Theoretical Perspective Paper |
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Theoretical Perspective Paper: Abortion This assignment taught me a lot about Abortion, a lot of things I didn’t before I know now. I also learned points from both the pro-choice and pro-life side. This helped me better understand the three perspectives and how to relate them to life. Abortion is an argument that has been discussed since it came about but mainly when it became legal on January 22, 1973 (Heritage House, 2006). Abortion is defined as: termination of pregnancy. This procedure is performed by injecting a very large syringe into the woman's abdomen, removing a certain amount of amniotic fluid out of the womb, and then injecting three times the amount of saline back in, thus "burning" the baby out. This is one of the few methods to end an unwanted pregnancy (2006 Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Willke). This controversy can be described through the three perspectives; symbolic interactionist, functionalist, and conflict theory. These theory’s help us to see abortion in many different ways, so that with facts we can come to our own decision on how to solve this problem and if it is a problem. This problem is described in many different ways; one way sociologists like to explain it is through symbolic interactionism. This perspective can help describe abortion as the experiences of the people who have to deal with them such as the mother, the baby, the abortionist, family, and people in the clinic. The mother may see abortion as a relief; another may see it as a mistake which may lead her into depression. Family members are affected by her choice especially her parents. Some parents would not want their child to have to go through birth or parenting a child under certain circumstances such as being too young. The baby if survives may feel very thankful and the abortionist and clinic workers may view the unborn child as a piece of tissue not a child to justify what others may see as wrong (2006 Gianna Jessen ) (2006 Sarah Terzo). Symbolic interactionism also helps to show the labels society places on abortion and the people who are involved in it. Abortion is a huge controversy viewed differently among people and their experiences. Some people describe abortion as murder, devastating, sad, permanent, and a mistake. Those people do not agree with abortion and put bad labels on people who do. Their attitudes towards these people would be different than those who are accepting of a mother’s wishes to terminate her pregnancy for whatever reason. Those who agree may describe abortion with the symbols such as a mother’s right, a relief, and a good thing for all parties. This perspective can help provide us with realities of the people and personal issues involved, but it does not show the big picture. Functionalism can help describe the ways in which this issue can shape society. It shows its structure and how it affects how society works. Abortion is explained through its functions and dysfunctions. Many of the functions pointed out are population decrees, less teenage parenting, less kids in foster care, reduces the number of abused children, and the mother may die giving birth (2003 Susan Dudley, PhD ) (2006 Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Willke). They also put up the debate of age and if one should have to go through giving birth at such a young age. People argue about the mothers right to abort an unwanted child in the case of rape or incest (2006 Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Willke ). We also wonder if abortion should be legal if the child is supposed to die days after its birth because of birth defects or disease (2006 Michael Monahan). People on the other side of the disagreement describe the dysfunctions as just the opposite; no babies to adopt, and can cause the mothers to become depressed, and that the rights of the child to live should be above the mothers right to kill. It will also let us see the consequences of our choices and who benefits from abortion. They also state the dangers and latent dysfunctions of abortion that can cause bladder injury, bowel injury, breast cancer, ectopic pregnancies and can affect future pregnancies in a negative way (2006 Heritage House ‘76, Inc.). The abortionists benefit because they make a lot of money from it and based on the mother they may benefit from not having an unwanted child (2006 Sarah Terzo). This perspective shows how it relates to other parts of society such as parenting, divorce, adoption, and teen pregnancy. Abortion may cause more teen pregnancies and a rise in STD’s because it gives them a way out (2006 Jonathan Klick and Thomas Stratmann). It can also affect adoption agencies in both positive and negative ways. Parenting will be discussed as well as divorce alongside this issue. Functionalism shows us how this problem works, but does not show the individual reasons for why it functions the way it does. Another way that this problem can be faced is from the conflict theory perspective. This is the theory that there must be conflict in a society. This leads us to see the disagreeing groups and how they differ. The main conflict between pro-life vs. pro-choice