Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Germany

2021-08-13T23:12:58Z

Amateratsu:

{{Country
|name =''Bundesrepublik Deutschland''
|map =Germany rel 94.jpg
|map2 =Loc of Germany.PNG
|flag =Flag of Germany.JPG
|arms =Arms of Germany.png
|capital =Berlin
|capital-raw =
|government =Federal Republic (Parliamentary)
|government-raw =
|language =German
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Frank-Walter Steinmeier
|president-raw =
|chancellor =Angela Merkel
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =
|area =137,858 sq mi
|pop =82,500,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$4,000,000,000,000 (2020)
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =$48,485 (2020)
|currency =[[Euro]] (formerly the [[Deutsche Mark]])
|idd =
|tld =.de
}}
:''For the impact on left-wing policies on Germany and the rest of Europe, see [[European migrant crisis]]''
'''Germany''' (official name: '''Federal Republic of Germany''') is a federally organized Representative [[Democracy]] in [[Central Europe]] with a population of about 82.2 million. The capital city and seat of government is [[Berlin]].

The major ethnic groups are German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4% Polish 1%, Yugoslavs 1% and others 4%. 29% of the population are Protestants, 27% are [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholics]] and 4.4% are Muslim.<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gm.html</ref>

As Europe's largest economy and the most populous nation wholly within Europe, Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. The central German bank, the Bundesbank, has historically been the most influential force within the financial markets of the [[European Union]]. But Germany has allowed itself to become dependent on [[Russia]] for [[natural gas]], and in recent years Germany has taken large numbers of immigrants from [[Muslim]] countries.

Currently Germany is ruled by the pseudo-conservative [[Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU) under chancellor [[Angela Merkel]] and the left-wing [[SPD]]. Before it was ruled by CDU and the left-liberal [[Free Democratic Party]] (FDP).

In June 2017, both German parliament chambers voted to legalize [[Same-sex marriage]]. The new law went into effect on October 1, 2017.

==People==
===Demography===
[[File:German-fans.jpg|thumb|250px|German fans.]]
In 2005 there were 388,451 marriages and 201,693 divorces. There were 685,795 births and 830,227 deaths. The number of births has dropped from 767,000 in 2000, while the deaths have risen from 179,600.

The average age at marrying (for the first time) for men was 32 and for women 29. While abortions are legal, advertising for abortion is prohibited. The annual abortion rate, at under ten per 1,000 women aged 15–44, is among the lowest in the world.

In 2005 10.2% of all children lived in poverty (in households with income below 50% of the national median).

Germany had a Net Reproduction Rate (NRR) of 0.66 in 1999. A rate of NRR=1.0 equals a constant population. Therefore, in terms of births and deaths (and not counting immigration), the population is shrinking by 34% between generations.[3]

Life expectancy of females at birth in West Germany rose from 71 years in 1954 to 80 years in 2000; the expectancy for boys rose from 66 to 75. Expectancy in the eastern zone was about three years less.

The projected population in 2050 is 76 million, down from the present 82 million. There will be more deaths than births, and that is largely offset by a net inflow of immigrants from 2000 to 2050, predicted to be about 240,000 per year.

<blockquote>
Germany's recent debate about immigration misses an important reality: for Germany, and most all developed countries, attracting educated and skilled foreign workers is a matter of economic survival.<ref>[http://www.cfr.org/germany/germanys-immigration-dilemma/p24213 Germany's Immigration Dilemma.]</ref>
</blockquote>

===Ethnicity===
[[File:Germany - houses.jpg|left|340px]]
Most inhabitants of Germany are ethnic German. There are, however, more than 7 million foreign residents, many of whom are the families and descendants of so-called "guest workers" (foreign workers, mostly from Turkey, invited to Germany in the 1950s and 1960s to fill labor shortages) who remained in Germany. Germany has a sizable ethnic Turkish population. Germany is also a prime destination for political and economic refugees from many developing countries. An ethnic Danish minority lives in the north, and a small Slavic minority known as the Sorbs lives in eastern Germany. Due to restrictive German citizenship laws, most "foreigners" do not hold German citizenship even when born and raised in Germany. However, since the German government undertook citizenship and immigration law reforms in 2002, more foreign residents have had the ability to naturalize.

===Education===
Germany has one of the world's highest average levels of education, technological development, and economic productivity. Since the end of World War II, the number of youths entering universities has more than tripled, and the trade and technical schools of the Federal Republic of Germany (F.R.G.) are reasonably good. German 15-year olds score about average in comparison with similar countries.

At the university level, however, there has been a dramatic decline in quality from the days before Hitler, when German universities were the best in the world. Since the student revolts of 1968, conditions at the once-famous universities have deteriorated badly. A strong egalitarianism prevents the re-emergence of world-class faculties and no German university ranks among the top 40 in the world.<ref>Gebhard Schweigler, "Heidelberg is Not Harvard …and Germany is embarrassed." [http://www.atlantic-times.com/archive_detail.php?recordID=83 ''The Atlantic Times'' Dec. 2004]</ref>

The conservative government has tried to reverse the decline by offering €1.9 billion (about $2.7 billion) in excellence grants to numerous schools spread over a period of five years—for less money than Harvard spends in one year. Little improvement has been reported from this small investment. The leading schools are Freiburg, Heidelberg and Konstanz (all in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg), Aachen, Göttingen, the Free University of Berlin, two schools in Munich and Karlsruhe's Technical University.<ref>Lutz Lichtenberger, "Selective Upgrades The government’s 'Excellence Initiative' grants German universities small packs of ivy seeds," [http://www.atlantic-times.com/archive_detail.php?recordID=1080 ''The Atlantic Times'' Nov. 2007]</ref> Meanwhile, top German scientists and engineers migrate to the United States, where their talents are appreciated.

===Standard of Living===
[[File:Living Germany.jpg|left|170px]]
With a per capita income level of more than $28,700, Germany is a broadly middle-class society. A generous social welfare system provides for universal medical care, unemployment compensation, and other social needs. Millions of Germans travel abroad each year.

With unification on October 3, 1990, Germany began the major task of bringing the standard of living of Germans in the former German Democratic Republic (G.D.R.) up to that of western Germany. This has been a lengthy and difficult process due to the relative inefficiency of industrial enterprises in the former G.D.R., difficulties in resolving property ownership in eastern Germany, and the inadequate infrastructure and environmental damage that resulted from years of mismanagement under communist rule.
{{Clear}}

===Extremism===
Economic [[malaise]] in eastern Germany is one factor contributing to extremist violence, primarily from neo-Nazis. Confusion about the causes of the current hardships and a need to place blame has found expression in harassment and violence by some Germans directed toward foreigners, particularly non-Europeans. The vast majority of Germans condemn such violence.

Wolfgang Schaube, the Interior minister 2005–9, was shot by a deranged man in 1990 and is confined to a wheel chair. He calls on Germans to feel more patriotic, and for immigrants to assimilate faster. He has adopted tough policies on policing and anti-terrorism, such as giving the military authority to shoot down hijacked planes.

===Religion===
[[Image:St Stephens Cathedral interior.jpg|thumb|left|300px|St. Stephens Cathedral (''Stephansdom'') in Passau, Bavaria.]]
In 2006 the Roman Catholic Church reported a membership of 25.7 million. The Evangelical Church, a confederation of the Lutheran, Uniate, and Reformed Protestant Churches, has 25.3 million members. Together, these two churches account for nearly two-thirds of the population.<ref>According to [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108448.htm U.S. State Department, "International Religious Freedom Report 2008"]</ref>
[[File:Church pipe organ St Stephen s Cathedral of Passau Germany..jpg|thumb|Church pipe organ, St. Stephen's Cathedral of Passau.]]
Protestant Christian denominations include: New Apostolic Church, 371,305; Ethnic German Baptists from the former Soviet Union (FSU), 85,000; and Baptist, 75,000. Muslims number 3.5 million, including Sunnis, 2.5 million; Alevis, 410,000; and Shi'a, 225,000. Until 2004 the annual number of conversions to Islam was 300, largely Christian women native citizens marrying Muslim men; however, since 2004 the annual numbers of conversions have jumped into the thousands. There are approximately 2,600 Islamic places of worship, including an estimated 150 traditional architecture mosques, with 100 more mosques being planned. One million Muslims are citizens. Orthodox Christians number 1.4 million, including Greek Orthodox/Constantinople Patriarchate, 450,000; Serbian Orthodox, 250,000; Romanian Orthodox, 300,000; and Russian Orthodox/Moscow Patriarchate, 150,000. Buddhists number 245,000, Jehovah's Witnesses 165,000, and Hindus 97,500. The Church of Scientology operates 18 churches and missions, and according to press reports, it has 30,000 members. However, according to the Offices for the Protection of the Constitution (OPC) in Brandenburg and Hamburg, the Church of Scientology has 5,000-6,000 members.

According to estimates, Jews number more than 200,000, of which 107,330 are registered members of the Jewish community. Of these registered community members, 100,967 are immigrants and 6,363 are originally from the country. From 1990 to 2006, approximately 202,000 Jews and non-Jewish dependents from the countries of the FSU arrived, joining 25,000 to 30,000 Jews already in the country. As a result of a more restrictive immigration policy regarding Jews from the FSU, the number of Jewish immigrants decreased to 1,296 in 2007 from 1,971 in 2006 and 3,124 in 2005. The new policy was designed in cooperation with Jewish organizations in order to better manage the integration of individuals into the Jewish community.

An estimated 21 million persons (one-quarter of the population) either have no religious affiliation or belong to unrecorded religious organizations.

On December 18, 2007, the Bertelsmann Foundation published a survey on religious convictions and practice in the country, which failed to confirm the commonly held belief that the country was becoming more secular. Fully 70% of adult respondents said they were religious, and of those, 18% said they were "deeply religious" and regularly attend worship services, up from 15% in earlier studies. In the 18-29 age group, 41% expressed a belief in eternal life and a divine being, more than in any other age bracket. Roman Catholics report that 15% of nominal Catholics regularly attend Sunday Mass. Seventeen years after reunification, the country's eastern part remains far more secular than the west. The Bertelsmann Foundation found former easterners self-identified as 36% religious and 8% deeply religious, in contrast with 78% and 21%, respectively, for those from the west. Only 5 to 10% of eastern citizens belong to a religious organization, but numbers are increasing among non-Lutheran Protestants in the east.
====Discrimination====
[[File:Muslims in Europe map.jpg|thumb|290px|Muslims in Europe by country.]]
There have been recent reports of societal abuses and discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, and practice. Right-wing extremists committed politically motivated crimes against minorities including religious groups, as well as anti-Semitic and anti-Islamic acts. Cemeteries were desecrated, and Muslim communities sometimes suffered societal discrimination when building new mosques and finding allotments of land for cemeteries; however, many members of Government and civil society initiated discussions about Muslim integration and expressed their commitment to addressing the issue. The Roman Catholic and Evangelical churches continued to use "sect commissioners" to warn the public of dangers from some minority religious groups such as the Unification Church, Scientologists, Universal Life (Universelles Leben), and Transcendental Meditation practitioners. Scientologists continue to find "sect filters" used against them in employment as well as discrimination in political party membership.

<blockquote>
Muslim population is around 3 million (3.6%); the majority of the Muslim population is Turkish, with many retaining strong links to Turkey. Others arrived from Bosnia and Kosovo during the Balkan wars. Until recently Muslims were considered "guest workers", who would one day leave the country - a view that is changing. Racist violence is a sensitive issue, with the authorities trying a range of strategies to beat it. Steps are being taken to improve integration.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4385768.stm#germany Muslims in Europe.]</ref>
</blockquote>

====Religion in schools====
Most public schools offer Protestant and Catholic religious instruction in cooperation with those churches, as well as instruction in Judaism if enough students express interest. The number of Islamic religion classes in public schools continued to grow. In principle, participants of the federal government-sponsored Islam Conference agreed that Islamic education should be made widely available. Education is a state responsibility and, in part because no nationally recognized Islamic organization exists that could assist in developing a curriculum or providing services, the form and content of Islamic instruction vary from state to state. Organizations providing Islamic instruction do not have public law corporation status.

Depending on the state, a nonreligious ethics course or study hall may be available for students not wishing to participate in religious instruction.
[[File:MUSLIM GERMANY RELIGION SCHOOL.jpg|thumb|left|330px|Coauthors Evelin Lubig-Fohsel and Guel Solgun-Kaps hold the German-language textbook they wrote for state-sponsored religion classes in Germany's schools.]]
Islamic classes in public schools continued to be a controversial topic but were increasingly common throughout the country, except in areas where the Muslim population was too small to support them. Although no Muslim group had "public law corporation" status that would entitle them to offer Islamic courses, state governments recognized the need and demand and worked with local Muslim organizations to establish such courses. On March 13, 2008, the Interior Minister was quoted in the press indicating that the Federal Government and Muslim community leaders had reached an agreement in principle that schools should offer classes in Islam taught in German alongside the other religions, but he noted that it would take time to implement the agreement.

There are an estimated 900,000 Muslim students in the public school system; Islamic education in schools is offered in some states. At the start of the 2006‑07 school year, authorities in Baden‑Wuerttemberg established a two‑course system: one for Sunni and Shi'a students and another for Alevis. State officials and Muslim groups in Baden‑Wuerttemberg agreed upon the system and the initial reactions were positive. Some states offered similar programs while others were working with Muslim leaders to establish a uniform curriculum. Later in the year, universities in Frankfurt, Ludwigsburg, Karlsruhe, and Weingarten began offering training courses in the teaching of Islam.

The legal obligation that children attend school, confirmed by the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Justice in 2006, continued to be a problem for some home-schooling advocates, such as Baptists from the FSU in Eastern Westphalia, due to concerns about sex education and the teaching of evolution. On August 2, 2007, the Stuttgart Administrative Court dismissed the case brought by several Russian‑German immigrant families belonging to the Baptist group Gemeinde Gottes who had petitioned in 2004 to send their children to a private religious school run by members of their community. The court ruled that the teaching staff was insufficiently qualified. Other home-schooling cases remain in the court system.

<blockquote>
Public schools in Germany must offer religion classes, and pilot courses in Islam are now being offered in addition to established programs in Judaism, Catholicism, and Protestantism.<ref>[https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2010/0120/Why-German-public-schools-now-teach-Islam Why German public schools now teach Islam.]</ref>
</blockquote>

===State support for religion===
In order to help support [[Protestant]], [[Catholic]], and [[Jewish]] religious institutions, the German state collects [[taxes]] on members of those religions and passes the funding along to the relevant religious administrative body.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19737983]</ref>

===Data===
*Population (2007 est.): 82 million.
*Ethnic groups: Primarily German; Danish minority in the north, Sorbian (Slavic) minority in the east; 7.3 million foreign residents.
*Religions: Protestants (26 million); Roman Catholics (26 million); approximately 3.2 million Muslims.
*Language: German.
*Education: Years compulsory—9-13 (depending on the Land); attendance—100%; literacy—99%.
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2006 est.)--4.12/1,000; life expectancy (2006 est.)--women 81.96 years, men 77.81 years.
*Persons employed (2006 avg.): 39.08 million; unemployed (2006 avg.): 9.8% of labor force.

==Government==
===Executive Branch===
[[File:Merkel.jpg|thumb|Angela Merkel.]]
Germany has a president as [[head of state]]. The president's powers are essentially representative.
The current president is Frank-Walter Steinmeier, succeeding [[Joachim Gauck]].

The actual political power and head of government is the chancellor ("Bundeskanzler"), who is elected by federal parliament ("Bundestag"). The chancellor is typically elected in the first session of a newly elected Bundestag for the entire legislative period of four years. The parliament can only force the chancellor to resign in a ''constructive motion of no-confidence'', if it elects at the same time a new Chancellor. The current chancellor is [[Angela Merkel|Dr. Angela Merkel]]. The current government is a coalition between the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD).
{{Clear}}

===Legislative Branch===
[[File:Bonn Bundestag Plenarsaal Germany.jpg|thumb|left|280px|Bundestag Plenarsaal at Bonn.]]
Germany has a bicameral system with a federal parliament ("Bundestag") and a representation of the states ("Bundesrat"). The members of Bundestag in elected every four years, using a personalized proportional system. The members of the Bundesrat are representatives of the state governments, and the delegations of each state are required to vote as a bloc on behalf of their governments. Each delegation has between 3 and 6 members, depending on the size of the represented state. The position of president of the Bundesrat rotates on an annual basis between the prime ministers of the states.
{{Clear}}

===Judicative Branch===
The German constitution provides for an independent jurisdiction. The highest appeals court in Germany is the Federal Court of Justice ("Bundesgerichtshof"), which is seated in the Southwestern city of [[Karlsruhe]]. Members of the Federal court are elected by a committee, with 16 delegates from the states, one from each state, appointed by the state governments, and 16 delegates appointed by the federal parliament. The Federal Constitutional Court ("Bundesverfassungsgericht") is the highest court to review decisions and acts by the executive and legislative branches of government. It can be called to determine whether public acts are unconstitutional and can render them ineffective if they are not. This court is also seated in city of Karlsruhe, and it members are elected by the Bundesrat and Bundestag, and need a 2/3 majority in each.

===Political Parties===
====Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU)====
[[File:Germ-vote-2009.jpg|200px|thumb|Exit polls from Sept. 2009 election won by the conservative coalition CDU and FDP]]
:''Main article: [[Christian Democratic Union]] and [[Christian Social Union]]
An important aspect of postwar German politics was the emergence of a moderate, ecumenical Christian party—the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)--operating in alliance with a related Bavarian party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). Although each party maintains its own structure, the two form a common caucus in the Bundestag and do not run opposing campaigns. The CDU/CSU has adherents among Catholics, Protestants, rural interests, and members of all economic classes. It is generally conservative on economic and social policy and more identified with the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches.

The September 2009 elections were a major win for the conservative forces led by Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]], breaking a stalemate and opening the way for more conservative economic policies. Previously since an indecisive election in 2005 the Christian Democrats ([[CDU]]) (on the center-right) formed a "grand coalition" with the Social Democrats ([[SPD]]) (on the center-left). From 2009 to 2013 Merkel and her CDU formed a coalition with the libertarian, pro-business [[Free Democratic Party|Free Democrats]] (FDP). Left in the cold was the SPD, the [[Alliance '90/The Greens|Greens]], and the ex-Communists who remain strong in the former East Germany under the name "[[The Left]]". Merkel moved forward on tax cuts, reform of the tax code, reduction of bureaucracy and a possible extension of the time that nuclear power plants can continue to operate.<ref>Craig Whitlock, "Germany's Merkel Reelected Easily, Will Form New Coalition," [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/27/AR2009092700631.html?nav=emailpage ''Washington Post'' Sept. 28, 2009]</ref> Merkel's program announced as she took office Oct. 28 includes $36 billion in income tax cuts, lower business taxes, and higher family benefits. The budget will be in deficit for the next four years, as the government believes the economy is too fragile for spending cuts and that more stimulus is needed to end the recession. By law the budget must be balanced by the year 2016. Nuclear power plants will be given an extension, and Merkel wants to move more of the welfare costs from corporations to households.

The CDU has the greatest base of faithful voters, but is recently struggling to maintain majorities in big cities.

====Free Democratic Party (FDP)====
:''Main article:'' [[Free Democratic Party]]
The FDP has traditionally been composed mainly of middle and upper class Protestants who consider themselves heirs to the European libertarian tradition. It supports free trade and reducing the role of the state in economic policy. It is libertarian on social issues. The party has participated in all but three postwar federal governments but had not been in federal government from 1998 to 2009.

====Social Democratic Party (SPD)====
[[File:German party SPD.jpg|140px|left]]
:''Main article:'' [[SPD]]
The SPD is one of the oldest organized political parties in the world. It originally advocated Marxist principles, but in the 1959 Godesberg Program abandoned the concept of a "class party" while continuing to stress social welfare programs. Under the leadership of Gerhard Schroeder, the SPD-Greens government implemented in 2003 the centrist Agenda 2010 reforms, designed to modernize the country's social system and labor market. The SPD has a powerful base in the bigger cities and industrialized states.

After the FDP, the partner of the CDU, left the parliament, Merkel created a "grand coalition" with the SPD.
{{Clear}}

====The Left====
:''Main article:'' [[The Left]]
The PDS (for 'Partei des demokratischen Sozialismus'; "Party of Democratic Socialism", the renamed communist party of the former East Germany, and follow-up of the [[SED]]) and the WASG (for 'Wahlalternative Arbeit und Soziale Gerechtigkeit'; "Voting alternative work and social justice" composed of west-German leftists) merged in June 2007 to form a party simply known as "[[The Left]]." The party's foreign policy is largely shaped by its rigid opposition to foreign military deployments, for example in [[Afghanistan]], and insists on an immediate pull-out. On domestic policy, the party opposes economic and social reforms, such as Hartz IV, which aim to increase free markets and reduce unemployment benefits. The Left proposes to weaken the free market system with a new orientation to democratic socialist principles. The Left also experienced a lot of criticism due to its communist wing, the 'communist platform' which makes up 4.4% of the national vote, an insufficient total to clear the 5 percent hurdle.<ref>[http://www.germanculture.com.ua/library/facts/bl_electoral_system.htm German Culture.com; Electoral System of Germany (next to last paragraph)]</ref>
{{Clear}}

====Alliance 90/Greens====
:''Main article:'' [[Alliance '90/The Greens]]
In the late 1970s, environmentalists organized politically as the Greens. Opposition to nuclear power, military power, and certain aspects of highly industrialized society were principal campaign issues. In the December 1990 all-German elections, the Greens merged with the Eastern German Alliance 90, a loose grouping of civil rights activists with diverse political views. The Greens joined a federal government for the first time in 1998, forming a coalition with the SPD.

In 2012 they took advantage of the Fukushima nuclear plant desaster in Japan, allowing them to form the government of the state of Baden-Württemberg in a coalition with the SPD, which is the smaller partner this time.

====Alternative for Germany====
The [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD) is a right-wing party that was founded to in February 2013 as a reaction to the Financial crisis in Europe. A main theme area of the party is the rejection of [[Illegal Immigration]].

====Other parties====
[[File:German communist logo.jpg|thumb|200px|The logo of the German Communist Party]]
Because of the instability caused by the need for multi-party coalitions in the Weimar Republic, Germany's Basic Law today requires parties reach 5% of the vote to win seats in the Bundestag. In addition to those parties that won representation in the Bundestag in 2005, a variety of minor parties won a cumulative 2.7% of the vote, down from 3.0% in 2002. Several other parties were on the ballot in one or more states but did not qualify for representation in the federal Bundestag.

Another important party is the [[Pirate Party]] (PIRATEN).

===Principal Government Officials===
*President—Frank-Walter Steinmeier
*President of the Bundestag—Wolfgang Schäuble (CDU)
*Chancellor—Angela Merkel (CDU)
*Vice Chancellor and Minister of Finance—Olaf Scholz (SPD)
*Minister of Interior—[[Horst Seehofer]] (CSU)
*Minister of Minister of Foreign Affairs—Heiko Maas (SPD)
*Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy—Peter Altmaier (CDU)
*Minister of Justice—Katarina Barley (SPD)
*Minister of Labor and Social Affairs—Hubertus Heil (SPD)
*Minister of Defense—Ursula von der Leyen (CDU)
*Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection—Julia Klöckner (CDU)
*Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth—Franziska Giffey (SPD)
*Minister of Health—Jens Spahn (CDU)
*Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs—Andreas Scheuer (CSU)
*Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety—Svenja Schulze (SPD)
*Minister of Education and Research—Anja Karliczek (CDU)
*Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development—Gerd Müller (CSU)
*Head of the Federal Chancellery and Minister for Special Tasks—Helge Braun (CDU)

===Foreign Relations===
[[File:German Foreign Minister Welcomes Ukrainian President Yanukovych.jpg|thumb|340px|Former German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle welcomes former Ukrainian President [[Viktor Yanukovych]] in Berlin, 2010.]]
Germany continues to emphasize close ties with the United States, membership in NATO, and the "deepening" of integration among current members of the EU. The Federal Republic of Germany took part in all of the joint postwar efforts aimed at closer political, economic, and defense cooperation among the countries of western Europe. Germany has been a large net contributor to the EU budget. Germany also is a strong supporter of the United Nations and of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

During the postwar era, the Federal Republic of Germany also sought to improve its relationship with the countries of Central Europe freed from communism, first establishing trade agreements and, subsequently, diplomatic relations. With unification, German relations with the restored democracies in central and eastern Europe intensified. On November 14, 1990, Germany and Poland signed a treaty confirming the Oder-Neisse border. They also concluded a cooperation treaty on June 17, 1991. Germany concluded four treaties with the Soviet Union covering the overall bilateral relationship, economic relations, the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the territory of the former G.D.R., and German support for those troops. Russia accepted obligations under these treaties as successor to the Soviet Union. Germany continues to be active economically in the states of central and eastern Europe and to actively support the development of democratic institutions, bilaterally and through the EU.

====Relations with the United States====
[[File:Nazi crowd salute.jpg|thumb|300px|Nazi crowd salute.]]
U.S.-German relations have been a focal point of American involvement in Europe since the end of World War II. Germany stands at the center of European affairs and is a key partner in U.S. relations with Europeans in NATO and the European Union.

German-American ties extend back to the colonial era. More than 7 million Germans have immigrated over the last three centuries, and today nearly a quarter of U.S. citizens claim German ancestry. In recognition of this heritage and the importance of modern-day U.S.-German ties, the U.S. President annually has proclaimed October 6, the date the first German immigrants arrived in 1623, to be "German-American Day."

U.S. policy toward Germany remains the preservation and consolidation of a close and vital relationship with Germany, not only as friends and trading partners, but also as allies sharing common institutions. During the 45 years in which Germany was divided, the U.S. role in Berlin and the large American military presence in West Germany served as symbols of the U.S. commitment to preserving peace and security in Europe. Since German unification, the U.S. commitment to these goals has not changed. The U.S. made significant reductions in its troop levels in Germany after the Cold War ended, and, on July 12, 1994, President Clinton "cased the colors" at the Berlin Brigade's deactivation ceremony. The U.S., however, continues to recognize that the security and prosperity of the United States and Germany significantly depend on each other.

As allies in NATO, the United States and Germany work side by side to maintain peace and freedom. This unity and resolve made possible the successful conclusion of the 1987 U.S.-U.S.S.R. Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), the Two-plus-Four process—which led to the Final Settlement Treaty—and the November 1990 Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty.
[[File:President and First Lady Obama with Chancellor Merkel.jpg|thumb|left|320px|President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are welcomed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her husband, professor Joachim Sauer, to Rathaus in Baden-Baden, Germany, 2009.]]
More recently, the two allies have cooperated closely in peacekeeping efforts in the Balkans and have worked together to encourage the evolution of open and democratic states throughout central and eastern Europe. Germany is also a strong contributor to our common effort to secure peace and stability in Afghanistan, contributing almost 3,000 troops to the NATO ISAF mission.

Following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, DC, Germany has been a reliable U.S. ally in the campaign against terrorism. As two of the world's leading trading nations, the United States and Germany share a common, deep-seated commitment to an open and expanding world economy. Personal ties between the United States and Germany extend beyond immigration to include intensive foreign exchange programs, booming tourism in both directions, and the presence in Germany of large numbers of American military personnel and their dependents.

The United States and Germany have built a solid foundation of bilateral cooperation in a relationship that has changed significantly over nearly six decades. The historic unification of Germany and the role the United States played in that process have served to strengthen ties between the two countries.

German-American political, economic, and security relationships continue to be based on close consultation and coordination at the most senior levels. High-level visits take place frequently, and the United States and Germany cooperate actively in international forums.

====War on Terror====
Germany currently contributes troops to the NATO-led ISAF operation in [[Afghanistan]], but did not support the invasion of [[Iraq]]. German military participates in NATO Force Protection Program, protecting US military bases located in Germany.

====Libya====

[[Libyan uprising 2011]]

<blockquote>
Germany’s Defense Minister Thomas de Maziere has criticized NATO’s controversial military operation in Libya and lack of foresight when it comes to intervening in the North African country. [http://2012indyinfo.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/presstv-germany-slams-nato-mission-in-libya/]
</blockquote>

==Economy==
[[Image:The_castle3.jpg|right|thumb|270px|Neuschwanstein Castle, a popular tourist destination.]]
Germany is the world's fourth-largest economy and is currently the largest economy in Europe. From the 1948 currency reform until the early 1970s, West Germany experienced almost continuous economic expansion. Real gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed down, and even declined, from the mid-1970s through the recession of the early 1980s. The economy then experienced 8 consecutive years of growth that ended with a downturn beginning in late 1992. Since unification, Germany has seen annual average real growth of only about 1.5% and stubbornly high unemployment. In 2006, Germany had its best year since 2000 with 2.7% growth; for 2007, growth was at 2.5% despite a 3 percentage point VAT hike at the beginning of the year. The government forecasts 1.7% growth in GDP for 2008. Unemployment in 2007 dropped to an annualized average of 9.0% nationwide, but it is still significantly higher—15.1%--in the German states that make up the former East Germany.

Germans often describe their economic system as a "social market economy." The German Government provides an extensive array of social services. The state intervenes in the economy by providing subsidies to selected sectors and by owning some segments of the economy, while promoting competition and free enterprise. The government has restructured the railroad system on a corporate basis, privatized the national airline, and is privatizing telecommunications and postal services.

The German economy is heavily export-oriented, with exports accounting for more than one-third of national output. As a result, exports traditionally have been a key element in German macroeconomic expansion, accounting for over half of the economic growth in recent years. Germany is a strong advocate of closer European economic integration, and its economic and commercial policies are increasingly determined within the European Union (EU). Germany uses the common European currency, the euro, and the European Central Bank sets monetary policy.
[[File:German transmission lines.jpg|thumb|left|340px|Transmission lines and generating stations.]]
In the early-mid 2000s, Germany adopted a complex set of labor/social welfare reforms to overcome structural weaknesses of the German welfare state and to create policies more conductive to employment. Defying a skeptical German public, the coalition government of Chancellor Angela Merkel initiated additional reform measures, such as the gradual increase in the mandatory retirement age from 65 to 67—a move that would add 2.5 million to the workforce by 2030. Subsequently, however, there has been active political debate and some rollback of these labor reforms; most notably the government decided to extend the payment period of unemployment benefits to older workers in early 2008.

Fifteen years after reunification (October 3, 1990), Germany had made great progress in raising the standard of living in eastern Germany, introducing a market economy and improving its infrastructure. At the same time, the process of convergence between east and west is taking longer than originally expected and, on some measures, has stagnated since the mid-1990s. Eastern economic growth rates have been lower than in the west in recent years, unemployment is twice as high, prompting many skilled easterners to seek work in the west, and productivity continues to lag. Eastern consumption levels are dependent on public net financial transfers from west to east totaling about $13 billion per year. In addition to social assistance payments, the government will extend funds to promote eastern economic development through 2019.

The United States is Germany's second-largest trading partner, and U.S.-German trade has continued to grow strongly. Two-way trade in goods totaled $184 billion in 2007. U.S. exports to Germany were $71 billion while U.S. imports from Germany were more than $113 billion. At nearly $45 billion, the U.S.'s fifth-largest trade deficit is with Germany. Major U.S. export categories include aircraft, electrical equipment, telecommunications equipment, data processing equipment, and motor vehicles and parts. German export sales are concentrated in metalworks, motor vehicles, machinery, chemicals and heavy electrical equipment. Much bilateral trade is intra-industry or intra-firm.

Germany has a liberal foreign investment policy. For 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available, German investment in the U.S. amounted to 233 billion euros (29% of all German foreign direct investment, or FDI; the U.S. is the number-one destination for German FDI), while U.S. investment in Germany was 45 billion euros (11.5% of all FDI invested in Germany; U.S. is third-largest source of FDI in Germany).

U.S. firms employ about 510,000 people in Germany; whereas German firms likewise employ about 746,000 people in the United States.

Despite persistence of some structural rigidities in the labor market and extensive government regulation, the economy remains strong and internationally competitive. Although production costs are very high, Germany is still an export powerhouse, and unit labor costs have decreased in the last 10 years. Additionally, Germany is strategically placed to take advantage of the rapidly growing central European countries. The current government has addressed some of the country's structural problems, with important tax, social security, and financial sector reforms.
*GDP (2007 est.): $3.1 trillion.
*Annual growth rate: (2006) 2.7%; (2007) 2.5%.
*Per capita income (PPP, 2006): $31,900.
*Inflation rate (consumer prices, 2007): 2.2%.
*Natural resources: Iron, hard coal, lignite, potash, natural gas.
*Agriculture (0.9% of GDP): Products—corn, wheat, potatoes, sugar, beets, barley, hops, viticulture, forestry, fisheries.
*Industry (29.1% of GDP): Types—car-making; mechanical, electrical, and precision engineering; chemicals; environmental technology; optics; medical technology; biotech and genetic engineering; nanotechnology; aerospace; logistics.
*Trade (2006): Exports--$1.03 trillion: chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel products, manufactured goods, electrical products. Major markets—France, U.S., and U.K. Imports--$844 billion: food, petroleum products, manufactured goods, electrical products, motor vehicles, apparel. Major suppliers—France, Netherlands, U.S.

The German economy showed substantial improvement in 2007 at 2.5% growth due to the effect of recent economic reforms and strong global economic growth. The export-led recovery is now filtering through to the domestic economy where private consumption has long been at a low level.

=== Economic History ===

In the 1960s, Germany had (ones of) hundreds of billions of dollars in GDP<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_largest_historical_GDP</ref>, being the third-largest economy, only next to the United States and the Soviet Union. However, in 1970, Germany had a $210 billion dollar economy, still being the 3rd largest economy, but being closely approached by Japan. The Germans climbed up to $475 billion in 1975, but got bumped down to fourth by the booming Japanese economy. In 1980, Germany went up to $920 billion, but still kept fourth place. Germany suffered a crash to $660 billion in 1985, still being fourth. In 1990, Germany exploded to $1.6 trillion, compared to the Soviet Union (3rd)'s $2.6 trillion. However, Germany went up to $2.6 trillion, overtaking the crashing Russian economy, and thus getting third place. In 2000, Germany went down to $1.95 trillion, still keeping third. Germany went to $2.875 trillion, being closely approached by the booming Chinese economy. Germany went to $3.3 trillion in 2015, but got bumped again to fourth, because of China's rapidly-growing economy. However, Germany grew slightly faster, when Germany got to $3.4 trillion in 2015. Germany now has a $4 trillion economy (as of 2020), but may be bumped down by 2025 by India's $3 trillion economy, which is booming dramatically.

=== Crisis of 2008 ===

The worldwide [[Financial Crisis of 2008]] hit Germany in the summer, revealing high risk policies pursued by numerous large banks looking for high rates of return outside Germany. In September the government unveiled a $635-billion bailout package for its floundering banks. Economic growth for 2009 is forecast to be an anemic 0.2%.

Automobile manufacturing is a major sector, but the financial crisis caused credit to be harder to obtain; many families postponed purchases. Auto exports fell 10% in October 2008 from October 2007; domestic sales dropped 8%. In contrast 2007 was a record year with production of 12.1 million vehicles and employment of 756,000 workers; an eighth of those jobs were created in the last five years alone.

The German economy has since recovered and the impact of the ongoing euro crisis isn't being noticed yet.

