Much fuss has been made recently regarding Texas’ new abortion law, signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, that can ban an abortion as early as six weeks. Texas joined several other states in banning abortion procedures after the detection of a fetal heartbeat, which can come as early as six weeks. But what makes Texas’ new law so controversial is that it allows anyone, even somebody outside of the state, to sue the person or people who provided the abortion or anyone who assisted in abortion procedures after the limits.

Pro-choice advocates argue that this new law is immoral and can lead to innocent doctors, nurses, or even domestic violence counselors being sued and harassed in court. Pro-choice groups and many liberals argue that many women do not even know that they are pregnant after six weeks. On the other hand, pro-life groups make the point that the act of abortion is immoral and needs to be immediately abolished. They believe that the state of Texas is taking necessary and appropriate measures to outlaw abortion in the state. Pro-life advocates and conservatives would agree that the new law correctly discourages doctors and nurses from performing an abortion, and they would be happy to see that it discourages regular citizens from assisting in any sort of abortion procedures. Many Americans are questioning whether Texas’ new law is a step too far, or if the new law coming into effect this month is an appropriate measure to outlaw an immoral practice in the state and throughout the country. 

The part of Texas’ new abortion law that stands out to most people is the fact that anyone has the ability to sue the organization that provided an abortion after the 6-week time period. The new law states that an individual that assists a women in getting an abortion may be sued. This may include driving them to the facility or helping them make an appointment. Many people have been irritated by this new law, and some, even conservatives, have balked at the idea of ordinary citizens, especially those outside of the state of Texas, being able to sue an abortion provider and seek financial damages. Even though Texas is the first state to have instituted this new law, it is very possible that more conservative states could follow suit, as a Republican lawmaker in Florida already filed an abortion bill that draws several similarities to Texas’ new law. 

Abortion, even though a very political issue, is wrapped in morality. Pro-life groups claim that it is unethical and immoral to kill an unborn baby whose heartbeat has been detected. Pro-choice organizations argue that not letting a woman decide what she wants to do with her own body is a violation of her natural rights and a form of sexism. But is depriving the right to life for an unborn baby not the ultimate violation of God-given rights? People in America have the right to free speech, but it is not as if they can say whatever they want whenever they want. There are repercussions when a citizen says something that is inappropriate or threatens others. Women have the right to do what they please in regards to their own bodies, but deciding to kill an unborn baby is not a natural right for all women. When feminists and pro-choice advocates argue that it is immoral for members of the government to control what women do with their bodies, they fail to realize that by banning abortion, an innumerable amount of lives will be saved. 

It is easy to understand why many people are outraged over the new abortion law in Texas. Giving ordinary citizens that much power can be a scary proposition for many people, and there are valid concerns about doctors or nurses being harassed through lawsuits. But the new law is a step in the right direction in that it encourages citizens to not assist in the act of an abortion, and it correctly outright bans the practice after six weeks. Some people complain that many women are unaware that they are pregnant after just six weeks, but there is never a right or justified time to perform an abortion. Abortion at any period of the pregnancy is the killing of an unborn baby, and Texas’ new law stands to protect the lives of those unborn children.

This new law passed by Gov. Greg Abbott allows regular citizens to participate in the act of protecting and saving innocent lives. This new law is so effective because it denies the opportunity for abortion groups to challenge a new law in court before it has come into effect. Because of private individuals’ right to sue anyone who assists in an abortion procedure after the abortion has taken place, the law denies any success for its opponents on a pre-enforcement challenge. The law is also effective in that it exposes anyone who helps in the process of an abortion to financial loss and possibly more damage. These repercussions will certainly discourage people from aiding in the process of an abortion, which is a very good thing. Some people may think of these penalties as harsh and unnecessary, but they are appropriate measures to take in order to discourage people from getting, or helping someone get, an abortion. 

Abortion always seems to be a very delicate and difficult topic to discuss. Many people come to the conclusion that they themselves would not get an abortion or encourage one to get an abortion, but that they believe the decision is ultimately up to the woman. It says a lot about the morality of abortion itself that many people who think it should be legal would not get or encourage someone to get an abortion. Other individuals might say that abortion should be allowed only in certain circumstances, such as if the mother is at risk of dying in child birth or if it’s a case of rape or incest.

The Texas law states that an abortion is legal after the time limit if a mother is at risk of dying while giving birth, but it controversially does not make an exception for cases of rape. Many people believe an exception should be made in the case of rape or incest, but if an unborn child was killed as a result of rape, would that not mean that the victim of the crime would get killed while the one who did the crime would be able to keep their life? There are many tough questions that need to be asked regarding abortion, and the answers to those difficult questions may not please everyone. But pleasing everyone pales in comparison to saving the lives of unborn children.

Texas’ new abortion law may seem harsh even to some pro-life advocates and conservatives, but the bill will immediately save lives, and no amount of criticism of the bill can hide that fact.