In Mississippi, a state constitutional amendment was proposed that would limit
women’s reproductive rights. This amendment stated that a fertilized human egg be
considered a person, legally. If this had been put into place, it would mean that abortion
and some birth control would become illegal. Women would not be allowed to use the
‘morning- after pill’ or similar contraceptives, since it would be considered killing an
actual person. This leaves the state with partial control of the reproductive rights of
women. The campaign behind this proposal is called Personhood USA, which is a group
spreading throughout the United States.
The proposal was put on a ballot but recently voted down. Although it was voted
down in Mississippi, supporters of Personhood USA say that several other states intend to
get this on the ballots within the next few years. Many anti-abortion activists are jumping
onto this campaign, even though it includes much more than just abortions, like birth
control and women’s rights. As the director of the Bioethics and Health Law Center at the
Mississippi College of Law, Jonathan F. Will said, “My first thought, literally, was
people aren't going to understand what this means ... what implications it has beyond
abortions”. In many situations, it takes away women’s choice to decide, which has often
been the case throughout history.
Women have had limited rights over their own pregnancy in the past and today
around the world. Religion and culture has often restricted abortions and birth controls.
Historically, societies have been mostly male-dominated. In these societies, women did
not have a say in, for example, how many children they were to have. While we no longer live in a male-dominated society, limiting birth control rights go along these lines since
they take away from women’s choice.
Question: Do you think we need laws to outline when life begins, or should people be allowed to have their own opinion about it and make decisions based on that?Why?
We should not need laws to outline when life begins. They should be allowed to make their own decisions about their child. For a state government to tell a mother what she can or cannot do with her own child is cruel. In my opinion the state of Mississippi should not be able to impose laws on mothers and their born or unborn child.
ReplyDeleteI agree with John arguing that the government should not be allowed to create laws outlining when a life has begun. Women should be allowed to make that decision on their own without the fear of breaking the law. Birth control should not become illegal for the sake that many unwanted children may be born to women who are not in any position to become mothers. This could lead to more abortions. I think birthcontrol can help limit the number of abortions because it may prevent pregnancies. I believe that the government should have no right to create laws limiting womens reproductive rights. It is insane to think that sometime in the near future women may have to fear the law about reproductive rights.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both John and Kirsten that we should not need or have laws that outline when life begins. I feel it’s the mother’s choice. It’s her life, and a baby would completely affect it in either a positive or negative way. I don’t think we need any more restrictions on this, if the women is not fit to have a baby and by a law it’s considered a person therefore she cannot have the abortion, this is violating her rights. I agree with Kirsten and how Birth control helps prevent pregnancies, but if a woman is pregnant I feel it is her decision to what she will do. I don’t think the government should take any part in trying to control/limit reproductive rights.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what my classmates before me said, that we should not need laws to tell a mother if she can or can not have her child. The state should not decide for a mother or family when life of their child begins and ends, that is solely up to the mother. And it is also her own personal decision if she wants to follow through with the birth of her child or to terminate it, depending on her conditions and situations. So overall, I think that Mississippi should not obtain laws concerning a mother with her born or unborn child.
ReplyDeleteLegal personhood is something that women, slaves, and even animals have also struggled with. Women and slaves have fought for their rights to participate in government and to stop systematic abuse. I would like to point out to my classmates that scientifically, life begins at fertilization, but we are actually discussing when a fertilized egg legally becomes a person, the begining of human life. Legislation has been established that determines when life begins since before the United States declared independence. Currently, abortion is legal until around when the fetus becomes viable, or able to live outside of the mother's womb. I see that our laws change as we are able to make "fetuses" at 24 or even 21 weeks old viable. If the definition of the begining of human life just changes as we discover how early we can bring a child to term, than shouldn't it cover babies who are nearing premature term? It is a human person's fundamental right to live and the only reason that the right should be violated for unborn children is if their life endangers the mother's life. Otherwise, killing a fetus is never right and should be illegal. This doesn't violate women's or men's rights to use contraceptives as life has begun at all at that point. It is ridiculous that we should try to make the legal definition of personhood as close as possible to the point where we can bring a child to term. Also, mothers do not deserve the right to take a life because they gave life, and we should think about how the mother is not and shouldn't be the sole decider of the fate of a child based on the burden it puts on her unless that burden is life threatening. Both mothers and fathers are necessary to make a baby and therefore it is not the exclusive right of women to kill their baby if they decide that they don't want it or can't support it.