==History==
See [[German History]]

===Coronavirus response===
:{{See also|CCP global pandemic}}
Addressing [[Chinese communist]] president [[Xi Jinping]] the editor-in-chief of Germany’s largest newspaper ''Bild'' wrote
{{quotebox|"You, your government and your scientists had to know long ago that [[coronavirus]] is highly infectious, but you left the world in the dark about it. Your top experts didn't respond when [[Western]] researchers asked to know what was going on in Wuhan. You were too proud and too [[nationalist]]ic to tell the truth, which you felt was a national disgrace....You rule by [[surveillance]]. You wouldn't be president without surveillance. You monitor everything, every citizen, but you refuse to monitor the diseased wet markets in your country. You shut down every newspaper and website that is critical of your rule, but not the stalls where bat soup is sold. You are not only monitoring your people, you are endangering them – and with them, the rest of the world....surveillance is a denial of [[freedom]]. And a nation that is not free, is not creative. A nation that is not innovative, does not invent anything. This is why you have made your country the world champion in intellectual property theft....China enriches itself with the inventions of others, instead of inventing on its own....The reason China does not innovate and invent is that you don't let the young people in your country think freely. China’s greatest export hit (that nobody wanted to have, but which has nevertheless gone around the world) is coronavirus....your laboratories in Wuhan have been researching coronaviruses in bats, but without maintaining the highest safety standards. Why are your toxic laboratories not as secure as your prisons for political prisoners? Would you like to explain this to the grieving widows, daughters, sons, husbands, parents of corona victims all over the world?"....In your country, your people are whispering about you. Your power is crumbling. You have created an inscrutable, non-transparent China. Before Corona, China was known as a surveillance state. Now, China is known as a surveillance state that infected the world with a deadly disease. That is your political legacy."”<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/china-outraged-after-largest-german-newspaper-accuses-beijing-starting-coronavirus</ref>}}
''Bild'' calculated that China owed Germany €149 billion [[euro]]s (USD $161 billion) for coronavirus damages. ''Bild'' said the compensation amounts to €1,784 euros per person if Germany's [[GDP]] drops by 4.2 percent. The ''Bild'' article was titled: "What China owes us."

A case about a man violating strict German lockdown rules by celebrating a birthday with his friends became the world’s first [[COVID]] court case that dealt intensively with the medical facts of the disease and its economic consequences. The court ruled:
{{quotebox-float|“Based on what has been said, there can be no doubt that the number of deaths attributable to the lockdown policy measures alone exceeds the number of deaths prevented by the lockdown many times over....At no time did a concrete danger of the overloading of the health system by a “wave” of COVID-19 patients occur. As can be seen from the DIVI Intensive Care Register, which was newly established on 17 March 2020, at least 40% of intensive care beds in Germany were vacant throughout March and April. In Thuringia, 378 intensive care beds were reported as occupied on 3 April 2020, 36 of which were occupied by COVID-19 patients. This was compared to 417 free beds. 

On 16 April 2020, two days before the decree was issued, 501 intensive care beds were reported as occupied, 56 of them with COVID-19 patients. This contrasted with 528 free beds … The maximum number of COVID-19 patients reported in Thuringia in the spring was 63 on 28 April, and the number of COVID-19 patients was thus at no time in a range where an overload of the health care system could have been feared. 

This assessment of the actual dangers posed by COVID-19 in spring 2020 is confirmed by an analysis of billing data from 421 hospitals by the Quality Medicine Initiative, which concluded that the number of SARI (severe acute respiratory infection) cases treated as inpatients in Germany in the first half of 2020, totaling 187,174 cases, was actually lower than in the first half of 2019 (221,841 cases), although this included COVID-related SARI cases. The number of intensive care and ventilator cases was also lower in the first half of 2020 than in 2019, according to this analysis. 

Mortality statistics paint a similar picture. According to a special analysis by the Federal Statistical Office, 484,429 people died in Germany in the first half of 2020, compared with 479,415 in the first half of 2019, 501,391 in 2018, 488,147 in 2017 and 461,055 in 2016. Accordingly, in both 2017 and 2018, there were more deaths in the first half of the year than in 2020. 

The scare projections that significantly influenced the lockdown decision in the spring were also based on misconceptions about the lethality of the [[virus]] (known as infection fatality rate or IFR) and about an existing or lack of basic immunity to the virus in the population. 

According to a meta-study by medical scientist and statistician John Ioannidis, one of the most cited scientists in the world, published in October in a [[WHO]] bulletin, the median lethality rate is 0.27%, corrected to 0.23%, which is no higher than in moderate [[influenza]] [[epidemic]]s."<ref>http://enformtk.u-aizu.ac.jp/howard/weimar_ruling/</ref>}}

== Sports ==
[[File:Sunken Village by Timm Ulrichs Munich.JPG|thumb|Architectural sculpture "Sunken Village" by Timm Ulrichs, and in the back Allianz Arena, Munich.]]
[[Association Football]] is the most popular sport by far, followed by [[Team Handball]] (not to be confused with [[American handball]]). Basketball and (ice) hockey play a minor role, whereas baseball and American football are, despite being organized, hardly being noticed by the general public.

The most popular non-sport-games are [[chess]] and [[skat]], both being organized in [[bundesligas]].

Germany was the winner of the 2014 [[FIFA World Cup]].

==The states (Bundesländer) and their capitals==
[[File:Frankfurt skyline.jpg|thumb|300px|Frankfurt am Main, Hesse.]]
(In alphabetical order)
* [[Baden-Wuerttemberg]]: [[Stuttgart]]
* [[Bavaria]] (''Bayern''): [[München]]
* [[Berlin]]: [[Berlin]]
* [[Brandenburg]]: [[Potsdam]]
* [[Bremen]]: [[Bremen]]
* [[Hamburg]]: [[Hamburg]]
* [[Hesse]] (''Hessen''): [[Wiesbaden]]
* [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]: [[Schwerin]]
* [[Lower Saxony]] (''Niedersachsen''): [[Hannover]]
* [[North Rhine-Westphalia]] (''Nordrhein-Westfalen''): [[Düsseldorf]]
* [[Rhineland-Palatinate]] (''Rheinland-Pfalz''): [[Mainz]]
* [[Saarland]]: [[Saarbrücken]]
* [[Saxony]] (''Sachsen''): [[Dresden]]
* [[Saxony-Anhalt]] (''Sachsen-Anhalt''): [[Magdeburg]]
* [[Sleswick-Holsatia]] (''Schleswig-Holstein''): [[Kiel]]
* [[Thuringia]] (''Thüringen''): [[Erfurt]]

==Famous Germans==
{|
|-
|
*[[Konrad Adenauer]]
*[[Hannah Arendt]]
*[[Johann Sebastian Bach]]
*[[Franz Beckenbauer]]
*[[Boris Becker]]
*[[Pope Benedict XVI]]
*[[Ludwig van Beethoven]]
*[[Otto von Bismarck]]
*[[Heinrich Böll]]
*[[Willy Brandt]]
*[[Wernher von Braun]]
*[[Bertolt Brecht]]
*[[Dietrich Buxtehude]]
*[[Marlene Dietrich]]
*[[Albrecht Dürer]]
*[[Albert Einstein]]
*[[Roland Emmerich]]
*[[Friedrich Engels]]
*[[Daniel Fahrenheit]]
*[[Rainer Werner Fassbinder]]
|
*[[Joseph Goebbels]]
*[[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]]
*[[Hermann Göring]]
*[[Günter Grass]]
*[[Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen]]
*[[Johannes Gutenberg]]
*[[Georg Friedrich Händel]]
*[[Otto Hahn]]
*[[Friedrich Händel]]
*[[Ernst August von Hannover]]
*[[Karl August von Hardenberg]]
*[[Friedrich Hegel]]
*[[Werner Heisenberg]]
*[[Heinrich Hesse]]
*[[Heinrich Himmler]]
*[[Adolf Hitler]]
*[[Oliver Kahn]]
*[[Henry Kissinger]]
*[[Helmut Kohl]]
*[[Käthe Kollwitz]]
|
*[[Otto Kretschmer]]
*[[Karl Liebknecht]]
*[[Loriot]]
*[[Martin Luther]]
*[[Rosa Luxemburg]]
*[[Thomas Mann]]
*[[Karl Marx]]
*Angela Merkel
*[[Lise Meitner]]
*[[Anne-Sophie Mutter]]
*[[Nena]]
*[[Dirk Nowitzki]]
*[[Friedrich Nietzsche]]
*[[Erwin Rommel]]
*[[Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen]]
*[[Friedrich Schiller]]
*[[Gerhard Schröder]]
*[[Heinrich Schliemann]]
*[[Michael Schumacher]]
*[[Karlheinz Stockhausen]]
*[[Richard Wagner]]
*[[Wim Wenders]]
|}

==Further reading==
* Schafers, Bernha, ''The State of Germany Atlas'' (1998) [https://www.amazon.com/State-Germany-Atlas-Bernha-Schafers/dp/0415188261/ref=sr_1_27?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324991&sr=1-27 excerpt and text search]
* Schulte-Peevers, Andrea, et al. ''Lonely Planet Germany'' (2007) [https://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planet-Germany-Andrea-Schulte-Peevers/dp/1740599888/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324694&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]

===Since 1990===
* Alba, Richard. Peter Schmidt, and Martina Wasmer. ''Germans or Foreigners?: Attitudes Toward Ethnic Minorities in Post-Reunification Germany'' (2004) [https://www.amazon.com/Germans-Foreigners-Minorities-Post-Reunification-Transition/dp/1403963789/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324886&sr=1-22 excerpt and text search]
* Berghahn, Volker Rolf. ''Modern Germany: society, economy, and politics in the twentieth century'' (1987) [http://hdl.handle.net.proxy.cc.uic.edu/2027/heb.01673 ACLS E-book]
* Buse, Dieter K. ed. ''Modern Germany: An Encyclopedia of History, People, and Culture 1871-1990'' (2 vol 1998)
* Kahn, Charlotte. ''Ten Years of German Unification: One State, Two Peoples'' (2000) [http://www.questia.com/read/23486249 online edition]
* Larres, Klaus. ''Germany Since Unification: The Development of the Berlin Republic'' (2nd ed. 2001) [https://www.amazon.com/Germany-Since-Unification-Second-Development/dp/0333919998/ref=sr_1_28?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324991&sr=1-28 excerpt and text search]

===Economics and society===
* Siebert, Horst. ''The German Economy: Beyond the Social Market'' (2005) [https://www.amazon.com/German-Economy-Beyond-Social-Market/dp/0691096643/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201328508&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Zimmermann, Klaus F. et al. ''Immigration Policy and the Labor Market: The German Experience and Lessons for Europe'' (2007) [https://www.amazon.com/Immigration-Policy-Labor-Market-Experience/dp/354068381X/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201328716&sr=8-9 excerpt and text search]

====Politics====
* Green, Simon, and William E. Paterson. ''Governance in Contemporary Germany: The Semisovereign State Revisited'' (2005) [https://www.amazon.com/Governance-Contemporary-Germany-Semisovereign-Revisited/dp/0521848814/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324991&sr=1-25 excerpt and text search]
* Hancock, M. Donald, ''Politics in Europe: An Introduction to the Politics of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden'' (2006) [https://www.amazon.com/Politics-Europe-Introduction-Kingdom-Germany/dp/1933116455/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324694&sr=1-11 excerpt and text search]
* Schmidt, Manfred G. ''Political Institutions in the Federal Republic of Germany'' (2003) ISBN 0198782594

==See also==
*[[Refugee]]s
*[[Atheistic Germany and alcoholism]]
*[[Atheistic Germany and loneliness]]
*[[Bavaria]]
*[[Bestiality and Germany]]
*[[Communist East Germany and alcoholism]]
*[[German Painting]]
*[[Gallery of German Masterpieces]]
*[[Prussia]]

== External links ==
*[http://www.justgermany.org/germany/germany-facts.asp Germany Basic Facts.]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

 
===Sources===
* source: [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3997.htm US State Department Country Study]

{{European Union}}

[[Category:German History]]
[[Category:Germany]]
[[Category:NATO Members]]
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]

Germany

2021-08-13T23:12:22Z

Amateratsu:

{{Country
|name =''Bundesrepublik Deutschland''
|map =Germany rel 94.jpg
|map2 =Loc of Germany.PNG
|flag =Flag of Germany.JPG
|arms =Arms of Germany.png
|capital =Berlin
|capital-raw =
|government =Federal Republic (Parliamentary)
|government-raw =
|language =German
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Frank-Walter Steinmeier
|president-raw =
|chancellor =Angela Merkel
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =
|area =137,858 sq mi
|pop =82,500,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$4,000,000,000,000 (2020)
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =$48,485 (2020)
|currency =[[Euro]] (formerly the [[Deutsche Mark]])
|idd =
|tld =.de
}}
:''For the impact on left-wing policies on Germany and the rest of Europe, see [[European migrant crisis]]''
'''Germany''' (official name: '''Federal Republic of Germany''') is a federally organized Representative [[Democracy]] in [[Central Europe]] with a population of about 82.2 million. The capital city and seat of government is [[Berlin]].

The major ethnic groups are German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4% Polish 1%, Yugoslavs 1% and others 4%. 29% of the population are Protestants, 27% are [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholics]] and 4.4% are Muslim.<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gm.html</ref>

As Europe's largest economy and the most populous nation wholly within Europe, Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. The central German bank, the Bundesbank, has historically been the most influential force within the financial markets of the [[European Union]]. But Germany has allowed itself to become dependent on [[Russia]] for [[natural gas]], and in recent years Germany has taken large numbers of immigrants from [[Muslim]] countries.

Currently Germany is ruled by the pseudo-conservative [[Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU) under chancellor [[Angela Merkel]] and the left-wing [[SPD]]. Before it was ruled by CDU and the left-liberal [[Free Democratic Party]] (FDP).

In June 2017, both German parliament chambers voted to legalize [[Same-sex marriage|same-sex "marriage"]]. The new law went into effect on October 1, 2017. The Bavarian state government is currently investigating a possible appeal to the German constitutional court.

==People==
===Demography===
[[File:German-fans.jpg|thumb|250px|German fans.]]
In 2005 there were 388,451 marriages and 201,693 divorces. There were 685,795 births and 830,227 deaths. The number of births has dropped from 767,000 in 2000, while the deaths have risen from 179,600.

The average age at marrying (for the first time) for men was 32 and for women 29. While abortions are legal, advertising for abortion is prohibited. The annual abortion rate, at under ten per 1,000 women aged 15–44, is among the lowest in the world.

In 2005 10.2% of all children lived in poverty (in households with income below 50% of the national median).

Germany had a Net Reproduction Rate (NRR) of 0.66 in 1999. A rate of NRR=1.0 equals a constant population. Therefore, in terms of births and deaths (and not counting immigration), the population is shrinking by 34% between generations.[3]

Life expectancy of females at birth in West Germany rose from 71 years in 1954 to 80 years in 2000; the expectancy for boys rose from 66 to 75. Expectancy in the eastern zone was about three years less.

The projected population in 2050 is 76 million, down from the present 82 million. There will be more deaths than births, and that is largely offset by a net inflow of immigrants from 2000 to 2050, predicted to be about 240,000 per year.

<blockquote>
Germany's recent debate about immigration misses an important reality: for Germany, and most all developed countries, attracting educated and skilled foreign workers is a matter of economic survival.<ref>[http://www.cfr.org/germany/germanys-immigration-dilemma/p24213 Germany's Immigration Dilemma.]</ref>
</blockquote>

===Ethnicity===
[[File:Germany - houses.jpg|left|340px]]
Most inhabitants of Germany are ethnic German. There are, however, more than 7 million foreign residents, many of whom are the families and descendants of so-called "guest workers" (foreign workers, mostly from Turkey, invited to Germany in the 1950s and 1960s to fill labor shortages) who remained in Germany. Germany has a sizable ethnic Turkish population. Germany is also a prime destination for political and economic refugees from many developing countries. An ethnic Danish minority lives in the north, and a small Slavic minority known as the Sorbs lives in eastern Germany. Due to restrictive German citizenship laws, most "foreigners" do not hold German citizenship even when born and raised in Germany. However, since the German government undertook citizenship and immigration law reforms in 2002, more foreign residents have had the ability to naturalize.

===Education===
Germany has one of the world's highest average levels of education, technological development, and economic productivity. Since the end of World War II, the number of youths entering universities has more than tripled, and the trade and technical schools of the Federal Republic of Germany (F.R.G.) are reasonably good. German 15-year olds score about average in comparison with similar countries.

At the university level, however, there has been a dramatic decline in quality from the days before Hitler, when German universities were the best in the world. Since the student revolts of 1968, conditions at the once-famous universities have deteriorated badly. A strong egalitarianism prevents the re-emergence of world-class faculties and no German university ranks among the top 40 in the world.<ref>Gebhard Schweigler, "Heidelberg is Not Harvard …and Germany is embarrassed." [http://www.atlantic-times.com/archive_detail.php?recordID=83 ''The Atlantic Times'' Dec. 2004]</ref>

The conservative government has tried to reverse the decline by offering €1.9 billion (about $2.7 billion) in excellence grants to numerous schools spread over a period of five years—for less money than Harvard spends in one year. Little improvement has been reported from this small investment. The leading schools are Freiburg, Heidelberg and Konstanz (all in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg), Aachen, Göttingen, the Free University of Berlin, two schools in Munich and Karlsruhe's Technical University.<ref>Lutz Lichtenberger, "Selective Upgrades The government’s 'Excellence Initiative' grants German universities small packs of ivy seeds," [http://www.atlantic-times.com/archive_detail.php?recordID=1080 ''The Atlantic Times'' Nov. 2007]</ref> Meanwhile, top German scientists and engineers migrate to the United States, where their talents are appreciated.

===Standard of Living===
[[File:Living Germany.jpg|left|170px]]
With a per capita income level of more than $28,700, Germany is a broadly middle-class society. A generous social welfare system provides for universal medical care, unemployment compensation, and other social needs. Millions of Germans travel abroad each year.

With unification on October 3, 1990, Germany began the major task of bringing the standard of living of Germans in the former German Democratic Republic (G.D.R.) up to that of western Germany. This has been a lengthy and difficult process due to the relative inefficiency of industrial enterprises in the former G.D.R., difficulties in resolving property ownership in eastern Germany, and the inadequate infrastructure and environmental damage that resulted from years of mismanagement under communist rule.
{{Clear}}

===Extremism===
Economic [[malaise]] in eastern Germany is one factor contributing to extremist violence, primarily from neo-Nazis. Confusion about the causes of the current hardships and a need to place blame has found expression in harassment and violence by some Germans directed toward foreigners, particularly non-Europeans. The vast majority of Germans condemn such violence.

Wolfgang Schaube, the Interior minister 2005–9, was shot by a deranged man in 1990 and is confined to a wheel chair. He calls on Germans to feel more patriotic, and for immigrants to assimilate faster. He has adopted tough policies on policing and anti-terrorism, such as giving the military authority to shoot down hijacked planes.

===Religion===
[[Image:St Stephens Cathedral interior.jpg|thumb|left|300px|St. Stephens Cathedral (''Stephansdom'') in Passau, Bavaria.]]
In 2006 the Roman Catholic Church reported a membership of 25.7 million. The Evangelical Church, a confederation of the Lutheran, Uniate, and Reformed Protestant Churches, has 25.3 million members. Together, these two churches account for nearly two-thirds of the population.<ref>According to [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108448.htm U.S. State Department, "International Religious Freedom Report 2008"]</ref>
[[File:Church pipe organ St Stephen s Cathedral of Passau Germany..jpg|thumb|Church pipe organ, St. Stephen's Cathedral of Passau.]]
Protestant Christian denominations include: New Apostolic Church, 371,305; Ethnic German Baptists from the former Soviet Union (FSU), 85,000; and Baptist, 75,000. Muslims number 3.5 million, including Sunnis, 2.5 million; Alevis, 410,000; and Shi'a, 225,000. Until 2004 the annual number of conversions to Islam was 300, largely Christian women native citizens marrying Muslim men; however, since 2004 the annual numbers of conversions have jumped into the thousands. There are approximately 2,600 Islamic places of worship, including an estimated 150 traditional architecture mosques, with 100 more mosques being planned. One million Muslims are citizens. Orthodox Christians number 1.4 million, including Greek Orthodox/Constantinople Patriarchate, 450,000; Serbian Orthodox, 250,000; Romanian Orthodox, 300,000; and Russian Orthodox/Moscow Patriarchate, 150,000. Buddhists number 245,000, Jehovah's Witnesses 165,000, and Hindus 97,500. The Church of Scientology operates 18 churches and missions, and according to press reports, it has 30,000 members. However, according to the Offices for the Protection of the Constitution (OPC) in Brandenburg and Hamburg, the Church of Scientology has 5,000-6,000 members.

According to estimates, Jews number more than 200,000, of which 107,330 are registered members of the Jewish community. Of these registered community members, 100,967 are immigrants and 6,363 are originally from the country. From 1990 to 2006, approximately 202,000 Jews and non-Jewish dependents from the countries of the FSU arrived, joining 25,000 to 30,000 Jews already in the country. As a result of a more restrictive immigration policy regarding Jews from the FSU, the number of Jewish immigrants decreased to 1,296 in 2007 from 1,971 in 2006 and 3,124 in 2005. The new policy was designed in cooperation with Jewish organizations in order to better manage the integration of individuals into the Jewish community.

An estimated 21 million persons (one-quarter of the population) either have no religious affiliation or belong to unrecorded religious organizations.

On December 18, 2007, the Bertelsmann Foundation published a survey on religious convictions and practice in the country, which failed to confirm the commonly held belief that the country was becoming more secular. Fully 70% of adult respondents said they were religious, and of those, 18% said they were "deeply religious" and regularly attend worship services, up from 15% in earlier studies. In the 18-29 age group, 41% expressed a belief in eternal life and a divine being, more than in any other age bracket. Roman Catholics report that 15% of nominal Catholics regularly attend Sunday Mass. Seventeen years after reunification, the country's eastern part remains far more secular than the west. The Bertelsmann Foundation found former easterners self-identified as 36% religious and 8% deeply religious, in contrast with 78% and 21%, respectively, for those from the west. Only 5 to 10% of eastern citizens belong to a religious organization, but numbers are increasing among non-Lutheran Protestants in the east.
====Discrimination====
[[File:Muslims in Europe map.jpg|thumb|290px|Muslims in Europe by country.]]
There have been recent reports of societal abuses and discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, and practice. Right-wing extremists committed politically motivated crimes against minorities including religious groups, as well as anti-Semitic and anti-Islamic acts. Cemeteries were desecrated, and Muslim communities sometimes suffered societal discrimination when building new mosques and finding allotments of land for cemeteries; however, many members of Government and civil society initiated discussions about Muslim integration and expressed their commitment to addressing the issue. The Roman Catholic and Evangelical churches continued to use "sect commissioners" to warn the public of dangers from some minority religious groups such as the Unification Church, Scientologists, Universal Life (Universelles Leben), and Transcendental Meditation practitioners. Scientologists continue to find "sect filters" used against them in employment as well as discrimination in political party membership.

<blockquote>
Muslim population is around 3 million (3.6%); the majority of the Muslim population is Turkish, with many retaining strong links to Turkey. Others arrived from Bosnia and Kosovo during the Balkan wars. Until recently Muslims were considered "guest workers", who would one day leave the country - a view that is changing. Racist violence is a sensitive issue, with the authorities trying a range of strategies to beat it. Steps are being taken to improve integration.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4385768.stm#germany Muslims in Europe.]</ref>
</blockquote>

====Religion in schools====
Most public schools offer Protestant and Catholic religious instruction in cooperation with those churches, as well as instruction in Judaism if enough students express interest. The number of Islamic religion classes in public schools continued to grow. In principle, participants of the federal government-sponsored Islam Conference agreed that Islamic education should be made widely available. Education is a state responsibility and, in part because no nationally recognized Islamic organization exists that could assist in developing a curriculum or providing services, the form and content of Islamic instruction vary from state to state. Organizations providing Islamic instruction do not have public law corporation status.

Depending on the state, a nonreligious ethics course or study hall may be available for students not wishing to participate in religious instruction.
[[File:MUSLIM GERMANY RELIGION SCHOOL.jpg|thumb|left|330px|Coauthors Evelin Lubig-Fohsel and Guel Solgun-Kaps hold the German-language textbook they wrote for state-sponsored religion classes in Germany's schools.]]
Islamic classes in public schools continued to be a controversial topic but were increasingly common throughout the country, except in areas where the Muslim population was too small to support them. Although no Muslim group had "public law corporation" status that would entitle them to offer Islamic courses, state governments recognized the need and demand and worked with local Muslim organizations to establish such courses. On March 13, 2008, the Interior Minister was quoted in the press indicating that the Federal Government and Muslim community leaders had reached an agreement in principle that schools should offer classes in Islam taught in German alongside the other religions, but he noted that it would take time to implement the agreement.

There are an estimated 900,000 Muslim students in the public school system; Islamic education in schools is offered in some states. At the start of the 2006‑07 school year, authorities in Baden‑Wuerttemberg established a two‑course system: one for Sunni and Shi'a students and another for Alevis. State officials and Muslim groups in Baden‑Wuerttemberg agreed upon the system and the initial reactions were positive. Some states offered similar programs while others were working with Muslim leaders to establish a uniform curriculum. Later in the year, universities in Frankfurt, Ludwigsburg, Karlsruhe, and Weingarten began offering training courses in the teaching of Islam.

The legal obligation that children attend school, confirmed by the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Justice in 2006, continued to be a problem for some home-schooling advocates, such as Baptists from the FSU in Eastern Westphalia, due to concerns about sex education and the teaching of evolution. On August 2, 2007, the Stuttgart Administrative Court dismissed the case brought by several Russian‑German immigrant families belonging to the Baptist group Gemeinde Gottes who had petitioned in 2004 to send their children to a private religious school run by members of their community. The court ruled that the teaching staff was insufficiently qualified. Other home-schooling cases remain in the court system.

<blockquote>
Public schools in Germany must offer religion classes, and pilot courses in Islam are now being offered in addition to established programs in Judaism, Catholicism, and Protestantism.<ref>[https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2010/0120/Why-German-public-schools-now-teach-Islam Why German public schools now teach Islam.]</ref>
</blockquote>

===State support for religion===
In order to help support [[Protestant]], [[Catholic]], and [[Jewish]] religious institutions, the German state collects [[taxes]] on members of those religions and passes the funding along to the relevant religious administrative body.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19737983]</ref>

===Data===
*Population (2007 est.): 82 million.
*Ethnic groups: Primarily German; Danish minority in the north, Sorbian (Slavic) minority in the east; 7.3 million foreign residents.
*Religions: Protestants (26 million); Roman Catholics (26 million); approximately 3.2 million Muslims.
*Language: German.
*Education: Years compulsory—9-13 (depending on the Land); attendance—100%; literacy—99%.
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2006 est.)--4.12/1,000; life expectancy (2006 est.)--women 81.96 years, men 77.81 years.
*Persons employed (2006 avg.): 39.08 million; unemployed (2006 avg.): 9.8% of labor force.

==Government==
===Executive Branch===
[[File:Merkel.jpg|thumb|Angela Merkel.]]
Germany has a president as [[head of state]]. The president's powers are essentially representative.
The current president is Frank-Walter Steinmeier, succeeding [[Joachim Gauck]].

The actual political power and head of government is the chancellor ("Bundeskanzler"), who is elected by federal parliament ("Bundestag"). The chancellor is typically elected in the first session of a newly elected Bundestag for the entire legislative period of four years. The parliament can only force the chancellor to resign in a ''constructive motion of no-confidence'', if it elects at the same time a new Chancellor. The current chancellor is [[Angela Merkel|Dr. Angela Merkel]]. The current government is a coalition between the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD).
{{Clear}}

===Legislative Branch===
[[File:Bonn Bundestag Plenarsaal Germany.jpg|thumb|left|280px|Bundestag Plenarsaal at Bonn.]]
Germany has a bicameral system with a federal parliament ("Bundestag") and a representation of the states ("Bundesrat"). The members of Bundestag in elected every four years, using a personalized proportional system. The members of the Bundesrat are representatives of the state governments, and the delegations of each state are required to vote as a bloc on behalf of their governments. Each delegation has between 3 and 6 members, depending on the size of the represented state. The position of president of the Bundesrat rotates on an annual basis between the prime ministers of the states.
{{Clear}}

===Judicative Branch===
The German constitution provides for an independent jurisdiction. The highest appeals court in Germany is the Federal Court of Justice ("Bundesgerichtshof"), which is seated in the Southwestern city of [[Karlsruhe]]. Members of the Federal court are elected by a committee, with 16 delegates from the states, one from each state, appointed by the state governments, and 16 delegates appointed by the federal parliament. The Federal Constitutional Court ("Bundesverfassungsgericht") is the highest court to review decisions and acts by the executive and legislative branches of government. It can be called to determine whether public acts are unconstitutional and can render them ineffective if they are not. This court is also seated in city of Karlsruhe, and it members are elected by the Bundesrat and Bundestag, and need a 2/3 majority in each.

===Political Parties===
====Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU)====
[[File:Germ-vote-2009.jpg|200px|thumb|Exit polls from Sept. 2009 election won by the conservative coalition CDU and FDP]]
:''Main article: [[Christian Democratic Union]] and [[Christian Social Union]]
An important aspect of postwar German politics was the emergence of a moderate, ecumenical Christian party—the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)--operating in alliance with a related Bavarian party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). Although each party maintains its own structure, the two form a common caucus in the Bundestag and do not run opposing campaigns. The CDU/CSU has adherents among Catholics, Protestants, rural interests, and members of all economic classes. It is generally conservative on economic and social policy and more identified with the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches.

The September 2009 elections were a major win for the conservative forces led by Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]], breaking a stalemate and opening the way for more conservative economic policies. Previously since an indecisive election in 2005 the Christian Democrats ([[CDU]]) (on the center-right) formed a "grand coalition" with the Social Democrats ([[SPD]]) (on the center-left). From 2009 to 2013 Merkel and her CDU formed a coalition with the libertarian, pro-business [[Free Democratic Party|Free Democrats]] (FDP). Left in the cold was the SPD, the [[Alliance '90/The Greens|Greens]], and the ex-Communists who remain strong in the former East Germany under the name "[[The Left]]". Merkel moved forward on tax cuts, reform of the tax code, reduction of bureaucracy and a possible extension of the time that nuclear power plants can continue to operate.<ref>Craig Whitlock, "Germany's Merkel Reelected Easily, Will Form New Coalition," [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/27/AR2009092700631.html?nav=emailpage ''Washington Post'' Sept. 28, 2009]</ref> Merkel's program announced as she took office Oct. 28 includes $36 billion in income tax cuts, lower business taxes, and higher family benefits. The budget will be in deficit for the next four years, as the government believes the economy is too fragile for spending cuts and that more stimulus is needed to end the recession. By law the budget must be balanced by the year 2016. Nuclear power plants will be given an extension, and Merkel wants to move more of the welfare costs from corporations to households.

The CDU has the greatest base of faithful voters, but is recently struggling to maintain majorities in big cities.

====Free Democratic Party (FDP)====
:''Main article:'' [[Free Democratic Party]]
The FDP has traditionally been composed mainly of middle and upper class Protestants who consider themselves heirs to the European libertarian tradition. It supports free trade and reducing the role of the state in economic policy. It is libertarian on social issues. The party has participated in all but three postwar federal governments but had not been in federal government from 1998 to 2009.

====Social Democratic Party (SPD)====
[[File:German party SPD.jpg|140px|left]]
:''Main article:'' [[SPD]]
The SPD is one of the oldest organized political parties in the world. It originally advocated Marxist principles, but in the 1959 Godesberg Program abandoned the concept of a "class party" while continuing to stress social welfare programs. Under the leadership of Gerhard Schroeder, the SPD-Greens government implemented in 2003 the centrist Agenda 2010 reforms, designed to modernize the country's social system and labor market. The SPD has a powerful base in the bigger cities and industrialized states.

After the FDP, the partner of the CDU, left the parliament, Merkel created a "grand coalition" with the SPD.
{{Clear}}

====The Left====
:''Main article:'' [[The Left]]
The PDS (for 'Partei des demokratischen Sozialismus'; "Party of Democratic Socialism", the renamed communist party of the former East Germany, and follow-up of the [[SED]]) and the WASG (for 'Wahlalternative Arbeit und Soziale Gerechtigkeit'; "Voting alternative work and social justice" composed of west-German leftists) merged in June 2007 to form a party simply known as "[[The Left]]." The party's foreign policy is largely shaped by its rigid opposition to foreign military deployments, for example in [[Afghanistan]], and insists on an immediate pull-out. On domestic policy, the party opposes economic and social reforms, such as Hartz IV, which aim to increase free markets and reduce unemployment benefits. The Left proposes to weaken the free market system with a new orientation to democratic socialist principles. The Left also experienced a lot of criticism due to its communist wing, the 'communist platform' which makes up 4.4% of the national vote, an insufficient total to clear the 5 percent hurdle.<ref>[http://www.germanculture.com.ua/library/facts/bl_electoral_system.htm German Culture.com; Electoral System of Germany (next to last paragraph)]</ref>
{{Clear}}

====Alliance 90/Greens====
:''Main article:'' [[Alliance '90/The Greens]]
In the late 1970s, environmentalists organized politically as the Greens. Opposition to nuclear power, military power, and certain aspects of highly industrialized society were principal campaign issues. In the December 1990 all-German elections, the Greens merged with the Eastern German Alliance 90, a loose grouping of civil rights activists with diverse political views. The Greens joined a federal government for the first time in 1998, forming a coalition with the SPD.

In 2012 they took advantage of the Fukushima nuclear plant desaster in Japan, allowing them to form the government of the state of Baden-Württemberg in a coalition with the SPD, which is the smaller partner this time.

====Alternative for Germany====
The [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD) is a right-wing party that was founded to in February 2013 as a reaction to the Financial crisis in Europe. A main theme area of the party is the rejection of [[Illegal Immigration]].

====Other parties====
[[File:German communist logo.jpg|thumb|200px|The logo of the German Communist Party]]
Because of the instability caused by the need for multi-party coalitions in the Weimar Republic, Germany's Basic Law today requires parties reach 5% of the vote to win seats in the Bundestag. In addition to those parties that won representation in the Bundestag in 2005, a variety of minor parties won a cumulative 2.7% of the vote, down from 3.0% in 2002. Several other parties were on the ballot in one or more states but did not qualify for representation in the federal Bundestag.

Another important party is the [[Pirate Party]] (PIRATEN).

===Principal Government Officials===
*President—Frank-Walter Steinmeier
*President of the Bundestag—Wolfgang Schäuble (CDU)
*Chancellor—Angela Merkel (CDU)
*Vice Chancellor and Minister of Finance—Olaf Scholz (SPD)
*Minister of Interior—[[Horst Seehofer]] (CSU)
*Minister of Minister of Foreign Affairs—Heiko Maas (SPD)
*Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy—Peter Altmaier (CDU)
*Minister of Justice—Katarina Barley (SPD)
*Minister of Labor and Social Affairs—Hubertus Heil (SPD)
*Minister of Defense—Ursula von der Leyen (CDU)
*Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection—Julia Klöckner (CDU)
*Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth—Franziska Giffey (SPD)
*Minister of Health—Jens Spahn (CDU)
*Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs—Andreas Scheuer (CSU)
*Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety—Svenja Schulze (SPD)
*Minister of Education and Research—Anja Karliczek (CDU)
*Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development—Gerd Müller (CSU)
*Head of the Federal Chancellery and Minister for Special Tasks—Helge Braun (CDU)

===Foreign Relations===
[[File:German Foreign Minister Welcomes Ukrainian President Yanukovych.jpg|thumb|340px|Former German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle welcomes former Ukrainian President [[Viktor Yanukovych]] in Berlin, 2010.]]
Germany continues to emphasize close ties with the United States, membership in NATO, and the "deepening" of integration among current members of the EU. The Federal Republic of Germany took part in all of the joint postwar efforts aimed at closer political, economic, and defense cooperation among the countries of western Europe. Germany has been a large net contributor to the EU budget. Germany also is a strong supporter of the United Nations and of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

During the postwar era, the Federal Republic of Germany also sought to improve its relationship with the countries of Central Europe freed from communism, first establishing trade agreements and, subsequently, diplomatic relations. With unification, German relations with the restored democracies in central and eastern Europe intensified. On November 14, 1990, Germany and Poland signed a treaty confirming the Oder-Neisse border. They also concluded a cooperation treaty on June 17, 1991. Germany concluded four treaties with the Soviet Union covering the overall bilateral relationship, economic relations, the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the territory of the former G.D.R., and German support for those troops. Russia accepted obligations under these treaties as successor to the Soviet Union. Germany continues to be active economically in the states of central and eastern Europe and to actively support the development of democratic institutions, bilaterally and through the EU.

