How to Choose a Position on Abortion Issues

Few political issues are as controversial as abortion. Abortion has been debated many years and is driven not solely by facts and statistics, but also by emotion. In order to choose a position on abortion issues, you need to consider the legal options regarding abortion and then come to a personal decision about the merits of each side.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Realize abortion is not as black and white as being pro-life or pro-choice. There are many gray areas in between and you will have to consider who should be eligible to receive an abortion, under what circumstances and who has a right to know.

2. Make an assessment of what you believe constitutes human life. Many people use this as the basis for their position on the abortion issue. Consider whether human life begins at conception, at birth or at some point in between.

3. Determine at what stage a woman should be allowed to have an abortion. Some people believe women under normal circumstances should not be allowed to an abortion at any stage during her pregnancy. Others believe she should be allowed an abortion until late in her term. Decide whether abortion should be allowed never, only early in the term or late in the term.

4. Decide if there are any other circumstances which might affect whether a woman should be allowed to an abortion. Decide if a woman who would normally not qualify for an abortion should qualify if she was raped, if her child is the product of incest or if giving birth would put her life at risk.

5. Choose a position on who should be informed about an abortion. Decide whether a woman who is under the age of 18 needs to get parental consent to have an abortion. Also, consider whether the woman must inform the father of the baby about a potential abortion.

6. Consider whether federal funding of abortions should be allowed. Some pro-choice people advocate giving federal funds to low-income women for abortion procedures.

7. Seek out abortion facts, but keep an open mind because many people will try to twist the facts to support a certain position on this issue. Decide what you think is right and don't be afraid to not completely agree with either side.

[organicthoughts]

on 6/4/2009 Good information. Nothing gets people's blood boiling like the issue of abortion. For me personally, I don't think the government has any right to be legislating morality, which is what the right tries to make abortion out to be...an issue of morality.

[breathtobreath]

on 3/3/2009 Women should be allow women the right to privacy, reproductive freedom, and quality doctor care. Republicans have very few issues. One is the freedom to have a gun and the other is to outlaw pregnant women's right to a quality abortion. The position against women's right to her own body goes against their historical mission statement of less government interference and more individual freedom.

[oneloved]

on 10/15/2008 Dispassionate research is critical in this issue. One should look at the facts objectively, and leave emotion out of it. I recommend www.abortionfacts.com Another importation issue to consider is whether voters should be given the chance to vote on this important issue in their own states, rather than letting judges decide for them.