Critical Thinking and Analysis Questions

Abortion, Depression, Domestic Violence and Child Abuse, Drunk Driving and Same-Sex Marriage

Abortion:

Should women have the right to an abortion? 
I believe women should have the right to an abortion because it is their personal choice and sometimes women do not have the opportunity to carry a child or provide for it. 

Should emergency contraception be banned? 
I don't believe emergency contraception should be banned because there are women who don't want a baby yet (even though they should be using condoms). 

Should late-term abortions be allowed? 

I don't believe late-term abortions should be allowed because at that point, the baby already has developed their organs and they have body parts and are living breathing humans. I believe late-term abortions are basically murdering the child inside of you. 

Should parental consent be required for a teenager to obtain an abortion? 
I don't believe parental consent should be required for a teenager to obtain an abortion because there are teenagers who are terrified of their parents knowing and it can potentially cause friction within their family. 

Depression:

Do the facts seem to support the claim that some antidepressants cause an increased rate of suicide in young people?
The facts seem to support the claim that some antidepressants cause an increased rate of suicide in younger people because the side effects are thoughts of suicide and can kill a person.

Do the potential risks of antidepressants outweigh the potential benefits?
The potential risks of antidepressants, no matter how many there are, there is still a possibility of getting better and no longer being depressed. 

If you were a physician and chose to not use prescription antidepressant drug therapy to treat clinical depression in a young person, what alternative treatments would you choose?
If I were a physician and I didn't use prescription antidepressant drug therapy to treat clinical depression in a younger person, my alternative treatments would be mental therapy so the child/teenager would be able to better vent their emotions and can receive comfort for their depression. 

Domestic Violence and Child Abuse: 

Should the NFL and other sports leagues immediately penalize players accused of domestic violence? 
The NFL and other sports leagues should immediately penalize players accused of domestic violence because millions of people watch sports and young children look up to star players. Therefore, I believe the leagues should penalize them because they shouldn't have players who are on the team for something serious such as that. 
Should laws that protect children be enforced even if they violate the privacy and rights of the abusers? 
I believe that laws that protect children should be enforced even if they violate the privacy and rights of the abusers because since the child is so young and does not have the ability to fight for their own lives. The abusers are usually older men/woman who use their age and strength to take advantage of a child. 
Is stricter legislation necessary to protect children from sexual abuse in schools? 
Stricter legislation is necessary to protect children from sexual abuse in schools cause schools should be a safe environment for children to be themselves and not have to worry about being assaulted. Sexual abuse on children is a leading issue because children do not have the strength and mindset to protect themselves from their abusers and if sexual abusers hide themselves behind teaching occupations, it can potentially hurt the child.
Is adherence to traditional male (aggressive)/female (passive) roles the main cause of dating violence? 
I believe adherence to traditional male/female roles are not the main cause of dating violence mainly because it can be anyone in any relationship, due to something within the relationship itself or even because of the mental mind set of the individual. Also, there are not only male abusers because females can be the abusers too and males could be the victims. 

Drunk Driving:

Should states adopt stricter penalties for drivers who refuse to take a BAC test? Why or why not?

I do believe states should adopt stricture penalties for drivers who refuse to take a BAC (blood alcoholic concentration) test because I believe that drunk drivers should be taken off the road. Drunk driving puts every single person on the road in danger because of whoever alcohol reduces the focus on one's driving and can cause an accident. BAC tests are there to keep everyone on the road safe and if people refuse to take the BAC test, they should at least take better precautions before they put themselves on the world. 

Should laws be enacted that require ignition-interlock devices for all convicted drunk drivers, including first-time offenders? Why or why not?

I don't believe laws should be enacted that require ignition-interlock devices for all convicted drunk drivers, including first-time offenders because even though it is not spoken for in a positive way, people do make mistakes and it is not right that they will lose their freedom on the road. 

Do you think DUI checkpoints should be used more often and in more places? Explain.

I do believe DUI checkpoints should be used more often and in more places because there are always people on the road who are driving under the influence and there are not always police men who are there to take them off the road and ensure the safety of citizens. There should be more check points in order to change the road safety.

Same-Sex Marriage: 

Does same-sex marriage pose a threat to society or to heterosexuals?

I personally do not believe same-sex marriage poses a threat to society or to heterosexuals because everyone deserves to be in love and it's only fair that homosexuals have the opportunity to marry who they want.
If gay members of society aren’t allowed to marry can they be considered equal citizens with their heterosexual counterparts?

If gay members of society aren't allowed to marry they are physically considered equal to citizens because no matter what, they are still human beings and citizens. However, morally, homosexuals cannot be considered equal because if they can't marry who they want, they will not physically have the same rights as heterosexuals.
Is there an ethical basis for opposing same-sex marriage?

There is an ethical basis for opposing same-sex marriage because some people believe that marriage should be between man and woman due to the Bible and certain religions.