Abortion Ought To Be Illegal

My position is pro-choice as I believe that a women is entitled to her own rights and body. Contentions: A woman is entitled to her own body. Men, Especially politicians and clergy should not trample on the rights of women to prevent abortion. The United States constitution protects a women's right to abortion (note the 13th, and 14th amendment). (1) In addition there is also multiple theories of when life begins. Some like my opponent believe that life occurs at conception, while others such as myself believe that life begins when the baby is born. By making abortion illegal without the consensus of when life begins would be forcing a theocratically tinged theory onto everyone. (2) Rape has been mentioned in the comments so I will also use it as a contention. Rape is a traumatic experience on a woman, and forcing the woman to care for the rapist's child would add unneeded mental stress on the woman after experiencing a traumatic incident. (3) Then there's also unwanted teen pregnancies. Pregnant teens are often not ready physically nor psychologically prepared to go through with a pregnancy. Also, ignoring health complications, a teenager is not psychologically ready for the responsibilities of raising a child. With a child to support teen moms often drop out of high school so that they could take care of the child despite having low chances for financial success. (3) Also if, I was a father of a daughter and I find out she's pregnant do I want to punish her by making her stay pregnant and then care for the child? No, I wouldn't, after all that would be considered a cruel and unusual punishment as I am stamping out my daughter's education and future because of her mistake. Rebuttals: "Primary Point: A fetus is living and human. The fetus grows, develops, responds, and maintains homeostasis. These are the primary distinctions from living organism and inanimate material. For example, from weeks 9-16, The 4 chamber heart is finishing developing and the embryonic tail goes away. Breathing-like movement of the fetus is necessary for stimulation of lung development, rather than for obtaining oxygen. The human fetus, is well - human. Obviously it can't be a whale fetus or a canine fetus. Living things begat after their own kind. Humans begat humans. It's a principle of biology - it's biogenesis. This point might sound silly, even self-evident, but you will be amazed by the number of individuals that will deny it. " Now you use Biology to try to show your case, but you are merely stating the obvious since the fetus that we are debating about is a human fetus. Your contention is like saying that sperm cells and eggs are alive so we should respect it with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Cells develop, respond, and maintain homeostasis, so why should the right of a fetus trample on the right of the woman who is burdened by the stress of the unplanned pregnancy? (3) "Secondary Point: If it is accepted that a fetus is a living human being, the legal ramifications are dire. In the very same amendment that was cited as justification for the Roe v. Wade decision, i. e. the 14th Amendment, there is the Equal Protection Clause that requires each state to provide equal protection under the law to all people within its jurisdiction. .. " I do not know how you came to this conclusion as the Equal Protection Clause states, "All persons Born or Naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. " Note how the clause states all persons Born or Naturalized in the United States. This would not apply to a fetus as a fetus is not yet born, therefore your contention has been refuted. (1) "Third Point: On the assertion that women retain the right to terminate a fetus is unjustifiable, with the exception of the endangerment of the mother's life or other critical complications. " The contention of pro states that a women does not have the right to her own body. This contention violates the 13th amendment which states, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. ". This falls under involuntary servitude as States do not have the right to force a woman to remain pregnant. In addition my opponent will try to refute this rebuttal by stating that a fetus is its own separate entity. However, a fetus relies on the mother for nutrition and health via the placenta and umbilical cord refuting that contention. (1) 1. United States Constitutions Amendments 13 and 14 2. . http://www.buzzle.com... 3. . http://healthcare.procon.org...