Why I Believe Abortion Is Not a Right

by Connor Storey

Before I get into my personal opinion on abortion I think it is necessary to mention the current situation with abortion in the United States. Recently, there has been a bill passed in Alabama which prohibits the right for a woman to have an abortion once the heart of the fetus starts beating (which is around 22 days after conception). This bill has sparked international outrage with people demonstrating across the world that “abortion is a right” and even some international corporations have expressed their concerns over women's rights. The lawmakers of Alabama are hoping to overturn Roe v Wade to make abortion illegal throughout the United States, unless the mother or the child’s life is at risk.

The USA’s constitution is founded on the principles of liberty and life which is why their amendments include the right to bear arms and to keep freedom of speech and expression free from government control. I disagree strongly with the narrative that abortion is a human right. In fact, I think it’s the complete opposite. I believe that life begins at the point of conception. As soon as the sperm and egg fertilise there is a unique genetic code for that child which gives them specific characteristics such as the colour of their eyes and what gender they will become. This is what makes humans, human. A zygote does not grow into a human. It is a human life to begin with and no one should have the “right” to dictate who lives and who dies. One of the government’s main objectives is to protect the life of its citizens and to make sure that no one can take their rights away from them. Therefore, the government has the right to restrict abortions to keep the most innocent and vulnerable beings alive.

One common argument I hear frequently from the opposite side of the debate is that it’s “my body, my choice”. Firstly, it is not the woman’s body, it’s the child’s body and saying that it’s “my body, my choice” is like justifying murder inside your own home because it’s “your house”. In addition, there are also claims that thousands of women will die from undocumented abortions if made illegal in the United States. The year before Roe v Wade (In 1972) 39 women died from illegal abortion which we all could agree was a tragedy. However, 24 women died from legal abortion in the same year according to the CDC. Therefore, to say that thousands of American women will die is clearly inaccurate. Moreover, did you know that women who have an abortion are 81% more likely to develop at least one mental health issue?

In conclusion, I believe that all life is sacred and every life has equal value. That is why I am also against the death penalty and euthanasia. No human has the right to decide who lives and who dies. In years to come with the development of science and technology, I think we will look back as a country and see that one of our modern failures was that 200,000 lives every year have been lost in the name of progressivism.