Abortion?

Abortion! Many people believe that abortion became popular as result of the current generation.  In actuality, abortion has been around for hundreds of years.  During the time of the early settlers, abortion was legal in the United States and was constitutionally accepted among its citizens as an ideal and common practice.  In the 1800's as new immigrants starting migrating to the United States, some states started pushing to make abortion illegal based off various reasons.  One article expressed that a common theme for the change of law was a result of fear that the immigrant population would outgrow that of the residents that were already in the States.  Whatever the reason may have been in changing the laws, the consequences in the future would make room for one of the greatest cases in the United States known as Roe vs. Wade.

In Roe vs. Wade, Roe was a Texas resident who attempted to have an abortion but was unsuccessful because of Texas state law. The law of Texas stated that it was illegal to have an abortion unless the pregnant woman's life is at risk. The Court’s decision was that women have the option to choose abortion based on the right to privacy found in the Fourteenth Amendment. Due to the courts ruling on Roe vs. Wade, the laws of 46 states adopted this ideal.

Some people believe that abortion is wrong and should be illegal because abortion is killing an innocent infant. Others believe that abortion is a good thing and should be legal because it brings relief to the mother who cannot take care of the baby. I came to conclusion that it should be legal because no one should have power to decide whether someone lives or dies besides God in my opinion.  Besides, the constitution states that everyone is born with God given rights, which are LIFE, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. My question to you is in whose hands do you feel should the decision about the fate of an unborn child’s life be in?  Another question that I have for you is, if abortion was illegal then what exceptions would you create.

http://www.abort73.com/abortion_facts/us_abortion_history

http://www.ourbodiesourselves.org/book/excerpt.asp?id=27

Women and equal rights

Robin Hobbins once stated  “Women do two-thirds of the world’s work, receive 10 percent of the world’s income and own 1 percent of the means of production.” From the past til now this quote, by Mr. Hobbins still hold validity in today's society.


Before the Civil War, and even in our modern society. Women still struggle with being equal with men.  For decades women have made progress in achieving what is due them, but still has a little way to go.  Before the Civil War, the voice of women were silent and unheard.  Although the political figures voted by men still affected the lives of women, they had no say in who was elected to official positions.  In 1848, Elizabeth Cady stanton, Lucretia Mott, and some men gathered together to start a movement known as the Women's Suffrage movement which was geared towards achieving equal voting rights for women.  The very well known case of Minor vs Happersett dealt with a woman named Virgina Minor who alleged she was denied the right to register to vote by a Missouri state registrar named Resse Happersett.  Minor said that this was an infringement of her Civil Rights under the Fourteenth Amendment.  Although Minor did not get the decision she wanted, she paved the way for progress to be made for women in the area of voting rights. 

After a long uphill battle, millions of American women exercised their right to vote on the election day of 1920.  Over a span of 100 years of struggle and persistence, the sweat and tears were well worth it.   On August 16, 1920, the nineteenth amendment to the Constitution became law and allowed women to participate in the fall elections of that year including the Presidential election.  As I sit back and look at how this all unfolded, I can't help but ask myself what the big deal was with allowing women to vote.  The most I could think of was that maybe women would vote with emotions and feelings instead of the knowledge and facts.  Others could argue that some men probably would vote the same way.  If you ask me, there is no valid argument in the discussion of giving women the right to vote because at the end of the day, they are citizens just as much as men are.  My question to some are, how do you think politics would play out in today's age if women were still not allowed to vote?  I also would like to know what qualities do women bring to politics today?

http://womenshistory.about.com/od/suffrage1900/a/august_26_wed.htm (Another link to add to the page)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dPF0SGh_PQ (School house rocks video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hBd1HN7WJM (Invest in women: Do you see the opportunity video)
http://www.globalissues.org/article/166/womens-rights