ReplyDeleteI think an individual women should be able to choose whether they should decide if they want to go through with the pregnancy or not. If there becomes a law about this then i feel as if that is the government taking to much control. Using things such as the morning after pill does not harm anyone else besides the mother, child and even possibly the father. The baby has not experienced real life before and it could cause more problems for the mother then the baby after an abortion. They parents know what the best choice is and it is not right if the law gets in the way.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that a law should be enacted that outlines when a life begins. I believe that the mother of the child should obtain the right to choose whether or not to have the child. Although abortion is a very controversial topic because it goes against some religions, I believe that women should have ultimate choice on whether they go through with the pregnancy or not. I also think that based on the opinions of many, it would become very difficult to determine when the life of a new born begins. I feel as though it may become an issue when trying to decide when the life begins because many believe that it is right when the egg becomes fertilized and as Liam previously stated, others believe that abortion should be legal up until the fetus become viable or able to live outside of the mother’s wound. This is a very controversial topic but ultimately I don’t think that the government should receive the final say on if and when a mother can receive an abortion.
ReplyDeletewe defiantly not need laws to decide whether to outline our life. i mean yes abortions are an awful thing and they are some what killing a human being but it really is up to the women to choose whether she has the baby or not. and what Nicole said the parents should know what the right thing to do and how they want to approach it. so we really don't need to put laws into that affect because humans know what to do and most know what they want to do is the right choice.
ReplyDeleteNo you should not have laws because it should always be the mothers choice. I she does not want a child no one should be able to tell her otherwise. Maybe she does not have the money or already has to many kids or something of that nature but if you force parents who do not want kids to have them. You could have family's fall apart because of either emotional or economic reasons.Overall each individual person should be able to decide if they want a child or not.
ReplyDeleteI do not think we should have laws that say when life beings because it really should be the mothers choice. I think it should be up to the mother and the farther to decide whether or not they want to have an abortion and people should not make laws to prevent them. Each family should make the decision that would be best for their family and not have the government be a part in the choice they make. They should be able to decide if they want a child or if they dont.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that there should be laws outlining when life begins. This choice should really be the mother's choice. The parents of the child should have the decision on what should be done with the child. The government really doesn't have the right to decide this for the individual. I don't think abortion is right, but if it is necessary to abort the child, the decision should be the parent's. People can debate for hours when life actually begins, but in the final decision should go to the mother and father, rather than the government.
ReplyDeleteI think that women should have her own choice to have a baby or not. If she does not think that she is fit to have one it should not be forced on her to keep it. My personal opinion is that the day after pills should be allowed because even though the state says that it is a person, it has not grown to be a boy or girl, grown any limbs, or have any feelings or conscious. I do support a no abortion law but it should be after a longer period of time, not that when the egg is fertilized you can't do anything.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there should be laws to outline when lives begin. In fact, it should be the woman's choice. The government should not have the right to take right away from the parents of deciding whether they're going to have a child or not. The decision of abortion should be totally up to the parents because it is their kid, not the government's or anyone else's. Therefore I don't think their should be a law to outline when life begins because if people are mature enough tiger in these situations, then they should be mature enough to handle the consequences.
ReplyDeleteI must agree with my piers that the government shouldn't provide laws outlining when life begins. To me this is such a awful act that has no meaning in its regard. With the government fulfilling this law, it takes away the choice of a couple starting a family or continuing one. One should not take away that right. IN the case of abortion i still stand by argument that the choice should be up to the couple and not the government. Its not a creation that they have made so it shouldn't involve them. Also another point to argue this is that the government should be worried about other things rather than this issue. They should be handling other matters that would have a greater effect on this country and its people rather than whether or not a couple can abort their kid. All in all, the government should have no say what so ever in this regard because to me its no their business so they shouldn't be sticking their nose in it.
ReplyDeleteWomen have always been treated unequally. In the miliary, men have higher authority and usually are the majority. When men take advantage of this, that is when the sexual assaults occur. I think there need to be stricted laws about this and there needs to be more focus on trying to stop this.
ReplyDeleteYes there should be a law to remind people that when a zygote forms, that's the beginning of a new life and a new person will be born. Many argue that this puts the mother in a difficult position. But they are forgetting that we are talking about two people here, not one. Does the baby not have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?
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