Pro-Life is the self-description for those in North America and Great Britain who are of the general political opinion that abortion is morally wrong and should not be legal.

The term was coined in the early 1960s in the United States, and refers specifically to what is believed to be the life of unborn children, the subjects of abortion. Though spanning a wide range of political and moral beliefs, the Pro-Life movement is generally defined by the belief that the unborn are to be considered human in their own right, and have the same rights to life and legal protection from harm which are given to "born" humans; thus, they argue, the development of the unborn child should not be artificially terminated. Within this view exists a spectrum of political nuance: some believe that abortion should be illegal in all circumstances, while some believe that it should be permitted under certain special circumstances (such as pregnancy due to incest or rape, or if the mother's life would be put in severe mortal danger should the pregnacy be allowed to continue).

The Pro-Life, also referred to as Pro-Birth and Right-to-Life, philosophy is seen as being opposed to Pro-Choice philosophies, wherein it is held that termination of pregnancy is the right of the pregnant woman. Though various religions preach against abortion, it is not simply a religious issue. Not all supporters of the Pro-Life movement do so based on religious convictions; nevertheless, many who support the movement claim strong religious motivations, and religious organizations are often sites of Pro-Life organization.

Some anti-abortion individuals have used terrorist tactics to further their cause, including the murder of 7 doctors and the injuring of many more. However, the actions of these individuals are considered by most as antithetical to the basic tenets of the Pro-Life movement, and are not considered a part of the Pro-Life mainstream.

To some, "Pro-Life" is a loaded term: it contains the connotations that people who oppose the political opinions it describes are against "life" and are in favor of "death", in particular in the death of an "unborn child". Both "Pro-Life" and "Pro-Choice" are examples of political framing: they are terms which purposely try to define their philosophies in the best possible light, while by definition attempting to describe their opposition in the worst possible light (being anti-life or anti-choice). Because of this, it is often criticized as being "inaccurate" by its critics, who note that some of those who call themselves "Pro-Life" are in support of capital punishment, a potential contradiction (those who label themselves as "Pro-Life" generally do not see it as such).

In the United States the conservative wing of the Republican Party has come to dominate the party in part by using the Pro-Life agenda to mobilize its supporters.

See also

• Morality and legality of abortion
• Pro-Choice

External link

• LifeNews.com (http://www.prolife.org/), a Pro-Life news website

de:Lebensrechtsbewegung