makes people question if the child is a living being in the womb (2004 Life Issues Institute). Some argue the fetus is just a mass of tissue in the womb and that it is not human, therefore termination is alright. Others argue that it is more than a piece of flesh, that it has a heartbeat, a spinal cord, foundations of a brain, sex cells, lungs, fingers, toes, and eyes. Another group in conflict would be mom vs. dad vs. baby. The mother has the decision to abort, adopt, or parent her baby which will cause conflict between her and the father because the father does not have these same rights. The father has no say if the mother wants to terminate their baby. The influence of the government divides society into groups of: should abortion be legal and should the government use our taxes to fund what some may not agree with. "The old law permitted abortion to save one life when two would otherwise die. The new law permits abortion to take one life when two would otherwise live." (2006 Herbert Ratner, M.D.). Some think that the government should not take away the baby’s right to live, but others say that it’s the mothers right to do what she will with her own body. Right now abortion is legal although it is still an argued debate. The pro-life side of the issue says their taxes should not go to murder and that they should not have to be a part of the killing of innocent children (2006 Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Willke). The law has caused problems with the values and morals of one’s religion (2006 Heritage House ‘76, Inc). Abortion is some cases can be choosing the mother’s life over the child’s life (2000 Unknown). Some say you should never kill the baby in any situation, others say it’s okay if it’s going to save the mother. These are a few of the many conflicts that abortion causes. This perspective shows us both sides of a problem to get rid of close-mindedness, but it does not show the facts. The best of the three perspectives to describe the problem of abortion would be symbolic interactionism. When deciding whether abortion is a good thing or a bad thing, the most important thing that should be looked at is how it affects the people who have to live with the decision. The positive and negative effects on society should be taken into account to be applied to society to make it better. The best way to find this answer is through symbolic interactionism which is seeing the experiences and attitudes of the people concerned. Functionalism and onflict theory do not solve the problem as well because they are more interested in the different sides rather than human beings themselves. Bibliography: Heritage House, (2006). The Christian View of Abortion. Retrieved July 1, 2010, from http://www.abortionfacts.com/literature/literature_9410CV.asp Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Willke (2006). WHAT KIND AND HOW? Retrieved July 1, 2010, from http://www.abortionfacts.com/online_books/love_them_both/why_cant_we_love_them_both_18.asp Gianna Jessen (2006). Gianna Jessen; Aborted but Alive Retrieved July 1, 2010, from http://www.abortionfacts.com/survivors/survivors.asp by Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Willke (2006). THE WEST IS DYING Retrieved July 1, 2010, from Susan Dudley, PhD (2003). Teenage Women, Abortion, and the Law Retrieved July 2, 2010, from http://www.prochoice.org/pubs_research/publications/downloads/about_abortion/teenage_women.pdf Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Willke (2006). UNWANTED Retrieved July 1, 2010, from Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Willke (2006). ILLEGAL ABORTIONS Retrieved July 1, 2010, from Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Willke (2006). RAPE Retrieved July 4, 2010, from http://www.abortionfacts.com/online_books/love_them_both/why_cant_we_love_them_both_29.asp#rape Michael Monahan (2006). Noah Retrieved July 1, 2010, from http://www.abortionfacts.com/life_or_choice/babies/babies_saved_noah.asp Heritage House '76, Inc. (2006). Quick Facts Retrieved July 1, 2010, from http://www.abortionfacts.com/abortion/q_facts.asp Dr. Warren Hern (2006). Complications You can have With your abortion. Retrieved July 1, 2010, from http://www.abortionfacts.com/literature/literature_928YC.asp Sarah Terzo (2006). Abortionists Speak on Abortion Retrieved July 1, 2010, from http://www.abortionfacts.com/providers/quotes.asp Jonathan Klick and Thomas Stratmann (No date) The Effect of Abortion Legalization on the Incidence of Sexually Transmitted Diseases Retrieved July 2, 2010, from http://www.law.gmu.edu/assets/files/publications/working_papers/02-11.pdf Life Issues Institute (2006). Milestones of Early Life Retrieved July 1, 2010, from http://www.abortionfacts.com/literature/literature_9438MS.asp Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Willke (2006). TAX FUNDED ABORTIONS Retrieved July 1, 2010, from Heritage House ‘76, Inc. (2006). The Christian View of Abortion Retrieved July 1, 2010, from http://www.abortionfacts.com/literature/literature_9410CV.asp Unknown (December 22, 2000) Abortion to Save the Mother? Retrieved July 1, 2010, from http://realchoice.0catch.com/library/weekly/aa122200a.htm |
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