“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and pursuit of happiness,” as stated in the Declaration of Independence, ALL men are created equal and have equal rights. Why then should such rights be denied to those who are unable even to protect themselves? Approximately 1.21 million abortions are performed each year in the United States alone. According to the Guttmacher Institute, this equates to nearly 55 million abortions since 1973, when abortion was legalized. There always seems to be an excuse behind the carnage of these innocent lives, but without proper and solid reasoning, abortion is the careless taking of a life that no one has the right to take. The war between pro-lifers and pro-choice supporters is surrounded by “what ifs”; what would happen if the woman was raped, what would happen if the mother died in childbirth, what would happen if it was a situation of incest? These three “what ifs” are the most common topics people immediately think about. In fact, 73% of the students I interviewed said all three or at least one in response to why they thought abortion should be legal. Research conducted by the group Operation Rescue shows that of the 1.21 million abortions performed, less than 1% are due to rape or incest. This small percentage of women is the only thing that supports the “what-ifs” that so many Pro-Choice advocates use as their first line of defense. Of course, there are a number of other reasons why mothers across America choose to end the lives of their children. These include inadequate finances (21%), inability to take responsibility (21%), thinking that their life would be in… half of paper… terrible ways to end a pregnancy, but they are rare. Abortion should not be the answer. Life is a blessing and should be seen that way not only by mothers, but by everyone. Works Cited “Unborn Babies Can Feel Pain.” During the abortion. Minnesotans Concerned for Life, n.d. Web. May 3, 2014."Understanding Children's Right to Life." Humanium for children's rights. Humanium, August 2010. Web. 03 May 2014."Abortions in America." Rescue Operation. Operation Rescue, Inc., 2014. Web. 02 May 2014.WND. "The toll of 55 million abortions called 'genocide'." FOR SALE. Np, 1997-2014. Network. 03 May 2014."Abortion in the United States." : Quick stats. Guttmacher Institute, 1996-2014. Network. May 1, 2014."The Declaration of Independence: A Transcript." National Archives and Records Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, nd Web. 01 May 2014.