Essence Edmonds outline and draft

Summary

Topic: Abortion rights

Intro: (hook, intro to topic, thesis statement)
Imagine a society where a woman's right to make decisions about her own body is restricted, where access to safe and legal abortion becomes increasingly limited. This is the stark reality that has emerged with the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade, a landmark decision that had long been a symbol of reproductive rights in the United States.
Abortion rights have been a contentious issue in the United States and around the world for decades. The debate often centers around a woman's autonomy and her right to make choices about her body, her health, and her future. Roe v. Wade, a Supreme Court decision in 1973, marked a significant milestone in securing these rights, establishing the legal framework for safe and accessible abortions. However, recent events have seen this pivotal ruling overturned or weakened in some places, sparking a renewed and passionate debate about the importance of abortion rights.
The preservation of abortion rights is essential for safeguarding women's bodily autonomy, their right to choose, and their overall health and well-being. The recent overturning of Roe v. Wade is a significant setback, as it threatens to limit these fundamental rights, negatively impacting the lives of countless women.
Premise 1: The turmoil and confusion surrounding the state of abortion rights in the United States, as exemplified by the recent Supreme Court decision overturning the constitutional right to abortion, highlights the critical importance of preserving and protecting abortion rights.
Supporting Evidence:
Rosenkrantz, Holly. "Abortion Post-Roe". CQ Researcher, 09 Sep 2022. Thousand Oaks, California: CQ Press, 2022. 31 Oct 2023, doi: https://doi.org/10.4135/cqresrre20220909
“A woman with a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy sought emergency care at the University of Michigan Hospital after a doctor in her home state worried that the presence of a fetal heartbeat meant treating her might run afoul of new restrictions on abortion.”
“In Wisconsin, a woman bled for more than 10 days from an incomplete miscarriage after emergency room staff would not remove the fetal tissue amid a confusing legal landscape that has roiled obstetric care.”
“In the three weeks of turmoil since the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion, many physicians and patients have been navigating a new reality in which the standard of care for incomplete miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies and other common complications is being scrutinized, delayed — even denied — jeopardizing maternal health, according to the accounts of doctors in multiple states where new laws have gone into effect.”

Premise 2: Challenges faced by both healthcare providers and patients in the wake of restrictive abortion laws.
Supporting Evidence:
Rosenkrantz, Holly. "Abortion Post-Roe". CQ Researcher, 09 Sep 2022. Thousand Oaks, California: CQ Press, 2022. 31 Oct 2023, doi: https://doi.org/10.4135/cqresrre20220909
“According to the Guttmacher Institute, 19 states now require a provider to be physically present when prescribing such medication, and seven ban the use of telehealth services — actions that severely limit access to medication abortion. States have also been trying to prevent pregnant women from traveling to another state to get a surgical abortion”.
“Missouri has twice attempted such a travel ban, the Americans United for Life has model legislation banning such travel by minors, and Arkansas and Indiana have drafted legislation that would enforce civil and criminal penalties on anyone who helps a pregnant person cross state lines to obtain an abortion or helps them access medication”.

Premise 3/ Opposing Viewpoint: Abortion rights violate the rights of the unborn child.

Supporting Evidence:
Tibbs, Scott. "Abortion Violates a Child's Rights." Do Children Have Rights?, edited by Jamuna Carroll, Greenhaven Press, 2006. At Issue. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010406207/OVIC?u=cuny_mancc&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=1c566946. Accessed 30 Oct. 2023. Originally published as "30 Years of Slaughter, an Anniversary of Shame," Hoosier Review, 2002.
“An unborn child has the right to be physically and legally shielded from harm. This includes protection from abortion, the brutal killing of fetuses by their mothers. Because the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees equal protection for all, homicide laws must safeguard the unborn just like every other person. Never should a woman's right to privacy and personal autonomy supersede the unborn child's right to live. Even if a woman has been forcibly impregnated by a rapist, she does not have the right to kill her baby. Nor should a mother be permitted to abort simply because her fetus is determined to have a severe deformity; that would be just as wrong as killing the sick or the elderly. Fetuses at all stages of development are humans, and all humans have a right to life.”
Rough draft
"Overturning of Roe v. Wade Sparks Fierce Debate on Abortion Rights in the United States"
Recent Supreme Court Decision Threatens Women's Bodily Autonomy and Healthcare Access
Date: October 31, 2023
By Essence Edmonds - News Reporter

