California’s lax abortion laws

Posted by eallen on May 24, 2012 in Telegram Past News

The definition of abortion is the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy. In the Roe v. Wade case, the court issued its decision on January 22, 1973. The court deemed abortion a fundamental right under the US constitution. It was also decided to assert the “right to privacy” with the court’s decision. As a federal law, any female possesses the right to an abortion as well as the right to privacy. It is, however, up to each individual state whether or not a minor can have an abortion with or without parent consent or notification. California, for example, does not require a parent or guardian consent nor is it even allowed to inform them of the abortion due to the right to privacy. Schools now assist girls in setting up their abortion appointments, laws are being kept as light as possible, and some believe abortions are taking place more than necessary.

According to statistics, on average, twenty percent of abortions are had by young teens. More than half of the abortions had in the US are had by women under the age of twenty-five. Many states require a court’s approval if not the approval of the parents or guardian, but not in California. A girl under the age of eighteen is able to have an abortion without even informing her parent or guardian. A girl can go to her school nurse and have an appointment made for her. It’s being made easier and easier for young girls to have an abortion.

Abortions have been made quite a convenience. A decision that will have a life long effect can be made by a young individual with hardly any thought even put into it other than fear. Cigarettes, lottery tickets, and plenty of other things are kept from minors. Yet the opportunity to take the potential life of a child away is put into the hands of young girls without even informing her parents or guardians. A number of states are currently working on making stricter abortion laws while California is working hard at keeping the least strict laws possible regarding abortions.

Under certain circumstances abortions should be allowed, but an abortion should not be an open ended option for just anybody. Taking the life of an innocent individual should not be an easy alternative. Choices have consequences and too many people are choosing to take what they believe will be the easy way out without thinking of the long lasting after facts. Abortion is not the only issue at hand. California’s laws are illogical and support the wrong things. Minors are prevented from doing plants of things, there are laws against hate crimes, and equal rights protection acts, yet California allows minors to make decisions such as terminating a fetus and not have any sort of approval. There are laws against murder, yet no restrictions against killing an innocent fetus.

In conclusion, California had some of the least strict laws possible regarding an abortion. Having an abortion under certain circumstances is justifiable for some, but just another form of birth control for others. Minors are kept from a number of things such as cigarettes and lottery tickets, yet are allowed to have an abortion with no sort of consent. When wrong decisions are made there are consequences, and too many people are taking the easy way out simply because it’s being made available.