Abortion is a controversial issue in America. Those who are pro-abortion, or "pro-choice," fervently support a woman's right to control her body. Their stance is that, if a woman becomes pregnant, it is her decision—and her decision alone—to abort or not to abort a pregnancy. Those who are against abortion, or "pro-life," just as avidly believe that life begins at conception, rather than at birth, and that the law must protect the unborn. Thus "pro-life" supporters believe that the right of the fetus is more important the right of the mother; for those people, abortion is a crime, and, for many, a crime just as horrible as cold-blooded murder. In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down the Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion—and formalized the battle lines between "pro-life" and "pro-choice" forces.

Many protests and rallies took place for...