====Relations with the United States====
[[File:Nazi crowd salute.jpg|thumb|300px|Nazi crowd salute.]]
U.S.-German relations have been a focal point of American involvement in Europe since the end of World War II. Germany stands at the center of European affairs and is a key partner in U.S. relations with Europeans in NATO and the European Union.

German-American ties extend back to the colonial era. More than 7 million Germans have immigrated over the last three centuries, and today nearly a quarter of U.S. citizens claim German ancestry. In recognition of this heritage and the importance of modern-day U.S.-German ties, the U.S. President annually has proclaimed October 6, the date the first German immigrants arrived in 1623, to be "German-American Day."

U.S. policy toward Germany remains the preservation and consolidation of a close and vital relationship with Germany, not only as friends and trading partners, but also as allies sharing common institutions. During the 45 years in which Germany was divided, the U.S. role in Berlin and the large American military presence in West Germany served as symbols of the U.S. commitment to preserving peace and security in Europe. Since German unification, the U.S. commitment to these goals has not changed. The U.S. made significant reductions in its troop levels in Germany after the Cold War ended, and, on July 12, 1994, President Clinton "cased the colors" at the Berlin Brigade's deactivation ceremony. The U.S., however, continues to recognize that the security and prosperity of the United States and Germany significantly depend on each other.

As allies in NATO, the United States and Germany work side by side to maintain peace and freedom. This unity and resolve made possible the successful conclusion of the 1987 U.S.-U.S.S.R. Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), the Two-plus-Four process—which led to the Final Settlement Treaty—and the November 1990 Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty.
[[File:President and First Lady Obama with Chancellor Merkel.jpg|thumb|left|320px|President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are welcomed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her husband, professor Joachim Sauer, to Rathaus in Baden-Baden, Germany, 2009.]]
More recently, the two allies have cooperated closely in peacekeeping efforts in the Balkans and have worked together to encourage the evolution of open and democratic states throughout central and eastern Europe. Germany is also a strong contributor to our common effort to secure peace and stability in Afghanistan, contributing almost 3,000 troops to the NATO ISAF mission.

Following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, DC, Germany has been a reliable U.S. ally in the campaign against terrorism. As two of the world's leading trading nations, the United States and Germany share a common, deep-seated commitment to an open and expanding world economy. Personal ties between the United States and Germany extend beyond immigration to include intensive foreign exchange programs, booming tourism in both directions, and the presence in Germany of large numbers of American military personnel and their dependents.

The United States and Germany have built a solid foundation of bilateral cooperation in a relationship that has changed significantly over nearly six decades. The historic unification of Germany and the role the United States played in that process have served to strengthen ties between the two countries.

German-American political, economic, and security relationships continue to be based on close consultation and coordination at the most senior levels. High-level visits take place frequently, and the United States and Germany cooperate actively in international forums.

====War on Terror====
Germany currently contributes troops to the NATO-led ISAF operation in [[Afghanistan]], but did not support the invasion of [[Iraq]]. German military participates in NATO Force Protection Program, protecting US military bases located in Germany.

====Libya====

[[Libyan uprising 2011]]

<blockquote>
Germany’s Defense Minister Thomas de Maziere has criticized NATO’s controversial military operation in Libya and lack of foresight when it comes to intervening in the North African country. [http://2012indyinfo.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/presstv-germany-slams-nato-mission-in-libya/]
</blockquote>

==Economy==
[[Image:The_castle3.jpg|right|thumb|270px|Neuschwanstein Castle, a popular tourist destination.]]
Germany is the world's fourth-largest economy and is currently the largest economy in Europe. From the 1948 currency reform until the early 1970s, West Germany experienced almost continuous economic expansion. Real gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed down, and even declined, from the mid-1970s through the recession of the early 1980s. The economy then experienced 8 consecutive years of growth that ended with a downturn beginning in late 1992. Since unification, Germany has seen annual average real growth of only about 1.5% and stubbornly high unemployment. In 2006, Germany had its best year since 2000 with 2.7% growth; for 2007, growth was at 2.5% despite a 3 percentage point VAT hike at the beginning of the year. The government forecasts 1.7% growth in GDP for 2008. Unemployment in 2007 dropped to an annualized average of 9.0% nationwide, but it is still significantly higher—15.1%--in the German states that make up the former East Germany.

Germans often describe their economic system as a "social market economy." The German Government provides an extensive array of social services. The state intervenes in the economy by providing subsidies to selected sectors and by owning some segments of the economy, while promoting competition and free enterprise. The government has restructured the railroad system on a corporate basis, privatized the national airline, and is privatizing telecommunications and postal services.

The German economy is heavily export-oriented, with exports accounting for more than one-third of national output. As a result, exports traditionally have been a key element in German macroeconomic expansion, accounting for over half of the economic growth in recent years. Germany is a strong advocate of closer European economic integration, and its economic and commercial policies are increasingly determined within the European Union (EU). Germany uses the common European currency, the euro, and the European Central Bank sets monetary policy.
[[File:German transmission lines.jpg|thumb|left|340px|Transmission lines and generating stations.]]
In the early-mid 2000s, Germany adopted a complex set of labor/social welfare reforms to overcome structural weaknesses of the German welfare state and to create policies more conductive to employment. Defying a skeptical German public, the coalition government of Chancellor Angela Merkel initiated additional reform measures, such as the gradual increase in the mandatory retirement age from 65 to 67—a move that would add 2.5 million to the workforce by 2030. Subsequently, however, there has been active political debate and some rollback of these labor reforms; most notably the government decided to extend the payment period of unemployment benefits to older workers in early 2008.

Fifteen years after reunification (October 3, 1990), Germany had made great progress in raising the standard of living in eastern Germany, introducing a market economy and improving its infrastructure. At the same time, the process of convergence between east and west is taking longer than originally expected and, on some measures, has stagnated since the mid-1990s. Eastern economic growth rates have been lower than in the west in recent years, unemployment is twice as high, prompting many skilled easterners to seek work in the west, and productivity continues to lag. Eastern consumption levels are dependent on public net financial transfers from west to east totaling about $13 billion per year. In addition to social assistance payments, the government will extend funds to promote eastern economic development through 2019.

The United States is Germany's second-largest trading partner, and U.S.-German trade has continued to grow strongly. Two-way trade in goods totaled $184 billion in 2007. U.S. exports to Germany were $71 billion while U.S. imports from Germany were more than $113 billion. At nearly $45 billion, the U.S.'s fifth-largest trade deficit is with Germany. Major U.S. export categories include aircraft, electrical equipment, telecommunications equipment, data processing equipment, and motor vehicles and parts. German export sales are concentrated in metalworks, motor vehicles, machinery, chemicals and heavy electrical equipment. Much bilateral trade is intra-industry or intra-firm.

Germany has a liberal foreign investment policy. For 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available, German investment in the U.S. amounted to 233 billion euros (29% of all German foreign direct investment, or FDI; the U.S. is the number-one destination for German FDI), while U.S. investment in Germany was 45 billion euros (11.5% of all FDI invested in Germany; U.S. is third-largest source of FDI in Germany).

U.S. firms employ about 510,000 people in Germany; whereas German firms likewise employ about 746,000 people in the United States.

Despite persistence of some structural rigidities in the labor market and extensive government regulation, the economy remains strong and internationally competitive. Although production costs are very high, Germany is still an export powerhouse, and unit labor costs have decreased in the last 10 years. Additionally, Germany is strategically placed to take advantage of the rapidly growing central European countries. The current government has addressed some of the country's structural problems, with important tax, social security, and financial sector reforms.
*GDP (2007 est.): $3.1 trillion.
*Annual growth rate: (2006) 2.7%; (2007) 2.5%.
*Per capita income (PPP, 2006): $31,900.
*Inflation rate (consumer prices, 2007): 2.2%.
*Natural resources: Iron, hard coal, lignite, potash, natural gas.
*Agriculture (0.9% of GDP): Products—corn, wheat, potatoes, sugar, beets, barley, hops, viticulture, forestry, fisheries.
*Industry (29.1% of GDP): Types—car-making; mechanical, electrical, and precision engineering; chemicals; environmental technology; optics; medical technology; biotech and genetic engineering; nanotechnology; aerospace; logistics.
*Trade (2006): Exports--$1.03 trillion: chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel products, manufactured goods, electrical products. Major markets—France, U.S., and U.K. Imports--$844 billion: food, petroleum products, manufactured goods, electrical products, motor vehicles, apparel. Major suppliers—France, Netherlands, U.S.

The German economy showed substantial improvement in 2007 at 2.5% growth due to the effect of recent economic reforms and strong global economic growth. The export-led recovery is now filtering through to the domestic economy where private consumption has long been at a low level.

=== Economic History ===

In the 1960s, Germany had (ones of) hundreds of billions of dollars in GDP<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_largest_historical_GDP</ref>, being the third-largest economy, only next to the United States and the Soviet Union. However, in 1970, Germany had a $210 billion dollar economy, still being the 3rd largest economy, but being closely approached by Japan. The Germans climbed up to $475 billion in 1975, but got bumped down to fourth by the booming Japanese economy. In 1980, Germany went up to $920 billion, but still kept fourth place. Germany suffered a crash to $660 billion in 1985, still being fourth. In 1990, Germany exploded to $1.6 trillion, compared to the Soviet Union (3rd)'s $2.6 trillion. However, Germany went up to $2.6 trillion, overtaking the crashing Russian economy, and thus getting third place. In 2000, Germany went down to $1.95 trillion, still keeping third. Germany went to $2.875 trillion, being closely approached by the booming Chinese economy. Germany went to $3.3 trillion in 2015, but got bumped again to fourth, because of China's rapidly-growing economy. However, Germany grew slightly faster, when Germany got to $3.4 trillion in 2015. Germany now has a $4 trillion economy (as of 2020), but may be bumped down by 2025 by India's $3 trillion economy, which is booming dramatically.

=== Crisis of 2008 ===

The worldwide [[Financial Crisis of 2008]] hit Germany in the summer, revealing high risk policies pursued by numerous large banks looking for high rates of return outside Germany. In September the government unveiled a $635-billion bailout package for its floundering banks. Economic growth for 2009 is forecast to be an anemic 0.2%.

Automobile manufacturing is a major sector, but the financial crisis caused credit to be harder to obtain; many families postponed purchases. Auto exports fell 10% in October 2008 from October 2007; domestic sales dropped 8%. In contrast 2007 was a record year with production of 12.1 million vehicles and employment of 756,000 workers; an eighth of those jobs were created in the last five years alone.

The German economy has since recovered and the impact of the ongoing euro crisis isn't being noticed yet.

==History==
See [[German History]]

===Coronavirus response===
:{{See also|CCP global pandemic}}
Addressing [[Chinese communist]] president [[Xi Jinping]] the editor-in-chief of Germany’s largest newspaper ''Bild'' wrote
{{quotebox|"You, your government and your scientists had to know long ago that [[coronavirus]] is highly infectious, but you left the world in the dark about it. Your top experts didn't respond when [[Western]] researchers asked to know what was going on in Wuhan. You were too proud and too [[nationalist]]ic to tell the truth, which you felt was a national disgrace....You rule by [[surveillance]]. You wouldn't be president without surveillance. You monitor everything, every citizen, but you refuse to monitor the diseased wet markets in your country. You shut down every newspaper and website that is critical of your rule, but not the stalls where bat soup is sold. You are not only monitoring your people, you are endangering them – and with them, the rest of the world....surveillance is a denial of [[freedom]]. And a nation that is not free, is not creative. A nation that is not innovative, does not invent anything. This is why you have made your country the world champion in intellectual property theft....China enriches itself with the inventions of others, instead of inventing on its own....The reason China does not innovate and invent is that you don't let the young people in your country think freely. China’s greatest export hit (that nobody wanted to have, but which has nevertheless gone around the world) is coronavirus....your laboratories in Wuhan have been researching coronaviruses in bats, but without maintaining the highest safety standards. Why are your toxic laboratories not as secure as your prisons for political prisoners? Would you like to explain this to the grieving widows, daughters, sons, husbands, parents of corona victims all over the world?"....In your country, your people are whispering about you. Your power is crumbling. You have created an inscrutable, non-transparent China. Before Corona, China was known as a surveillance state. Now, China is known as a surveillance state that infected the world with a deadly disease. That is your political legacy."”<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/china-outraged-after-largest-german-newspaper-accuses-beijing-starting-coronavirus</ref>}}
''Bild'' calculated that China owed Germany €149 billion [[euro]]s (USD $161 billion) for coronavirus damages. ''Bild'' said the compensation amounts to €1,784 euros per person if Germany's [[GDP]] drops by 4.2 percent. The ''Bild'' article was titled: "What China owes us."

A case about a man violating strict German lockdown rules by celebrating a birthday with his friends became the world’s first [[COVID]] court case that dealt intensively with the medical facts of the disease and its economic consequences. The court ruled:
{{quotebox-float|“Based on what has been said, there can be no doubt that the number of deaths attributable to the lockdown policy measures alone exceeds the number of deaths prevented by the lockdown many times over....At no time did a concrete danger of the overloading of the health system by a “wave” of COVID-19 patients occur. As can be seen from the DIVI Intensive Care Register, which was newly established on 17 March 2020, at least 40% of intensive care beds in Germany were vacant throughout March and April. In Thuringia, 378 intensive care beds were reported as occupied on 3 April 2020, 36 of which were occupied by COVID-19 patients. This was compared to 417 free beds. 

On 16 April 2020, two days before the decree was issued, 501 intensive care beds were reported as occupied, 56 of them with COVID-19 patients. This contrasted with 528 free beds … The maximum number of COVID-19 patients reported in Thuringia in the spring was 63 on 28 April, and the number of COVID-19 patients was thus at no time in a range where an overload of the health care system could have been feared. 

This assessment of the actual dangers posed by COVID-19 in spring 2020 is confirmed by an analysis of billing data from 421 hospitals by the Quality Medicine Initiative, which concluded that the number of SARI (severe acute respiratory infection) cases treated as inpatients in Germany in the first half of 2020, totaling 187,174 cases, was actually lower than in the first half of 2019 (221,841 cases), although this included COVID-related SARI cases. The number of intensive care and ventilator cases was also lower in the first half of 2020 than in 2019, according to this analysis. 

Mortality statistics paint a similar picture. According to a special analysis by the Federal Statistical Office, 484,429 people died in Germany in the first half of 2020, compared with 479,415 in the first half of 2019, 501,391 in 2018, 488,147 in 2017 and 461,055 in 2016. Accordingly, in both 2017 and 2018, there were more deaths in the first half of the year than in 2020. 

The scare projections that significantly influenced the lockdown decision in the spring were also based on misconceptions about the lethality of the [[virus]] (known as infection fatality rate or IFR) and about an existing or lack of basic immunity to the virus in the population. 

According to a meta-study by medical scientist and statistician John Ioannidis, one of the most cited scientists in the world, published in October in a [[WHO]] bulletin, the median lethality rate is 0.27%, corrected to 0.23%, which is no higher than in moderate [[influenza]] [[epidemic]]s."<ref>http://enformtk.u-aizu.ac.jp/howard/weimar_ruling/</ref>}}

== Sports ==
[[File:Sunken Village by Timm Ulrichs Munich.JPG|thumb|Architectural sculpture "Sunken Village" by Timm Ulrichs, and in the back Allianz Arena, Munich.]]
[[Association Football]] is the most popular sport by far, followed by [[Team Handball]] (not to be confused with [[American handball]]). Basketball and (ice) hockey play a minor role, whereas baseball and American football are, despite being organized, hardly being noticed by the general public.

The most popular non-sport-games are [[chess]] and [[skat]], both being organized in [[bundesligas]].

Germany was the winner of the 2014 [[FIFA World Cup]].

==The states (Bundesländer) and their capitals==
[[File:Frankfurt skyline.jpg|thumb|300px|Frankfurt am Main, Hesse.]]
(In alphabetical order)
* [[Baden-Wuerttemberg]]: [[Stuttgart]]
* [[Bavaria]] (''Bayern''): [[München]]
* [[Berlin]]: [[Berlin]]
* [[Brandenburg]]: [[Potsdam]]
* [[Bremen]]: [[Bremen]]
* [[Hamburg]]: [[Hamburg]]
* [[Hesse]] (''Hessen''): [[Wiesbaden]]
* [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]: [[Schwerin]]
* [[Lower Saxony]] (''Niedersachsen''): [[Hannover]]
* [[North Rhine-Westphalia]] (''Nordrhein-Westfalen''): [[Düsseldorf]]
* [[Rhineland-Palatinate]] (''Rheinland-Pfalz''): [[Mainz]]
* [[Saarland]]: [[Saarbrücken]]
* [[Saxony]] (''Sachsen''): [[Dresden]]
* [[Saxony-Anhalt]] (''Sachsen-Anhalt''): [[Magdeburg]]
* [[Sleswick-Holsatia]] (''Schleswig-Holstein''): [[Kiel]]
* [[Thuringia]] (''Thüringen''): [[Erfurt]]

==Famous Germans==
{|
|-
|
*[[Konrad Adenauer]]
*[[Hannah Arendt]]
*[[Johann Sebastian Bach]]
*[[Franz Beckenbauer]]
*[[Boris Becker]]
*[[Pope Benedict XVI]]
*[[Ludwig van Beethoven]]
*[[Otto von Bismarck]]
*[[Heinrich Böll]]
*[[Willy Brandt]]
*[[Wernher von Braun]]
*[[Bertolt Brecht]]
*[[Dietrich Buxtehude]]
*[[Marlene Dietrich]]
*[[Albrecht Dürer]]
*[[Albert Einstein]]
*[[Roland Emmerich]]
*[[Friedrich Engels]]
*[[Daniel Fahrenheit]]
*[[Rainer Werner Fassbinder]]
|
*[[Joseph Goebbels]]
*[[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]]
*[[Hermann Göring]]
*[[Günter Grass]]
*[[Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen]]
*[[Johannes Gutenberg]]
*[[Georg Friedrich Händel]]
*[[Otto Hahn]]
*[[Friedrich Händel]]
*[[Ernst August von Hannover]]
*[[Karl August von Hardenberg]]
*[[Friedrich Hegel]]
*[[Werner Heisenberg]]
*[[Heinrich Hesse]]
*[[Heinrich Himmler]]
*[[Adolf Hitler]]
*[[Oliver Kahn]]
*[[Henry Kissinger]]
*[[Helmut Kohl]]
*[[Käthe Kollwitz]]
|
*[[Otto Kretschmer]]
*[[Karl Liebknecht]]
*[[Loriot]]
*[[Martin Luther]]
*[[Rosa Luxemburg]]
*[[Thomas Mann]]
*[[Karl Marx]]
*Angela Merkel
*[[Lise Meitner]]
*[[Anne-Sophie Mutter]]
*[[Nena]]
*[[Dirk Nowitzki]]
*[[Friedrich Nietzsche]]
*[[Erwin Rommel]]
*[[Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen]]
*[[Friedrich Schiller]]
*[[Gerhard Schröder]]
*[[Heinrich Schliemann]]
*[[Michael Schumacher]]
*[[Karlheinz Stockhausen]]
*[[Richard Wagner]]
*[[Wim Wenders]]
|}

==Further reading==
* Schafers, Bernha, ''The State of Germany Atlas'' (1998) [https://www.amazon.com/State-Germany-Atlas-Bernha-Schafers/dp/0415188261/ref=sr_1_27?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324991&sr=1-27 excerpt and text search]
* Schulte-Peevers, Andrea, et al. ''Lonely Planet Germany'' (2007) [https://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planet-Germany-Andrea-Schulte-Peevers/dp/1740599888/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324694&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]

===Since 1990===
* Alba, Richard. Peter Schmidt, and Martina Wasmer. ''Germans or Foreigners?: Attitudes Toward Ethnic Minorities in Post-Reunification Germany'' (2004) [https://www.amazon.com/Germans-Foreigners-Minorities-Post-Reunification-Transition/dp/1403963789/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324886&sr=1-22 excerpt and text search]
* Berghahn, Volker Rolf. ''Modern Germany: society, economy, and politics in the twentieth century'' (1987) [http://hdl.handle.net.proxy.cc.uic.edu/2027/heb.01673 ACLS E-book]
* Buse, Dieter K. ed. ''Modern Germany: An Encyclopedia of History, People, and Culture 1871-1990'' (2 vol 1998)
* Kahn, Charlotte. ''Ten Years of German Unification: One State, Two Peoples'' (2000) [http://www.questia.com/read/23486249 online edition]
* Larres, Klaus. ''Germany Since Unification: The Development of the Berlin Republic'' (2nd ed. 2001) [https://www.amazon.com/Germany-Since-Unification-Second-Development/dp/0333919998/ref=sr_1_28?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324991&sr=1-28 excerpt and text search]

===Economics and society===
* Siebert, Horst. ''The German Economy: Beyond the Social Market'' (2005) [https://www.amazon.com/German-Economy-Beyond-Social-Market/dp/0691096643/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201328508&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Zimmermann, Klaus F. et al. ''Immigration Policy and the Labor Market: The German Experience and Lessons for Europe'' (2007) [https://www.amazon.com/Immigration-Policy-Labor-Market-Experience/dp/354068381X/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201328716&sr=8-9 excerpt and text search]

====Politics====
* Green, Simon, and William E. Paterson. ''Governance in Contemporary Germany: The Semisovereign State Revisited'' (2005) [https://www.amazon.com/Governance-Contemporary-Germany-Semisovereign-Revisited/dp/0521848814/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324991&sr=1-25 excerpt and text search]
* Hancock, M. Donald, ''Politics in Europe: An Introduction to the Politics of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden'' (2006) [https://www.amazon.com/Politics-Europe-Introduction-Kingdom-Germany/dp/1933116455/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324694&sr=1-11 excerpt and text search]
* Schmidt, Manfred G. ''Political Institutions in the Federal Republic of Germany'' (2003) ISBN 0198782594

==See also==
*[[Refugee]]s
*[[Atheistic Germany and alcoholism]]
*[[Atheistic Germany and loneliness]]
*[[Bavaria]]
*[[Bestiality and Germany]]
*[[Communist East Germany and alcoholism]]
*[[German Painting]]
*[[Gallery of German Masterpieces]]
*[[Prussia]]

== External links ==
*[http://www.justgermany.org/germany/germany-facts.asp Germany Basic Facts.]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

 
===Sources===
* source: [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3997.htm US State Department Country Study]

{{European Union}}

[[Category:German History]]
[[Category:Germany]]
[[Category:NATO Members]]
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]

Germany

2021-08-13T23:11:31Z

Amateratsu: /* Demography */ Abortions ARE legal.

{{Country
|name =''Bundesrepublik Deutschland''
|map =Germany rel 94.jpg
|map2 =Loc of Germany.PNG
|flag =Flag of Germany.JPG
|arms =Arms of Germany.png
|capital =Berlin
|capital-raw =
|government =Federal Republic (Parliamentary)
|government-raw =
|language =German
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Frank-Walter Steinmeier
|president-raw =
|chancellor =Angela Merkel
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =
|area =137,858 sq mi
|pop =82,500,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$4,000,000,000,000 (2020)
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =$48,485 (2020)
|currency =[[Euro]] (formerly the [[Deutsche Mark]])
|idd =
|tld =.de
}}
:''For the impact on left-wing policies on Germany and the rest of Europe, see [[European migrant crisis]]''
'''Germany''' (official name: '''Federal Republic of Germany''') is a federally organized Representative [[Democracy]] in [[Central Europe]] with a population of about 82.2 million. The capital city and seat of government is [[Berlin]]. Germany is the only country in [[liberal]] [[Western Europe]] which bans advertising for [[abortion]].<ref>https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/cardinal-defends-german-ban-on-abortion-advertising-in-powerful-pro-life-homily</ref>

The major ethnic groups are German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4% Polish 1%, Yugoslavs 1% and others 4%. 29% of the population are Protestants, 27% are [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholics]] and 4.4% are Muslim.<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gm.html</ref>

As Europe's largest economy and the most populous nation wholly within Europe, Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. The central German bank, the Bundesbank, has historically been the most influential force within the financial markets of the [[European Union]]. But Germany has allowed itself to become dependent on [[Russia]] for [[natural gas]], and in recent years Germany has taken large numbers of immigrants from [[Muslim]] countries.

Currently Germany is ruled by the pseudo-conservative [[Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU) under chancellor [[Angela Merkel]] and the left-wing [[SPD]]. Before it was ruled by CDU and the left-liberal [[Free Democratic Party]] (FDP).

In June 2017, both German parliament chambers voted to legalize [[Same-sex marriage|same-sex "marriage"]]. The new law went into effect on October 1, 2017. The Bavarian state government is currently investigating a possible appeal to the German constitutional court.

==People==
===Demography===
[[File:German-fans.jpg|thumb|250px|German fans.]]
In 2005 there were 388,451 marriages and 201,693 divorces. There were 685,795 births and 830,227 deaths. The number of births has dropped from 767,000 in 2000, while the deaths have risen from 179,600.

The average age at marrying (for the first time) for men was 32 and for women 29. While abortions are legal, advertising for abortion is prohibited. The annual abortion rate, at under ten per 1,000 women aged 15–44, is among the lowest in the world.

In 2005 10.2% of all children lived in poverty (in households with income below 50% of the national median).

Germany had a Net Reproduction Rate (NRR) of 0.66 in 1999. A rate of NRR=1.0 equals a constant population. Therefore, in terms of births and deaths (and not counting immigration), the population is shrinking by 34% between generations.[3]

Life expectancy of females at birth in West Germany rose from 71 years in 1954 to 80 years in 2000; the expectancy for boys rose from 66 to 75. Expectancy in the eastern zone was about three years less.

The projected population in 2050 is 76 million, down from the present 82 million. There will be more deaths than births, and that is largely offset by a net inflow of immigrants from 2000 to 2050, predicted to be about 240,000 per year.

<blockquote>
Germany's recent debate about immigration misses an important reality: for Germany, and most all developed countries, attracting educated and skilled foreign workers is a matter of economic survival.<ref>[http://www.cfr.org/germany/germanys-immigration-dilemma/p24213 Germany's Immigration Dilemma.]</ref>
</blockquote>

===Ethnicity===
[[File:Germany - houses.jpg|left|340px]]
Most inhabitants of Germany are ethnic German. There are, however, more than 7 million foreign residents, many of whom are the families and descendants of so-called "guest workers" (foreign workers, mostly from Turkey, invited to Germany in the 1950s and 1960s to fill labor shortages) who remained in Germany. Germany has a sizable ethnic Turkish population. Germany is also a prime destination for political and economic refugees from many developing countries. An ethnic Danish minority lives in the north, and a small Slavic minority known as the Sorbs lives in eastern Germany. Due to restrictive German citizenship laws, most "foreigners" do not hold German citizenship even when born and raised in Germany. However, since the German government undertook citizenship and immigration law reforms in 2002, more foreign residents have had the ability to naturalize.

===Education===
Germany has one of the world's highest average levels of education, technological development, and economic productivity. Since the end of World War II, the number of youths entering universities has more than tripled, and the trade and technical schools of the Federal Republic of Germany (F.R.G.) are reasonably good. German 15-year olds score about average in comparison with similar countries.

At the university level, however, there has been a dramatic decline in quality from the days before Hitler, when German universities were the best in the world. Since the student revolts of 1968, conditions at the once-famous universities have deteriorated badly. A strong egalitarianism prevents the re-emergence of world-class faculties and no German university ranks among the top 40 in the world.<ref>Gebhard Schweigler, "Heidelberg is Not Harvard …and Germany is embarrassed." [http://www.atlantic-times.com/archive_detail.php?recordID=83 ''The Atlantic Times'' Dec. 2004]</ref>

The conservative government has tried to reverse the decline by offering €1.9 billion (about $2.7 billion) in excellence grants to numerous schools spread over a period of five years—for less money than Harvard spends in one year. Little improvement has been reported from this small investment. The leading schools are Freiburg, Heidelberg and Konstanz (all in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg), Aachen, Göttingen, the Free University of Berlin, two schools in Munich and Karlsruhe's Technical University.<ref>Lutz Lichtenberger, "Selective Upgrades The government’s 'Excellence Initiative' grants German universities small packs of ivy seeds," [http://www.atlantic-times.com/archive_detail.php?recordID=1080 ''The Atlantic Times'' Nov. 2007]</ref> Meanwhile, top German scientists and engineers migrate to the United States, where their talents are appreciated.

===Standard of Living===
[[File:Living Germany.jpg|left|170px]]
With a per capita income level of more than $28,700, Germany is a broadly middle-class society. A generous social welfare system provides for universal medical care, unemployment compensation, and other social needs. Millions of Germans travel abroad each year.

With unification on October 3, 1990, Germany began the major task of bringing the standard of living of Germans in the former German Democratic Republic (G.D.R.) up to that of western Germany. This has been a lengthy and difficult process due to the relative inefficiency of industrial enterprises in the former G.D.R., difficulties in resolving property ownership in eastern Germany, and the inadequate infrastructure and environmental damage that resulted from years of mismanagement under communist rule.
{{Clear}}

===Extremism===
Economic [[malaise]] in eastern Germany is one factor contributing to extremist violence, primarily from neo-Nazis. Confusion about the causes of the current hardships and a need to place blame has found expression in harassment and violence by some Germans directed toward foreigners, particularly non-Europeans. The vast majority of Germans condemn such violence.

Wolfgang Schaube, the Interior minister 2005–9, was shot by a deranged man in 1990 and is confined to a wheel chair. He calls on Germans to feel more patriotic, and for immigrants to assimilate faster. He has adopted tough policies on policing and anti-terrorism, such as giving the military authority to shoot down hijacked planes.

===Religion===
[[Image:St Stephens Cathedral interior.jpg|thumb|left|300px|St. Stephens Cathedral (''Stephansdom'') in Passau, Bavaria.]]
In 2006 the Roman Catholic Church reported a membership of 25.7 million. The Evangelical Church, a confederation of the Lutheran, Uniate, and Reformed Protestant Churches, has 25.3 million members. Together, these two churches account for nearly two-thirds of the population.<ref>According to [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108448.htm U.S. State Department, "International Religious Freedom Report 2008"]</ref>
[[File:Church pipe organ St Stephen s Cathedral of Passau Germany..jpg|thumb|Church pipe organ, St. Stephen's Cathedral of Passau.]]
Protestant Christian denominations include: New Apostolic Church, 371,305; Ethnic German Baptists from the former Soviet Union (FSU), 85,000; and Baptist, 75,000. Muslims number 3.5 million, including Sunnis, 2.5 million; Alevis, 410,000; and Shi'a, 225,000. Until 2004 the annual number of conversions to Islam was 300, largely Christian women native citizens marrying Muslim men; however, since 2004 the annual numbers of conversions have jumped into the thousands. There are approximately 2,600 Islamic places of worship, including an estimated 150 traditional architecture mosques, with 100 more mosques being planned. One million Muslims are citizens. Orthodox Christians number 1.4 million, including Greek Orthodox/Constantinople Patriarchate, 450,000; Serbian Orthodox, 250,000; Romanian Orthodox, 300,000; and Russian Orthodox/Moscow Patriarchate, 150,000. Buddhists number 245,000, Jehovah's Witnesses 165,000, and Hindus 97,500. The Church of Scientology operates 18 churches and missions, and according to press reports, it has 30,000 members. However, according to the Offices for the Protection of the Constitution (OPC) in Brandenburg and Hamburg, the Church of Scientology has 5,000-6,000 members.

According to estimates, Jews number more than 200,000, of which 107,330 are registered members of the Jewish community. Of these registered community members, 100,967 are immigrants and 6,363 are originally from the country. From 1990 to 2006, approximately 202,000 Jews and non-Jewish dependents from the countries of the FSU arrived, joining 25,000 to 30,000 Jews already in the country. As a result of a more restrictive immigration policy regarding Jews from the FSU, the number of Jewish immigrants decreased to 1,296 in 2007 from 1,971 in 2006 and 3,124 in 2005. The new policy was designed in cooperation with Jewish organizations in order to better manage the integration of individuals into the Jewish community.

An estimated 21 million persons (one-quarter of the population) either have no religious affiliation or belong to unrecorded religious organizations.

On December 18, 2007, the Bertelsmann Foundation published a survey on religious convictions and practice in the country, which failed to confirm the commonly held belief that the country was becoming more secular. Fully 70% of adult respondents said they were religious, and of those, 18% said they were "deeply religious" and regularly attend worship services, up from 15% in earlier studies. In the 18-29 age group, 41% expressed a belief in eternal life and a divine being, more than in any other age bracket. Roman Catholics report that 15% of nominal Catholics regularly attend Sunday Mass. Seventeen years after reunification, the country's eastern part remains far more secular than the west. The Bertelsmann Foundation found former easterners self-identified as 36% religious and 8% deeply religious, in contrast with 78% and 21%, respectively, for those from the west. Only 5 to 10% of eastern citizens belong to a religious organization, but numbers are increasing among non-Lutheran Protestants in the east.
====Discrimination====
[[File:Muslims in Europe map.jpg|thumb|290px|Muslims in Europe by country.]]
There have been recent reports of societal abuses and discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, and practice. Right-wing extremists committed politically motivated crimes against minorities including religious groups, as well as anti-Semitic and anti-Islamic acts. Cemeteries were desecrated, and Muslim communities sometimes suffered societal discrimination when building new mosques and finding allotments of land for cemeteries; however, many members of Government and civil society initiated discussions about Muslim integration and expressed their commitment to addressing the issue. The Roman Catholic and Evangelical churches continued to use "sect commissioners" to warn the public of dangers from some minority religious groups such as the Unification Church, Scientologists, Universal Life (Universelles Leben), and Transcendental Meditation practitioners. Scientologists continue to find "sect filters" used against them in employment as well as discrimination in political party membership.

<blockquote>
Muslim population is around 3 million (3.6%); the majority of the Muslim population is Turkish, with many retaining strong links to Turkey. Others arrived from Bosnia and Kosovo during the Balkan wars. Until recently Muslims were considered "guest workers", who would one day leave the country - a view that is changing. Racist violence is a sensitive issue, with the authorities trying a range of strategies to beat it. Steps are being taken to improve integration.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4385768.stm#germany Muslims in Europe.]</ref>
</blockquote>

====Religion in schools====
Most public schools offer Protestant and Catholic religious instruction in cooperation with those churches, as well as instruction in Judaism if enough students express interest. The number of Islamic religion classes in public schools continued to grow. In principle, participants of the federal government-sponsored Islam Conference agreed that Islamic education should be made widely available. Education is a state responsibility and, in part because no nationally recognized Islamic organization exists that could assist in developing a curriculum or providing services, the form and content of Islamic instruction vary from state to state. Organizations providing Islamic instruction do not have public law corporation status.

