Shannon Adcock
Unit 3 Issue
LSTD 1243
June 1, 2010
Going too far: Oklahoma’s Abortion Debate
For my unit 3 paper I chose to write about some of the new measures on abortion that has been introduced to the Oklahoma Legislature. Some of this legislation includes questionnaires that women who are seeking abortions are asked to fill out. These invasive questionnaires are then submitted and posted online. The explanation given for this measure is that these new statistics will help form new policies for the state of Oklahoma to help women explore options other than abortion. Another measure would require women seeking an abortion to undergo an ultrasound along with a detailed explanation of the fetus. Doctors would not be required to provide information on any kind of physical defects to the mother in the hopes of preventing an abortion due to a disability. The physician would be released from all legal liabilities if the mother decided to sue. There are no exemptions for cases of rape or incest. The Oklahoma Legislature has also introduced a bill that would require women to purchase additional insurance to cover abortions. Private insurance companies would no longer be required to cover abortions. These measures are dangerous to the citizens of Oklahoma and only seek to impart morality on the public. The legislators have no plan on how to implement new policies to help educate women about their options to help prevent abortions. These lengthy surveys only seek to invade a women’s privacy and create more mental stress. I chose to write about this issue not only because I feel it is important but also to educate myself on these different measures. These laws will have a negative impact on women as well as physicians and it is imperative that we as citizens of the state of Oklahoma take the time to learn more about these measures.
Shannon-
ReplyDeleteI like the topic you chose to write about the deal with abortion in Oklahoma. Although you may not agree with the new legislature implemented about abortion in Oklahoma, I believe they are choosing the right thing to do. I am completely against abortion, so I probably take a much different stance on this topic. I believe that the process of eliminating a fetus is an extremely painful process for both the baby and the mother. The mother undergoes a surgery to kill the fetus, thinking it won't hurt as much as having the baby, but it is quite the opposite. Going through an abortion is a painful surgery and I think it is ethically wrong to kill a human being. It's murder, no? The baby is breathing inside the mother's womb, yet the mother is being selfish, only thinking about her own well being, forgetting that she is killing her own child. Whether it's rape, divorce, or just because someone hates kids doesn't give women an excuse to have an abortion. There's always an alternative, like giving it up for adoption. There are many folks out there that care to have a child, but cannot bare one. What about them? I think they deserve to have a child that they can raise, parents that will be good parents. The outlook on this issue is only regarding the mother, not the child, or parents who want to adopt children.