Abortion remains a contentious issue following divided opinion about its legality. Those in support argue that a mother has the right to do what she feels is right for her even without there being danger to her life. On the contrary, those pro-life argue that abortion could constitute murder as it involves denying a potential infant the right to live. Just recently, Georgia has just concluded serious over a bill which, if enacted, will be called Living Infants Fairness and Equality (LIFE) Act. The reaction has been divided as some express their sentiments towards what is considered an “uneasy truce”. The Georgia House passed the bill which stipulates that abortion is restricted to six weeks. The rationale for the decision was that abortion is illegal after detection of a fetus’ heartbeat which is before many women know that they are actually. An exploration of the rhetorical strategies which led to passage of the controversial bill is thus warranted.
One of the key findings that the General Assembly found when discussing the abortion was that there is an obligation for individuals to protect the fundamental rights of all human beings. The main premise under the observation is that the society should seek to “… protect the fundamental rights of particular classes of persons who had not previously been recognized under law”. With such an argument, it becomes clear that the supporters of the bill were considering the rights of fetus as they fall under the category of those not yet recognized under law. Of three rhetorical strategies (ethos, logos, and pathos) commonly used, the framers of the bill began with the use of ethos to persuade readers. Descriptively, ethos entails the rhetor’s attempt to persuade the audience through using arguments which will be considered logical. In this case, the rhetor presents him or herself as an honest individual who bases his or her argument on good moral character (Borgen, 2015). Predicating upon explanation of ethos, one can notice that the abortion bill is rather specific with its approach as it solicits readers’ emotions having them perceive that committing abortion after a foetus has a heartbeat is more or less like committing murder. For that reason, it becomes evident that the framers of the bill were sensitive to the manner in which they would formulate it to persuade the audience and hence acquire approval.
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The arrangement of arguments in any piece of work is fundamental as it determines the likelihood of influencing readers or rather having them relate to what the opinion being pushed forward. Barnwell (2015) also noted that a potential influential rhetorical strategy involves placing the strongest points first after which the weaker arguments will follow, and then concluding with stronger points. Through drawing an audience at the beginning, a rhetor is able to establish ethos after which they can build on logos. Thus, of particular importance is the strategy a rhetor uses at the beginning of his or her presentation. In the Georgia abortion bill, the framers sought to convince the readers about the illegality of carrying out an abortion after a heartbeat has been identified in a foetus. They cited the 14 th Amendment which reads, in part, “… nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without the due process of law; nor deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws” (A Bill to be Entitled an Act, n.d.). The fact that the framers recognize the requirements of the 14 th Amendment when it comes to respect for life demonstrates their inclination towards promoting good and moral character. The idea is to consider a foetus to have the same rights as any other individual once it has a heartbeat. Citing the 14 th Amendment provides readers or rather the audience with the foundational basis of the proposed bill which will soon become an act. They are requested to consider their obligation to the United States Constitution which is called the law of the land. Therefore, referring to the 14 th Amendment is only but a strategy to remind the audience that they have an obligation under the law to protect individuals, in this case fetus, who have not yet been recognized.
Barnwell (2015) discussed the concept of logos stating that the rhetor’s approach should reflect his or her appeal to logic hence achieving credibility. There are various ways in which the framers of the abortion bill in Georgia have considered the use of logos in their presentation. In part, the bill reads,
The State of Georgia, supported by modern medical science and acting with reasoned judgment in its “right to adopt in its own… individual liberties more expansive than those conferred by the Federal Constitution,” finds that unborn children should be worthy of recognition as natural persons (A Bill to be Entitled an Act, n.d.).
Basing on the statement quoted above, one can notice that the framers of the bill paid particular attention to the credibility of the bill. They explicitly state that they have considered modern medical science and from their findings, they have concluded that after a foetus’ heartbeat, abortion is illegal. Their reasoning follows from the argument that unborn children, although not yet recognized under law, have similar characteristics as natural persons. For instance, the same way individuals have a heartbeat, that is also the case for the unborn baby. Hence, the appeal is that the State of Georgia shall not undermine the potential for life for an unborn baby who has already experienced a heartbeat. Relying on modern medical science shows that the decision made was not based on any subjective experience or influence from individuals that are partisan to different and conflicting political ideologies.
The bill appeals to pathos which is mainly about emotion. Barnwell (2015) explained that appeal to emotion helps in making the audience relate to the argument. Focusing on individuals’ personal experiences could help make an argument stronger. In the bill in question, the framers began stating that “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 the Pursuit of Happiness” (A Bill to be Entitled an Act, n.d.). In the statement quoted earlier, one can notice that the framers were concerned about the potential of violating the rights of unborn children even when they have not been formerly recognized under law. The argument they make appeals to emotion in that they emphasize the importance of promoting equality and allowing everyone a chance to life, liberty, and to pursue happiness. Thus, the framers have been successful in showing that committing abortion after six weeks gestation would constitute murder, which is an experience that no individual wants to be associated with.
Conclusion
The discussion has demonstrated the various ways in which the abortion bill in Georgia applies rhetorical strategies. The framers were critical in ensuring that they appeal to readers’ emotions, ethical obligations, and also demonstrated their credibility. In this respect and basing on the analysis above, one can notice the rhetorical approach the framers of the bill took to convince the general public about the importance and rationale of the bill.
References
A Bill to be Entitled an Act. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20192020/184245.pdf
Barnwell, D. (2015). Rhetoric and law: How do lawyers persuade judges? How do lawyers deal with bias in judges and judging? Georgia State University.
Borgen, C. (2015). Law, rhetoric, strategy: Russia and self-determination before and after Crimea. International Law Studies, 91: 226-280. Retrieved from https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1262&context=ils#page=15&zoom=100,0,330
