By Jessie Gambrell

Opinion Editor

On Jan. 22, 1973 the Supreme Court came to a decision on the controversial case of Roe vs. Wade concerning the touchy subject of abortion. Abortion was illegal before this court case controversy came about, but in 1971 a woman tried to get a “legal” abortion claiming that she had been raped. She later confessed that she had lied on matter in order to get an abortion, but did in fact have the baby before the court reached a decision. Another similar case (Doe vs. Bolton – 1973) reopened the case, finally bringing the decision to extend the 14th Amendment of the Right to Privacy for the women to make their own decision to have an abortion.
Ever since that decision day on Jan. 22, 1973 the debate still continues on whether or not abortion is a right thing to do. On the “Roe” side, people defend it saying that if a woman becomes pregnant and decides she does not want that baby, and then she should have the right to abort it. On the “Wade” side, people say that aborting a baby means killing an innocent human being (since human life begins at conception) and that the if you don’t want a baby, either don’t have sex or give the baby up for adoption.
Some defend the notion of abortion “killing a human baby” saying that unborn babies are not babies, instead a “fetus”, “lump of cells” or even “tissue”. People who are pro-life strongly oppose this claiming that human life begins at conception, showing the pregnant mothers an ultrasound image of the growing baby inside them proving to the mother that it is not just tissue. In fact in the controversial murder case of Scott Peterson (2005) proves that an unborn baby is a human being since he was convicted of murder on two accounts even though his baby was not yet born. Facts are facts, but the opinion is yours, is an unborn baby a baby?
In the month of January across the nation, religious groups, pro-family advocates, and many other pro-life people gather to fight for the unborn babies by marching in public with their signs of protest in what they call, “Walk for Life”. This year it is the 40th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade so there are anticipated to be more than usual. According to the National Catholic Reporter, tens of thousands of pro-lifers march every year in ‘Walk for Life’ events to help save the millions of babies being aborted every year. The woman who originally was fighting for abortion, has now converted to Christianity and is fighting in the battle to save the unborn babies as well. “Roe” is pro-life now!