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abortion2.txt
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1996-04-08
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In 1973, the Supreme Court declared that, except under certain
conditions, states may not prohibit a womanÆs right to have an abortion
during the first six months of pregnancy. This decision affected
thirty-one statesÆ antiabortion laws. It all began in 1970 when
a Texan waitress challenged a state law that made abortion a criminal
offense.
A woman calling herself ôJane Roeö, the plaintiff, was denied an
abortion under the law and she sued Dallas County District Attorney
Henry Wade, the defendant. The Supreme Court ruled that the Texas
law violated a womanÆs right to privacy, which was protected by
the 14th Amendment to the Constitution and by several parts of the
Bill of Rights.
The 14th Amendment in the Constitution states that no State shall
deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process
of law. So how is it legal for these states to make it possible
so women cannot have abortions. Depriving them of an abortion would
be depriving them of possible life and property (if you consider
an unborn baby property of the mother).
The court said that states may not interfere with a womanÆs decision
to have an abortion. It also ruled that states may regulate abortions
during the second trimester only to protect a womanÆs health. This
case had a great effect on more than half of the United States.
This case was and is very important to society today. More and
more women are getting abortions because they are safer to do.
Although many more Pro-life (anti-abortion) groups are becoming
involved in stopping abortion clinics.
If the outcome of this case had been any different the world would
be a very different place. If abortion had been totally outlawed
then many people would give themselves abortions, even killing themselves
in the act. The population would be in a dramatic increase right
now and in the future the world would be very overly populated.
In the far, far future if no one was allowed abortions there would
be many unwanted babies and illegal abortions killing mothers.