Good morning, classmates. I would like to ask you a simple question, just so I know where everyone is coming from. There is no so- called correct answer, all that I ask of you is that you will answer me honestly. How many people believe that abortion is fine, and that it should remain legal in the United States? Ok, now how many people believe that abortion is wrong? Ok, I would like to dedicate this speech to my fifteen-year-old friend Jen, who just found out a week ago that she is pregnant and decided to keep her baby. She told me at fifteen years old that even though her mother would kick her out of the house for being pregnant, she could not live her life with the guilt that she would have from terminating her child s life.

That s about what I figured, so I can now proceed. America is split over the issue of abortion. Abortion policies have been a leading factor in determining who gets elected to office.

In the United States, women choose to end roughly 25% of their pregnancies through abortion. This number may seem very high, but it has been decreasing since 1979. Also when compared to abortion rates in the former Soviet Union and Romania, which have rates of sixty to seventy percent, twenty five percent doesn t seem so bad. These exceptionally high numbers are said to be largely due to a lack of necessary contraceptives.

There is one major distinction between the body of pro-choicers and pro-lifers. They both ask the same question, but come up with drastically dissimilar answers. The question is, When does life actually start? Pro-choice believes that life begins at birth; pro-life believes that life begins at conception. This major discrepancy in views has led to a great struggle between the two beliefs.

Both pro-chiocers and pro-lifers are very powerful groups and they can accomplish many tasks because of their number. Instead of concentrating on completely obliterating the other group, these people should take some time and energy out to find some similarities between themselves. As long as abortion is legal the goals of both parties is to make abortions safe and to reduce the amount of the ones legally and illegally performed.

With a new president in office, the right of the woman to abort a child may be taken away very soon. This will be a major issue during the next few months, especially the use of the abortion pill. Is abortion a right, or is it a heinous easy way out of responsibility. Many men are quick to say that it is an easy way out, but men are not the ones who have to deal with the reality of pregnancy and raising the child.

I just want to end with two short quotes. It is equality as heinous intentionally to kill a human being in existence at fertilization as it is to kill a larger pre-born child. Nellie Gray

And from an opposing view: Making the decision to terminate a pregnancy or to bring a fetus to term is by far the most wrenching experience I ve ever had. The right to choose is not a luxury; it s a responsibility that demands intense introspection and awareness.