Depending on the state, a nonreligious ethics course or study hall may be available for students not wishing to participate in religious instruction.
[[File:MUSLIM GERMANY RELIGION SCHOOL.jpg|thumb|left|330px|Coauthors Evelin Lubig-Fohsel and Guel Solgun-Kaps hold the German-language textbook they wrote for state-sponsored religion classes in Germany's schools.]]
Islamic classes in public schools continued to be a controversial topic but were increasingly common throughout the country, except in areas where the Muslim population was too small to support them. Although no Muslim group had "public law corporation" status that would entitle them to offer Islamic courses, state governments recognized the need and demand and worked with local Muslim organizations to establish such courses. On March 13, 2008, the Interior Minister was quoted in the press indicating that the Federal Government and Muslim community leaders had reached an agreement in principle that schools should offer classes in Islam taught in German alongside the other religions, but he noted that it would take time to implement the agreement.

There are an estimated 900,000 Muslim students in the public school system; Islamic education in schools is offered in some states. At the start of the 2006‑07 school year, authorities in Baden‑Wuerttemberg established a two‑course system: one for Sunni and Shi'a students and another for Alevis. State officials and Muslim groups in Baden‑Wuerttemberg agreed upon the system and the initial reactions were positive. Some states offered similar programs while others were working with Muslim leaders to establish a uniform curriculum. Later in the year, universities in Frankfurt, Ludwigsburg, Karlsruhe, and Weingarten began offering training courses in the teaching of Islam.

The legal obligation that children attend school, confirmed by the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Justice in 2006, continued to be a problem for some home-schooling advocates, such as Baptists from the FSU in Eastern Westphalia, due to concerns about sex education and the teaching of evolution. On August 2, 2007, the Stuttgart Administrative Court dismissed the case brought by several Russian‑German immigrant families belonging to the Baptist group Gemeinde Gottes who had petitioned in 2004 to send their children to a private religious school run by members of their community. The court ruled that the teaching staff was insufficiently qualified. Other home-schooling cases remain in the court system.

<blockquote>
Public schools in Germany must offer religion classes, and pilot courses in Islam are now being offered in addition to established programs in Judaism, Catholicism, and Protestantism.<ref>[https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2010/0120/Why-German-public-schools-now-teach-Islam Why German public schools now teach Islam.]</ref>
</blockquote>

===State support for religion===
In order to help support [[Protestant]], [[Catholic]], and [[Jewish]] religious institutions, the German state collects [[taxes]] on members of those religions and passes the funding along to the relevant religious administrative body.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19737983]</ref>

===Data===
*Population (2007 est.): 82 million.
*Ethnic groups: Primarily German; Danish minority in the north, Sorbian (Slavic) minority in the east; 7.3 million foreign residents.
*Religions: Protestants (26 million); Roman Catholics (26 million); approximately 3.2 million Muslims.
*Language: German.
*Education: Years compulsory—9-13 (depending on the Land); attendance—100%; literacy—99%.
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2006 est.)--4.12/1,000; life expectancy (2006 est.)--women 81.96 years, men 77.81 years.
*Persons employed (2006 avg.): 39.08 million; unemployed (2006 avg.): 9.8% of labor force.

==Government==
===Executive Branch===
[[File:Merkel.jpg|thumb|Angela Merkel.]]
Germany has a president as [[head of state]]. The president's powers are essentially representative.
The current president is Frank-Walter Steinmeier, succeeding [[Joachim Gauck]].

The actual political power and head of government is the chancellor ("Bundeskanzler"), who is elected by federal parliament ("Bundestag"). The chancellor is typically elected in the first session of a newly elected Bundestag for the entire legislative period of four years. The parliament can only force the chancellor to resign in a ''constructive motion of no-confidence'', if it elects at the same time a new Chancellor. The current chancellor is [[Angela Merkel|Dr. Angela Merkel]]. The current government is a coalition between the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD).
{{Clear}}

===Legislative Branch===
[[File:Bonn Bundestag Plenarsaal Germany.jpg|thumb|left|280px|Bundestag Plenarsaal at Bonn.]]
Germany has a bicameral system with a federal parliament ("Bundestag") and a representation of the states ("Bundesrat"). The members of Bundestag in elected every four years, using a personalized proportional system. The members of the Bundesrat are representatives of the state governments, and the delegations of each state are required to vote as a bloc on behalf of their governments. Each delegation has between 3 and 6 members, depending on the size of the represented state. The position of president of the Bundesrat rotates on an annual basis between the prime ministers of the states.
{{Clear}}

===Judicative Branch===
The German constitution provides for an independent jurisdiction. The highest appeals court in Germany is the Federal Court of Justice ("Bundesgerichtshof"), which is seated in the Southwestern city of [[Karlsruhe]]. Members of the Federal court are elected by a committee, with 16 delegates from the states, one from each state, appointed by the state governments, and 16 delegates appointed by the federal parliament. The Federal Constitutional Court ("Bundesverfassungsgericht") is the highest court to review decisions and acts by the executive and legislative branches of government. It can be called to determine whether public acts are unconstitutional and can render them ineffective if they are not. This court is also seated in city of Karlsruhe, and it members are elected by the Bundesrat and Bundestag, and need a 2/3 majority in each.

===Political Parties===
====Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU)====
[[File:Germ-vote-2009.jpg|200px|thumb|Exit polls from Sept. 2009 election won by the conservative coalition CDU and FDP]]
:''Main article: [[Christian Democratic Union]] and [[Christian Social Union]]
An important aspect of postwar German politics was the emergence of a moderate, ecumenical Christian party—the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)--operating in alliance with a related Bavarian party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). Although each party maintains its own structure, the two form a common caucus in the Bundestag and do not run opposing campaigns. The CDU/CSU has adherents among Catholics, Protestants, rural interests, and members of all economic classes. It is generally conservative on economic and social policy and more identified with the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches.

The September 2009 elections were a major win for the conservative forces led by Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]], breaking a stalemate and opening the way for more conservative economic policies. Previously since an indecisive election in 2005 the Christian Democrats ([[CDU]]) (on the center-right) formed a "grand coalition" with the Social Democrats ([[SPD]]) (on the center-left). From 2009 to 2013 Merkel and her CDU formed a coalition with the libertarian, pro-business [[Free Democratic Party|Free Democrats]] (FDP). Left in the cold was the SPD, the [[Alliance '90/The Greens|Greens]], and the ex-Communists who remain strong in the former East Germany under the name "[[The Left]]". Merkel moved forward on tax cuts, reform of the tax code, reduction of bureaucracy and a possible extension of the time that nuclear power plants can continue to operate.<ref>Craig Whitlock, "Germany's Merkel Reelected Easily, Will Form New Coalition," [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/27/AR2009092700631.html?nav=emailpage ''Washington Post'' Sept. 28, 2009]</ref> Merkel's program announced as she took office Oct. 28 includes $36 billion in income tax cuts, lower business taxes, and higher family benefits. The budget will be in deficit for the next four years, as the government believes the economy is too fragile for spending cuts and that more stimulus is needed to end the recession. By law the budget must be balanced by the year 2016. Nuclear power plants will be given an extension, and Merkel wants to move more of the welfare costs from corporations to households.

The CDU has the greatest base of faithful voters, but is recently struggling to maintain majorities in big cities.

====Free Democratic Party (FDP)====
:''Main article:'' [[Free Democratic Party]]
The FDP has traditionally been composed mainly of middle and upper class Protestants who consider themselves heirs to the European libertarian tradition. It supports free trade and reducing the role of the state in economic policy. It is libertarian on social issues. The party has participated in all but three postwar federal governments but had not been in federal government from 1998 to 2009.

====Social Democratic Party (SPD)====
[[File:German party SPD.jpg|140px|left]]
:''Main article:'' [[SPD]]
The SPD is one of the oldest organized political parties in the world. It originally advocated Marxist principles, but in the 1959 Godesberg Program abandoned the concept of a "class party" while continuing to stress social welfare programs. Under the leadership of Gerhard Schroeder, the SPD-Greens government implemented in 2003 the centrist Agenda 2010 reforms, designed to modernize the country's social system and labor market. The SPD has a powerful base in the bigger cities and industrialized states.

After the FDP, the partner of the CDU, left the parliament, Merkel created a "grand coalition" with the SPD.
{{Clear}}

====The Left====
:''Main article:'' [[The Left]]
The PDS (for 'Partei des demokratischen Sozialismus'; "Party of Democratic Socialism", the renamed communist party of the former East Germany, and follow-up of the [[SED]]) and the WASG (for 'Wahlalternative Arbeit und Soziale Gerechtigkeit'; "Voting alternative work and social justice" composed of west-German leftists) merged in June 2007 to form a party simply known as "[[The Left]]." The party's foreign policy is largely shaped by its rigid opposition to foreign military deployments, for example in [[Afghanistan]], and insists on an immediate pull-out. On domestic policy, the party opposes economic and social reforms, such as Hartz IV, which aim to increase free markets and reduce unemployment benefits. The Left proposes to weaken the free market system with a new orientation to democratic socialist principles. The Left also experienced a lot of criticism due to its communist wing, the 'communist platform' which makes up 4.4% of the national vote, an insufficient total to clear the 5 percent hurdle.<ref>[http://www.germanculture.com.ua/library/facts/bl_electoral_system.htm German Culture.com; Electoral System of Germany (next to last paragraph)]</ref>
{{Clear}}

====Alliance 90/Greens====
:''Main article:'' [[Alliance '90/The Greens]]
In the late 1970s, environmentalists organized politically as the Greens. Opposition to nuclear power, military power, and certain aspects of highly industrialized society were principal campaign issues. In the December 1990 all-German elections, the Greens merged with the Eastern German Alliance 90, a loose grouping of civil rights activists with diverse political views. The Greens joined a federal government for the first time in 1998, forming a coalition with the SPD.

In 2012 they took advantage of the Fukushima nuclear plant desaster in Japan, allowing them to form the government of the state of Baden-Württemberg in a coalition with the SPD, which is the smaller partner this time.

====Alternative for Germany====
The [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD) is a right-wing party that was founded to in February 2013 as a reaction to the Financial crisis in Europe. A main theme area of the party is the rejection of [[Illegal Immigration]].

====Other parties====
[[File:German communist logo.jpg|thumb|200px|The logo of the German Communist Party]]
Because of the instability caused by the need for multi-party coalitions in the Weimar Republic, Germany's Basic Law today requires parties reach 5% of the vote to win seats in the Bundestag. In addition to those parties that won representation in the Bundestag in 2005, a variety of minor parties won a cumulative 2.7% of the vote, down from 3.0% in 2002. Several other parties were on the ballot in one or more states but did not qualify for representation in the federal Bundestag.

Another important party is the [[Pirate Party]] (PIRATEN).

===Principal Government Officials===
*President—Frank-Walter Steinmeier
*President of the Bundestag—Wolfgang Schäuble (CDU)
*Chancellor—Angela Merkel (CDU)
*Vice Chancellor and Minister of Finance—Olaf Scholz (SPD)
*Minister of Interior—[[Horst Seehofer]] (CSU)
*Minister of Minister of Foreign Affairs—Heiko Maas (SPD)
*Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy—Peter Altmaier (CDU)
*Minister of Justice—Katarina Barley (SPD)
*Minister of Labor and Social Affairs—Hubertus Heil (SPD)
*Minister of Defense—Ursula von der Leyen (CDU)
*Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection—Julia Klöckner (CDU)
*Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth—Franziska Giffey (SPD)
*Minister of Health—Jens Spahn (CDU)
*Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs—Andreas Scheuer (CSU)
*Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety—Svenja Schulze (SPD)
*Minister of Education and Research—Anja Karliczek (CDU)
*Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development—Gerd Müller (CSU)
*Head of the Federal Chancellery and Minister for Special Tasks—Helge Braun (CDU)

===Foreign Relations===
[[File:German Foreign Minister Welcomes Ukrainian President Yanukovych.jpg|thumb|340px|Former German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle welcomes former Ukrainian President [[Viktor Yanukovych]] in Berlin, 2010.]]
Germany continues to emphasize close ties with the United States, membership in NATO, and the "deepening" of integration among current members of the EU. The Federal Republic of Germany took part in all of the joint postwar efforts aimed at closer political, economic, and defense cooperation among the countries of western Europe. Germany has been a large net contributor to the EU budget. Germany also is a strong supporter of the United Nations and of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

During the postwar era, the Federal Republic of Germany also sought to improve its relationship with the countries of Central Europe freed from communism, first establishing trade agreements and, subsequently, diplomatic relations. With unification, German relations with the restored democracies in central and eastern Europe intensified. On November 14, 1990, Germany and Poland signed a treaty confirming the Oder-Neisse border. They also concluded a cooperation treaty on June 17, 1991. Germany concluded four treaties with the Soviet Union covering the overall bilateral relationship, economic relations, the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the territory of the former G.D.R., and German support for those troops. Russia accepted obligations under these treaties as successor to the Soviet Union. Germany continues to be active economically in the states of central and eastern Europe and to actively support the development of democratic institutions, bilaterally and through the EU.

====Relations with the United States====
[[File:Nazi crowd salute.jpg|thumb|300px|Nazi crowd salute.]]
U.S.-German relations have been a focal point of American involvement in Europe since the end of World War II. Germany stands at the center of European affairs and is a key partner in U.S. relations with Europeans in NATO and the European Union.

German-American ties extend back to the colonial era. More than 7 million Germans have immigrated over the last three centuries, and today nearly a quarter of U.S. citizens claim German ancestry. In recognition of this heritage and the importance of modern-day U.S.-German ties, the U.S. President annually has proclaimed October 6, the date the first German immigrants arrived in 1623, to be "German-American Day."

U.S. policy toward Germany remains the preservation and consolidation of a close and vital relationship with Germany, not only as friends and trading partners, but also as allies sharing common institutions. During the 45 years in which Germany was divided, the U.S. role in Berlin and the large American military presence in West Germany served as symbols of the U.S. commitment to preserving peace and security in Europe. Since German unification, the U.S. commitment to these goals has not changed. The U.S. made significant reductions in its troop levels in Germany after the Cold War ended, and, on July 12, 1994, President Clinton "cased the colors" at the Berlin Brigade's deactivation ceremony. The U.S., however, continues to recognize that the security and prosperity of the United States and Germany significantly depend on each other.

As allies in NATO, the United States and Germany work side by side to maintain peace and freedom. This unity and resolve made possible the successful conclusion of the 1987 U.S.-U.S.S.R. Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), the Two-plus-Four process—which led to the Final Settlement Treaty—and the November 1990 Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty.
[[File:President and First Lady Obama with Chancellor Merkel.jpg|thumb|left|320px|President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are welcomed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her husband, professor Joachim Sauer, to Rathaus in Baden-Baden, Germany, 2009.]]
More recently, the two allies have cooperated closely in peacekeeping efforts in the Balkans and have worked together to encourage the evolution of open and democratic states throughout central and eastern Europe. Germany is also a strong contributor to our common effort to secure peace and stability in Afghanistan, contributing almost 3,000 troops to the NATO ISAF mission.

Following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, DC, Germany has been a reliable U.S. ally in the campaign against terrorism. As two of the world's leading trading nations, the United States and Germany share a common, deep-seated commitment to an open and expanding world economy. Personal ties between the United States and Germany extend beyond immigration to include intensive foreign exchange programs, booming tourism in both directions, and the presence in Germany of large numbers of American military personnel and their dependents.

The United States and Germany have built a solid foundation of bilateral cooperation in a relationship that has changed significantly over nearly six decades. The historic unification of Germany and the role the United States played in that process have served to strengthen ties between the two countries.

German-American political, economic, and security relationships continue to be based on close consultation and coordination at the most senior levels. High-level visits take place frequently, and the United States and Germany cooperate actively in international forums.

====War on Terror====
Germany currently contributes troops to the NATO-led ISAF operation in [[Afghanistan]], but did not support the invasion of [[Iraq]]. German military participates in NATO Force Protection Program, protecting US military bases located in Germany.

====Libya====

[[Libyan uprising 2011]]

<blockquote>
Germany’s Defense Minister Thomas de Maziere has criticized NATO’s controversial military operation in Libya and lack of foresight when it comes to intervening in the North African country. [http://2012indyinfo.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/presstv-germany-slams-nato-mission-in-libya/]
</blockquote>

==Economy==
[[Image:The_castle3.jpg|right|thumb|270px|Neuschwanstein Castle, a popular tourist destination.]]
Germany is the world's fourth-largest economy and is currently the largest economy in Europe. From the 1948 currency reform until the early 1970s, West Germany experienced almost continuous economic expansion. Real gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed down, and even declined, from the mid-1970s through the recession of the early 1980s. The economy then experienced 8 consecutive years of growth that ended with a downturn beginning in late 1992. Since unification, Germany has seen annual average real growth of only about 1.5% and stubbornly high unemployment. In 2006, Germany had its best year since 2000 with 2.7% growth; for 2007, growth was at 2.5% despite a 3 percentage point VAT hike at the beginning of the year. The government forecasts 1.7% growth in GDP for 2008. Unemployment in 2007 dropped to an annualized average of 9.0% nationwide, but it is still significantly higher—15.1%--in the German states that make up the former East Germany.

Germans often describe their economic system as a "social market economy." The German Government provides an extensive array of social services. The state intervenes in the economy by providing subsidies to selected sectors and by owning some segments of the economy, while promoting competition and free enterprise. The government has restructured the railroad system on a corporate basis, privatized the national airline, and is privatizing telecommunications and postal services.

The German economy is heavily export-oriented, with exports accounting for more than one-third of national output. As a result, exports traditionally have been a key element in German macroeconomic expansion, accounting for over half of the economic growth in recent years. Germany is a strong advocate of closer European economic integration, and its economic and commercial policies are increasingly determined within the European Union (EU). Germany uses the common European currency, the euro, and the European Central Bank sets monetary policy.
[[File:German transmission lines.jpg|thumb|left|340px|Transmission lines and generating stations.]]
In the early-mid 2000s, Germany adopted a complex set of labor/social welfare reforms to overcome structural weaknesses of the German welfare state and to create policies more conductive to employment. Defying a skeptical German public, the coalition government of Chancellor Angela Merkel initiated additional reform measures, such as the gradual increase in the mandatory retirement age from 65 to 67—a move that would add 2.5 million to the workforce by 2030. Subsequently, however, there has been active political debate and some rollback of these labor reforms; most notably the government decided to extend the payment period of unemployment benefits to older workers in early 2008.

Fifteen years after reunification (October 3, 1990), Germany had made great progress in raising the standard of living in eastern Germany, introducing a market economy and improving its infrastructure. At the same time, the process of convergence between east and west is taking longer than originally expected and, on some measures, has stagnated since the mid-1990s. Eastern economic growth rates have been lower than in the west in recent years, unemployment is twice as high, prompting many skilled easterners to seek work in the west, and productivity continues to lag. Eastern consumption levels are dependent on public net financial transfers from west to east totaling about $13 billion per year. In addition to social assistance payments, the government will extend funds to promote eastern economic development through 2019.

The United States is Germany's second-largest trading partner, and U.S.-German trade has continued to grow strongly. Two-way trade in goods totaled $184 billion in 2007. U.S. exports to Germany were $71 billion while U.S. imports from Germany were more than $113 billion. At nearly $45 billion, the U.S.'s fifth-largest trade deficit is with Germany. Major U.S. export categories include aircraft, electrical equipment, telecommunications equipment, data processing equipment, and motor vehicles and parts. German export sales are concentrated in metalworks, motor vehicles, machinery, chemicals and heavy electrical equipment. Much bilateral trade is intra-industry or intra-firm.

Germany has a liberal foreign investment policy. For 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available, German investment in the U.S. amounted to 233 billion euros (29% of all German foreign direct investment, or FDI; the U.S. is the number-one destination for German FDI), while U.S. investment in Germany was 45 billion euros (11.5% of all FDI invested in Germany; U.S. is third-largest source of FDI in Germany).

U.S. firms employ about 510,000 people in Germany; whereas German firms likewise employ about 746,000 people in the United States.

Despite persistence of some structural rigidities in the labor market and extensive government regulation, the economy remains strong and internationally competitive. Although production costs are very high, Germany is still an export powerhouse, and unit labor costs have decreased in the last 10 years. Additionally, Germany is strategically placed to take advantage of the rapidly growing central European countries. The current government has addressed some of the country's structural problems, with important tax, social security, and financial sector reforms.
*GDP (2007 est.): $3.1 trillion.
*Annual growth rate: (2006) 2.7%; (2007) 2.5%.
*Per capita income (PPP, 2006): $31,900.
*Inflation rate (consumer prices, 2007): 2.2%.
*Natural resources: Iron, hard coal, lignite, potash, natural gas.
*Agriculture (0.9% of GDP): Products—corn, wheat, potatoes, sugar, beets, barley, hops, viticulture, forestry, fisheries.
*Industry (29.1% of GDP): Types—car-making; mechanical, electrical, and precision engineering; chemicals; environmental technology; optics; medical technology; biotech and genetic engineering; nanotechnology; aerospace; logistics.
*Trade (2006): Exports--$1.03 trillion: chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel products, manufactured goods, electrical products. Major markets—France, U.S., and U.K. Imports--$844 billion: food, petroleum products, manufactured goods, electrical products, motor vehicles, apparel. Major suppliers—France, Netherlands, U.S.

The German economy showed substantial improvement in 2007 at 2.5% growth due to the effect of recent economic reforms and strong global economic growth. The export-led recovery is now filtering through to the domestic economy where private consumption has long been at a low level.

=== Economic History ===

In the 1960s, Germany had (ones of) hundreds of billions of dollars in GDP<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_largest_historical_GDP</ref>, being the third-largest economy, only next to the United States and the Soviet Union. However, in 1970, Germany had a $210 billion dollar economy, still being the 3rd largest economy, but being closely approached by Japan. The Germans climbed up to $475 billion in 1975, but got bumped down to fourth by the booming Japanese economy. In 1980, Germany went up to $920 billion, but still kept fourth place. Germany suffered a crash to $660 billion in 1985, still being fourth. In 1990, Germany exploded to $1.6 trillion, compared to the Soviet Union (3rd)'s $2.6 trillion. However, Germany went up to $2.6 trillion, overtaking the crashing Russian economy, and thus getting third place. In 2000, Germany went down to $1.95 trillion, still keeping third. Germany went to $2.875 trillion, being closely approached by the booming Chinese economy. Germany went to $3.3 trillion in 2015, but got bumped again to fourth, because of China's rapidly-growing economy. However, Germany grew slightly faster, when Germany got to $3.4 trillion in 2015. Germany now has a $4 trillion economy (as of 2020), but may be bumped down by 2025 by India's $3 trillion economy, which is booming dramatically.

=== Crisis of 2008 ===

The worldwide [[Financial Crisis of 2008]] hit Germany in the summer, revealing high risk policies pursued by numerous large banks looking for high rates of return outside Germany. In September the government unveiled a $635-billion bailout package for its floundering banks. Economic growth for 2009 is forecast to be an anemic 0.2%.

Automobile manufacturing is a major sector, but the financial crisis caused credit to be harder to obtain; many families postponed purchases. Auto exports fell 10% in October 2008 from October 2007; domestic sales dropped 8%. In contrast 2007 was a record year with production of 12.1 million vehicles and employment of 756,000 workers; an eighth of those jobs were created in the last five years alone.

The German economy has since recovered and the impact of the ongoing euro crisis isn't being noticed yet.

==History==
See [[German History]]

===Coronavirus response===
:{{See also|CCP global pandemic}}
Addressing [[Chinese communist]] president [[Xi Jinping]] the editor-in-chief of Germany’s largest newspaper ''Bild'' wrote
{{quotebox|"You, your government and your scientists had to know long ago that [[coronavirus]] is highly infectious, but you left the world in the dark about it. Your top experts didn't respond when [[Western]] researchers asked to know what was going on in Wuhan. You were too proud and too [[nationalist]]ic to tell the truth, which you felt was a national disgrace....You rule by [[surveillance]]. You wouldn't be president without surveillance. You monitor everything, every citizen, but you refuse to monitor the diseased wet markets in your country. You shut down every newspaper and website that is critical of your rule, but not the stalls where bat soup is sold. You are not only monitoring your people, you are endangering them – and with them, the rest of the world....surveillance is a denial of [[freedom]]. And a nation that is not free, is not creative. A nation that is not innovative, does not invent anything. This is why you have made your country the world champion in intellectual property theft....China enriches itself with the inventions of others, instead of inventing on its own....The reason China does not innovate and invent is that you don't let the young people in your country think freely. China’s greatest export hit (that nobody wanted to have, but which has nevertheless gone around the world) is coronavirus....your laboratories in Wuhan have been researching coronaviruses in bats, but without maintaining the highest safety standards. Why are your toxic laboratories not as secure as your prisons for political prisoners? Would you like to explain this to the grieving widows, daughters, sons, husbands, parents of corona victims all over the world?"....In your country, your people are whispering about you. Your power is crumbling. You have created an inscrutable, non-transparent China. Before Corona, China was known as a surveillance state. Now, China is known as a surveillance state that infected the world with a deadly disease. That is your political legacy."”<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/china-outraged-after-largest-german-newspaper-accuses-beijing-starting-coronavirus</ref>}}
''Bild'' calculated that China owed Germany €149 billion [[euro]]s (USD $161 billion) for coronavirus damages. ''Bild'' said the compensation amounts to €1,784 euros per person if Germany's [[GDP]] drops by 4.2 percent. The ''Bild'' article was titled: "What China owes us."

A case about a man violating strict German lockdown rules by celebrating a birthday with his friends became the world’s first [[COVID]] court case that dealt intensively with the medical facts of the disease and its economic consequences. The court ruled:
{{quotebox-float|“Based on what has been said, there can be no doubt that the number of deaths attributable to the lockdown policy measures alone exceeds the number of deaths prevented by the lockdown many times over....At no time did a concrete danger of the overloading of the health system by a “wave” of COVID-19 patients occur. As can be seen from the DIVI Intensive Care Register, which was newly established on 17 March 2020, at least 40% of intensive care beds in Germany were vacant throughout March and April. In Thuringia, 378 intensive care beds were reported as occupied on 3 April 2020, 36 of which were occupied by COVID-19 patients. This was compared to 417 free beds. 

On 16 April 2020, two days before the decree was issued, 501 intensive care beds were reported as occupied, 56 of them with COVID-19 patients. This contrasted with 528 free beds … The maximum number of COVID-19 patients reported in Thuringia in the spring was 63 on 28 April, and the number of COVID-19 patients was thus at no time in a range where an overload of the health care system could have been feared. 

This assessment of the actual dangers posed by COVID-19 in spring 2020 is confirmed by an analysis of billing data from 421 hospitals by the Quality Medicine Initiative, which concluded that the number of SARI (severe acute respiratory infection) cases treated as inpatients in Germany in the first half of 2020, totaling 187,174 cases, was actually lower than in the first half of 2019 (221,841 cases), although this included COVID-related SARI cases. The number of intensive care and ventilator cases was also lower in the first half of 2020 than in 2019, according to this analysis. 

Mortality statistics paint a similar picture. According to a special analysis by the Federal Statistical Office, 484,429 people died in Germany in the first half of 2020, compared with 479,415 in the first half of 2019, 501,391 in 2018, 488,147 in 2017 and 461,055 in 2016. Accordingly, in both 2017 and 2018, there were more deaths in the first half of the year than in 2020. 

The scare projections that significantly influenced the lockdown decision in the spring were also based on misconceptions about the lethality of the [[virus]] (known as infection fatality rate or IFR) and about an existing or lack of basic immunity to the virus in the population. 

According to a meta-study by medical scientist and statistician John Ioannidis, one of the most cited scientists in the world, published in October in a [[WHO]] bulletin, the median lethality rate is 0.27%, corrected to 0.23%, which is no higher than in moderate [[influenza]] [[epidemic]]s."<ref>http://enformtk.u-aizu.ac.jp/howard/weimar_ruling/</ref>}}

== Sports ==
[[File:Sunken Village by Timm Ulrichs Munich.JPG|thumb|Architectural sculpture "Sunken Village" by Timm Ulrichs, and in the back Allianz Arena, Munich.]]
[[Association Football]] is the most popular sport by far, followed by [[Team Handball]] (not to be confused with [[American handball]]). Basketball and (ice) hockey play a minor role, whereas baseball and American football are, despite being organized, hardly being noticed by the general public.

The most popular non-sport-games are [[chess]] and [[skat]], both being organized in [[bundesligas]].

Germany was the winner of the 2014 [[FIFA World Cup]].

==The states (Bundesländer) and their capitals==
[[File:Frankfurt skyline.jpg|thumb|300px|Frankfurt am Main, Hesse.]]
(In alphabetical order)
* [[Baden-Wuerttemberg]]: [[Stuttgart]]
* [[Bavaria]] (''Bayern''): [[München]]
* [[Berlin]]: [[Berlin]]
* [[Brandenburg]]: [[Potsdam]]
* [[Bremen]]: [[Bremen]]
* [[Hamburg]]: [[Hamburg]]
* [[Hesse]] (''Hessen''): [[Wiesbaden]]
* [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]: [[Schwerin]]
* [[Lower Saxony]] (''Niedersachsen''): [[Hannover]]
* [[North Rhine-Westphalia]] (''Nordrhein-Westfalen''): [[Düsseldorf]]
* [[Rhineland-Palatinate]] (''Rheinland-Pfalz''): [[Mainz]]
* [[Saarland]]: [[Saarbrücken]]
* [[Saxony]] (''Sachsen''): [[Dresden]]
* [[Saxony-Anhalt]] (''Sachsen-Anhalt''): [[Magdeburg]]
* [[Sleswick-Holsatia]] (''Schleswig-Holstein''): [[Kiel]]
* [[Thuringia]] (''Thüringen''): [[Erfurt]]

==Famous Germans==
{|
|-
|
*[[Konrad Adenauer]]
*[[Hannah Arendt]]
*[[Johann Sebastian Bach]]
*[[Franz Beckenbauer]]
*[[Boris Becker]]
*[[Pope Benedict XVI]]
*[[Ludwig van Beethoven]]
*[[Otto von Bismarck]]
*[[Heinrich Böll]]
*[[Willy Brandt]]
*[[Wernher von Braun]]
*[[Bertolt Brecht]]
*[[Dietrich Buxtehude]]
*[[Marlene Dietrich]]
*[[Albrecht Dürer]]
*[[Albert Einstein]]
*[[Roland Emmerich]]
*[[Friedrich Engels]]
*[[Daniel Fahrenheit]]
*[[Rainer Werner Fassbinder]]
|
*[[Joseph Goebbels]]
*[[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]]
*[[Hermann Göring]]
*[[Günter Grass]]
*[[Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen]]
*[[Johannes Gutenberg]]
*[[Georg Friedrich Händel]]
*[[Otto Hahn]]
*[[Friedrich Händel]]
*[[Ernst August von Hannover]]
*[[Karl August von Hardenberg]]
*[[Friedrich Hegel]]
*[[Werner Heisenberg]]
*[[Heinrich Hesse]]
*[[Heinrich Himmler]]
*[[Adolf Hitler]]
*[[Oliver Kahn]]
*[[Henry Kissinger]]
*[[Helmut Kohl]]
*[[Käthe Kollwitz]]
|
*[[Otto Kretschmer]]
*[[Karl Liebknecht]]
*[[Loriot]]
*[[Martin Luther]]
*[[Rosa Luxemburg]]
*[[Thomas Mann]]
*[[Karl Marx]]
*Angela Merkel
*[[Lise Meitner]]
*[[Anne-Sophie Mutter]]
*[[Nena]]
*[[Dirk Nowitzki]]
*[[Friedrich Nietzsche]]
*[[Erwin Rommel]]
*[[Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen]]
*[[Friedrich Schiller]]
*[[Gerhard Schröder]]
*[[Heinrich Schliemann]]
*[[Michael Schumacher]]
*[[Karlheinz Stockhausen]]
*[[Richard Wagner]]
*[[Wim Wenders]]
|}

==Further reading==
* Schafers, Bernha, ''The State of Germany Atlas'' (1998) [https://www.amazon.com/State-Germany-Atlas-Bernha-Schafers/dp/0415188261/ref=sr_1_27?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324991&sr=1-27 excerpt and text search]
* Schulte-Peevers, Andrea, et al. ''Lonely Planet Germany'' (2007) [https://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planet-Germany-Andrea-Schulte-Peevers/dp/1740599888/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324694&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]

===Since 1990===
* Alba, Richard. Peter Schmidt, and Martina Wasmer. ''Germans or Foreigners?: Attitudes Toward Ethnic Minorities in Post-Reunification Germany'' (2004) [https://www.amazon.com/Germans-Foreigners-Minorities-Post-Reunification-Transition/dp/1403963789/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324886&sr=1-22 excerpt and text search]
* Berghahn, Volker Rolf. ''Modern Germany: society, economy, and politics in the twentieth century'' (1987) [http://hdl.handle.net.proxy.cc.uic.edu/2027/heb.01673 ACLS E-book]
* Buse, Dieter K. ed. ''Modern Germany: An Encyclopedia of History, People, and Culture 1871-1990'' (2 vol 1998)
* Kahn, Charlotte. ''Ten Years of German Unification: One State, Two Peoples'' (2000) [http://www.questia.com/read/23486249 online edition]
* Larres, Klaus. ''Germany Since Unification: The Development of the Berlin Republic'' (2nd ed. 2001) [https://www.amazon.com/Germany-Since-Unification-Second-Development/dp/0333919998/ref=sr_1_28?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324991&sr=1-28 excerpt and text search]

===Economics and society===
* Siebert, Horst. ''The German Economy: Beyond the Social Market'' (2005) [https://www.amazon.com/German-Economy-Beyond-Social-Market/dp/0691096643/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201328508&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Zimmermann, Klaus F. et al. ''Immigration Policy and the Labor Market: The German Experience and Lessons for Europe'' (2007) [https://www.amazon.com/Immigration-Policy-Labor-Market-Experience/dp/354068381X/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201328716&sr=8-9 excerpt and text search]

====Politics====
* Green, Simon, and William E. Paterson. ''Governance in Contemporary Germany: The Semisovereign State Revisited'' (2005) [https://www.amazon.com/Governance-Contemporary-Germany-Semisovereign-Revisited/dp/0521848814/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324991&sr=1-25 excerpt and text search]
* Hancock, M. Donald, ''Politics in Europe: An Introduction to the Politics of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden'' (2006) [https://www.amazon.com/Politics-Europe-Introduction-Kingdom-Germany/dp/1933116455/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324694&sr=1-11 excerpt and text search]
* Schmidt, Manfred G. ''Political Institutions in the Federal Republic of Germany'' (2003) ISBN 0198782594

==See also==
*[[Refugee]]s
*[[Atheistic Germany and alcoholism]]
*[[Atheistic Germany and loneliness]]
*[[Bavaria]]
*[[Bestiality and Germany]]
*[[Communist East Germany and alcoholism]]
*[[German Painting]]
*[[Gallery of German Masterpieces]]
*[[Prussia]]

== External links ==
*[http://www.justgermany.org/germany/germany-facts.asp Germany Basic Facts.]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

 
===Sources===
* source: [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3997.htm US State Department Country Study]

{{European Union}}

[[Category:German History]]
[[Category:Germany]]
[[Category:NATO Members]]
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]

Donald Trump

2021-08-13T23:08:49Z

Amateratsu: Undo revision 1787859 by Bytemsbu (talk)

{{Officeholder
|name=Donald John Trump {{verified}}
|image=Donald Trump official presidential photo.jpg
|party=[[Republican]] (1987–1999, 2009–2011, 2012–present) formerly [[Democrat]] (until 1987, 2001–2009), [[Reform Party|Reform]] (1999–2001), and [[Independent voter|Independent]] (2011–2012)
|spouse=Ivana Trump Marla Maples [[Melania Trump]] (current)
|birth_date=June 14, 1946
|children=5
|grandchildren=9
|religion=[[Presbyterian Church (USA)|Presbyterian]]
|offices={{Officeholder/president
|country=the United States
|number=45th
|terms=January 20, 2017 – January 20, 2021
|vp=[[Mike Pence]]
|preceded=[[Barack Obama]]
|former=n
|succeeded=[[Joe Biden]]
}}
}}
:''For his achievements as U.S. President, see [[Donald Trump achievements]].''
:''Donald Trump was [[Conservative of the Year]] in [[Conservative of the Year 2017|2017]] and [[Conservative of the Year 2018|2018]].''
'''Donald John Trump''' (b. [[Queens]], [[New York]], on [[Donald Trump's age|June 14, 1946]]), nicknamed "'''The Donald'''," is the 45th [[President of the United States of America]], as a result of winning the [[2016 presidential election]] as the [[Republican Party]] nominee. Before entering politics, he was a businessman and [[television]] personality. A strong [[conservative]], Trump has [[Donald Trump achievements|achieved much during his presidency]] and advanced many conservative priorities. He has greatly benefited the US energy sector by reducing the energy dependence of the US in the Middle East, helping gasoline prices go down, and encouraging projects such as the Keystone Pipeline. Despite this, he has received more criticism than any U.S. president in history, almost all of which is purely politically motivated.

