Persuasive Essay: Abortion

     Did you know that in 2000, more children died from abortion than Americans died in the Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I and II, Korean War, Vietnam War, and Gulf War combined? (National Right to Life).  This astonishing statistic seems like it has to be wrong; it is not.  Abortion, the act of taking a child’s life before birth, is an abominable medical practice that is legal in the United States today.  Mothers can, supported by the law, have their unborn, but living fetus killed.  The U.S. federal government should not allow abortion, the practice of legalized murder.

     U.S. law persecutes anyone who kills someone “alive”, even if it be through neglect, yet allows the practice of killing a baby before it is out of the womb.  Why is it legal to kill a baby 10 days before birth, but not 10 days after birth?  Murder laws are around that state if you were to kill a newborn baby after birth, you would be put in prison; maybe put to death yourself.  No laws exist however, that state that you cannot kill an unborn fetus.  The United Nations Declaration of Rights of the Child says that, “The child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth.” (Scharffs 1).  If this document is understood correctly, children have the same rights before as well as after birth.  Also, why is it that if a mother and unborn baby are killed, that the killer is charged with 2 counts of murder?  By this conclusion, if an unborn baby is aborted, the doctor doing the procedure should be charged with murder.  A logical question arising from this can be posed, “Why are children allowed to be killed?”  This question is baffling, but still has no answer. 

     Many people defend abortion by saying that the baby would (as horrible as it might sound), be better off not being born, or that they simply are too young to take on the responsibility.  This argument is one of little thought.  To the reader who believes that the baby would be better not alive, adoption is an excellent alternative.  For example, there are many families who, due to sterility or other causes, want to adopt, and offer more loving and better supported families to babies born into bad family situations.  A family I know quite well just recently adopted.  They have offered the child a much better two parent home than the child’s former mother, and father, who was just recently taken out of jail.  Some may also argue without research that eventually the number of adoptive parents will die out, however, this is not the case; the average wait to adopt is 1 to 3 years. (Interview: mother).  There are alternatives to abortion. 

     To allow the practice of abortion will compound the problem, causing more and more abortions to take place because people will feel that if they do get pregnant, the baby can just be aborted. Statistics show that in 1972 the percentage of unmarried women having abortions was 70 percent.  In 1995, the percentage was almost 79 percent, and more than 32 percent of all women having abortions were 20-24. (Abortion facts.com 1).  These numbers seem to form a trend of young, unmarried women.  This is not the best situation for a baby to be born into.  To improve living conditions for all, abortion must be made illegal.  The legalization of abortion has resulted in more and more people indulging in more and more “risky” behavior, knowing that there is no consequence.  Something has to be done.

     Abortion is an issue that needs to be solved.  The answer should seem quite simple, make it illegal.  Every possible counterclaim is refutable.  Abortion allows people to get away with immoral acts with no responsibility.  It encourages people to do whatever they want, and people literally get away with murder.  This does not seem like a thing I want in my country, do you?

Reflection: Persuasive Essay

     One of the most interesting essays assigned to us was that of the persuasive essay.  Personally, I like to argue, thus a persuasive essay is my sort of paper.  I chose to write on a topic I have many a time had a fiery debate on, that of abortion.  In writing this paper, I learned many interesting facts about the statistics of abortion, and you will see in my paper that some are just downright scary.  I enjoyed writing on the pro-life side, considering that s what I believe.  It was also interesting to note that when sitting at my computer desk, I got quite adamant about the subject.  I tried to display this in my paper.  I also attempted to provide counter arguments to those who believe abortion is perfectly fine, calling on true stories.  Hopefully my argument is valid with you, and my persuasive essay on abortion can lead you to an honorable decision on the matter.