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Our Only World Wendell Berry Analysis

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In regards to homosexuality, Wendell Berry feels that it really is not up to the government to decide if a certain type of love is acceptable or unacceptable. He states that he thinks the government should not be involved in the private lives of two consenting adults (Berry, 86). When the government gets involved, it allows two things to happen. He states that when the government decides who can and cannot marry, they are making it clear that they have the power to give and take away our otherwise “God given” rights that they are in charge of protecting (Berry 87). He also states that when the government gets to express who can marry and who cannot get married, they are punishing those who have not committed a crime (Berry, 88). Essentially, …show more content…

He states plainly that he believes that a woman should not get an abortion unless the woman’s life is at stake (Berry, 84). However, making abortion illegal could have dangerous consequences. In Our Only World, he states that there are four legal routes that the government could take in regards to abortion. First, abortion could be outlawed with no exceptions (Berry, 84), meaning that a mother could not have an abortion to save her life. Second, it could be forbidden with specific exceptions (Berry, 84). This would mean that the government would then have to establish specific situations when it was okay to have an abortion. Third, abortion could be allowed with specific situations (Berry, 84). Finally, his fourth option states that it could be legal with no exceptions, meaning that there would be no law against abortion (Berry, 84). The problem with the first and fourth choice is that both of these options would most likely cause a protest from the “pro-life” or “pro-choice” side of the abortion debate. The middle options leaves this issue of women’s rights in the hands of the government, which could be confusing and dangerous (Berry, 85). This is due in light of the fact that we do not really know when life begins. If nobody knows for sure when a person is truly a person, or when life begins, then it is almost impossible to legally state when an abortion can take place. Berry states that there should be no law against abortion, for abortion should be a private affair that is best left in the hands of the individuals involved (Berry, 86). He also states that if the government were to outlaw abortion it would

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