In the [[United States presidential election, 2020|2020 presidential election]], Trump received at least a record-smashing 74+ million lawful votes, many in the key [[swing states]]. This confirms him as the leader of the [[Republican Party]], indeed the entire nation, for the foreseeable future. Many conservatives who no longer feel they identify with Trump are retiring. This is the most probable cause that at least 25% of Republican senators up in 2022 plan to retire, and many other transitions are occurring among the GOP nationwide.

Trump and his wife Melania tested positive for the [[Wuhan virus]] in early October 2020.<ref>Multiple references:
*[https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/10/01/president-donald-trump-first-lady-melania-trump-test-positive-for-coronavirus/ President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump Test Positive for Coronavirus]
*[https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/519282-president-trump-melania-trump-test-positive-for-covid-19 President Trump, Melania Trump test positive for COVID-19]
*[https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2020/10/02/breaking-president-trump-and-first-lady-test-positive-for-wuhancoronavirus-n2577338 BREAKING: President Trump and First Lady Test Positive for Wuhan Coronavirus]
*[https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-first-lady-test-positive-covid-19-n1241769 Trump, first lady test positive for Covid-19]</ref> The mainstream media have started mocking him, some believing he deserved his positive COVID-19 test; Pence is also vulnerable, since many of his workers have contracted the [[Wuhan coronavirus]]. [[Leftists]] and the [[MSM]] attempted to downplay Trump's experiences with the virus, claiming that the average American would not have received similar medication. Trump's strong leadership against the coronavirus even after falling ill to it himself shocked many.

==Financial worth & education==
Trump has engaged in many financial pursuits and estimated that his net worth was $10 billion, as of July 2015.<ref>LoGiurato, Brett (July 25, 2015). [https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-net-worth-2015-7 "We finally know a lot more about Donald Trump's 'massive' net worth"]. Business Insider website.</ref> ''Forbes'', however, estimates his net worth is $3.1 billion as of 2019.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/profile/donald-trump/ "The world's most powerful people: #2 Donald Trump"]. (March 6, 2017). Forbes.com website.</ref> He graduated from the New York Military Academy in 1964 and first attended college at [[Fordham University]] for two years before transferring to the more competitive [[University of Pennsylvania]] and completing his undergraduate studies at its Wharton School of Finance and Commerce. In September 2020, the [[New York Times]] reported on Donald Trump engaging in tax avoidance. It was claimed that his tax avoidance dates back to the 1990s.

Early media profiles of Trump claim he graduated "first in his class" from Wharton.<ref>Whitman, Alden (January 28, 1973). [https://www.nytimes.com/1973/01/28/archives/a-builder-looks-backand-moves-forward-builder-looks-back-but-moves.html "A builder looks back—and moves forward".] ''New York Times''. Retrieved from ''New York Times'' website.</ref> The evidence suggests otherwise and yet Trump has never sought to correct or clarify this potentially significant error.<ref>Geist, William E. (April 8, 1984). [https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/08/magazine/the-expanding-empire-of-donald-trump.html "The expanding empire of Donald Trump".] ''New York Times Magazine''. Retrieved from ''New York Times'' website.</ref>

==Candidacy==
[[File:2thumb-5-1-300x202.jpg|right|300px|thumb|As Trump rode the escalator to announce his candidacy, polls showed Hillary Clinton's collusion with Russia over the [[Uranium One deal]] was her biggest vulnerability. Deputy Attn. Gen. [[Sally Yates]] was taking steps to ban the Inspector General from oversight of the DOJ-National Security Division and hide [[FISA abuse]].<ref>[https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2020/03/08/doj-political-surveillance-from-the-irs-in-2011-to-the-fisa-court-in-2016/ DOJ Political Surveillance – From the IRS in 2011 to the FISA Court in 2016], Posted on March 8, 2020 by sundance. theconservativetreehouse.com</ref>]]
On June 16, 2015, he declared his candidacy for the Republican nomination in the [[2016 presidential election]].<ref>Multiple references:
*[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/06/16/trump-announces-white-house-bid-joins-crowded-gop-field/ "Trump announces White House bid, joins crowded GOP field"] (June 16, 2015). Fox News website/Politics. The front-runner in a record-breaking field of 17 [[Republican]] candidates, Trump announced that he did not anticipate "throwing punches" against his rivals in the first GOP debate.
*Chiacu, Donna and Torbati, Yeganeh (August 2, 2015). [https://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/02/us-usa-election-debate-idUSKCN0Q70NI20150802 "Trump says won't be 'throwing punches' in U.S. Republican debate"]. Reuters/Politics. But at the debate the [[Fox News Channel]]—particularly its [[feminist]] non-journalist [[Megyn Kelly]]—ambushed Trump with out-of-context quotations designed to smear him as somehow being anti-women. This ignited a national controversy that lasted for days, and Trump called upon Kelly to apologize, which she refused to do.</ref> Unlike most other U.S presidential candidates, Trump sharply criticizes the media and talks about issues that no elected official dares touch. For example, Trump stands up against [[feminists]], unlike most politicians. In another example, in 2011 Trump persistently doubted whether [[Barack Obama]] had been born in the [[United States]], which caused Obama's approval ratings to drop below 40% until Obama finally caved in to Trump and produced what Obama claimed was his birth certificate. Trump then scoffed at Obama's conduct.

'''''In February 2011, Trump announced that he is [[pro-life]], and at the final presidential debate on Oct. 19, 2016, Trump gave the strongest endorsement of the pro-life position of any presidential nominee in history'''''.

Trump's central campaign theme has been to oppose [[illegal immigration]] and [[free trade]], and nominated Senator [[Jeff Sessions]] as [[Attorney General]] to enforce standing legislation on the issue. As reported by [[Breitbart News Network|Breitbart]], "Sen. Sessions, Chairman of the Senate’s Immigration Subcommittee, is widely regarded as the gold standard on immigration. Sessions has also become the intellectual thought leader in the Republican Party on appealing to the blue collar voters who have been abandoned by their political leaders." <ref>Hahn, Julia (August 14, 2015). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/08/14/game-change-trump-consults-with-sen-jeff-sessions-on-immigration-strategy/ "Game change: Trump consults with Sen Jeff Sessions on immigration strategy"]. Breitbart website/Big government.</ref> In the later campaign Trump focused more on [[ISIS]] and terrorism.

At the final presidential debate between [[Hillary Clinton]] and Trump on October 19, 2016, Clinton chastised Trump for running a newspaper advertisement in 1987 critical of the [[Reagan Administration]]. But Trump persuasively explained that he has always disagreed with Reagan's support of free trade, as many other [[conservatives]] disagree with Reagan on this issue.

==Religious beliefs==
:{{Main|Donald Trump's religious views|Donald Trump and evangelicals}}
Donald Trump attended the First [[Presbyterian]] Church in Jamaica, [[Queens]]. He told the [[Christian Broadcasting Network]] that he still considers himself a [[Presbyterian]] and attends services for all major holidays and Sundays, and that "The [[Bible]] is certainly THE book." He receives Bibles from fans in the mail, and he either stores them or gives them away to others.<ref>Haberman, Maggie (April 11, 2011). [https://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/52942.html "Donald Trump talks about religion"]. Politico website.</ref>

In July 2015, Trump stated in an interview that "Why do I have to repent or ask for forgiveness, if I am not making mistakes?"<ref>Nothstine, Ray (July 23, 2015). [http://www.christianpost.com/news/trump-why-do-i-have-to-repent-or-ask-for-forgiveness-if-i-am-not-making-mistakes-video-141856/ Trump: 'Why Do I Have to Repent or Ask for Forgiveness If I Am Not Making Mistakes?' (Video)]. ''The Christian Post''. Retrieved March 13, 2017.</ref> He also stated that "I think if I do something wrong, I think, I just try and make it right. I don't bring God into that picture. I don't."<ref>Scott, Eugene (July 18, 2015). [https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/18/politics/trump-has-never-sought-forgiveness/ Trump believes in God, but hasn't sought forgiveness]. ''CNN''. Retrieved December 4, 2016.</ref> January 2016, Trump stated that "I have a great relationship with God," but that "I don’t like to have to ask for forgiveness."<ref>Key, Pam (January 17, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/video/2016/01/17/trump-i-dont-like-to-have-to-ask-for-forgiveness-from-god/ Trump: ‘I Don’t Like to Have to Ask for Forgiveness’ from God]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved March 13, 2017.</ref> When confronted by [[Cal Thomas]] in an interview in mid 2016 about his not asking God for forgiveness, Trump stated that he would ask God for forgiveness.<ref>Chumley, Cheryl (August 6, 2016). [https://www.wnd.com/2016/06/trump-answers-question-who-do-you-say-jesus-is/ Trump answers question: 'Who do you say Jesus is?] ''WorldNetDaily''. Retrieved March 13, 2017.</ref> In October 2016, [[Ben Carson]] stated that Trump did ask forgiveness from God with [[James Robison]].<ref>Showalter, Brandon (October 10, 2016). [http://www.christianpost.com/news/ben-carson-donald-trump-asked-god-for-forgiveness-prayed-with-james-robison-170650/ Ben Carson: Donald Trump Asked God for Forgiveness, Prayed With James Robison]. ''The Christian Post''. Retrieved March 13, 2017.</ref>

According to exit polling in the 2016 election, Trump won 81 percent of evangelical Christians compared to 16 percent for Clinton, a record high and even more than [[George W. Bush]] won in 2004, showing strong support for Trump from evangelical Christians.<ref name="townhall.com">O'Brien, Cortney (November 12, 2016). [https://townhall.com/tipsheet/cortneyobrien/2016/11/12/white-evangelical-voters-showed-up-this-time-n2243931 Evangelical Voters Showed Up Big Time For Trump]. ''Townhall''. Retrieved December 8, 2016.</ref><ref name="wsj.com">Lovett, Ian (November 9, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/evangelicals-back-donald-trump-in-record-numbers-despite-earlier-doubts-1478689372 Evangelicals Back Donald Trump in Record Numbers, Despite Earlier Doubts]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved December 8, 2016.</ref> He was the first sitting American president to address the annual Values Voters Conference in Washington.<ref>https://www.npr.org/2017/10/13/557459193/trump-set-to-address-values-voter-summit-for-first-time-as-president</ref>

==Career==
[[File:Trump business.jpg|right]]
Donald Trump began his career at [[Trump Organization]]. In his college years, he helped revitalize one of his father's failing real estate ventures. Trump began opening hotels and casinos, which provided him with the cash flow to engage in other ventures. He owns the world-famous [[Trump Tower]] and is the founder of the publicly traded Trump Hotel Casinos & Resorts. Trump also owns the Trump brand, which sells a variety of items, such as bottled water, steak, and even mortgages. Trump has authored a number of books and weathered changing business fortunes, but despite the challenges that he has encountered, he has continued to be a successful businessman and entrepreneur.

Trump [[Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2000|ran unsuccessfully]] for the nomination of the [[Reform Party]] in 2000. Trump considered [[presidential election 2012|running for president in 2012]] as a [[Republican]]. He, among others, questioned the citizenship of [[Barack Obama]], citing his failure to produce his birth certificate. After Obama produced his birth certificate, Trump and the other [[birther]]s continue to doubt its authenticity. Obama's approval ratings were around 40% during the peak of the controversy. Trump later exited the race, and gave the customary endorsement to [[Mitt Romney]] as the other [[Republican]] contenders did.

==Major properties==

*Trump World Tower: 845 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY.

*Trump Tower: 725 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10022 Personal Residence

*Bank of America Center (San Francisco)

*The Trump Building at 40 Wall Street

*Trump Park Avenue

*AXA Financial Center, 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY

*Trump International Hotel & Tower:
**New York
**Chicago
**Washington D.C.
**Las Vegas

*Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida (used by Trump as his "Winter White House".)

*Trump Winery - Charlottesville, Virginia

*14 golf courses (11 in the U.S., 3 in Europe - the course in Bedminster, New Jersey is used by Trump as his "Summer White House")

==Media==
[[File:Donald Trump star.JPG|thumbnail|right|Hollywood Walk of Fame]]
For his contributions to the gaming and entertainment industry, Trump was inducted into the Gaming Hall of Fame in 1995.

In 2003 Trump began as the host and executive producer of the reality [[television]] show ''The Apprentice'' and ''The Celebrity Apprentice'', where contestants compete for a position in Trump's organization. On this show, Trump popularized his catchphrase "You're fired!" Trump received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007 following the success of ''The Apprentice''. However, since he became president, Trump's star as been periodically vandalized by liberal political critics.<ref>Press Association (April 8, 2016). [http://www.onenewspage.com/video/20160408/4211707/Donald-Trump-Hollywood-Walk-of-Fame-Star.htm "Donald Trump's Hollywood Walk of Fame Star vandalised three times a day"].</ref>

Trump is also a noted fan of [[WWE]], and has been a part of some of their shows. Trump was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.

In 2016, following winning the presidential election, Trump was named Person of the Year by [[Time Magazine]].

Trump used to own the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants. Controversy arose when Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner was caught breaking pageant rules by drinking and other activities. Trump gave her a second chance after personally speaking with her and allowed her to retain her crown as she attended rehabilitation. For several weeks after this, [[Rosie O'Donnell]] berated Trump for his decision on ''The View''. A bitter media war ensued with the two exchanging insults.

Trump has made many guest appearances, usually as himself, on many TV shows and in several movies.

==Political positions==

====Coronavirus Pandemic====
President Trump deferred heavily to [[Hillary Clinton]]-supporter Anthony Fauci, a [[Deep State]] bureaucrat in the [[National Institutes of Health]], in responding to the [[coronavirus]] pandemic in early 2020. Trump rejected the advice of [[White House]] official Peter Navarro to take early action cutting off travel from [[China]], and to make [[hydroxychloroquine]] widely available.

Trump's polls numbers plummeted largely because of his deference to Fauci and unwillingness to take the advice of Navarro. John Fleming, an adviser to Chief of Staff [[Mark Meadows]], also misled Trump by denying the benefits of widespread access to hydroxychloroquine, as other countries have done to defeat [[COVID-19]].

====Social Issues====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Religious liberty and LGBT|Donald Trump achievements: Abortion|Donald Trump achievements: Healthcare, welfare, and other social issues}}
[[File:Donald-Trump-Rosa-Parks.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Donald Trump received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations in 1986 for improving the lives of African-American urban youths. From left to right: [[Anita Bryant]], [[Muhammad Ali]], [[Rosa Parks]], and Donald Trump.]]
At the 2011 [[CPAC]] conference, Trump announced he is [[pro-life]].<ref>Rahn, Will (February 10, 2011). [https://dailycaller.com/2011/02/10/trump-at-cpac-points-to-white-house-run/ "Trump at CPAC points to White House run"]. The Daily Caller website.</ref> Trump would not fund Planned Parenthood and the government should not give funds to any organizations that perform abortions<ref>Carroll, Lauren (May 1, 2016) [https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/may/01/ted-cruz/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-planned-parenthood/ "Do Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton agree on Planned Parenthood funding?"] Politifact website.</ref> However, he supports abortion in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mother or child.<ref>Ertelt, Steven (February 1, 2016). [https://www.lifenews.com/2016/02/01/mike-huckabee-defends-donald-trumps-abortion-conversion-he-is-pro-life-now/ "Mike Huckabee defends Donald Trump’s abortion conversion: 'He is pro-life now'"] LifeNews.com.</ref>

Trump says that the controversy regarding the legalization of [[same-sex marriage]] doesn't matter, because it's "settled law" now.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120831060550/http://www.gop.com/2012-republican-platform_We/#Item3 "Republican platform: We believe in America"] (bef. August 31, 2012). GOP.com website. Archived at Internet Archive on August 31, 2012.</ref> Furthermore, Trump believes that homosexual couples should have the same adoption rights as straight couples<ref>Guo, Jeff (August 10, 2016). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/08/10/how-donald-trump-is-slowly-teaching-republicans-to-embrace-gay-rights/ "Donald Trump is teaching the GOP a different way to embrace gay rights".] ''Washington Post'' website.</ref> and has voiced open support for the LGBTQ community, becoming the first Republican president to do so.{{cn}} He has stated that he will do everything he can do to protect the LGBTQ community, from Islamic extremists.

Trump says that a business should be able to deny service to a customer if the request conflicts with the owner's religious beliefs?<ref name="christiantoday.com">Hicap, Jonah (June 2, 2015). [http://www.christiantoday.com/article/donald.trump.vows.to.be.the.greatest.representative.of.christians.if.he.wins.white.house/55023.htm "Donald Trump: 'I will be the greatest representative of Christians if I win the White House'"]. Christian Today website.</ref> Trump would not require health insurance providers to offer free birth control.<ref>Associated Press (February 11, 2012). [https://web.archive.org/web/20151128095810/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2012-02-11/obama-birth-control-cpac/53046728/1 "GOP conservatives unite against birth control coverage"]. ''USA Today'' website/News/Washington. Retrieved from November 28, 2015 archive at Internet Archive.</ref>

Trump doesn't think that universities should provide “trigger warnings” and “safe spaces” for students.<ref>Hashmi, Siraj (November 10, 2016). [http://redalertpolitics.com/2016/11/10/safe-spaces-handed-election-donald-trump/ "Safe Spaces handed the election to Donald Trump"]. Red Alert Politics website.</ref>

Trump believes that marital rape be classified and punished as severely as non-marital rape.<ref>Diamond, Jeremy (July 28, 2015). [https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/28/politics/donald-trump-adviser-michael-cohen-rape/ "Trump distances himself from top aide's rape comment"]. CNN website/Politics.</ref>

Trump would not add "Gender Identity" to anti-discrimination laws.<ref>http://www.advocate.com/politics/2016/5/24/donald-trump-claims-accommodating-transgender-people-too-expensive</ref>

Trump wouldn't support a [[separation of church and state]] by removing references to God on money, federal buildings, and national monuments.<ref name="christiantoday.com"/>

Trump says that after a psychological examination to show they fully understand this choice, terminally ill patients be allowed to end their lives via [[assisted suicide]].<ref>http://wingspanonline.net/?p=2398</ref>

Trump supports the [[death penalty]].<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/01/nyregion/angered-by-attack-trump-urges-return-of-the-death-penalty.html</ref>

Trump thinks that the military should allow women to serve as long as they can pass the same physical tests as men.<ref>https://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/donald-trump-women-combat-tricky/2015/12/06/id/704736/</ref> (Compare [[gender norming]].)

Trump says that board members of a business should be the most qualified regardless of gender.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3269718/Trump-gives-young-feminist-brush-equal-pay-abortion-going-make-good-job-happen-pro-life.html</ref>

Trump does not believe that the government can show a confederate flag on public property.<ref>https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-tees-off-on-the-confederate-flag/</ref>

Trump believes that women should be allowed to wear a Niqāb, or face veil, to civic ceremonies.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFVCZhFsNR8</ref>

====Healthcare Issues====
Trump does not support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and would open the markets so insurers can compete across state lines and reduce costs.<ref name="donaldjtrump.com">https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/healthcare-reform</ref><ref name=Educ>Breitbart.tv (February 9, 2011). [https://www.breitbart.com/video/2011/02/09/pro-life-donald-trump-would-eliminate-dept-of-education-impose-25-tax-on-china-imports-if-president/ "Pro-life Donald Trump would eliminate Dept of Education, impose 25% tax on China imports if president"]. Breitbart.com.</ref> However, he has also said, "I like the mandate."<ref>[https://dailycaller.com/2016/02/19/trump-on-obamacare-i-like-the-mandate-video/ "Trump On Obamacare: ‘I Like The Mandate’"]</ref>

Trump thinks that the government should regulate the prices of life-saving drugs.<ref>https://www.politico.com/story/2016/01/trump-backs-
medicare-negotiating-drug-prices-218215</ref>

Trump supports the legalization of marijuana for medical use.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/2015/06/18/exclusive-donald-trump-on-what-made-him-run-for-president-on-hannity/</ref>

''Donald Trump has not yet answered if he supports the privatization of veteran's healthcare.''

Trump believes that the federal government increase funding of health care for low income individuals (Medicaid).<ref>https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-09-15/trump-calls-for-expanded-medicaid-birth-control-without-doctor</ref>

====Controversy with Barack Obama====
[[File:Donald Trump Speaking in Fountain Hills.jpg|thumb|Trump speaking in Fountain Hills, Arizona in March 2016.]]
Trump has also questioned Barack Obama's constitutional eligibility to be president, in light of the ongoing questions surrounding his birth certificate.<ref>[https://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=280533 "Trump: Obama spending millions to hide his past"] (March 28, 2011). WorldNetDaily website.</ref> Trump questioned whether the Obama Administration was successful in negotiating with foreign countries. Trump declared during the 2016 election that he no longer would question Obama's eligibility.

====Economic Issues====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Economic policy and labor|MAGAnomics}}
Trump's economic plan is designed to make the country more competitive by implementing policies that apply to all companies: cutting taxes, including the corporate tax rate, repealing and rolling back stifling regulations, including the biggest of them all, Obamacare and those clobbering the energy sector, renegotiating trade deals such as NAFTA, and killing off the nascent [[Trans-Pacific Partnership]].<ref>Crowley, Monica (December 7, 2016). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/dec/7/donald-trump-and-the-art-of-getting-it-done/ Donald Trump and the art of getting it done]. ''The Washingon Times''. Retrieved December 10, 2016.</ref>

Trump would not require employers be required to pay men and women the same salary for the same job as there are too many other variables such as education, experience, and tenure that determine a fair salary.

''Trump has not answered whether welfare recipients be tested for drugs.''

Trump said he would require businesses be required to provide paid leave for full-time employees during the birth of a child or sick family member.

Trump would raise the federal minimum wage.

Trump believes there should be more restrictions on current welfare benefits.

Trump would instate a 35% tariff on all imports from China even though he used Chinese steel to build all of his Trump Towers.<ref>http://www.newsweek.com/how-donald-trump-ditched-us-steel-workers-china-505717</ref>

Trump would also lower the corporate tax rate.<ref>https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/an-america-first-economic-plan-winning-the-global-competition</ref>

Trump says that the U.S. shouldn't continue to participate in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).<ref>https://money.cnn.com/2016/09/16/news/economy/donald-trump-nafta-mexico-china-tariff/</ref>

Trump would cut public spending in order to reduce the public debt.<ref>https://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/donald-trump-believe-candidate-stands-10-issues/</ref>

Trump believes that the government is currently over-regulating private businesses and that it shouldn't require businesses to pay salaried employees, making up to $46k/year, time-and-a-half for overtime hours.<ref>https://www.politico.com/tipsheets/morning-shift/2016/08/trump-v-overtime-rule-215883</ref>

Trump thinks that the government should prevent “mega mergers” of corporations that could potentially control a large percentage of market share within its industry.<ref>https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-10-22/trump-would-block-proposed-at-t-time-warner-merger-if-elected</ref>

Trump said that labor unions, in theory help the economy but have recently become corrupt and should have their powers limited.<ref>http://projects.newsday.com/opinion/newsday-editorial-board-interviews-donald-trump/#nypd</ref>

Trump would increase the tax on profits from the sale of stocks, bonds, and real estate.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4I5QUGRf-Q&feature=youtu.be</ref>

Trump believes economic stimulus will aid the country during times of recession.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/03/us/politics/trump-clinton-infrastructure.html?_r=0</ref>

Trump thinks the Federal Reserve Bank should be audited by Congress.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-election-trump-fed-idUSL1N12Y1ZG20151103</ref>

Trump doesn't support the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) as this will incentivize companies to move U.S. jobs overseas.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/07/us/politics/transcript-of-the-republican-presidential-debate-in-new-hampshire.html</ref>

Trump would eliminate the [[estate tax]].<ref>https://thehill.com/policy/finance/290825-clinton-to-criticize-trumps-plan-to-repeal-the-estate-tax</ref>

Trump would end all government subsidies and let the free market run its course.<ref>http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/17cfa1a0-0b9e-11e5-a06e-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3e0UlsdmX</ref>

''Trump has not answered if pension payments be increased for retired government workers.''

Trump favors an increased sales tax in order to reduce property taxes even though sales tax would not provide a steady stream of income.<ref>http://www.taxjusticeblog.org/archive/2015/06/donald_trumps_regressive_and_r.php#.VYr8_hNViko</ref>

Trump supports pension plans for federal, state, and local government workers be transitioned into privately managed accounts.<ref name="donaldjtrump.com"/>

Trump said that the U.S. government should not bailout Puerto Rico.<ref>http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=c89b639c-07de-4a0f-a634-dda08e3de95a</ref>

Trump believes citizens should not be allowed to save or invest their money in offshore bank accounts as too many wealthy citizens are abusing loopholes in offshore banking laws to evade taxes.<ref>https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-puts-his-money-in-companies-that-stash-cash-abroad/</ref>

Trump would not apply an in-state sales tax apply to online purchases of in-state buyers from out-of-state sellers.<ref>http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ce65fe3f0bbd43c19cf17c5c8da8d958/trump-amazons-bezos-uses-washington-post-avoid-taxes</ref>

Trump thinks that the government classify Bitcoin as a legal currency.<ref>https://www.cryptocoinsnews.com/trump-presidency-boost-bitcoin-price/</ref>

====Department of Education====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Education}}
At the 2011 [[CPAC]] conference, he stated that he wants to eliminate the Department of Education.<ref name=Educ/>

====Foreign policy====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Foreign policy}}
Donald Trump is a [[nationalism|nationalist]] who promised to "put America first"<ref>[https://insider.foxnews.com/2017/06/07/trump-touts-new-infrastructure-plan-cincinnati-states-america-first-message 'It's Time Finally to Put America First': Trump Touts New Infrastructure Plan]</ref> (See: [[Donald Trump and nationalism]]). At the same time, in April 2017, he stated that "I’m a nationalist and a globalist."<ref>Starr, Penny (April 28, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/04/28/trump-im-a-nationalist-and-a-globalist/ Trump: ‘I’m a Nationalist and a Globalist’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved January 10, 2018.</ref>

In July 2015 Trump explained he wants to improve relationships with [[Russia]]n president [[Vladimir Putin]].<ref>Johnson, Simon (July 31, 2015). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11775145/Donald-Trump-Id-get-on-very-well-with-Putin-if-I-were-president.html "Donald Trump: I'd get on 'very well' with Putin if I were president"]. The Telegraph [U.K.] website.</ref> Many left-wingers accused Trump's presidential campaign of "colluding" with [[Russia]]. However the Trump Administration took several tough actions against Russia, including some that even the Obama Administration avoided.<ref>Berger, Judson (December 26, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/12/26/trump-administration-ends-2017-confronting-russia-after-year-collusion-accusations.html Trump administration ends 2017 confronting Russia after year of collusion accusations]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved December 26, 2017.</ref> In an interview with [[ABC]] he said that Putin won't make a military move into [[Ukraine]]. Furthermore, Trump argued in a tweet that the conflict over [[Crimea]] was the fault of the Obama administration.<ref>[https://edition.cnn.com/2016/07/31/politics/donald-trump-russia-ukraine-crimea-putin/ Trump says Putin is 'not going to go into Ukraine,' despite Crimea]</ref> Trump later accused Russia of taking [[Crimea]] by force and asked whether Obama was too soft on Russia.<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-russia-latest-tweet-accuse-crimea-obama-too-soft-distance-campaign-team-white-house-a7581511.html Donald Trump accuses Russia of taking Crimea by force in attempt to distance himself from campaign allegations]</ref>

Trump said that the [[Iran nuclear deal]] is bad and as president, he kept his promise by withdrawing from it.

After his election as U.S. president, [[Israel]]i prime minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] called Trump "a true friend of the State of Israel."<ref>[https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/netanyahu-trump-israel-true-friend-231094?lo=ap_c4 Netanyahu calls Trump 'a true friend' of Israel]. ''Politico''. November 9, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2016.</ref> On February 2, 2017, Trump stated that building new settlements in the [[West Bank]] "may not be helpful" to achieving peace in the [[Middle East]], and he appeared to shift his formerly strong stance on moving the U.S. embassy to [[Jerusalem]] as he had previously stated.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/02/03/trump-to-israel-settlements-may-not-help-achieve-peace-in-middle-east.html Trump to Israel: Settlements ‘may not help’ achieve peace in the Middle East]. ''Fox News''. February 3, 2017. Retrieved February 5, 2017.</ref> But on December 6, 2017, Trump announced that the U.S. officially recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and that the U.S. would begin the process of moving the U.S. Embassy from [[Tel Aviv]] to Jerusalem.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://server5.kproxy.com/servlet/redirect.srv/saun/sncfausiyyo/sqrs/p2/the-press-office/2017/12/06/president-donald-j-trumps-proclamation-jerusalem-capital-state-israel|title=President Donald J. Trump's Proclamation on Jerusalem as the Capital of the State of Israel |publisher=White House|accessdate=6 December 2017|date=6 December 2017}}</ref> Trump in 2019 also gave official U.S. recognition to the [[Golan Heights]] as being part of Israel. In recognition for his support of Israel, a plaza in Jerusalem was named for Trump ("Donald Trump Square"), as well as a settlement in the Golan Heights ("Trump Heights")

Trump had criticized [[NATO]] for not fulfilling its financial obligations, going so far as declaring the organization "obsolete", but in April 2017 - after getting promises from NATO partners to make increased financial contributions - Trump retracted the obsolete declaration.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/news/the-latest-trump-says-nato-no-longer-obsolete/ The Latest: Trump says NATO ‘no longer obsolete’]. ''Breitbart News'' (from the ''Associated Press''). Retrieved April 21, 2017.</ref><ref>Hagen, Lisa (April 21, 2017). [https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/328558-trump-nato-is-no-longer-obsolete Trump: NATO is ‘no longer obsolete’]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 21, 2017.</ref>

Immediately after taking office, Trump had exchanged vitriolic rhetoric with and made threats to North Korea after the latter carried out numerous medium/long-range missile tests and a nuclear test in September 2017. However, in March 2018, Trump announced he would hold a summit with North Korea Chairman Kim Jong Un, making him the first U.S. president to have bilateral talks with a North Korean leader. The first summit was held in Singapore in June 2018, a second in Hanoi in February 2019, and a third informal summit in the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in June 2019 - during which he became the first sitting U.S. president to step foot on North Korean soil. During the period of the summits, North Korea had halted testing of long/medium-range missiles, as well as nuclear testing (and outside of a few short-range missiles in early May 2019, North Korea hasn't tested any weapons since November 2017.)

On Monday, 7 October 2019, Trump ordered American military forces to withdraw from northern Syria in case Turkish forces and their allies would attack them, meaning the predominantly Syrian Kurdish ''SDF'' (''Syrian Democratic Force'') would not have direct U.S. military support. This decision came after a telephone conversation with Turkish ruler [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] on Sunday,<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/turkey-announces-incursion-of-northeast-syria-us-backed-kurds-have-vowed-all-out-war Trump pulls back troops from northern Syria ahead of Turkish assault, Pentagon officials 'blindsided']</ref> and Turkish forces soon began advancing into northern Syria to create a buffer zone.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/world/turkey-syria-invasion-ground-forces-civilians-dead Turkey announces northern Syria invasion of ground forces; multiple civilians reported dead]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUeXaPaKF50 Why Turkey is invading Syria]</ref> In the same week it was announced that it is planned by the U.S. administration to send 1,500 troops to the Middle East because of the tensions between [[Saudi-Arabia]] and [[Iran]].<ref>[https://video.foxnews.com/v/6040831354001/ President Trump plans to send 1,500 US troops to the Middle East]</ref> President Erdogan visited the White House on November 13, 2019.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/11/13/donald-trump-im-a-big-fan-of-turkish-president-recep-tayyip-erdogan/ Donald Trump: ‘I’m a Big Fan’ of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan]</ref>

====Global warming====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Energy and environmental policy}}
Trump does not believe in the [[Climate Change]] hysteria, once stating the "Nobel committee should take the [[Nobel Prize]] back from [[Al Gore]]."

====Second Amendment rights====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Gun rights}}
Trump is strongly pro-[[Second Amendment]] and against [[leftist]] [[gun control]] and gun free zones. As president, Trump has promised to re-arm military personnel on all American military bases as well as [[ROTC]] recruitment centers, which were disarmed by the [[Clinton Administration]] policy.<ref name=Educ/> Trump was strongly endorsed by the [[National Rifle Association]] in one of its earliest endorsements in an election campaign.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/05/20/nra-to-endorse-trump.html# Trump wins NRA endorsement, blasts Clinton on gun stance at forum]. ''Fox News''. May 20, 2016. Retrieved October 22, 2016.</ref>

====Homosexual agenda====
For all practical purposes, Trump seems to be on the side of the [[homosexual agenda]]. He supports the creation of new law by the [[U.S. Supreme Court]], as in a new right to [[homosexual marriage]], and declares it the "law of the land" even though Congress passed no such law.

Trump has attended multiple [[same-sex marriage]] ceremonies{{Citation needed}}, but has also said in the past that he opposes same-sex marriage. Trump's views are not yet known on other aspects of the [[homosexual agenda]], such as whether Trump would ban [[conversion therapy]] for minors as [[Chris Christie]] did. The [[Fox News Channel]] debate in August avoided these issues.

====Immigration====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Immigration and border security}}
See the discussion in the introduction above. This is Trump's main campaign issue.

A central part of his immigration plan is to build a giant wall on the border with Mexico. Trump estimates it will cost $8 billion, approximately 35 to 40 feet high and stretch 2000 miles.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/02/09/donald-trump-the-wall-is-probably-8-billion Trump Border Wall]</ref> During the campaign, Trump promised that Mexico will pay for the wall, but after taking office, he clarified that payment could be in the form of a tax on Mexican imports or other revenues measures after the Mexican government showed opposition towards Trump's plan.

Trump has also proposed to temporarily ban [[Muslims]] from entering the United States, until "our leaders figure out what the hell is going on," in order to protect Americans from the threats posed by [[Islamic]] [[refugee]]s (and those pretending to be<ref>[http://m.washingtonexaminer.com/isis-fighters-infiltrating-syrian-refugees-uk-is-warned/article/2572051 ISIS fighters infiltrating Syrian refugees, UK is warned]</ref>) entering the country.<ref>[http://www.donaldjtrump.com/media/donald-trump-insists-muslim-ban-is-about-safety-not-religion Donald Trump Insists Muslim Ban Is About Safety, Not Religion]</ref>

Efforts have been made by hostile journalists to paint Trump as advocating a [[Muslim registry]], but what he actually proposed was a [[database for Syrian refugees]].

