Abortion should be a woman's choice, without religion or politics

By Ashley Zarate

September 29, 2008 | With the presidential election fast approaching, controversial issues are being debated left and right. Abortion, a fan favorite, seems to be looked at on a more spiritual level than a logical one. Republicans keep to the right by arguing that abortion is murder, while Democrats push for women's rights.

Republicans constantly throw faith into every issue, making a resolution virtually impossible. It seems that in a country that once fought for individual rights, it makes no sense to let the people decide on only a few of the rights they have. If we let the government decide for us on issues regarding our bodies and our lives, we will eventually let them decide on much more.

There are many different angles and many different questions that need to be heard before any of us can be certain of our own stance. When is a human life present? When does an individual with individual rights exist? Is it wrong to destroy the potential for life even though it may be lawful to do so?

In fairness, however, we ask the pro-life movement to honestly confront their own difficult questions. For example every year women have first-trimester abortions that are entirely discretionary. By pro-life standards, they are guilty of first-degree, premeditated murder and the doctor who performed the procedure is guilty of the same. This is a crime that has no time limit under law. We need to ask every pro-life advocate if they are willing to subject these women to the maximum penalties being imposed for such a crime, up to and including a death sentence? If not, why not? Anything less constitutes an admission on their part that abortion is, in fact, less than the murder of an innocent human being.

According to pro-life doctrine, a substantial portion of an entire generation deserves a death sentence or its equivalent. Are pro-life advocates willing to send police to the homes of all those women and are they willing to throw them in prison and subject them to the maximum penalty for premeditated murder? What about women who are victims of rape? Is that murder as well? Or are there different levels of pro-life? It's only OK in certain circumstances? Some women will have the right and others won't?

None of this makes sense. We all need to stop making this such a huge issue and let everyone choose for themselves. It is the woman's decision and hers alone. Our country needs to educate our youth with sexual education classes. We need to teach them how to make sure they never have to make an abortion decision but if they ever do, they will know they have more than one choice.

The issue of abortion should never involve religion. It is a question that can be answered by logic and logic alone. No prayers will make it go away. We need more education and less dogma.

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