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The First Law
The American Law Institute proposed a model penal code for state abortion laws. The code supports the legalization of abortion in cases related to mental/physical health of the mother, rape, incest, and fetal deformity. This code sparked the debate of abortion that would last for many decades to come. On one side, people believed that abortion should be illegal no matter what, while others believed that in extenuating circumstances an abortion was unfortunate, but necessary. -
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Culture War Timeline: Abortion
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US v. Vuitch
The Supreme Court ruled on its first case involving abortion, stating that abortion is permitted to save a women’s “psychological and physical well-being.” This case ruling was significant because it proclaimed abortion should be dealt with as any other procedure. Many agreed with the ruling, but others were still against abortions even if it put the mother's life at risk. -
Roe v. Wade
The Supreme Court provided its ruling on Roe v. Wade, stating that the legality of abortion depended on the which trimester the mother was in. Increased regulation was implied the longer the pregnancy. This court ruling was significant because the court stated that an abortion was a fundamental right, which implied all restrictive laws to fall under scrutiny. The majority opinion declared abortion was legal, while the dissenting opinion believed the Constitution did not include that right. -
Innocent or Guilty?
Abortionist Kenneth C. Edelin from Boston was found guilty of manslaughter for the death of an unborn child. The jury found Edelin to be guilty because he had removed the fetus too late in the pregnancy. This case was significant because it propelled the discussion of whether abortion was considered murder. Many believed Edelin was rightly convicted, but others believed his conviction was a result of prejudice due to his race. -
Abortion in Politics
Pro-choice Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale were defeated by pro-life Ronald Reagan and George Bush, and eleven Senate seats moved from pro-choice to pro-life after the election. This increase in anti-abortion politicians was significant because having the support of powerful political figures would help create new legislation in favor of anti-abortionists. The pro-life advocates were pleased with the outcome of the election, while the pro-choice were not so happy. -
HL v. Matheson
The Supreme Court issued a Utah parental notification law, requiring an abortionist to inform the parents of a pregnant minor of the procedure. This law was significant because it did not allow parents to prohibit their daughter from an abortion, but required them to be informed of the procedure. The daughter in this case, H.L., believed this violated her constitutional rights. However, the Utah Supreme Court ruled otherwise. -
National Teens for Life
The National Teens for Life program was founded. The pro-life movement provides support for pregnant teens, and attempts to eradicate the legalization of abortions. This is significant because the program still exists today, and continues to support pregnant teens who may be considering an abortion. Both sides of the abortion debate wish that teens are properly educated on abortion, but both believe different "truths" related to abortion. -
Rally for Life
A crowd of 300,000 pro-life protesters flooded Washington D.C. for the organized Rally for Life. This was significant because the protesters joined together and sent a powerful message to the people of America and elected officials. The event strengthened the anti-abortionist's moral. The pro-life protesters were determined to create change, while the pro-choice representatives continued to advocate for the mother's ability to choose an abortion. -
Mother Teresa Speaks
At the National Prayer Breakfast Mother Teresa stated, "the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion." She stated this in front of Bill and Hillary Clinton. This was significant because Mother Teresa was such an influential figure in the world. Having the support of a Nobel Peace Prize winner boosted the pro-life initiative in America. On the other hand, Mother Teresa's speech worried the pro-choice movement. However, no lawmaking was taking place against pro-choice legislation. -
Abortion in Media
A documentary program, Media Matters, by PBS showed a biased pro-choice perspective on partial birth abortion. When Congress thought about passing a law to ban partial birth abortion, the pro-choice group used media as a strategy to uphold the legalization of abortion. This was significant because PBS is well known for it's documentaries, and educating the public on biased information influenced the opinions of others. Both sides of the debate continued to have different versions of the "truth". -
Travelling to Abort
A Republican Senator from Michigan, Spencer Abraham, proposed the Child Custody Protection Act. It stated that it was against the law to transport minors across state borders for an abortion. This act was significant because it was a regulation that possibly prevented teens from getting abortions. The anti-abortionists approved of this law, while the pro-choice advocates were hesitant. -
Analysis
Both pro-choice and pro-life advocates have had the same opinions over the decades. Pro-life people believe abortion should be illegal, while pro-choice believe it should be the mother's choice. The specifics of abortion laws have changed the most over time. In 1959, abortions were only allowed if the mother's well-being was at risk. -
Prediction
I believe the country is leading towards a draw between anti-abortionists and pro-choice individuals. In the article, "Where U.S. Battles Over Abortion Will Play Out In 2019" the author states, "The Republican-controlled Congress proved unable in 2017 or 2018 to realize one of the anti-abortion movement's biggest goals: evicting Planned Parenthood from Medicaid, the federal-state health insurance program for people who have low incomes." (Rovner) -
Citations
Abortion History Timeline. (n.d.). Retrieved February 12, 2019, from https://www.nrlc.org/abortion/history/ ----------------------Rovner, J. (2019, January 08). Where U.S. Battles Over Abortion Will Play Out In 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2019, from https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/01/08/682452994/where-u-s-battles-over-abortion-will-play-out-in-2019 -
Analysis Continued
With the support of organizations, media, politics, and people of influence; laws to regulate abortions were put in place such the Child Custody Protection Act and the Utah Parental Notification Law. All of these regulations came from Supreme Court decisions and the protesting of both anti-abortionists and pro-choice groups. There has yet to be an enumerated compromise, but the regulations placed on abortion laws have forced a makeshift compromise. -
Prediction Continued
Many events in the timeline, along with this quote, prove that the pro-life advocates have generally failed to change the Supreme Court rulings that perpetuate the legality of abortion. Also, since the last election there has been a shift in Congressional Democratic power. Democrats tend to be pro-choice advocates, meaning the anti-abortion movement may become weak.