====Political contributions====
He has been criticized for his substantial contributions to [[Democrat]] lawmakers; the majority of those lawmakers are located in the states he resides in: New York and Florida. The amount he has donated since 2008 is $25,000, which is insignificant considering his wealth.<ref>Allin, Olivia (April 30, 2011). [http://www.ontheredcarpet.com/Donald-Trump-calls-nations-leaders-stupid-people-and-blood-sucking-politicians/8104644 "OTRC: Donald Trump calls nation's leaders 'stupid people' and 'blood-sucking politicians'"]. OnTheRedCarpet [news]. Retrieved from ABC7 [KABC Television, Los Angeles] website.</ref>

Trump is not known to be beholden to any big-money donors.

====Tariffs====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Trade policy}}
[[File:Donald Trump RNC July 2016.jpg|thumb|Trump accepting the GOP nomination in Cleveland on June 21, 2016.]]
At the 2011 [[CPAC]] conference, he stated that he supports a 25% tariff on Chinese goods.<ref name=Educ/> The number floated around in 2016 is a 45% tariff. Trump was speaking in regards to China and the [[World Trade Organization]],<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-finance-ministerlou-jiwei-takes-aim-at-donald-trumps-trade-policies-1460892988 Chinese Finance Minister Lou Jiwei Takes Aim at Donald Trump’s Trade Policies, WallStreetJournal, April 17, 2016]</ref>

{{cquote|In a statement from his campaign, Mr. Trump charged that [[China]] was “in total violation of WTO regulations” and that the U.S. “has incompetently allowed them to get away with this” and has failed to impose “equal or greater taxes and tariffs” on China. If he is elected president, Mr. Trump said, China “will learn to deal fairly and justly or we will not deal at all” with Beijing.}}

====Vaccines====
Trump believes that [[vaccines]] cause [[autism]]<ref>Ferris, Sarah (September 16, 2015). [https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/253980-trump-links-vaccines-to-autism-epidemic "Trump links vaccines to autism 'epidemic'"]. The Hill website/Policy/Healthcare.</ref> and has argued against requiring that so many vaccines be given to infants.

==== Eminent domain====
Trump believes that the government has the right to take [[private property]] upon paying just compensation for both infrastructure and to promote economic development.

==== Supreme Court====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: The courts}}
Trump opposed filling the Supreme Court seat held by [[Antonin Scalia]] before the next President takes office. When asked who he might select to the Supreme Court, he said that his sister, a sitting federal court judge, would make a great Supreme Court justice.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://server5.kproxy.com/servlet/redirect.srv/sruj/sfothrfaqegbnvj/suvw/p2/corner/423196/trump-praises-his-sister-pro-abortion-extremist-judge-ramesh-ponnuru|title=Trump Praises His Sister, a Pro-Abortion Extremist Judge|date=Aug 27, 2015|accessdate=February 21, 2016}}</ref>

===Hillary Clinton===
Trump had pledged, if elected president, to appoint a special prosecutor to further investigate [[Hillary Clinton]]'s use of a private email server whilst Secretary of State, but Hillary took her crushing defeat so hard that Trump charitably softened his stance after winning.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/22/us/politics/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-investigation.html Donald Trump Drops Threat of New Hillary Clinton Investigation] New York Times - Nov. 22, 2016</ref> A few of Trump supporters, such as [[Ann Coulter]] and [[Breitbart]], expressed disappointment but Trump rose in overall public approval.<ref>[https://www.newsmax.com/Politics/ann-coulter-slams-trump-clinton/2016/11/22/id/760220/ Ann Coulter Slams Trump's Decision on Clinton] Newsmax.com - Nov. 22, 2016</ref><ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/radio/2016/11/23/peter-schweizer-letting-hillary-off-hook-definition-rigged-system/ Peter Schweizer: Letting Hillary off the Hook Is ‘Definition of a Rigged System’] Breitbart.com - Nov. 23, 2016</ref>

==2016 presidential election==
[[File:Donald Trump (29273256122) Phoenix.jpg|thumb|250px|Donald Trump on August 31, 2016.]]
{{See also|2016 U.S. presidential election|Donald Trump achievements: 2016 election and transition}}
===Path to the Nomination===
In the 2015 [[Value Voters Debate|Value Voters]] poll, Trump performed poorly, coming in fifth, indicating many [[Christian]] [[conservatives]] had not yet warmed up to him.<ref>Flores, Reena (September 26, 2015). [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-conservative-poll-donald-trump-could-not-win/ "The conservative poll Donald Trump could not win"]. CBSNews website.</ref> Trump is a big supporter of [[gambling]], which most Christians, other religious groups, and [[conservatives]] oppose. But by 2016 Trump was winning more support from [[evangelical]]s than any other Republican candidate.

Trump won the Republican primary, receiving more votes than any other Republican primary candidate in history.<ref>Hoft, Joe (June 7, 2016). [https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/06/trump-trumps-wins-historic-race-record-fashion/ HISTORY! Trump Shatters Republican Primary Vote Record by 1.4 Million Votes]. ''The Gateway Pundit''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref>

===General election===
Trump faced former liberal Democrat Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]] in the general election. Trump's campaign was vastly outspent, outraised, and out-staffed by Clinton's.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/11/10/more-with-less-trumps-lean-machine-beats-clintons-big-bank-account.html More With Less: Trump's lean machine beats Clinton's big bank account]. ''Fox News''. November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2016.</ref> The [[mainstream media]] was extremely biased against and unfair towards Trump.<ref>Kurtz, Howard (November 11, 2016). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/11/11/media-remain-hostile-to-donald-trump-even-as-some-pundits-admit-blew-it.html Media remain hostile to Donald Trump even as some pundits admit they blew it]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved November 11, 2016.</ref><ref>[https://www.billoreilly.com/b/Media-Bias-to-the-Extreme/39285014073786148.html Media Bias to the Extreme]. ''BillOReilly.com''. November 11, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2016.</ref> According to a study, 91% of the media coverage concerning Trump was negative and 96% of campaign contributions from the media went to Clinton.<ref>Bedard, Paul (March 19, 2017). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/anti-trump-media-91-coverage-negative-96-of-donations-to-hillary/article/2617828 https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/anti-trump-media-91-coverage-negative-96-of-donations-to-hillary/article/2617828]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved April 27, 2017.</ref>

It was widely expected that Clinton would easily win the election, and the elite pollsters and "political insiders" all predicted a massive Clinton victory.<ref>Vogel, Kenneth P. & Isenstadt, Alex (November 9, 2016). [https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/how-did-everyone-get-2016-wrong-presidential-election-231036 How did everyone get it so wrong?]. ''Politico''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref><ref>Catanese, David (October 24, 2016). [https://www.usnews.com/news/the-run-2016/articles/2016-10-24/republicans-last-hope-the-polls-are-wrong Republicans’ Last Hope: The Polls Are Wrong]. ''U.S. News & World Report''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref> At least once, when a poll was released that actually showed Trump leading, Clinton's campaign dismissed it as "bad polling".<ref>Nelson, Louis (November 1, 2016). [https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/clinton-campaign-bad-poll-abc-washington-post-230591 Clinton camp on new survey showing Trump ahead: It’s ‘bad polling’]. ''Politico''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref> Instead, Trump won the election in a massive, historical upset, winning even states such as [[Pennsylvania]], [[Michigan]], and [[Wisconsin]], which a Republican had not won for 20–30 years.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/11/08/first-polls-close-in-2016-race-trump-projected-to-win-ind-ky-clinton-wins-vt.html Trump wins presidency, defeats Clinton in historic election upset]. ''Fox News''. November 8, 2016. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref><ref>Blake, Aaron (November 9, 2016). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/11/08/donald-trumps-path-to-victory-is-suddenly-looking-much-much-wider/ Donald Trump just blew up the electoral map]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref> The predictions were off the mark dramatically. The actual polls themselves were broadly correct showing Clinton leading over Trump by about 2%.<ref>[https://www.redstate.com/jaycaruso/2017/07/16/latest-job-approval-poll-president-trump-awful]</ref> However Trump 'flipped' key districts and states smashing Clinton's so-called 'Blue firewall'.<ref>Flint, Joe & Alpert, Lukas I. (November 9, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/bad-polling-in-hand-media-misses-mark-badly-with-election-predictions-1478710860 How the Media’s Election Predictions Badly Missed the Mark]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref> Trump's election victory was described by ''[[Politico]]'' as "the most stunning upset in American history."<ref>Goldmacher, Shane & Schreckinger, Ben (November 9, 2016). [https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/election-results-2016-clinton-trump-231070?lo=ap_c1 Trump pulls off biggest upset in U.S. history]. ''Politico''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref>

While the GOP increased its vote share across the entire nation, Trump made the largest gains in the rural [[Midwest]] and [[Rust Belt]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/11/08/us/elections/how-trump-pushed-the-election-map-to-the-right.html How Trump Reshaped the Election Map]. ''The New York Times''. November 9, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2016.</ref> Although Clinton won the popular vote 65,515,369 (48.05%) to 62,853,327 (46.09%), according to unofficial results, the large vote totals came from states which have resisted voter identification reforms.<ref>[http://www.inquisitr.com/3719036/3-million-illegal-immigrants-voted-gregg-phillips-votestand-donald-trump-final-popular-vote-count-2016-predictions/ 3 Million Illegal Immigrants Voted, Claims Gregg Phillips Of VoteStand: Donald Trump’s Final Popular Vote Count Alleged To Be Better Than 2016 Predictions], Patrick Frye, ''The Inquisitr'', November 15, 2016</ref> Dr. Robert Epstein of the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology testified before Congress that [[Google]] bias and meddling had shifted "between 2.6 million and up to 10.4 million votes" to Hillary Clinton.<ref>https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2019/08/psychologist-google-generated-at-least-2-6-million-votes-for-hillary.php</ref> Trump won the [[electoral college]] vote, 306 to 232, with the incomplete vote count reported.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://server5.kproxy.com/servlet/redirect.srv/sruj/swxn/sjkl/p2/election/results|title=Election Results|accessdate=Nov. 12, 2016}}</ref> Trump won more votes in the general election than any Republican candidate in U.S. history, and he won the largest number of electoral votes since [[George H. W. Bush]].<ref>Hoft, Jim (November 22, 2016). [https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/11/trump-breaks-record-votes-republican-candidate-history/ Trump Breaks Record for Most Votes by Republican Candidate in History]. ''The Gateway Pundit''. Retrieved November 22, 2016.</ref> In addition, Trump won 2,623 counties—the largest number for both a Republican or Democrat since [[Ronald Reagan]] in 1984—while the Democrats won only 489, something even the liberal [[PolitiFact]] admitted to be true.<ref>Jacobson, Louis (December 4, 2016). [https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/dec/04/mike-pence/mike-pence-says-donald-trump-won-most-counties-rep/ Mike Pence says Donald Trump won most counties by a Republican since Ronald Reagan]. ''PolitiFact''. Retrieved December 4, 2016.</ref> Geographically speaking, Trump accordingly won 85 percent of the nation<ref>Wallace, Tim (November 16, 2016). [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/11/16/us/politics/the-two-americas-of-2016.html?_r=0 The Two Americas of 2016]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved December 5, 2016.</ref> and 61 percent of the states (including Maine's 2nd district). With the historic flip of Elliott County, Kentucky, every rural, white-majority Southern county voted for the Republican nominee for the first time in history.<ref>Simon, Jeff (December 9, 2016). [https://www.cnn.com/2016/12/09/politics/elliott-county-kentucky-democratic-streak-broken-by-donald-trump/index.html How Trump ended Democrats' 144-year winning streak in one county]. ''CNN''. Retrieved January 15, 2017.</ref>

According to exit polling, Trump won 81 percent of evangelical Christians compared to 16 percent for Clinton, a record high and even more than [[George W. Bush]] won in 2004,<ref name="townhall.com"/><ref name="wsj.com"/> even though some have disputed the accuracy of such exit polling methods.<ref>Showalter, Brandon (November 16, 2016). [http://www.christianpost.com/news/81-percent-evangelicals-vote-trump-eric-teetsel-joe-carter-171542/ Did 81 Percent of Evangelicals Really Vote for Trump? Not So Fast, Some Say]. ''The Christian Post''. Retrieved December 8, 2016.</ref> This is largely due to Trump's conservative policies that align well with the Bible, including opposition to abortion.

While liberal, establishmentarian world leaders made generally nuanced statements in response to Trump's election upset, conservative, right-wing leaders, including the leaders of insurgent parties in European nations, reacted positively to Trump's election.<ref>Ashkenas, Jeremy; Aisch, Gregor (December 5, 2016). [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/05/world/europe/populism-in-age-of-trump.html?_r=0 European Populism in the Age of Donald Trump]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved December 5, 2016.</ref>

In addition to Trump's defeat of Clinton, the Republican Party kept control of the House and Senate, outperforming expectations.<ref>Bresnahan, John (November 9, 2016). [https://www.politico.eu/article/republicans-on-cusp-of-keeping-the-senate/ Republicans hold the Senate in a stunner]. ''Politico''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref><ref>Hughes, Siobhan (November 9, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/republicans-are-confident-about-retaining-control-of-the-house-1478634160 Democrats Gain Seats in House, But GOP Retains Majority]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref> The Republican Party performed well—much better than expected—in state races, winning trifectas in [[Kentucky]], [[Iowa]], [[Missouri]], and [[New Hampshire]], and Democrats only had six trifectas and total control in five states, a record low.<ref>Greenblatt, Alan (November 9, 2016). [http://www.governing.com/topics/elections/gov-republicans-add-dominance-state-legislatures.html Republicans Add to Their Dominance of State Legislatures]. ''Governing''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref><ref>Siegel, Josh (November 9, 2016). [http://dailysignal.com/2016/11/09/republicans-maintain-strong-control-of-state-capitols-what-that-means/ Republicans Maintain Strong Control of State Capitols. Here’s What That Means.] ''The Daily Signal''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref> The GOP won 25 trifectas, the largest since 1952.<ref>Lieb, David A. (December 29, 2016). [https://www.pressreader.com/usa/chicago-tribune/20161229/281822873464433 GOP-Controlled States Aim to Reshape Laws]. ''Chicago Tribune'' (from the Associated Press). Retrieved December 30, 2016.</ref> The GOP now controlled the highest amount of governorships since 1922,<ref>Lieb, David A. (November 9, 2016). [https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2016-11-09/republicans-expand-control-of-governorships-legislatures Republicans governorships rise to highest mark since 1922]. ''U.S. News & World Report''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref> and it controlled the most state legislative chambers in history.<ref>Bosman, Julie & Davey, Monica (November 11, 2016). [https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/12/us/republicans-expand-control-in-a-deeply-divided-nation.html Republicans Expand Control in a Deeply Divided Nation]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved November 14, 2016.</ref>

Despite expectations that Trump's election victory would cause the markets to plunge, the [[Dow Jones Industrial Average]] actually performed very strongly, closing at the highest level it had ever reached in history after the second day.<ref name="MarketRally">La Monica, Paul R. (November 10, 2016). [https://money.cnn.com/2016/11/10/investing/markets-stocks-donald-trump-rally/index.html The 'yuge' Donald Trump market rally continues]. ''CNN Money''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref> It is rare for the stock market to rise immediately after a U.S. presidential election regardless of the winner.<ref name="MarketRally"/> The stock market had its best week in five years due to optimism of a Trump presidency.<ref>Craig, Victoria (November 11, 2016). [https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/11/11/trump-optimism-propels-dow-to-best-week-in-five-years.html Trump Optimism Propels Dow to Best Week in Five Years]. ''Fox Business''. Retrieved November 12, 2016.</ref>

After the election, childish [[leftists]] and [[anarchists]], who could not accept the results of the election, strongly protested Trump's victory and committed outrageous and extreme acts of vandalism and violence,<ref name="Protests">Chiaramonte, Perry (November 10, 2016). [https://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/11/10/trump-protests-intensify-as-doubts-swirl-about-spontaneity.html Trump protests intensify, as doubts swirl about spontaneity]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved November 11, 2016.</ref> even brutally attacking and beating at least one alleged Trump supporter.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/11/10/video-emerges-group-beating-chicago-man-while-yelling-dont-vote-trump.html Video emerges of mob beating Chicago man while yelling 'don't vote Trump']. ''Fox News''. November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2016.</ref> Many of these protests were likely organized and coordinated, as many protestors were bused in by Coach buses.<ref name="Protests"/> This occurred on the heels of Hillary Clinton, the Clinton campaign, and major mainstream media condemning in the harshest terms Trump and his supporters' complaints of a "rigged election," and failure to accept the results would damage democracy. Clinton, President Obama, and the media highlighted the protests and failed to condemn the leftist violence and protests as detrimental to democracy.

==2020 presidential election==
{{See also|2016 U.S. presidential election|Donald Trump achievements|Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign|United States presidential election, 2020}}
As an incumbent with a strong economy, Donald Trump was favored to win the 2020 U.S. presidential election. However, Democrats, through the use of [[voter fraud]], stole the election from Donald Trump and gave it to Joe Biden illegally. (see [[Biden Putsch]])

=== Donald Trump on Joe Biden's age and his aging ===
''See also:'' [[Biden's age]] and [[Donald Trump's age]]

Nate Silver of ''FiveThirtyEight'' wrote about Bidens's age:
{{Cquote|A lot of rank-and-file voters do have concerns about Biden’s age. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll in February found that 62 percent of voters had reservations about voting for someone aged 75 or older. [https://news.gallup.com/poll/254120/less-half-vote-socialist-president.aspx Other polls] have also shown advanced age to be a concern among Democrats, Republicans and independents alike.<ref>[https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/are-bidens-opponents-being-too-coy-in-making-age-an-issue/ Voters Care About Biden’s Age — Not About His Gaffes] by Nate Silver,''FiveThirtyEight''</ref>}}

Donald Trump has called Joe Biden "sleepy" and said that "he looks different than he used to, he acts different than he used to, he’s even slower than he used to be".<ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/07/joe-biden-age-2020/593350/ Is Joe Biden ‘Too Old’?] EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE, ''The Atlantic''</ref> See also: [[Biden's age]]

The ''[[New York Times]]'' stated:
{{Cquote|Meeting with a group of union officials in the West Wing this year, the president appealed for their support in part by tapping on his head and saying, “Biden is losing it,” according to a participant in the meeting who disclosed the president’s comment on condition of anonymity.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/29/us/politics/joe-biden-age.html Why Joe Biden’s Age Worries Some Democratic Allies and Voters], ''New York Times''</ref>}}

==President of the United States==
[[File:Donald Trump at his desk, December 2018.png|thumb|250px|President Trump sitting at his desk in the [[Oval Office]], December 21, 2018]]
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements}}
===Transition===
{{See also|Trump transition}}
The day after being elected president, Trump released a solidly conservative agenda for his first 100 days in office, even though ending the [[abortion|legalized murder of the unborn]] was not on the agenda.<ref>Kelly, Amita & Sprunt, Barbara (November 9, 2016). [https://www.npr.org/2016/11/09/501451368/here-is-what-donald-trump-wants-to-do-in-his-first-100-days Here Is What Donald Trump Wants To Do In His First 100 Days]. ''NPR''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref>

On November 30, 2016, before Trump had finalized all his cabinet appointments, it was still described by Politico as "a conservative dream team that has Republicans cheering and liberals in despair" due to the many strong conservatives Trump had appointed, in contrast to moderates like [[George W. Bush]].<ref>Restuccia, Andrew; Cook, Nancy; Woellert, Lorraine (November 30, 2016). [https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/trump-conservative-dream-team-231972 Trump's conservative dream team]. ''Politico''. Retrieved November 30, 2016.</ref><ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/11/30/politico-donald-trump-cabinet-conservative-dream-team/ Politico: Donald Trump’s Cabinet a ‘Conservative Dream Team’]. ''Breitbart News''. November 30, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2017.</ref> Accordingly, ''[[Newsweek]]'' called Trump's incomplete cabinet the most conservative cabinet in U.S. history.<ref>Cooper, Matthew (December 9, 2016). [http://www.newsweek.com/trump-cabinet-picks-nominees-conservative-530477 Donald Trump Is Building the Most Conservative Presidential Cabinet In U.S. History]. ''Newsweek''. Retrieved December 10, 2016.</ref> ''[[The Washington Times]]'' noted how Trump was defying Washington establishment norms in his cabinet picks.<ref>Hurt, Charles (December 6, 2016). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/dec/6/donald-trumps-cabinet-picks-define-business-as-not/ Trump defines business as not-usual for D.C.] ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved December 10, 2016.</ref>

''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' stated that "it’s nearly impossible to identify a clear ideological bent" in Trump's appointments.<ref>Seib, Gerald (December 5, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-shuffles-the-ideological-deck-1480955194 Donald Trump Shuffles the Ideological Deck]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved December 5, 2016.</ref> However, this can be easily explained by the fact that Trump has used some of his cabinet nominations to unite the GOP by appealing to most of its factions, even though Trump's appointments are still very conservative.

During the transition period, the Obama Administration engaged in surveillance and information-gathering of Trump, in order to investigate any [[Trump-Russia scandal|alleged ties to Russia]]. This was confirmed by GOP U.S. Representative [[Devin Nunes]] on March 22, 2017,<ref>Derespina, Cody (March 23, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/23/trump-basks-in-nunes-surveillance-news-so-that-means-im-right.html Trump basks in Nunes surveillance news: 'So that means I'm right']. ''Fox News''. Retrieved March 23, 2017.</ref> and by [[Evelyn Farkas]], the deputy assistant secretary of defense under Obama, on March 29, 2017.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/29/former-obama-official-discloses-rush-to-get-intelligence-on-trump-team.html Former Obama official discloses rush to get intelligence on Trump team]. ''Fox News''. March 29, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.</ref><ref>Poor, Jeff (March 29, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/video/2017/03/29/fmr-obama-official-reveals-pre-inauguration-effort-to-gather-intel-on-incoming-trump-team/ Fmr Obama Official Reveals Pre-Inauguration Effort to Gather Intel on Incoming Trump Team]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved March 30, 2017.</ref>

===Inauguration===
[[File:Donald Trumpswearing in.jpg|thumb|200px|Trump being sworn in, January 20, 2017.]]
Trump was inaugurated on January 20, 2017, giving one of the strongest inauguration addresses in American history.<ref>Boyle, Matthew (January 20, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/01/20/america-first-president-donald-trump-brings-the-rain-in-inauguration-address/ ‘America First’: President Donald Trump Brings the Rain in Inauguration Address]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved January 20, 2017.</ref><ref>McCaskill, Nolan D. (January 20, 2017). [https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/key-points-of-trumps-inaugural-speech-233900 Key moments from Trump's inauguration speech]. ''Politico''. Retrieved January 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Scott, Patrick; Midgley, Robert (January 20, 2017). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/20/donald-trump-just-delivered-american-inauguration-speech-ever/ Donald Trump just delivered the most 'American' inauguration speech ever]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved January 20, 2017.</ref> His first bill signed as president was to allow retired general and Defense Secretary nominee [[James Mattis]] to be confirmed.<ref>Kopan, Tal (January 20, 2017). [https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/20/politics/donald-trump-first-law-actions/ President Donald Trump signs first bill into law]. ''CNN''. Retrieved January 20, 2017.</ref> That same day, Trump instituted a national day of patriotism,<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-measures-idUSKBN1542IH Trump takes first actions on Cabinet, declares day of patriotism: spokesman]. ''Reuters''. January 20, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2017.</ref> and a few days later Trump officially designated his inauguration day the '''''National Day of Patriotic Devotion'''''.<ref>[https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/01/24/2017-01798/national-day-of-patriotic-devotion National Day of Patriotic Devotion -- Proclamation 9570 of January 20, 2017]. ''Federal Register''. January 24, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2017.</ref><ref>Shelbourne, Mallory (January 23, 2017). [https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/315735-trump-declares-inauguration-day-national-day-of-patriotic-devotion https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/315735-trump-declares-inauguration-day-national-day-of-patriotic-devotion]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved February 2, 2017.</ref>

Despite the fact that leftists knew for two months that Trump would be inaugurated president, hateful, anti-American, and immature leftists engaged in violent protests and did major acts of vandalism and even injuring the police who were sent in.<ref>Vargas, Theresa; Hartz, Taylor; Hermann, Peter (January 20, 2017). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/protesters-bring-shouts-skirmishes-and-shutdowns-to-inauguration-celebration/2017/01/20/00ea4c72-df11-11e6-acdf-14da832ae861_story.html?utm_term=.c4443fa64f5a Inauguration protesters vandalize, set fires, try to disrupt Trump’s oath, as police arrest 200]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved January 20, 2017.</ref><ref name="LimoFire">Lawler, David (January 20, 2017). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/20/anti-donald-trump-activists-try-block-access-inauguration/ Donald Trump protests: Limo 'set on fire' and 217 arrested as police use tear gas on black-clad activists]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved January 20, 2017.</ref> At least 217 protesters were arrested.<ref name="LimoFire"/><ref>Weber, Joseph (January 20, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/20/trump-supporters-protesters-rally-before-sunrise-on-inauguration-day.html Hundreds of protesters arrested in Inauguration Day clashes]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved March 31, 2017.</ref><ref>Noble, Andrea; McDermott, Ryan M. (January 20, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jan/20/donald-trump-inauguration-protests-begin-turn-viol/ D.C. police report 217 arrested during Inauguration Day riots]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved March 31, 2017.</ref>

Despite having no power to block Trump's cabinet nominees and having no reason to delay the process,<ref>Pergram, Chad (January 20, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/20/senate-battle-erupts-over-dem-delay-confirming-trump-nominees.html Senate battle erupts over Dem 'delay' confirming Trump nominees]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved January 23, 2017.</ref> liberal Senate Democrats delayed confirmation of Trump's nominees, so that only two were confirmed on Trump's first day in office.<ref>Dinan, Stephen (January 22, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jan/22/trumps-cabinet-picks-delayed-by-democrats-only-two/? Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks delayed by Democrats, only two confirmed]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved January 23, 2017.</ref> This was a large difference from other recent presidents,<ref>Phillips, Amber (January 21, 2017). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/01/20/donald-trump-will-start-his-presidency-with-the-smallest-confirmed-cabinet-in-decades/?utm_term=.9d7692169687 Donald Trump is starting his presidency with the smallest confirmed Cabinet in decades]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved Janaury 23, 2017.</ref> who, with the exception of [[George H. W. Bush]], had much larger numbers confirmed in the first week.<ref>Bluey, Robert (January 22, 2017). [http://dailysignal.com/2017/01/22/trumps-nominees-face-unprecedented-democrat-obstructionism/ Trump’s Nominees Face ‘Unprecedented’ Democrat Obstructionism]. ''The Daily Signal''. Retrieved January 23, 2017.</ref>

===Tenure===
{{See also|Donald Trump's major achievements}}
Due to his promotion and support of conservative, America First policies, President Trump faced large opposition from the Left, including from within the government bureaucracy.<ref>Singman, Brooke (January 1, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/31/trump-faces-bureaucratic-battle-in-implementing-agenda.html Trump faces bureaucratic battle in implementing agenda]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved February 1, 2017.</ref><ref>Kurtz, Howard (February 3, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/02/03/empire-strikes-back-why-trumps-private-talks-with-foreign-leaders-were-leaked.html The empire strikes back: Why Trump's private talks with foreign leaders were leaked]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved February 3, 2017.</ref> (The fact that members of the Deep State have grown visibly scared of reports stating such confirms this view;<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2017/03/22/politico-obama-admin-bureaucrats-panicked-by-breitbart-spotlight-dont-question-our-loyalty/ POLITICO: Obama Admin Bureaucrats ‘Panicked’ by Breitbart Spotlight: Don’t Question Our Loyalty!] ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved March 22, 2017.</ref> in May 2017, it was reported that 60% of [[National Security Council]] employees were Obama-Administration holdovers<ref>Wong, Kristina (May 17, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/05/17/trump-under-siege-more-than-60-percent-of-nsc-employees-placed-by-obama/ Trump Under Siege: More than 60 Percent of NSC Employees Placed by Obama]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 18, 2017.</ref>) Additionally, Senate Democrats continued to unduly delay Trump's cabinet nominees at historic and unprecedented proportions—by February 8, 2017, only [[George Washington]] had fewer cabinet nominees confirmed by this length of time into his presidency.<ref>Singman, Brooke (February 8, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/02/08/trump-facing-historic-delays-in-confirmation-push.html Trump facing historic delays in confirmation push]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved February 8, 2017.</ref>

On January 23, 2017, Trump signed an order which withdrew the United States from the globalist [[Trans-Pacific Partnership]].<ref>Chakraborty, Barnini (January 23, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/23/trump-signs-executive-order-withdrawing-us-from-tpp-trade-deal.html Trump signs executive order withdrawing US from TPP trade deal]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved January 23, 2017.</ref> That same day, Trump signed an order reinstating the [[Mexico City Policy]], which defunded International Planned Parenthood and other organizations that promote foreign abortions.<ref>LaBarbera, Peter (January 23, 2017). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-trump-signs-order-defunding-international-planned-parenthood-forei BREAKING: Trump signs order defunding International Planned Parenthood, foreign abortions]. ''LifeSite News''. Retrieved January 23, 2017.</ref><ref>Hellman, Jessie (January 23, 2017). [https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/abortion/315652-trump-signs-executive-order-reinstating-global-gag-rule-on Trump reinstates ban on US funds promoting abortion overseas]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 23, 2017.</ref>

Trump was very busy and productive in his first week and showed he was serious about his campaign promises, undoing Obama's illegitimate legacy and instituting conservative executive orders.<ref>Davenport, David (January 27, 2017). [https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddavenport/2017/01/27/how-trump-managed-to-undo-obamas-legacy-in-one-week/#3ae6bcba5bbf How Trump Managed To Undo Obama's Legacy In One Week]. ''Forbes''. Retrieved January 27, 2017.</ref><ref>Said-Moorhouse, Lauren (January 26, 2017). [https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/26/politics/executive-orders-presidents-actions-presidential-memoranda/ What's Trump done so far? His productive first week and how it stacks up to previous presidents]. ''CNN''. Retrieved January 27, 2017.</ref><ref>[https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/01/28/president-trumps-first-week-action President Trump's First Week of Action]. ''whitehouse.gov''. January 28, 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2017.</ref> This caused the [[stock market]] to increase, and the [[Dow Jones]] passed 20,000 points for the first time in history.<ref>Imbert, Fred (January 25, 2017). [https://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/25/us-markets.html Dow closes above 20,000 for first time as Trump orders send stocks flying]. ''CNBC''. Retrieved January 25, 2017.</ref><ref>Craig, Victoria (January 25, 2017). [https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/01/25/dow-races-past-20k-in-reinvigorated-trump-rally.html Dow Races Past 20K in Reinvigorated Trump Rally]. ''Fox Business''. Retrieved January 25, 2017.</ref> On March 1, 2017, the day after Trump made his first address to a joint-session of Congress, the stock market rose dramatically again, with the Dow Jones passing the 21,000 mark for the first time in history.<ref>Witkowski, Wallace; Mahmudova, Anora (March 1, 2017). [https://www.marketwatch.com/story/wall-street-stocks-set-to-resume-rally-on-fed-rate-hike-hopes-trump-relief-2017-03-01 Dow closes above 21,000 as stocks soar after Trump speech]. ''MarketWatch''. Retrieved March 1, 2017.</ref><ref>Holcomb, John (March 1, 2017). [https://townhall.com/tipsheet/justinholcomb/2017/03/01/stock-market-booms-past-21000-for-the-first-time-in-history-n2292388 The Trump Bump: Stock Market Hits 21,000 for the First Time in History]. ''Townhall''. Retrieved March 1, 2017.</ref><ref>DeSoto, Randy (March 1, 2017). [http://www.westernjournalism.com/stock-market-hits-new-high-follow-trumps-speech-to-congress/ Stock Market Hits New High Following Trump’s Speech To Congress]. ''Western Journalism''. Retrieved March 1, 2017.</ref>

As evidence of this intense [[mainstream media]] opposition to President Trump, a study published close to the 100th-day mark of Trump's presidency showed that 89% of media coverage regarding Trump was negative.<ref>
* Harper, Jennifer (April 19, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/apr/19/donald-trump-media-coverage-is-89-percent-negative/ As first 100 days in office approaches, media coverage of Trump is 89% negative: Study]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
* Noyes, Rich; Ciandella, Mike (April 19, 2017). [https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/rich-noyes/2017/04/18/honeymoon-hell-liberal-media-vs-president-trump Honeymoon from Hell: The Liberal Media vs. President Trump]. ''NewsBusters -- Media Research Center''. Retrieved April 21, 2017.</ref> Additionally, Trump was on track to become the most mocked president on late-night comedy TV in at least 25 years.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywood/2017/05/04/study-trump-track-mocked-president-late-night-25-years/ Study: Trump On Track to Be Most Mocked President on Late-Night TV in 25 Years]. ''Breitbart News''. May 4, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2017.</ref>

On April 26, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security, acting under an executive order established by President Trump, established the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office (VOICE), created to help support victims of illegal immigrant crime, and it established the DHS-Victim Information and Notification Exchange, which was created to help those victims track the custody status of the illegal criminals.<ref>
* Singman, Brooke (April 26, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/04/26/dhs-announces-office-for-victims-illegal-immigrant-crime.html DHS announces office for victims of illegal immigrant crime]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
* McHugh, Katie (April 26, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/04/26/dhs-kelly-voice-victims-illegal-alien-criminals/ DHS Kelly Creates VOICE For Many Victims of Illegal Alien Criminals]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
* McHugh, Katie (April 25, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/04/25/dhs-unveil-voice-office-victims-illegal-alien-crime/ DHS to Unveil VOICE Office for Victims of Illegal Alien Crime]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 26, 2017.</ref> However, leftists took to pranking the phone line created, showing disrespect to the victims of illegal immigration.<ref>Singman, Brooke (April 27, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/04/27/ice-rips-pranksters-jamming-hotline-to-report-space-aliens.html ICE rips pranksters jamming hotline to report space aliens]. '' Fox News''. Retrieved April 27, 2017.</ref>

Canadian Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]] described President Trump as being very authentic – the way he acts in public is like how he does in private.<ref>Yilek, Caitlin (August 31, 2017). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/canadian-prime-minister-justin-trudeau-trump-is-surprisingly-authentic/article/2633107 Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: Trump is surprisingly 'authentic']. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved August 31, 2017.</ref>

====Temporary immigration and refugee suspensions====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Immigration, illegal immigration, and border security}}
Trump received criticism from liberals and [[establishment]] Republicans<ref>McHugh, Katie (January 31, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/01/31/establishment-republicans-bash-trumps-executive-order-on-immigration-refugee-resettlement/ Establishment Republicans Bash Trump’s Executive Order on Immigration, Refugee Resettlement]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref> when he signed an executive order temporarily banning immigration from certain high-risk Islamic countries as well as refugee entry. Despite this criticism, 49 percent of the American public supported the decision compared to 41 percent opposed, according to the "mainstream" Reuters,<ref>Kahn, Chris (January 31, 2017). [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-immigration-poll-exclusive-idUSKBN15F2MG Exclusive: Only a third of Americans think Trump's travel ban will make them more safe]. ''Reuters''. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref> and 57% percent of likely American voters supported the ban according to Rasmussen.<ref>[http://m.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/immigration/january_2017/most_support_temporary_ban_on_newcomers_from_terrorist_havens Most Support Temporary Ban on Newcomers from Terrorist Havens].'' January 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2017.</ref> Additionally, while the leftist [[establishment]] European leaders opposed the ban, a strong majority—55% average—of Europeans support the ban, according to a poll in 10 [[European Union]] nations.<ref>Shaw, Adam (February 9, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/02/09/majority-europeans-in-favor-trump-style-muslim-ban-poll-shows.html Majority of Europeans in favor of a Trump-style Muslim ban, poll shows]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved February 9, 2017.</ref><ref>Jamieson, Alastair (February 8, 2017). [https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/europes-border-crisis/majority-leading-eu-nations-support-trump-style-travel-ban-poll-n718271 Majority in Leading EU Nations Support Trump-Style Travel Ban: Poll]. ''NBC News''. Retrieved February 9, 2017.</ref> On March 6, 2017, Trump signed a second executive order concerning the temporary suspension of refugees and others from certain high-risk countries after the first one was blocked by the courts. The second order made some clarifications and minor improvements over the first, such as exempting green card holders from the ban and excluding [[Iraq]] from it as it had developed an acceptable vetting process.<ref>Munro, Neil (March 6, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/03/06/trump-new-refugees-executive-pushes-back-judges/ Donald Trump Signs Executive Order Banning Travel from Six Terror-Tied Countries]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved March 6, 2017.</ref><ref>Chakraborty, Barnini (March 6, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/06/trump-signs-new-immigration-order-narrows-scope-travel-ban.html Trump signs new immigration order, narrows scope of travel ban]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved March 6, 2017.</ref>

Trump showed he would not tolerate incompetent leftist administration officials when he fired acting [[United States Department of Justice|Attorney General]] [[Sally Yates]] (a left-wing Obama holdover) when she refused to defend his refugee and immigration ban executive order.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/30/acting-ag-tells-justice-department-staff-not-to-defend-trumps-refugee-order.html Trump fires acting AG after Justice Department staff told not to defend refugee order]. ''Fox News''. January 30, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref><ref>[https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/01/30/statement-appointment-dana-boente-acting-attorney-general Statement on the Appointment of Dana Boente as Acting Attorney General]. ''whitehouse.gov''. January 30, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref> Trump emulated [[Ronald Reagan]]'s firing of the striking PATCO workers in 1981 by doing so,<ref>Boyle, Matthew (January 30, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/01/30/trumps-patco-moment-emanating-reagan-president-takes-control-federal-government-protect-country-citizens/ Trump’s PATCO Moment: Emanating Reagan, the President Takes Control of Federal Government to ‘Protect the Country and Its Citizens’]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref> contrary to the [[mainstream media]] spin.<ref>Kurtz, Howard (February 1, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/02/01/trumps-firing-defiant-obama-holdover-why-hes-no-richard-nixon.html Trump's firing of a defiant Obama holdover: Why he's no Richard Nixon]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved February 1, 2017.</ref> That same night, Trump replaced the acting director of [[Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] (another Obama holdover) with a more competent official who had a reputation for enforcing immigration laws.<ref>Chamberlain, Samuel (January 31, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/31/trump-names-thomas-homan-acting-director-ice-replacing-obama-holdover.html Trump names Thomas Homan acting director of ICE, replacing Obama holdover]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref><ref>Berman, Mark; Zapotosky, Matt (January 30, 2017). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/01/30/trump-appoints-new-immigration-and-customs-enforcement-director-noted-for-his-work-deporting-illegal-immigrants/?utm_term=.addf12ae690a Trump appoints new Immigration and Customs Enforcement director noted for his work deporting illegal immigrants]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref>

====Reducing regulations and government====
:''For more information, see [[Donald Trump achievements: Deregulation and government size]]''
In the first six weeks of Trump's presidency, over 90 regulations were repealed, whether through executive orders, Acts of Congress, or other means.<ref>Farand, Chloe (March 6, 2017). [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-federal-state-regulations-month-oval-office-white-house-us-president-deregulate-a7614031.html Donald Trump disassembles 90 federal state regulations in just over a month in White House]. ''The Independent''. Retrieved March 7, 2017.</ref><ref>[https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3480299-10-Examples-Industries-Push-Followed-by-Trump.html#document/p60/a341284 Trump-Era Trend: Industries Protest. Regulations Rolled Back. A Dozen Examples]. ''The New York Times'' (through ''DocumentCloud''). Retrieved March 7, 2017.</ref> Trump also signed numerous executive actions promoting a smaller government.

