Major Speech Debate & Bibliography

Pro Abortion Debate

I.               Introduction

a.     Abortion should remain the way it is.

II.             Respond to what previous speakers have said

III.           A fetus is not a human being. Abortion is terminating a pregnancy, not a baby. Personhood at conception is not a proven biological fact. Personhood begins at birth. (abortion.procon.org)

a.     Fetuses are uniquely different from born human beings in major ways, which casts doubt on the claim that they can be classified as human beings. The most fundamental difference is that a fetus is totally dependent on a woman's body to survive.

b.     The crucial difference is that they are not dependent on one, specific person to the exclusion of all others. Anybody can take care of a newborn infant, but only that pregnant woman can nurture her fetus. She can’t hire someone else to do it.   (abortionaccess.info)

IV.            Financial Issues.

a.     A Sep. 2005 survey in the peer-reviewed journal Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health asking women why they had an abortion found that 73% of participants said they could not afford to have a baby, and 38% claimed giving birth would interfere with their education and career goals. Reproductive choice helps prevent women from experiencing financial harm. (womenissues.about.com)

b.     What if a family can not afford to have a baby? Should the family or mother suffer a lifetime because she/ they can barely afford to live life as is? We must look out for people who are already living, not just the ones who will be living.

c.      President Barack Obama said in a Mar. 29, 2008 campaign speech in Johnston, Pennsylvania, "I have two daughters... I'm going to teach them first about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby."

V.              Conclusion

a. due to rape, financial issues, health, etc. Abortion should remain legal and the way it is.

 Work Cited

Arthur, Joyce. "Personhood: Is a Fetus a Human Being?" Abortion Access and Information. Aug. 2001. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://www.abortionaccess.info/fetusperson.htm>.

Dailard, Cynthia. "Abortion in Context: United States and Worldwide." Guttmacher Institute: Home Page. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/ib_0599.html>.

Lowen, Linda. "Why Women Choose Abortion - Reasons Why Women Have an Abortion." Women's Issues - All About Women's Issues. About.com. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://womensissues.about.com/od/reproductiverights/a/AbortionReasons.htm>.

"Should Abortion Be Legal?" Abortion ProCon.org. Procon.org, 31 Jan. 2012. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://abortion.procon.org/>.

"Why Is Abortion-on-demand Legal in America? • ChristianAnswers.Net." Christian Answers Network [Home] • Multilingual Answers, Reviews, Ministry Resources, and More! • ChristianAnswers.Net. Christian Answers Network. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://www.christiananswers.net/q-sum/q-life002.html>.

"National Abortion Federation: History of Abortion." National Abortion Federation (NAF). National Abortion Federation. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://www.prochoice.org/about_abortion/history_abortion.html>.