Abortion is difficult for a woman to come to grips with, and the decision is more problematic when she has no financial and emotional support. Nevertheless, whatever the woman decides, the choice is ultimately hers.
This election will have a significant impact on the historical Roe vs. Wade case. If John McCain is elected into office he can nominate Supreme Court judges who share his viewpoint on abortion.
His Web site clearly states, “Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench.”
Sen. John McCain states he wants to reverse the case, by leaving the decision of abortion illegality, up to the individual states to make. His Web site further states, “Roe vs. Wade represent only one step in the long path toward ending abortion.”
McCain disregards the importance of abortion needed for extreme cases. There are cases where the women have been raped.
If McCain gets his way, rape victims would have to deal with continual changes in their body reminding them of the rape.
And what if it is a case of incest? This victim will be pregnant by a person who violated her trust. Either way the psychological turmoil may be too much to handle and bearing an unwanted child adds more fuel to the fire.
Most pro-life supporters argue abortion is murder. Some of these supporters have also generated myths about abortion. The National Right to Life Web site shows statistics about the aftermaths of abortions. On www.nrlc.org, it makes readers believe the risk of breast cancer is increased if women get abortions, stating “13 out of 17 studies in the U.S. reported more breast cancer among women who chose abortion.”
This is information is used to scare expectant mothers out of getting abortions. However, according to the Center of Reproductive Rights, most of the research on the NRLW’s Web site was conducted from a pool of women who were breast cancer survivors and had abortions. The American Cancer Society, The National Breast Cancer Coalition, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have concluded there is not a relationship between breast cancer and abortion.
The government should not force the pain of going through a pregnancy in the case of rape and incest. Whether or not abortion is wrong or right it is not for one person to decide for another.
Kenisha Stevens is a junior public relations major from Ft. Lauderdale. She can be reached at famuanopinions@gmail.com