====Supreme Court====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: The courts|Trump Supreme Court}}
On January 31, 2017, Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch to the [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]].<ref>Klukowski, Ken (January 31, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/01/31/trump-nominates-judge-neil-gorsuch-supreme-court/ Trump Nominates Judge Neil Gorsuch to Supreme Court]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref><ref>Hurley, Lawrence; Holland, Steve (January 31, 2017). [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-trump-idUSKBN15F1OW Trump picks conservative judge Gorsuch for U.S. Supreme Court]. ''Reuters''. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref> The nomination was well received by many conservatives.<ref>Chamberlain, Steve (January 31, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/31/reaction-to-trumps-supreme-court-pick-split-along-partisan-lines.html Conservatives hail Trump's Supreme Court pick]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref><ref>Ertelt, Steven (January 31, 2017). [https://www.lifenews.com/2017/01/31/president-donald-trump-nominates-pro-life-friendly-judge-neil-gorsuch-to-the-supreme-court/ President Donald Trump Nominates Pro-Life-Friendly Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court]. ''LifeNews.com''. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref> Others, most notably [[Andrew Schlafly]], disagreed with the nomination due to concerns about Gorsuch's position on abortion.<ref>Dannenfelser, Marjorie (January 31, 2017). [https://townhall.com/columnists/marjoriedannenfelser/2017/01/31/the-truth-about-trumps-prolife-scotus-list-n2279232 The Truth about Trump’s Pro-life SCOTUS List]. ''Townhall''. Retrieved February 1, 2017.</ref><ref>http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Template:Mainpageright&diff=1302133&oldid=1301962</ref>

Upon the swing justice [[Anthony Kennedy|Anthony Kennedy's]] announcement on June 21, 2018, that he would retire from the Court at the end of the succeeding month, Trump nominated the conservative [[Brett Kavanaugh]] to replace him.<ref>Mason, Ian (July 9, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/07/09/trump-brett-kavanaugh-supreme-court-nominee/ Trump Announces Brett Kavanaugh as Supreme Court Nominee] ''Breitbart News''.</ref>

====Public trust====
According to a poll conducted by [[Emerson College]] on February 5–6, 2017, more Americans trust the Trump Administration than the media.<ref>McHugh, Katie (February 9, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/02/09/poll-voters-trust-trump-administration-media/ Poll: Voters Trust Trump Administration More Than Media]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved February 9, 2017.</ref>

====Economic progress====
[[File:Real Disposable Personal Income Per Capita.png|right|350px|thumb|Real Personal Income gains under President Trump beginning from the flat base of President Obama's last year in office. ''Source: Federal Reserve Board'']]
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Economic policy and labor}}
In May 2017, the unemployment rate fell from 4.4% from 4.3%, the lowest since May 2001, as the number of unemployed persons was little changed at 6.9 million and the labor force participation rate fell to 62.7 percent.<ref>[https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/unemployment-rate United States Unemployment Rate]. ''tradingeconomics.com''. Retrieved June 14, 2017.</ref>

According to a Rasmussen survey, consumer confidence is the second-highest it's been in the index's history. The market cap of the U.S. stock market has risen more than $3 trillion since Mr. Trump was elected. Small-business confidence has surged to a 12-year high.

==Books==
*''Trump: The Art of the Deal'' with Tony Schwartz (1987)
*''Trump: Surviving at the Top'' with Charles Leerhsen (1990)
*''Trump: The Art of the Comeback'' with Kate Bohner (1997)
*''The America We Deserve'' with Dave Shiflett (2000)
*''Trump: How to Get Rich'' with Meredith McIver (2004)
*''Trump: Think Like a Billionaire: Everything You Need to Know about Success, Real Estate and Life'' with Meredith McIver (2005)
*''Why We Want You to Be Rich: Two Men, One Message'' with Meredith McIver and Robert T. Kiyosaki (2006)
*''Think Big and Kick Ass in Business and Life'' with Bill Zanker (2007)
*''Trump: Never Give Up: How I Turned My Biggest Challenges into Success'' with Meredith McIver (2008)
*''Think Like a Champion: An Informal Education in Business and Life'' with Meredith McIver (2009)
*''Midas Touch: Why Some Entrepreneurs Get Rich—and Why Most Don't'' with Robert T. Kiyosaki (2011)
*''Time to Get Tough: Making America #1 Again'' (2011)
*''Crippled America: How to Make America Great Again'' (2015)

==Quotes==
===Quotes as U.S. President===
====Inaugural address====
*"....today we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another, or from one party to another, but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C., and giving it back to you, the people."<ref name="InaugTransc">[https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/full-text-donald-trump-inauguration-speech-transcript-233907 Full text: 2017 Donald Trump inauguration speech transcript]. ''Politico''. January 20, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2017.</ref>
*"We assembled here today our issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital, and in every hall of power, from this day forward: a new vision will govern our land, from this day forward, it's going to be only America first. America first."<ref name="InaugTransc"/>
*"[We will] unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth."<ref name="InaugTransc"/>
*"When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice."<ref name="InaugTransc"/>

====2017====
*"In America we don’t worship government, we worship God."<ref>Miller, S.A. (May 13, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/may/13/donald-trump-tells-liberty-university-graduates-we/ Trump at Liberty University: ‘We don’t worship government, we worship God’]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved May 13, 2017.</ref><ref>Moons, Michelle (May 13, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/05/13/president-donald-trumps-1st-commencement-speech-america-dont-worship-government-worship-god/ President Donald Trump’s First Commencement Speech: ‘In America We Don’t Worship Government, We Worship God’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 13, 2017.</ref>
*"I didn’t get elected to serve the Washington media—I got elected to serve the forgotten men and women and that’s exactly what I’m doing."<ref>Spiering, Charlie (May 17, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/05/17/donald-trump-vows-to-fight-on-no-politician-in-history-has-been-treated-worse-or-more-unfairly/ Donald Trump: ‘I Didn’t Get Elected to Serve the Washington Media’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 17, 2017.</ref><ref>Singman, Brooke (May 17, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/05/17/trump-takes-on-media-during-coast-guard-commencement-speech.html Trump takes on media during Coast Guard commencement speech]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved May 17, 2017.</ref>
* "The problem in Venezuela is not that socialism has been poorly implemented, but that socialism has been faithfully implemented." (UN speech, September 2017)
* "The most important truth our Founders understood was this: Freedom is not a gift from government; freedom is a gift from God."<ref>[https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/920474831749025795 @realDonaldTrump], 17 Oct 2017</ref><ref>Crookston, Paul (October 17, 2017). [https://freebeacon.com/politics/trump-freedom-not-gift-government-freedom-gift-god/ Trump: ‘Freedom Is Not a Gift From Government; Freedom Is a Gift From God’]. ''The Washington Free Beacon''. Retrieved October 20, 2017.</ref>

===Quotes from the 2016 campaign for President===
[[File:Donald Trump and Mike Pence RNC July 2016.jpg|thumb|Trump and his running-mate, [[Mike Pence]], at the 2016 Republican National Convention.]]
Trump's tactics of naming and shaming candidates has been proven very effective. He called Jeb Bush 'low-energy Jeb' and it stuck. Then came Marco Rubio as 'Little Marco.' Next came 'Lyin' Ted' for Ted Cruz. For the Democrats, he calls Hillary Clinton 'Crooked Hillary'. He doesn't give Bernie Sanders the same treatment though he has referred to him as a Communist.

*“We will no longer surrender this country or its people to the false song of [[globalism]].”
*"I think we have a president who, as a president, is totally incompetent, and he doesn’t know what he’s doing. I think he has no idea what he’s doing. And our country is going to [[hell]]."<ref>http://time.com/4210983/republican-debate-barack-obama-incompetent/</ref>
*"I will be the greatest jobs president that [[God]] ever created."
*"I’m using my own money. I’m not using the lobbyists. I’m not using donors. I don’t care. I’m really rich."
*"Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people."
*"Nobody would be tougher on ISIS than Donald Trump. Nobody. Within our military, I will find the General Patton, or I will find General MacArthur, I will find the right guy."
*"I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will have [[Mexico]] pay for that wall."
*"I think the big problem this country has is being politically correct."<ref>https://video.foxnews.com/v/4406746003001/watch-a-replay-of-fox-news-prime-time-presidential-debate/?#sp=show-clips</ref><ref>https://www.google.com/search?q=a+big+problem+with+our+country+is+too+politically+incorrect&oq=a+big+problem+with+our+country+is+too+politically+incorrect&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i64l3.8295j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=119&ie=UTF-8</ref>
*"Becoming the nominee of the party of [[Abraham Lincoln]] has been the greatest honor of my life.<ref>https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/294401-trump-claims-party-of-lincoln-mantle-in-speech-at-black</ref>

====General election debate quotes====
*"Because you would be in jail." (Trump in response to Clinton saying that it would be a good thing that he "is not in charge of the law in our country")<ref name="2ndTranscript">[https://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/2016-presidential-debate-transcript-229519 Full transcript: Second 2016 presidential debate]. ''Politico''. October 10, 2016. Retrieved October 11, 2016.</ref>
*"Now she’s blaming the lie on the late great Abraham Lincoln. ...Honest Abe never lied. That’s the good thing. That's the big difference between Abraham Lincoln and you." (Trump in response to Clinton's excuse for having "'a public and private position on certain issues.'")<ref name="2ndTranscript"/>
*"Hillary has experience, but it’s bad experience."<ref>Goodenough, Patrick (September 27, 2016). [https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/patrick-goodenough/ Trump: 'Hillary Has Experience, But It's Bad Experience']. ''cnsnews.com''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref>

===Quotes from Twitter===
[[File:Screenshot 2015-09-28-12-11-31-1.png|right|300px|Thumb|Tweet from Billionaire Carl Icahn]]
{{Cquote| '''Somebody said I’m the Ernest Hemingway of 140 characters.'''}}
Trump's tweets are archived and fully searchable online.<ref>http://www.trumptwitterarchive.com/archive</ref> Here are some choice examples:
* "An 'extremely credible source' has called my office and told me that @BarackObama's birth certificate is a fraud."<ref>Trump, Donald J. (August 6, 2012, 1:23 pm). [https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/232572505238433794 "An 'extremely credible source' has called my office and told me that @BarackObama's birth certificate is a fraud."] Tweet by @realDonaldTrump.</ref>
* "It’s amazing how people can talk about me but I’m not allowed to talk about them."<ref>Trump, Donald J. (November 13, 2012, 12:23pm). [https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/268449146711703553 "It’s amazing how people can talk about me but I’m not allowed to talk about them."] Tweet by @realDonaldTrump.</ref>
* "This very expensive GLOBAL WARMING bull**** has got to stop. Our planet is freezing, record low temps,and our GW scientists are stuck in ice."<ref>Trump, Donald J. (January 1, 2014, 4:39pm). [https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/418542137899491328 "This very expensive GLOBAL WARMING bull**** has got to stop. Our planet is freezing, record low temps,and our GW scientists are stuck in ice."] Tweet by @realDonaldTrump.</ref>

====2015====
* "So many 'politically correct' fools in our country. We have to all get back to work and stop wasting time and energy on nonsense!" (August 8, 2015)
* "Notice that illegal immigrants will be given ObamaCare and free college tuition but nothing has been mentioned about our VETERANS #DemDebate" (October 13, 2015)
* "They laughed at me when I said to bomb the ISIS controlled oil fields. Now they are not laughing and doing what I said." (November 13, 2015)
* "President Obama said 'ISIL continues to shrink' in an interview just hours before the horrible attack in Paris. He is just so bad! CHANGE." (November 14, 2015)
* "Refugees from Syria are now pouring into our great country. Who knows who they are - some could be ISIS. Is our president insane?" (November 17, 2015)
* "Eight Syrians were just caught on the southern border trying to get into the U.S. ISIS maybe? I told you so. WE NEED A BIG & BEAUTIFUL WALL!" (November 19, 2015)

====2016====
* "Hillary said that guns don't keep you safe. If she really believes that she should demand that her heavily armed bodyguards quickly disarm!" (January 3, 2016)
* "I wonder if President Obama would have attended the funeral of Justice Scalia if it were held in a Mosque? Very sad that he did not go!" (February 20, 2016)
* "The organized group of people, many of them thugs, who shut down our First Amendment rights in Chicago, have totally energized America!" (March 12, 2016)
* "Why is it that the horrendous protesters, who scream, curse punch, shut down roads/doors during my RALLIES, are never blamed by media? SAD!" (March 20, 2016)
* "Do you all remember how beautiful and safe a place Brussels was. Not anymore, it is from a different world! U.S. must be vigilant and smart!" (March 22, 2016)
* "For the 1st time in American history, America’s 16,500 border patrol agents have issue[d] a presidential primary endorsement—me! Thank you." (April 1, 2016)
*"We are going to say Merry [[Christmas]] again." (December 2016 in [[Michigan]]).<ref>[Trump: 'We are going to say merry Christmas again'], ''The Hill'', December 13, 2016</ref>

====2017====
*"The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!"<ref>Greenwood, Mark (February 17, 2017). [https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/320168-trump-the-media-is-the-enemy-of-the-american-people Trump tweets: The media is the 'enemy of the American people']. ''The Hill''. Retrieved February 27, 2017.</ref>

* "Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion!" (March 31, 2017)
* "Despite the constant negative press covfefe" (May 31 2017)
* "That's right, we need a TRAVEL BAN for certain DANGEROUS countries, not some politically correct term that won't help us protect our people!" (June 5, 2017, while the Dept. of Justice was arguing in court that his Executive Order was not a "travel ban")
* "Fake News is at an all time high. Where is their apology to me for all of the incorrect stories???" (June 13, 2017)

===Other quotes===
* "[T]he country is going to hell."<ref>Cassidy, Chris (March 19, 2015). [http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/us_politics/2015/03/country_is_going_to_hell_claims_donald_trump "'Country is going to hell,' claims Donald Trump"]. BostonHerald.com website.</ref>
* "We have no leader in this country.”<ref>Reisner, Hiram (April 22, 2011). [https://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/donaldtrump-karlrove-gop-birther/2011/04/22/id/393742 "Trump: I'd just take Libyan oil"]. NewsMax website.</ref>
* "Our leaders are stupid, they are stupid people."<ref>Pierce, Tony (April 29, 2011). [http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2011/04/donald-trump-in-vegas-our-leaders-are-stupid-they-are-stupid-people.html "Donald Trump in Vegas: 'Our leaders are stupid; they are stupid people'"]. Los Angeles Times website/Top of the Ticket blog.</ref>
* "I can tell you I am [the 2012 Obama campaign's] worst nightmare."<ref>Mooney, Alexander (April 11, 2011). [http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/11/trump-says-he-is-obama-campaigns-worst-nightmare/comment-page-6/ "Trump says he is Obama campaign's worst nightmare"]. Cable News Network website/politicalticker blog.</ref>
* "Obama has no solutions."<ref>Coz, Steve (August 19, 2012). [https://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/trump-gibbs-fox-obama/2012/08/19/id/449050/ "Trump fires back at Obama campaign smear"]. Newsmax website/Newsfront.</ref>
*"Everything in life is luck."<ref name="Telegraph">https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-election/12107003/Donald-Trump-faces-questions-over-Two-Corinthians.html</ref>
*"[Barack Obama] is probably the least transparent president in the history of the country."<ref name="Telegraph"/>
*"Not teaching your kids about money is like not caring whether they eat."<ref name="Telegraph"/>

== Liberal denialism and Donald Trump ==

:''See also:'' [[Liberal denialism and Donald Trump]] and [[Liberal denial]]

Post the 2016 U.S. presidential election many liberals were in denial that Donald Trump was going to be president of the United States. Before the election, many liberal media outlets took the line that Donald Trump could not win the [[Republican]] primary and could not win the presidential election.<ref>
*[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/11/09/the-wrongest-media-predictions-about-donald-trump/?utm_term=.febb2623a89f The wrongest media predictions about Donald Trump The wrongest media predictions about Donald Trump], ''Washington Post'', 2016</ref>

=== Political scientists, denialism and Donald Trump ===

{{See also|Atheism and science}}

Few, if any, [[Political science|political scientists]] predicted early on that Donald Trump would win the Republican primary and then would subsequently be elected president of the United States. Furthermore, most pollsters indicated that Trump would lose the election.

27 percent of American political scientists believe in the existence of God while 76 percent of American doctors said they believe in God.<ref>
*[http://www.livescience.com/379-scientists-belief-god-varies-starkly-discipline.html Scientists belief in God varies starkly by discipline], Livescience.com
*[https://www.nbcnews.com/id/8318894/ns/health-health_care/t/survey-most-doctors-believe-god-afterlife/ Most doctors believe in God], NBC News</ref> Most American [[atheism|atheists]] lean to the left politically (see: [[Atheism and politics]]). Compared to [[medical science]], which has many effective medicines and surgical procedures, the social science of political science is often unreliable.

===Trump and the mainstream media===
{{See also|Mainstream media and Donald Trump}}
The leftist [[mainstream media]] despises Trump and, under the influence of [[Trump Derangement Syndrome]], refuses to report objectively when covering him.

=== Angry secular leftists and Donald Trump ===

:''See also:'' [[Donald Trump and American atheists]] and [[Secular leftists and psychogenic illness]]

American [[secular left]]ists were extremely angry and upset in the aftermath of Donald Trump's election victory (see: [[Donald Trump and American atheists]]).

In certain cases, it became debilitating (see:: [[Secular leftists and psychogenic illness]]). The website Marketwatch reported concerning the aftermath of the 2016 presidential race: ''Trump’s win is causing a surge in demand for mental health services''<ref>[https://www.marketwatch.com/story/trumps-win-is-causing-a-surge-in-demand-for-mental-health-services-2016-11-10 Trump’s win is causing a surge in demand for mental health services], Marketwatch 2016</ref>

The ''Religion News Service'' reported:
{{Cquote|For the last decade, [[Atheism|atheists]], [[secular humanism|humanists]] and others [[secular]]ists have worked hard to organize a “secular vote” that would counter the political clout of the [[religious right]].

President-elect Donald J. Trump’s victory dealt that movement a body blow when he garnered 81 percent of the white [[Evangelical Christians|evangelical]] vote and 60 percent of the white [[Roman Catholic|Catholic]] vote. [[Mormonism|Mormons]], too, voted overwhelmingly for Trump...

[Trump's] platform was seen as anti-secular in many atheist and humanist circles. He said he would appoint religiously conservative Supreme Court justices, ban [[Islam|Muslim]] immigrants, favor [[Christianity]] and repeal the [[Johnson Amendment]], which prohibits certain tax-exempt organizations from endorsing political candidates — issues antithetical to organized atheism and [[humanism]].<ref>[http://religionnews.com/2016/11/09/dealt-a-body-blow-atheists-and-humanists-regroup/ Dealt a body blow, atheists and humanists regroup] by Kimberly Winston, ''Religion News Service'', November 9, 2016</ref>}}

== Trump's Social Media Ban ==
On January 8, 2021, [[Twitter]] and [[Facebook]], in violation of the First Amendment and at risk of being put out of business by the [[Sherman Antitrust Act]] and [[U.S. Color Revolution#Executive Order 13848|Executive Order 13848]] due to their [[antitrust]] violations and censorious actions, illegally censored and silenced President Trump on their platforms by permanently suspending his accounts with them.<ref>[https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/breaking-twitter-bans-president-donald-trump-permanently/ BREAKING: Twitter Bans President Donald Trump — PERMANENTLY] at the Gateway Pundit</ref> This was part of co-ordinated collusion between Twitter, Facebook, [[Instagram]], [[Google]] (and its [[YouTube]] subsidiary) and other liberal Big Tech companies to target Trump and his supporters for illegal censorship and silencing of viewpoints and opinions the Left does not like,<ref>[https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/__trashed-15/ Big Tech Launches Massive Coordinated Cyber Attack on 74,000,000 Trump Voters — GOP SILENT] at the Gateway Pundit</ref> while simultaneously allowing violent leftist individuals and groups like Antifa and Black Lives Matter to have free run of their sites and say and do as they please. Although not officially confirmed as yet, Fox News host [[Sean Hannity]] later reported that Trump has since moved over to conservative social media website [[Parler]], prompting a wave of new accounts to subsequently open up there.<ref>[https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/report-sean-hannity-says-president-trump-joined-parler/ UPDATE – NOT CONFIRMED: Sean Hannity Says President Trump Has Joined Parler] at the Gateway Pundit</ref>

== Trump’s Website: 45 Office ==
{{main|45 Office}}
On March 29, 2021, Trump launched 45 Office.

==See also==
* [[Donald Trump's religious views]]
* [[Trump Administration]]
* [[Essay:Donald Trump One Two Body Blow]]
* [[The Chalkening]]
* [[Trump University]]
*[[Liberal Smear Machine]]
* [[Kathryn Steinle]]
* [[Mollie Tibbetts]]
* [[Sarah Root]]
* [[Alveda King]]
* [[Trump effect]]
* [[Deep State coup 2.0]]
* [[Biden Junta]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.trump.com Trump.com - Official website]
* [https://www.donaldjtrump.com donaldjtrump.com - Official website]
* [http://www.LyingCrookedHillary.com LyingCrookedHillary.com]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw8c2Cq-vpg The Untruth About Donald Trump] by [[Stefan Molyneux]], Published on Jan 18, 2016
* [http://www.untruthaboutdonaldtrump.com UntruthAboutDonaldTrump.com]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yyoauXmzjg Do Emotions Trump Facts?] [[Thomas Sowell]] on Donald Trump - Rebutted! by Stefan Molyneux
* [http://gop12.thehill.com/2011/04/trump-explains-conversion-on-abortion.html Trump explains his pro-life conversion]
* 100 groups have signed [http://www.pseagles.com/Coalition_letter_Supreme_Court this coalition letter] re: Trump's [[Trump Supreme Court|nomination to the Supreme Court]].



{{USPresidents}}
{{Globalism}}
{{Conservatism}}
{{Conservative Presidents}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Trump, Donald}}
[[Category:Donald Trump]]
[[Category:Celebrities]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:American Authors]]
[[Category:2016 Presidential Candidates]]
[[Category:United States Presidential Election, 2020]]
[[Category:Best Selling Authors]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Pro Second Amendment]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Former Democrats]]
[[Category:Liberal Conservatism]]
[[Category:Billionaires]]
[[Category:The 100 Americans The Left Hates Most]]
[[Category:Nationalists]]
[[Category:Patriots]]
[[Category:Anti-establishment]]
[[Category:Populists]]
[[Category:Former Heads of State]]
[[Category:Former Heads of Government]]
[[Category:Christians]]
[[Category:America First Agenda]]
[[Category:Republican Anti-establishment]]
[[Category:Non-Interventionist Republicans]]
[[Category:Pro First Amendment]]
[[Category:Peace Makers]]
[[Category:Movement Conservatives]]

Islam

2021-08-13T15:48:36Z

Amateratsu: Grammar

[[Image:Quran.jpg|thumb|right|Pages from the [[Koran]], the foundational text of the Islamic ideology, dictated by a single 7th-century author who claimed to have been inspired by a supernatural being whom Muslims call 'Allah'. If the Constitution is the highest law of the United States, then the Koran is the highest law of Islam.]]

[[Image:Mohammad.jpg|thumb|right|[[Muhammad]], the creator of Islam. Pictorial representations of Muhammad is considered making a graven image of a false god in Islam.]]
'''Islam''' (or '''Mohammedanism'''; archaic) is a major world religion and [[Political|socio-political]] system<ref>[http://www.newenglishreview.org/custpage.cfm/frm/100100/sec_id/100100 Why Islam is Not a Religion], by Rebecca Bynum (Nov. 2011) Speech delivered October 18th to ACT! for America Chapter in Memphis Tennessee</ref> based on the teachings of [[Muhammad]] (sometimes Mohammed), a seventh-century [[Arab]]. Muhammad claimed descent from [[Ishmael]], the son of [[Abraham]]. Muhammad claimed to have received revelations from Allah, the entity which adherents of Islam claim to resemble the [[God]] of [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], via the archangel Gabriel, which were written in the [[Koran]] – thus forming the core teachings of Islam.

The Koran's singular authorship offers no corroborating evidence, as the four Gospels do for example, of testimony of independent eyewitness accounts to its claim of divine inspiration as the Mosaic Law requires,<ref>Dueteronomy 19:15 ''By the testimony of two is a matter established''. The testimony of one - Mohammad - is insufficient to convict the human race, or infidels, of sin, ''per the Law of Moses'' or the Koran itself which claims descent.</ref> from which the Koran's author borrowed selectively.

==Overview==
[[File:World Muslim Population Pew Forum.png|thumb|The Muslim population of the world map according to the Pew Forum 2009 report.]]
The word "Islam"<ref>Arabic الإسلام‎‎, specifically referring to submission to Allah</ref> means "submission" or "surrender" in [[Arabic language|Arabic]]. Islam, as originally designed in the Koran, presents itself as an "Abrahamic faith" and has [[Moses]] in it,<ref>Brannon Wheeler. Moses in the Koran and Islamic Exegesis. Routledge, 2002.</ref> as well as [[Jesus]] as a prophet in Islam,<ref>Muhammad Ata ur-Rahim, Ahmad Thomson. ''Jesus: Prophet of Islam''. TTQ, INC., 2003.</ref> and it specifically denies Jesus's divine nature.

<blockquote>
The world’s Islamic population is expected to increase by about 35% in the next 20 years, rising from 1.6 billion in 2010 to 2.2 billion by 2030, according to new population projections by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life. In the United States, for example, the population projections show the number of Muslims more than doubling over the next two decades, rising from 2.6 million in 2010 to 6.2 million in 2030.<ref>[http://www.pewforum.org/2011/01/27/the-future-of-the-global-muslim-population/ The Future of the Global Muslim Population.]</ref>
</blockquote>

Islam has been criticized for some time because of its demanding of strict submissiveness (especially of women), its suppression and violations of human rights (also including those of women), and its predisposition to being violent toward those of true religious faiths and attacking those faiths deemed a threat to Islam. There have been over 23,000 terrorist attacks committed by adherents of Islam since [[September 11, 2001 attacks|the Islamic terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001]].<ref>http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/</ref> A more recent strain of Islam has combined European totalitarianism and a virulent [[anti-Semitism]]. This version is called [[Jihadism#Lesser jihad|lesser jihad]], [[Islamism]], radical Islam, or militant Islam. Without the historic institution of the Caliph, this form degenerates into stateless terrorist activity that strikes at the heart of civilized man. Some who identify as Muslim have denounced the violent jihadism while others remain silent. Some Muslims and non-Muslims theorize that mainstream Islam has become corrupted over the years that there needs to be an [[Islamic Reformation]] similar to that of the [[Protestant Reformation]].<ref>Michaelle Browers, Charles Kurzman. An Islamic Reformation? Lexington Books, 2004.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.danielpipes.org/954/distinguishing-between-islam-and-islamism|title=Distinguishing between Islam and Islamism|author=Daniel Pipes|date=June 30, 1998}}</ref> The Reformation movements were costly and bloody for well over a century.
[[Image:Mecca.jpg|thumb|left|[[Mecca]], one of the holy cities of Islam.]]
There are small groups of largely Westernized Muslims who publicly reject Islamism. Such moderate Muslim conservatives are in the [[Republican Party]], known as the [[Muslim Republicans]].<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref> One of America's Founding Fathers, [[Thomas Jefferson]], who was a religious [[libertarian]], declared: "''freedom for the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and the Mohammedan, the Hindu and infidel of every denomination''."<ref>John A. Garraty, Story of America Beginnings to 1877, (1992) Holt, Rinehart and Winston, pg 706.</ref>

Issues with Islam arose in the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign. Republican presidential candidate [[Mitt Romney]] said that "''Radical, violent Islamists pose a threat to Americans and others around the world.''" and that "''they take a very different view of Islam than the Muslims I know.''" Romney said that when he lived in Detroit he knew Muslims, as Detroit has a large Muslim population, and says "''They are peace-loving and America-loving individuals. I believe that very sincerely. I believe people of the Islamic faith do not have to subscribe to the idea of radical, violent jihadism.''<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref> Former Republican presidential nominee candidate [[Ron Paul]], a libertarian conservative, says that America should not fear Islam and said that America should just embrace people of all faiths.<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref> American conservative author Margaret Hoover believes that the Republican Party needs to recognize Muslim Republicans, noting an example of Muslim Republican youth Suhail Khan who she describes as "''one of thousands of Muslim Americans who work to promote Christian-Muslim understanding''".<ref>Margaret Hoover, ''American Individualism: How a New Generation of Conservatives Can Save the Republican Party'', Random House Digital, Inc., 2011, pg 202.</ref> Candidates for the Republican nomination like [[Newt Gingrich]] and [[Rick Santorum]] strongly criticized Islamic extremism.<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref>

[[Multiculturalism|Multiculturalists]] ignore or minimize violence in the history of Islam and exaggerate Christian atrocities to advance a [[moral equivalence]]. Proponents of this view often cite the [[Crusades|Great Crusades]]--an unsuccessful attempt by Western Christians to retake parts of the [[Byzantine Empire]] that had been conquered by Islamic armies--and various religious wars which were later fought in Europe between branches of Christianity. However, they brand critics of Islam "racists" (even though Islam is not a "race") and "[[Islamophobia|Islamophobes]]" (a smear term invented for the purpose of censoring and silencing legitimate criticism of Islam) for exposing today's threats by [[jihadism|jihadists]].<ref>http://www.bcbsr.com/topics/charity.html</ref>

A follower of Islam is called a "[[Muslim]]" (rarely "Moslem"), a term which means "one who submits (to Allah)." The older terms "Mohammedan" and "Muhammedan" ("follower of Muhammad"), have fallen out of use.<ref>Additional archaic terms for Muslims include "Hagarene", "Musselman", and "Saracen." Saracen as a term for Muslims was limited to the Crusades era, although it makes frequent re-appearances in pre-modern polemics. Hagarene was a more common term in pre-modern works, as it denotes the Biblical connection of Hagar, the mother of Ishmael, who is claimed to be a patriarch of Islam. Additional names for Muslims in pre-modern and Medieval works are generally derived from misspellings.</ref>

Because of its history of terrorism, mass murder and suicide attacks, Islam, and those who adhere to it, are sometimes generally perceived as having no regard toward human life.<ref>[https://www.conservativenewsandviews.com/2017/07/09/human/permanent-rage-islam/ The Permanent Rage of Islam] at Conservative News and Views</ref>

==Theology==
[[File:Kaaba.jpg|thumb|Masjid al-Haram, the holiest site in Islam.]]

There are no clergy, but there are religious teachers, or [[Imam]]s, who have their followings. All Muslims are supposed to follow the teachings of Muhammad, whom they believe to be Allah's<ref>Arabic الله</ref> last and greatest [[prophet]] (although Jesus, in Matthew 7:15-20, warned "Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves. You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered from thorns or figs from thistles, are they? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will recognize them by their fruit", which serves to explicitly describe Muhammad and such like him). The teachings of Muhammad are transmitted through the [[Koran]], the Hadith, and the Sunnah. The Sunnah is a general term for "the life and doings of the Prophet", which all Muslims are called on to replicate. Islam claims that the Archangel [[Gabriel]] appeared to Muhammad in a cave reciting verbatim a revelation from Allah. The first word that Gabriel says to Muhammad is "Iqra" or "Recite/Proclaim", which is found in the 96th Sura of the Koran.

