Thursday, November 6, 2014

Amendment 1

There has been a lot of political and moral controversy in Tennessee lately over the vote on Amendment 1. A lot of people have heard many different explanations of what the amendment entails and what it means for women's rights to have abortions. I was one of those people who had heard many different views and was not sure what to believe anymore, so I looked it up and found some articles about it.

http://ballotpedia.org/Tennessee_Legislative_Powers_Regarding_Abortion,_Amendment_1_(2014)

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2014/11/04/amendment-takes-early-lead/18493787/

The second article explains that the amendment “…has no immediate effect on abortion policies in Tennessee. But it will give lawmakers far more power in enacting abortion regulations and restrictions in Tennessee” (Tennessee Amendment). Furthermore, the first article states that “The measure added language to the Tennessee Constitution empowering the legislature to enact, amend or repeal state statutes regarding abortion, including for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to protect the mother’s life” (Tennessee Legislative Powers). So this means that the government has the ability to regulate clinics, possibly require women who are seeking abortions to go through counseling and wait a little longer before actually having the procedure, or possibly take away the state’s right to have abortion clinics at all. However, these are all just possibilities. Nothing has happened yet and there has not been word that any clinics will be shut down so far. 


I'm all for women having the right to their own bodies, but I don't think making sure abortion clinics maintain regulation standards and requiring women to have counseling and time to think things over is a bad thing. The environment needs to be very clean and the procedures should be regulated. Women should also have access to counseling through their difficult ordeals. I think as long as amendment 1 achieves these goals we don't have much to worry about. 


Tennessee Amendment 1 abortion measure passes. (n.d.). Retrieved November 7, 2014, from http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2014/11/04/amendment-takes-early-lead/18493787/

Tennessee Legislative Powers Regarding Abortion, Amendment 1 (2014). (n.d.). Retrieved November 7, 2014, from http://ballotpedia.org/Tennessee_Legislative_Powers_Regarding_Abortion,_Amendment_1_(2014)

4 comments:

  1. I agree with your statement. I personally don't believe that abortion is ethical, except for cases of rape or incest or if it is detrimental to the mothers health. I have no problems with the government getting involved a little bit both abortion, especially when regulating the health conditions of the clinics themselves. I also don't have a problem with the government trying to educate women who are considering an abortion, through means of counseling. I would vote for Amendment 1 if I was a Tennessee resident. I do think that we do have to be careful though. This could be a stepping stone leading for total government control over abortion, which I would believe to be unethical and wrong. I would support this Amendment, but I would also not turn a blind eye to the matter. As long as nobodies constitutional rights are violated, I believe Amendment 1 is a good piece of legislation.

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  2. I also agree with you. I think the reason many people had a problem with amendment 1 is because it is vague. If the amendment had given specific things the government would regulate then more people would be for it. Amendment 1 gives the government power to regulate any part of abortion and does not allow people to know what is going to be regulated.

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  3. I agree with your statement. I do feel like the government should have went into more detail with Amendment 1.

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  4. Patrick, how can you be pro life but still think the government shouldn't control or eliminate abortion? Pro life is pro life, no exceptions.
    Rachel, there were more facts about it out there, its just that no one took the time to do the research.

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