal position of trusting you to make that choice for yourself instead of legislators (many of which will never have to deal with the decision themselves).

So, some of you on the pro-life side may be asking if outlawing abortion isn't a solution, what is? My answer is education. With the advances in birth control science at our disposal, especially in a first world country, the need to get an abortion in the first place should be very preventable. Of course, the only 100% effective method is abstinence, but there are very effective options for couples to consider if they insist on being sexually active. I'll leave a chart of their effectiveness and cost in the comments.

All I ask of you ladies and gentlemen is to consider making sure you have your own life together before you engage in activities that have the potential to create another. I love freedom, but it comes with responsibility.