firstly, i believe abortions is almost never the right choice, maybe in 00.01% of cases it can be allowed, but rarely. but i believe people should have the choice to do it or not, i may not agree with it in many cases, but my beliefs and morals shouldn't effect someone else's, as i may not know the full story.

1."Back alley" abortions would increase if it were made illegal, leading to increased risk of young women dying or becoming sterile.

2.It's better for society to have babies aborted than have them be brought up poor and neglected, where not only will the child suffer but society when that child develops a higher attraction to crime, welfare, etc.

3.It is a more viable option for those who are unable to shoulder the financial burden and responsibility of raising a child on their own.

4.Giving up a child for adoption can be just as emotionally damaging as having an abortion.

5.Abortion is not murder because it is performed before a fetus has developed into a human person.

Personally, I feel that abortion should remain legal, or rather, parents should have the power to make the decision themselves and not face any legal hindrance of any form.

Let us take a look from the social perspective. If parents cannot afford to provide for the child, or if the family is facing financial constraints, it is thus understandable that abortion can remain as one of the options. The unborn child's suffering can be prevented; the family can have lesser burden. Problem of poverty can be reduced. Look at Africa.... ARGH I shall continue later :P

I think that morals and ethics are based on what we as a society believe, since we define what is right and wrong. People should be given the choice to abort their babies, and whether that is morally right or wrong is then their choice, which it should be; we determine what right and wrong is anyway so everyone should be able to make their own choice.

If you do not wish to bear a child for 9 months and give birth to it and be responsible for it, then you should have every right to terminate the pregnancy.

It's a personal, ethical judgement as to whether you believe that what is inside you is a "human being" or not, or whether or not you value "potential" human beings.

This is a decision that should not be made FOR other people, but one they should get to keep.

Stop trying to take away people's freedom of choice, while simultaneously waving a flag and screaming freedom. Sometimes freedom is ugly and not what you want to see... so deal with it.

I am actually pro-abortion but pro-choice will suffice. Human beings are moral agents, moral agents are moral because we are perceivers and valuers, the ability to perceive and value is only possible when we are conscious. it is therefore our being consciousnes that gives us moral agency.

Prior to and independent of our consciousness (and by consiousness, I mean both waking and sleeping levels), our bodies are only able to be classified as human insofar as moral agency is concerned. The term "human-being" really only applies to humans that embody all the distinctions which are sufficient for moral agency. It is only then that we are truly identifiable as human-beings. a hand that is detached is not a human being, an eye, an ear, a heart, leg, etc... these are all just part of the whole, and even when assembled we are not yet a person unless we have the conscious element.

Since consciousness only becomes possible at the onset of the third trimester ~ 26 weeks, it is immoral to kill, what I would then call a child. Prior to consciousness the fetus is a fetus, not having moral agency because it lacks the sufficient condition of personhood. Many people like to think about potentiality arguments with regard to a fetus, that it could become conscious. However, potential doesnt relate to the here and now and are therefore invalid insofar as the moral status of the action (abortion) is concerned.

Potentiality arguments actually are appropriate as justifications contrary to pro-life opinions because they are valid when speaking of a fetus that will not be aborted, this is because it will almost certainly gain consciouness. For females that are too young to be mothers due to their immaturity as humans - generally thought of as anything younger than the age of majority (18) but also could extend to any age since mental and emotional maturity are only related to age in childhood adolescence and young adulthood - the potential life of the child has a 98-99% chance of being very impoverished both developmentally and with regards to being a productive member of society. The potential life will likely suck a lot.

Thus...

If moral agency is not established and the life will likely suck, abortion is the ideal choice. Abortion is an a-moral action (not having moral status) prior to the onset of consciousness. So in light of this people should be having more abortions. I think it is more responsible to abort a child that is unwanted and who's life will probably suck, than it is to not. the notion of responsibility should always be predicated upon the quality of the potential child's life - if its life will likely be impoverished it is irresponsible to have it. "Taking responsibility for the mistake of not using protection" is a bad way to think of it.

So I say ...

- Be moral, have an abortion (not a joke)

All arguments against abortion are based on religious views. Quit trying to push your beliefs onto others.

Abortion should be available on demand up to 20 weeks after conception, and for medical reasons after that.

If someone is a strict constructionist who interprets the Constitution word for word, the sanction for abortion is given under the Fourteenth Amendment.

The Fourteenth Amendment of our U.S. Constitution defines a citizen “a citizen” at birth. If a woman is carrying a fetus in the womb, the U.S. Constitution does not designate the fetus as “a citizen.” It would take an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to declare a fetus a citizen. You have to be born in order to be recognized as a citizen. Therefore, a woman does have the right to choose. A fetus inside the womb is not designated as a citizen according to the U.S. Constitution so by default is not entitled to life, liberty, or prosperity. You have to be born in order to be endowed with those privileges. To conclude, neither the Federal government nor any of the States can deny a woman the right to choose.

If abortion is murder, abortion would have been terminated years ago due to the cruel and unusual punishment clause under the Eighth Amendment. Again, proof that a fetus is not recognized as a citizen of the United States of America.