On Abortion

of late i have become interested in the abortion debate raging in the US. to most desis it seems like a non-issue. we are either religiously/socially conditioned to the point where abortions are unthinkable or we shrug and say what's the difference. interestingly, these two attitudes align to an extent with the attitudes of american people too. this makes it a worthwhile exercise to delve deeper into the issue for we might have to grapple with the same in the future.

the pro-life advocates base their argument on the rationale that abortion is murder of another human being. not just that, it is murder of a human being who is unable to speak for itself or protect itself in any way. the consequences of such an action are terrible for the pregnant woman, the unborn child and the society as a whole. just as one does not stand by and see another human being murdered, it is important to take action against abortion.

the pro-choice advocates on the other hand believe that a fetus is not a human being. while opinions vary, the differences in the opinions of this group boil down to how advanced the pregnancy is. does a few weeks old fetus, amorphous in shape, not smiling, not kicking constitute a human being? if it is just a collection of cells and tissue that can be cleaned out medically, what is the hullabaloo all about?

thrown into this ethical debate on human life is a plethora of issues that boil down to one phrase -"a woman's right to choose". is it right to abort if the pregnancy endangers the life of the woman? should a raped woman be made to bear the added indignity of having her rapists child? does a married woman not have the right to curtail her family size to suit the exigencies of her life? is a teenage girl's mistake something she should pay for her entire life?

the pro-lifers have an objection in the form of commoditization of sex and related information. TV and cinema fill teenage minds with sexual imagery. busy career women do not want to settle down and have a family, instead preferring casual relationships and risking accidental pregnancies. in short, it is morally irresponsible behavior that leads to the abortion choice in the first place.

unfortunately, this line of reasoning obscures the important fact that life does not come neatly packaged with idealistic certainty. in other words, hormone fueled teenagers will make mistakes, TV or no TV. there would be families where the woman has to decide if she can support a fifth child mentally, physically and/or economically. ban abortion and these women will be forced to get the so called "coat-hanger abortions" from charlatans. an abortion is not a pleasant experience for a woman. abortion bans turn unpleasant into unsafe.

while the pro-lifers may be too idealistic in their attitudes about moral responsibility, i respect their suggestions in dealing with unwanted pregnancies- discouraging irresponsible sexual activity, giving up a child for adoption rather than going for an abortion etc.

however, these suggestions are not practical for all people. a raped woman should not be forced to have her rapists child. neither should a woman whose life is threatened by pregnancy. a teenager may find it easier to seek an abortion rather than risk being disowned by her family. any woman would find it tough to give away her child to strangers.

so what is the solution?

like many human problems, this one doesn't come with a one size fits all solution. let rape victims and women with health risks get abortions. teenagers should receive good education about preventing pregnancies. this should include both practical knowledge of contraception and moral knowledge of abstinence. on the other hand, parents should deal gently with their teenager's mistake. they have to help the teenager deal with the consequences whether she chooses adoption or abortion. a married woman should definitely consider adoption over abortion.

the most important thing is to consider the issue from a human rather than an ideological perspective. the best solution to this issue requires both social measures and legislation. neither permisiveness nor extreme idealism constitute a solution. purely legalistic approaches do not solve issues, they make things illegal.