Steven Gans
PHIL 200
15 Sept 2013
Is Abortion Murder to a Fetus
During the months leading to the Emancipation Proclamation, President Lincoln repeatedly discussed the matter with his cabinet. During one difficult discussion, he asked: "Gentlemen, how many legs does a sheep have?" Each man answered correctly, "Four, He proceeded, "Let 's call his tail a leg. Now, how many legs?" Each man replied, "Five, Mr. Lincoln retorted, "Nope, still only four. Just because we call it a leg doesn 't make it one." Mr. Lincoln 's wit and wisdom speak to our present day confusion about abortion.
Is Abortion really murder. Give about 266 days after conception and see what emerges from the womb. It will be a human baby, not a horse, a fish or an honey badger. When a human egg and sperm unite, the result is a fetus. Within 3 week you can hear a heartbeat. At 4 weeks you are able to pick out facial features, arms and legs. Nerves and brain waves are in place by eight weeks after conception. At 12 weeks breathing of fluid for oxygen. So is this a fetus or a human? That is still up to interpretation. Legal rights have stepped in but, yet they are broken all the time. The legal definition of murder is the willing act of terminating a human life. The legal precedence and grounds for abortion retaining legal status is based on Roe v Wade. The Supreme Court ruled that Texas violated Roe 's 9th and 14th amendment rights. The 14th amendment violation was in regards to the right of due process and the 9th due to privacy. Due process ' is the legal requirement that the state must respect all of the legal rights that are owed to a person. The 14th amendment baked up her rights given in the 9th amendment to privacy. The Constitution does not specifically mention a right to privacy. However, Supreme Court decisions over the years have established that the right to privacy is a basic human right, and is protected by the 9th Amendment.
On April 1, 2004,
Cited: “Roe Vs. Wade – Case brief summary” Lawnix –Law Resources and Legal Information. N.p., n.d. web 09/12/2013 www.lawnix.com/cases/roe-wade.html. “Unborn Victims of Violence Act” GPO.GOV. Version PUBLIC LAW 108-212. N.p., 04/01/2004. Web 10/12/2013 www.gpo.gov.fdsys/pkg/plaw-108publ212/pdf. Stith, Richardson. “Abortion Is More Than Murder”. Version 72. New Oxford Review, 10/08/2005. Web 09/12/2013 http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy1.apaccountid=8289. Locke, Sandra. “Is the Fetus a Person”. Proquwest.Verson 2. Thomas Jefferson Law, 04/04/2001. Web. 09/12/2013. http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy1.apaccountid=8289.