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Whether or not life starts at conception and abortion is legalised murder are concepts that it is near pointless to debate. Opposing sides have passionate beliefs one way or the other and this is precisely the issue. In a debate, when your aim is to change minds, is there a point arguing a case that most people have already made up their minds about?

I doubt any argument, one way or the other, could ever truly convince someone to change such passionately entrenched beliefs. Rants on why you are right and others are wrong are largely self serving. You are preaching to the converted and either side cannot help but fail.

So here is my argument for legalised abortion, without any further mention on when life starts and whether or not abortion is murder. I hope that people from either side of the fence will see my reasoning. I want to convince those who believe every abortion is a tragedy that they can still believe that, while at the same time arguing for some level of legalised choice.

An impossible task? I hope not.

I think the most convincing argument by far is that, whether legal or not, people are going to find a way to commit abortion. Tales of coat-hangers and home-made substances designed to induce a miscarriage are very grim indeed, no matter your views on abortion. Such stories were all too common before the legalisation of abortion. A study by Richard Schwarz which concluded in 1968 discovered that over 1.2 million abortions were performed every year in the United States, a not insignificant number of which were entirely self induced.

Can't we agree that in such circumstances it is better to perform an abortion in a clinically safe environment than to risk the life of the mother and further pain to the fetus? If one's true objective really is to lower the number of abortions then let us look at the evidence which shows that making choice illegal is largely ineffectual?

Abortion is a tragedy of circumstance, isn't it more effective to prevent the circumstances? Time would be better spent focusing on contraception, getting people to have safe sex and thereby reducing the total number of unwanted pregnancies.

The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice recognises this. They are 'Pro-Faith, Pro-Family and Pro-Choice. President of the organisation, Reverend Carlton W. Veazey writes:

"Our rational, healing perspective looks beyond the bitter abortion debate to seek solutions to pressing problems such as unintended pregnancy, the spread of HIV/AIDS, inadequate health care and health insurance, and the severe reduction in reproductive health care services. We support access to sex education, family planning and contraception, affordable child care and health care, and adoption services as well as safe, legal, abortion services, regardless of income."

Holding these views is not contradictory, it shows a sincere and honest understanding of the issues; a mind based in reality and pragmatism.

The perspective was summed up neatly in 'The West Wing' by fictional presidential candidate Matt Santos: "I think abortion is a tragedy. I think it should be safe, it should be legal, and it should be a whole lot rarer than it is now."

On this, I hope we can agree.

Learn more about this author, Ben Winsor.
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