In a landmark decision that had long symbolized reproductive rights in the United States, the Supreme Court recently overturned the pivotal ruling of Roe v. Wade. This decision, handed down in 1973, marked a significant milestone in securing a woman's right to make choices about her own body, her health, and her future. However, the recent turn of events has raised serious concerns about the future of abortion rights in the country and reignited a passionate debate on the significance of these rights.
The contentious issue of abortion rights, which has been a subject of debate for decades in the United States and globally, revolves around a woman's autonomy and her right to make choices about her body, her health, and her future. Roe v. Wade provided the legal framework for safe and accessible abortions, safeguarding these fundamental rights. Its recent overturning and weakening in certain states have cast a shadow over these hard-fought rights, threatening the lives and well-being of countless women.
The state of abortion rights in the United States has been marked by turmoil and confusion in the wake of the recent Supreme Court decision overturning the constitutional right to abortion. This decision has sent shockwaves through the medical community, prompting doctors and patients to navigate a new reality in which the standard of care for complications such as incomplete miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies is under scrutiny.
Recent reports highlight the potential consequences of these restrictive abortion laws, including cases where pregnant women seeking emergency medical care have faced delays due to the legal uncertainty surrounding abortion. In some instances, doctors were reluctant to proceed with necessary procedures, potentially jeopardizing maternal health. These developments underscore the critical importance of preserving and protecting abortion rights to ensure women's well-being and access to safe healthcare.
According to a report by Holly Rosenkrantz in CQ Researcher, women with life-threatening ectopic pregnancies have faced obstacles when seeking medical care, as physicians worried that the presence of a fetal heartbeat might conflict with new abortion restrictions. Additionally, cases of women experiencing complications due to restrictive laws, such as incomplete miscarriages, have arisen, posing challenges to obstetric care.
The restrictive abortion laws have presented significant challenges to healthcare providers and patients alike. Numerous states have imposed stringent requirements, such as the physical presence of a provider when prescribing medication abortion, which limits access to essential healthcare services. In addition, some states have attempted to prevent pregnant women from traveling to other states to obtain surgical abortions, further constraining their access to necessary care.

Missouri, for example, has made repeated attempts to enact a travel ban, while organizations like Americans United for Life have developed model legislation targeting travel for minors seeking abortions. Arkansas and Indiana have even drafted legislation that could impose civil and criminal penalties on individuals who help pregnant people cross state lines to obtain an abortion.
Information from Holly Rosenkrantz's report highlights that 19 states now require a physical provider's presence for medication abortion, and seven states ban the use of telehealth services, severely limiting access to medication abortion. Furthermore, states have been actively working to prevent pregnant women from traveling to other states to obtain surgical abortions.
While the preservation of abortion rights is a fundamental aspect of women's autonomy and healthcare access, opposing viewpoints argue that these rights infringe upon the rights of the unborn child. Critics contend that the unborn child has the right to be protected from harm, which includes protection from abortion, and that the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause should apply to fetuses. They argue that a woman's right to privacy and personal autonomy should not supersede the unborn child's right to life, even in cases of rape or fetal deformity.
Scott Tibbs, writing in "Do Children Have Rights? " Emphasizes that fetuses, at all stages of development, are human beings and have a right to life. Critics argue that abortion, even in cases of severe deformity, should not be permissible, as it infringes upon the rights of the unborn child. The recent overturning of Roe v. Wade underscores the profound divisions within American society regarding abortion rights and the ongoing struggle to balance a woman's autonomy with the rights of the unborn. As this debate continues, it remains a pivotal issue with far-reaching consequences for women's lives and their access to reproductive healthcare.