Muslims believe that Allah revealed the Koran to Muhammad. The key miracle of Islam comes from the historical condition of the illiterate and uneducated Muhammad, as the Koran is composed in an erudite and complex form of Arabic prose and poetry.<ref>Proclaim! (or read!) in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created- Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful,- He Who taught (the use of) the pen,- Taught man that which he knew not.(Surah 96:1-5)</ref> The Koran was not written down in a systematic fashion until a decade after Muhammad died, preferable transmission being through oral recitation. The Koran is claimed by Muslims to be the pure and holy word of Allah, uncreated and eternal. In Islamic belief, the term uncreated is very important, as it implies that there is no author for the Koran, only the delivering of the word to Muhammad who delivered it to the Sahab and the Salaf (The Companions and the Pure), who delivered it to the scribe delegated to record it in the reign of the Caliph Uthman bin Affan.

Islam teaches fundamental contradictions about the nature of Allah. Allah is said to be all-powerful, yet impotent to have a son (Surah 6:100-101). The idea of Allah having offspring is mocked,<ref>"Limitless is He is His glory, and sublimely exalted above anything that men may devise by way of definition: the Originator of the heavens and the earth! How could it be that He should have a child without there ever having been a mate for Him - since it is He who has created everything, and He alone knows everything?" - Surah 6:100-101.</ref> and this limitation of his power differentiates Allah from the Christian God. Allah is a very angry god who loves only those who swear allegiance to him, and hates non-believers. To serve Allah is to hate Allah's enemies with the same divine hatred that Allah hates non-believers (Surah 5:54). This stands in direct contrast to John 3:16.

In Islamic theology, Allah, the alleged maker of heaven and earth (Surah 6:100), is impotent to have a son (Surah 6:101). Human beings, with the ability to reproduce themselves, possess powers Allah is incapable of.

===Divisions within Islam===
Uthman was assassinated in 656 A.D. by soldiers who then installed Ali ibn Abu Talib, Muhammad's son-in-law, as [[Caliph]]. Ali's followers believed Muhammad had chosen Ali to be Muhammad's heir, and had disagreed with the selections of Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman as Caliphs. Ali's claim to the position was challenged by Muawiyah, a kinsman of the murdered Uthman. Five years later, Ali was assassinated by Kharjites, dissidents who broke away from the main body of Islam because they rejected Ali's accepting arbitration to resolve his leadership dispute with Muawiyah. Ali's supporters, or the Shiah al-Ali (or Shiat Ali, partisans of Ali) believed that Ali was the true Caliph and was, in part, divinely inspired. Ali's sons, Hassan and Husayn followed as [[Shia]] Caliphs, Hassan dying in 669 or 670 A.D., possibly by poisoning, and Husayn slain by soldiers of his rival, the [[Sunni]] Caliph Yazid, in 680 A.D.

The Shia Islamic community has divided further as followers coalesced around several of Ali's descendants or successors, called [[Imam]]s. The "twelvers," predominant in Iran, believe the twelfth Imam is in hiding and will reveal himself just before judgment day. Ismailis rejected the seventh Imam and practice a spirituality that seeks hidden meaning in scripture. Ismailis ruled much of [[North Africa]] as the [[Fatimid Dynasty]] of [[Egypt]] in the tenth through the twelfth centuries, and today are found primarily in [[Pakistan]], [[Afghanistan]], and [[India]]. The Sunni majority reject the premise that men can be divine, including Muhammad, Ali, or Jesus, and did not accept any of the Imams who followed Ali. Sunnis remain more committed to traditions and less inclined to accept Shia mysticism. Today, about 15% of the world's Muslims are Shia and 85% are orthodox Sunni.

There are other factions within Islam. Sufis, a name possibly derived from the wool garments they wear, developed around mystical practices and trance-induced revelations. Sufis are found today in [[Turkey]], [[Syria]], and parts of [[Africa]]. One of the most famous modern followers of Sufism was American professional boxer [[Muhammad Ali]] in his later years. Other movements have taken reform tracks, such as the Unitarians of [[Saudi Arabia]], also called [[Wahhabi]]s after their 18th-century reformist founder Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. The conservative Wahhabis are found today in Saudi Arabia and [[Qatar]]. Today the Wahhabi line has a tendency to produce extremists, such as [[Osama Bin Laden]]. Some critics would argue that the [[Taliban]] of Afghanistan took conservative reform to an extreme. Other sects or break-away groups include, among others, the Alawis found in Syria and Turkey, the [[Druze]] in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Israel, the Ibadhis (Kharjites) in Oman and Africa, the Ahmadiya of Pakistan, and the Zaydis of Yemen.

==Origins==
Like Christianity and Judaism, Islam originated in the Middle East. Islam claims to trace its roots back to Abraham through his son Ishmael. Muslims do not believe that Muhammad was the founder of Islam, rather they claim that he restored the original faith of Abraham and the prophets that followed as recorded in the lost books of the Tawrat and Injil.

Based upon this belief, the [[Bible]], both the [[Old Testament|Old]] and [[New Testament]]s, is claimed by adherents of Islam to have become corrupted through the [[Bible translations|translations and misinterpretations]] accumulated over several millennia. The criticism of the [[Torah]] centers around the reconstruction of the existing Biblical text required after the "[[Babylon]]ian captivity". The criticism of the New Testament centers in the many disputed gnostic texts which contradict the orthodox biblical canon. Interestingly, Islamic jurisprudence accepts that the Injil was complete and whole up until the revelation of Muhammad. Therefore, there is some inconsistency in the claims made against the New Testament. For more information, see [[The Bible versus the Qur'an|The Bible versus the Koran]].

Muhammad spent many years attempting to unite disparate polytheistic Arab tribes in the power vacuum created by the fall of the [[Roman Empire]] through recitations of his epic poem, which borrowed heavily from Hebrew scriptures and dietary laws, meeting with only limited success. He was eventually driven out of Mecca by the powers that be for challenging state authority, an event known as the ''Hijra'' or "Flight from Mecca" which marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar.

Eventually Muhammad was summoned back to Mecca by a faction of sympathizers, mainly tribal family members, as political chaos engulfed the city. Muhammad conquered the city after a prolonged siege with attacks on the civilian population and hundreds of beheadings to any who refused to accept his claims to a divine mission of carrying out the will of Allah. The doctrine of abrogation (''nashk'') in Islamic scholarship teaches that the later instructions of Mohammad supersede any earlier contradictory verses in the Koran.<ref>http://www.quranicstudies.com/books/abrogation-in-the-quran-and-islamic-law/</ref> Hence was born political Islam,<ref>https://www.politicalislam.com/abrogation-and-the-koran/</ref> a doctrine of war, conquest, and vengeance, over any earlier utterances which teach Islam a religion of peace. Peace only exists in Islam insofar as all Islam's enemies are subjugated.

==Terminology==
Additional archaic terms for Muslims include, but are not limited to, "Hagarene" and "Saracen." The term Hagarene was more common in post-crusade Europe as it made specific reference to the Biblical mother of Ishmael. In Islam, Ishmael plays an analogous theological role to Isaac. Muslims do not use it today to avoid confusing worship of [[Muhammad]] with worship of [[Allah]].<ref>Schimmel, (1992)</ref>

==Islamic guidance==
During his lifetime, Muhammad's companions learned and later transcribed the verses (surrahs) of the Koran as Muhammad spoke them. In Islam, the teachings of Mohammed were believed to be direct divine revelation from Allah.

The third Caliph, Uthman, collected and codified the various versions of the surrahs into one written Koran that became the standard Arabic text used by the world's Muslims today. The Koran is longer than the Bible and written in general order of longest chapters to shortest rather than in any order of when they were spoken, sometimes making the work appear to be confusing. In all there are 114 chapters. Most of the later recorded sayings of Mohammed, which were also more warlike, actually appear earlier in the text. Present-day Muslims look first to the Koran as a guide to life, then to the [[Sunnah]], or the way of the Prophet (his life as an example for others) as recorded by his early companions, and then to the [[Hadith]], a collection of the Prophet's sayings, comments, advice, and descriptions.

Frequently, Muslims disagreed over how to interpret certain passages in the Qur'an, the Sunnah, or the Hadith in their search for the ideal life and perfect path to heaven. From these interpretations Sunni Muslims developed four schools of law, or interpretations of law, named after their founders or early leaders: the Hanbali, considered the most strict school and predominant today in Saudi Arabia; Shafi, the school of widest acceptance, found in Egypt, parts of Palestine-Syria, south Arabia, and the Far East; Maliki, prevalent in North Africa, Sudan, and Nigeria; and Hanafi, considered the most moderate school, predominant in Ottoman Turkey and today found primarily on the Levant and Indian subcontinent. Frequently, Islamic countries have two separate legal systems, one for civil, criminal, or commercial law, and a second, and separate, system for religious law. Religious courts and their judges (qadis) might handle issues dealing with marriage, divorce, child custody, inheritance, religious education, charitable or religious property (Waqf), or family matters. Among Middle Eastern countries, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen have Shariah courts serving alongside their secular courts or have adopted [[Sharia]]h (Islamic law) as the basis of their legal systems.

===Five pillars of Islam===
*'''[[Shahadah]] (Profession of Faith)''' -The Shahadah is the Muslim profession of faith. 'ašhadu 'al-lā ilāha illā-llāhu wa 'ašhadu 'anna muħammadan rasūlu-llāh, a loose English translation reads "''There is none worthy of worship except Allah, and [[Muhammad]] is the messenger of Allah''" This testament can be seen as the foundation of all of the other tenets of Islam and swears off the divinity of Christ. For the Christian believer, the Shahada is essentially an [[oath]] renouncing the divinity of [[Christ]], "But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven." (Matt 10:33).

*'''[[Salat]] (Ritual Prayer)''' -All Muslims are required to pray to Allah five times each day while facing [[Mecca]]. Praying six times a day is considered willful disobedience to Allah, ''per shariah law'', an act punishable by death.<ref>The example is used by Prof. Quinten Wiktorowitz of an extremist considered by Muslim "moderates" as one who loves Allah so much he defies Allah's instructions. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10576100500497004</ref><ref>[https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://archives.cerium.ca/IMG/pdf/WIKTOROWICZ_2006_Anatomy_of_the_Salafi_Movement.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwiXlY7EttfTAhVF02MKHRExBFwQFggcMAA&usg=AFQjCNH4tKyamYaRwVVY8j23A0VjTOOWJg&sig2=zIzwl9aecd3zpGkLsveV0g "Despite the success of the Prophet’s mission and the growth of Islam, Salafis believe human desires continue to grip Muslims and challenge the purity of the message. In this view, there is an eternal temptation to manipulate and distort the religion through innovation. Although nefarious interests often drive deviancy, it can also result from good intentions. Muslims who pray more than the explicitly proscribed five times a day, for example, are likely motivated by love for God. They are, however, still engaged in innovation because they are inventing new practices to fulfill a human desire." p.4 pdf]</ref>

*'''Zakat (Charity)''' Zakat is often described as charitable giving. Able Muslims must donate to the poor based on the wealth one has accumulated. In current usage it is interpreted as 2.5% of [[net worth]] held for a full lunar year. However, funding violent jihad by wealthy Muslims has been ruled a form of ''zakat'' by Islamic scholars, a requirement to fulfill their Islamic duty under the five pillars. There exists the poor, unemployed, and unemployable jihadis, and the ignorant (''jahiliyya'') infidel masses in need if Islamic enlightening, hence funding terrorism is considered charitable work.

*'''Sawm (Fasting)''' All able-bodied Muslims (children, pregnant women, the elderly, and the ill are exempt) must not eat during the daylight hours of the entire month of [[Ramadan]]. According to Muslims, this purifies the body and soul. Although Muslims and their mainstream media surrogates refer to it as a "fast," this in no way aligns with traditional Christian and Judaic concepts of fasting, and indeed violates the basic concept. Torturing oneself in an outward display of [[piety]] is deemed hypocritcal by the [[monotheist]]ic traditions of Christianity and Judaism. Some Islamic sects allow military, police and emergency services personnel to receive an exemption from fasting from an imam, on the grounds that their work supports the community or national good.

*'''Hajj (Pilgrimage)''' All able-bodied Muslims must make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lives. Many without funds for a round trip never made it back, having been sold off in the slave auction market place at [[Taif]].<ref>https://youtu.be/emRVkisdbhc</ref>

===Sharia===
[[Image:StarCresent.png|thumb|right|220px|The Star and Crescent is a symbol of Islam. It is featured in the national flag of [[Algeria]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Malaysia]], [[Tunisia]], [[Uzbekistan]], [[Mauritania]], [[Pakistan]], and [[Turkey]], amongst others]]
[[Sharia]] is the body of Islamic law. The term means "way" or "path"; it is the legal framework within which public and some private aspects of life are regulated for those living in a legal system based on Islamic principles of jurisprudence. It is not actually part of the canonical Koran; that is to say, it is not believed to be the direct word of Allah by Muslims, but rather the interpretation of it.

Sharia deals with many aspects of day-to-day life, including politics, economics, banking, business law, contract law, sexuality, marriage, divorce, and social issues. Most Islamic scholars regard Sharia as the body of precedent and legal theory established during the early stages of the Islamic Empire, though a few scholars also believe contemporary legal cases can and should shape the law, though such thinkers may be subject to ridicule and even threats from Islamists and their liberal allies.

Sharia law proscribes often brutal punishments for acts, that, in the western world, are relatively minor. For example, under sharia law, turning away from Islam is punishable by death,<ref>[http://www.ntpi.org/html/whyoppose.html]</ref> while women found guilty of adultery is punishable by stoning to death, which often includes many rape victims, as Sharia courts often regard a rape victim as guilty of adultery unless she can provide four witnesses to the act of rape.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6148590.stm</ref> In cases involving the death penalty of corporal punishment, methods of carrying out the punishment are often barbaric, and include public beheading, chopping off of the hand, and flogging.<ref>http://saudiwoman.wordpress.com/2009/08/25/punishment-in-saudi-arabia/</ref> Many Islamic groups have been attempting to have Shariah courts set up in European countries, initially to rule over civil cases between Muslims in Europe.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,422661,00.html</ref>

The need by Islam's adherents to add to and retain followers in its ideology through Sharia, deceit, force and intimidation, particularly through threats of death against those who leave Islam or who levy legitimate criticism against it for its barbaric ways and history, would indicate that overall, Islam is a weak ideology that would not withstand criticism or exposure of the truth of its ways and history. To facilitate retaining its membership and to keep the truth about Islam under wraps, its adherents have formed convenient alliances with sympathetic liberals in politics, academia, the courts, the mainstream media and Hollywood to deceive the public about Islam and what it really is, as well as to censor and silence critics of Islam through ridicule, false accusations of "racism", "hate speech" and "Islamophobia" and the illegal use of the legal system to punish critics.<ref>[http://nationalpost.com/news/weaponization-of-free-speech-prompts-talk-of-a-new-hate-law?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NP_Top_Stories+%28National+Post+-+Top+Stories%29 "Weaponization" of free speech prompts talk of a new hate law] at the ''National Post''</ref>

===Ulemah ===
Sunni Islam does not have a priesthood or clerical hierarchy to conduct religious services or interpret scripture, but it does have prayer leaders, called Imams, and religious scholars, called Ulemah,<ref>"Umma and ulemah" would be roughly equivalent to "laity and clergy".</ref> who often are educated men familiar with the Koran and able to offer commentaries on Koranic verses. Sunni Muslims also respect the teachings and interpretations of scholars, judges, and academics who may interpret laws, write treatises on Sharia (religious law) or Hadith, and issue Fatwas, religious rulings or declarations intended to enlighten or guide Muslims. These religious scholars issue legal rulings on various questions in contemporary life, such as the use of toilet paper which Islamic law previously forbade,<ref>https://nypost.com/2015/04/08/muslims-can-now-use-toilet-paper-turkeys-top-religious-authority/</ref> transgenderism,<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-transgender/pakistani-clerics-declare-transgender-marriages-legal-under-islamic-law-idUSKCN0ZD1IZ</ref> conjugal relations in marriage during the menstrual cycle<ref>http://aliftaa.jo/QuestionEn.aspx?QuestionId=2667#.YGOXVtKSncs</ref> or use of bug zappers.<ref>https://www.islamweb.net/en/fatwa/198619/killing-insects-with-electric-insect-killer</ref>

Shia Islam has a hierarchy that resembles a priesthood. Mullahs are prayer leaders, but usually do not interpret religious law. Mujtahids are religious scholars who may interpret law or passages from the Koran or Hadith. The lower order of Mujtahids are called Hojjatolislam. Ayat Allah (literally sign of Allah, also Ayatollah) is a higher order of Mujtahid who may issue Fatwas, or religious edicts, in addition to leading Islamic schools, interpreting religious law and the Koran, and offering sermons or discourses on proper Islamic behavior.

== Converts to Islam ==
People who convert to Islam from legitimate religions or from nontheism commit ideologically motivated crimes such as [[jihadism|jihadist]] [[terrorism]], [[hate speech]], [[discrimination]], and [[fraud]]: [http://web.archive.org/web/20190327113206/https://wikiislam.net/wiki/Converts_to_Islam A list of converts to Islam]. As has been witnessed many times, people who convert to Islam become radicalized and divide the world into two groups: Muslims ("people who surrender to Allah") and non-Muslims (''kafir''s, i.e. people who think differently).

==Today==
[[File:2012 Sydney protest.jpg|thumb|Some non-Muslims feel threatened by the unforgiving nature of the ideology of Islam.]]
Islam is the world's largest socio-political ideology, with over 1.6 billion followers, and is claimed to be the fastest-growing ideology in America.<ref>[http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/the-fastest-growing-religion-in-america-is-islam]</ref> This rapid growth is mainly due to conversions, high birth rates, and convenient redefinitions of the term "Muslim". Conversions to Christianity (from ''any'' faith or lack thereof) outnumber those to Islam, but are keeping up with the birthrate discrepancy.<ref>[http://www.bible.ca/global-religion-statistics-world-christian-encyclopedia.htm World Christian Encyclopedia]</ref><ref>[http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles6/AlJazeerahAfrica.php Translation of AL-Jazeerah interview between Maher Abdallah and Shiekh Ahmed Katani]</ref>

Islamic doctrine, including what is taught in [[North America]], teaches that 1 John 4:9, "God is love", is a false doctrine.<ref>http://www.arabicbible.com/for-christians/1313-christians-common-questions-about-islam.html?start=2</ref> The doctrine of ''Al-Wala wal-Bara'' teaches true faith is measured in sharing Allah's hatred of the ''kufr'', non-believers, or infidels.<ref>http://www.meforum.org/3545/islam-hatred-non-muslim</ref> In other words, Islamic doctrine teaches that Allah hates his own creation, sinful man, which John 3:16 teaches, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son." ''Al-Wala wal-Bara'', or divine hatred, is used to justify terrorist attacks. The believing Muslim feels he is carrying out Allah's will in killing Allah's enemies. Rather than the [[atonement|atoning]] blood of Jesus for sinful man, the murder of infidels and attacks on their societal institutions and national governments is aimed at blotting out evil in the world.

Even Orthodox Judaism teaches that Jehovah loves sinners. Psalm 138:8, for example, says, "The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands."

[[Indonesia]] has the largest Islamic population in the world.

=== Future of Islam in Europe and the desecularization of Europe ===
''See also: [[Atheism vs. Islam]] and [[Secular Europe]]''
[[File:Europe pol 2004.jpg|thumbnail|right|325px|In 2014, the Pew Research Forum indicated that [[Europe]] will go from 11% of the world's population to 7% of the world's population by 2050.<ref>[https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/02/03/10-projections-for-the-global-population-in-2050/ 10 projections for the global population in 2050] By Rakesh Kochhar, Pew Research Forum, February 3, 2014</ref>]]

In April 2010, Eric Kaufmann indicated concerning the future of Islam in Europe:
{{cquote|I address this in some detail in the book, as well is in a [http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/features/europes-muslim-future recent article in the April issue of Prospect magazine] here in Britain. The short answer is that I don’t foresee a Muslim-majority Europe in this century or in the next. Why? Mainly because Muslim birthrates are plunging both in Europe and the Muslim world. Already, Iran, Tunisia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and several other Muslim countries have replacement-level fertility or below. In the UK, Bangladeshi and Pakistani fertility has halved in a generation and is now under 3 children per woman. This means their long-term growth will begin to tail off. The other part of the equation is the rise of non-Muslim immigrant groups (African and West Indian Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and other Eastern faiths) who are also increasing and therefore making Europe more plural and, in the process, rendering it harder for Muslims to increase their share of the population.

That said, Muslim membership retention and in-group marriage is exceptionally high (over 90 per cent) and they are a much younger population than the host society. So they are on course for steady growth. My colleagues and I expect their fertility to fall to host levels by 2030, but they will still make up 5-15 per cent of most West European countries by 2050 and 10-25 per cent by 2100. This is a major change from the 2-6 per cent levels of today<ref>[http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/shall_the_religious_inherit_the_earth/#sthash.nE0JGi2Y.dpuf ''Shall the religious inherit the earth?''], 2010 Interview with [[Eric Kaufmann]] by MercatorNet</ref>}}

Due to the growing number of Muslims moving into secular Europe/[[Western World]] and the ideological differences between the [[atheist worldview]] and Islam, there has been growing tension between [[atheism|atheists]]/secularists and Muslims - particularly between [[Militant atheism|militant atheists]] and militant Islam.

The [[New Atheism|New Atheists]] [[Richard Dawkins]], [[Sam Harris]] and the late [[Christopher Hitchens]] have received multiple accusations of engaging in "[[Islamophobia|Islamophobic]]" behavior.<ref>
*[https://www.salon.com/2013/03/30/dawkins_harris_hitchens_new_atheists_flirt_with_islamophobia/ Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens: New Atheists flirt with Islamophobia] by Nathan Lean, ''Salon'', March 30, 2013
*[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/apr/03/sam-harris-muslim-animus Sam Harris, the New Atheists, and anti-Muslim animus] by [[Glenn Greenwald]], ''The Guardian'', April 3, 2013</ref> On the other hand, defenders of atheist criticisms of Islam/Muslims indicated that New Atheists should be able to criticize Islam without being accused of "Islamophobia".<ref>[http://www.newstatesman.com/religion/2013/04/new-atheism-should-be-able-criticise-islam-without-being-accused-islamophobia New Atheism should be able to criticise Islam without being accused of Islamophobia] by Andrew Zak Williams, ''New Statesman'', Published 19 April 2013</ref>

For more information, please see:

*[[Atheism vs. Islam]]
*[[Atheism vs. Christianity]]

==Other aspects of Islam==
===Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem===
Muhammad's home city of Mecca was the site of his earliest preaching and conversions, and is the location of the Kaaba, traditionally held to be the foundation stone of the first mosque built by Adam and later restored by Abraham, and now the focus of the annual pilgrimage (hajj). Some historians suggest that the Kaaba, a black stone probably meteoric in origin, was venerated by pre-Islamic polytheistic religions.

At first, Jerusalem was claimed by Islam to be its holy city and the focus of prayers, but Mecca became the center of Islam after Muhammad's return in 630. Medina, because of its early association with Muhammad and as the site of Muhammad's tomb, is second in importance to Mecca. Jerusalem is revered by Muslims as the site of Solomon's temple, Abraham's near-sacrifice of his son Ishmael, and the scene of Muhammad's miraculous midnight journey, the latter two now enshrined in the [[Dome of the Rock]] mosque. According to the Koran (Surrah 17:1, Isra) and Hadith, Muhammad and Gabriel were taken on winged mules from Mecca to Jerusalem, where they ascended through the seven heavens to the presence of Allah. During the visit, Muhammad learned, among other points, that Muslims were to pray five times each day and to honor Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and the other prophets.

===People of the Book===
Christians and Jews are called "people of the Book" in the Koran and are considered earlier forerunners to Islam and viewed as brothers as long as they pay an extra tax when under Islamic rule. Islam, which claims roots tracing back to Abraham through his son Ishmael instead of Isaac as the Jews did, believes that they are the descendants of Allah's promise. Islam claims that both the Old and New Testament were corrupted and corrected by the Koran (though in truth, it is the Koran itself which plagiarized from and corrupted Biblical scripture), but there is still an earlier link claimed between the two religions and Islam. The view of Jews and Christians varied within different parts of the Koran and Islamic history. Much of current Islamic culture, even in places that were once very tolerant such as Egypt, has seen an upsurge in persecution and violence against Christians and Jews.

===Jihad===
Jihad is the "struggle" each Muslim is called to against unbelievers (infidels). Participation in jihad in Allah's cause was the third most important good deed listed in the Hadith, after prayer and honoring one's parents. Jihad was a rallying cry for the military spread of Islam in the seventh through tenth centuries against non-Muslims, and is the same reason for Islamic terrorism and war today. 
Some Muslim apologists in the western world say that jihad refers to the difficulties a Muslim faces in the everyday trials of life, such as the effort to get better grades in school, or the striving to achieve better results from a job, or the struggle to avoid sinful temptations. It is, they say, the internal struggle of good and evil, or the pure and the impure. However, this is simply a fabrication, which has been publicly labeled as such by Muslim scholars in the middle east. Nonetheless, even some mosques not teach this, fostering a more peaceful version of Islam. Unfortunately, it is not based on the Koran and the Hadith, but rather modern revisions. Any Muslim believing this peaceful version can be corrected based on these sacred books, and thus become "radicalized."

====Violent passages of the Koran championed by Islam====
In its passages, the Koran has advocated adherents of Islam to commit acts of violence, hatred and insurrection against those who do not follow that ideology (in particular, Jews and Christians) or are critical of it, to subjugate Judaism, Christianity and other religions to Islam and to force the followers of legitimate religions to submit and adhere to Islam.<ref>[https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/quran/violence.aspx What Does Islam Teach About Violence]</ref><ref>[https://thereligionofpeace.com/pages/quran/hell-and-hate.aspx What Does Islam Teach About Hell and Hate]</ref> Not surprisingly, attempts at pointing out the violence advocated by the Koran have been met with denials and excuses by Islamic apologists, who engage in [[taqiyya]] by claiming that the critics of the violent passages took those passages "out of context" and that "critics only quote the part which (suits) them" while the apologists do exactly what they accuse the critics of doing.<ref>[https://discover-the-truth.com/2014/08/12/quran-2191-and-kill-them-wherever-you-find-them-explained/ Quran 2:191- ‘And kill them wherever you find them…’ Explained] - an attempt by Islamic apologists to excuse violent passages of the Koran by offering deceitful explanations of what they claim those passages "really mean"</ref><ref>[http://islam101.com/terror/verse8_12.htm The Holy Quran, verse 8:12], from another Islamic apologist site which excuses the violent passages of the Koran and attacks its critics by claiming "Some non-Muslims either through ignorance or Islam-bashing continue taking the verses of the Holy Quran out of context and its history to justify their false propaganda"</ref><ref>[https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/games/discover-truth/verses/47-4.aspx "Discover the Truth's" Game] - a refutation of the claims and excuses made by the Islamic apologist site Discover the Truth regarding Koran 47:4</ref><ref>[https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2005/01/jihad_quran_9123_v_matthew_103.html Jihad: Quran 9:123 v. Matthew 10:34] at American Thinker</ref><ref>[https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/06/obama_quotes_verse_532_omits_5.html Obama quotes (Koran) verse 5:32, omits 5:33] at American Thinker</ref> Among the more violent and hateful passages of the Koran are these:

*Koran 2:191 - “Slay the unbelievers wherever you find them.”
*Koran 9:123 - “Make war on the infidels living in your neighborhood.”
*Koran 9:5 - “When opportunity arises kill the infidels wherever you catch them.”
*Koran 3:85 - “Any religion other than Islam is not acceptable.”
*Koran 9:30 - “The Jews and the Christians are perverts; fight them.”
*Koran 5:33 - “Maim and crucify the infidels if they criticize Islam”
*Koran 9:28 - “The infidels are unclean; do not let them into a mosque.”
*Koran 22:19 - “Punish the unbelievers with garments of fire, hooked iron rods, boiling water; melt their skin and bellies.”
*Koran 47:4 - “Do not hanker for peace with the infidels; behead them when you catch them.”
*Koran 8:65 - “The unbelievers are stupid; urge the Muslims to fight them.”
*Koran 3:28 - “Muslims must not take the infidels as friends.”
*Koran 8:12 - “Terrorize and behead those who disbelieve (in Allah).”
*Koran 8:60 - “Muslims must muster all weapons to terrorize the infidels.”

====Osama bin Laden and fundamentalists====
[[Osama bin Laden]], a follower of [[Wahhabism]], stated that Islam is at war with the United States and its allies. Some observers claim that the number of Islamic fundamentalists is growing and poses a threat to the West.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.danielpipes.org/255/islamic-fundamentalists-are-the-new-big-threat-to-the-west|title=Islamic Fundamentalists are the New Big Threat to the West|author=Daniel Pipes|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|date=Sept 16, 1994}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.city-journal.org/html/rev2006-06-04td.html|title=All or Nothing: The quest for a moderate Islam may be futile.|date=June 4, 2006|author=Theodore Dalrymple|newspaper=Cite Journal}}</ref> But other observers differentiate between conservative "fundamentalists" and the "extremists" who follow murderers such as bin Laden or other terrorists.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://townhall.com/columnists/dineshdsouza/2008/09/15/who_speaks_for_islam/page/full/|title=Who Speaks For Islam|author=Dinesh D'Souza|newspaper=Townhall|date=Sept 15, 2009}}</ref> In several major Islamic nations, bin Laden had the support of the majority of people in the early years after the 9/11 attacks. As he lost battles with the West and started to target fellow Muslims his popularity waned.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pewglobal.org/2012/04/30/on-anniversary-of-bin-ladens-death-little-backing-of-al-qaeda/|title=On Anniversary of bin Laden’s Death, Little Backing of al Qaeda|date=April 30, 2012|publisher=Pew Research Center}}</ref>

===Islam and forced conversion===
The Quran and the various Hadiths teach Muslims to fight Non-Muslims until they are killed, converted, or in a permanent state of subjugation.
*Quran (8:38-39) - “Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief) their past will be forgiven... And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism: i.e. worshipping others besides Allah) and the religion (worship) will all be for Allah Alone [in the whole of the world ]. But if they cease (worshipping others besides Allah), then certainly, Allah is All-Seer of what they do.”

*Quran (9:29) - "Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued."

*Quran (9:5) "But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practice regular charity, then open the way for them..."

*Quran (9:11) - (Continued from verse 9:5) "But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then are they your brethren in religion"

*Quran (9:56-57) - "And they swear by Allah that they are most surely of you, and they are not of you, but they are a people who are afraid (of you). If they could find a refuge or cave or a place to enter into, they would certainly have turned thereto, running away in all haste."

*Quran (2:193) - "And fight them until fitna is no more, and religion be only for Allah. But if they desist, then let there be no hostility except against wrong-doers."

*Qur'an (3:83) - "Are they seeking a religion other than Allah's, when every soul in the heavens and the earth has submitted to Him, willingly or by compulsion?"

*Sahih Muslim (1:33) The Messenger of Allah said: "I have been commanded to fight against people till they testify that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, and they establish prayer and pay zakat."

*Sahih Muslim (19:4294) - "When you meet your enemies who are polytheists (which includes Christians), invite them to three courses of action. If they respond to any one of these, you also accept it and withhold yourself from doing them any harm. Invite them to (accept) Islam; if they respond to you, accept it from them and desist from fighting against them ... If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from them the Jizya. If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands. If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah's help and fight them"

*Sahih Bukhari (84:59) - "Allah's Apostle said, 'I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.' And if they say so, pray like our prayers, face our Qibla and slaughter as we slaughter, then their blood and property will be sacred to us and we will not interfere with them except legally and their reckoning will be with Allah.'"

*Sahih Bukhari (53:392) - "While we were in the Mosque, the Prophet came out and said, "Let us go to the Jews" We went out till we reached Bait-ul-Midras. He said to them, "If you embrace Islam, you will be safe. You should know that the earth belongs to Allah and His Apostle, and I want to expel you from this land. So, if anyone amongst you owns some property, he is permitted to sell it, otherwise you should know that the Earth belongs to Allah and His Apostle."

*Sahih Bukhari (2:24) - "Allah's Apostle said: "I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight against the people until they testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah's Apostle, and offer the prayers perfectly and give the obligatory charity, so if they perform a that, then they save their lives and property from me except for Islamic laws and then their reckoning (accounts) will be done by Allah."

*Sahih Bukhari (60:80) - "The Verse:--'You (true Muslims) are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind.' means, the best of peoples for the people, as you bring them with chains on their necks till they embrace Islam."

*Sahih Bukhari (60:40) - "...:And fight them till there is no more affliction (i.e. no more worshiping of others along with Allah)."

*Sahih Bukhari (59:643) - "Testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, or else I will chop off your neck!"

*Ibn Kathir v.4 p.133, Ibn Ishaq/Hisham 959 - "Then the apostle sent Khalid bin Walid… to the Banu al-Harith and ordered him to invite them to Islam three days before he attacked them. If they accepted then he was to accept it from them, and if they declined he was to fight them. So Khalid set out and came to them, and sent out riders in all directions inviting the people to Islam, saying, 'If you accept Islam you will be safe.' So the men accepted Islam as they were invited."

*Ibn Kathir (Commenting on Quran 2:256 in the unabridged version of his tafsir) - "Therefore all people of the world should be called to Islam. If anyone of them refuses to do so, or refuses to pay the jizya, they should be fought till they are killed."

===Islam and slavery===
*Quran (33:50) - ''"O Prophet! We have made lawful to thee thy wives to whom thou hast paid their dowers; and those (slaves) whom thy right hand possesses out of the prisoners of war whom Allah has assigned to thee"
''
*Quran (23:5-6) - ''"..who abstain from sex, except with those joined to them in the marriage bond, or (the captives) whom their right hands possess..."
''
*Quran (4:24) - ''"And all married women (are forbidden unto you) save those (captives) whom your right hands possess."
''
*Quran (8:69) - ''"But (now) enjoy what ye took in war, lawful and good"''

*Quran (24:32) - ''"And marry those among you who are single and those who are fit among your male slaves and your female slaves..."''

*Quran (2:178) - ''"O ye who believe! Retaliation is prescribed for you in the matter of the murdered; the freeman for the freeman, and the slave for the slave, and the female for the female."
''
*Quran (16:75) - ''"Allah sets forth the Parable (of two men: one) a slave under the dominion of another; He has no power of any sort; and (the other) a man on whom We have bestowed goodly favours from Ourselves, and he spends thereof (freely), privately and publicly: are the two equal? (By no means;) praise be to Allah."
''
*Sahih Bukhari (41.598) - Muhammad establishes that slaves are property. They cannot be freed if an owner has outstanding debt, but they can be used to pay off the debt<ref>https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/quran/slavery.aspx</ref>

*Sahih Bukhari (62:137) - Gives an account of women taken as slaves in battle by Mohammed's men after their husbands and fathers were killed. The women were raped with Mohammed's approval.

*Sahih Bukhari (34:432) - Another account of women taken captive and raped with Mohammed's approval. In this case it is evident that the Muslims intend on selling the women after raping them because they are concerned about devaluing their price by impregnating them. Muhammad is asked about coitus interruptus.

*Sahih Bukhari (47:765) - A woman is rebuked by Mohammed for freeing a slave girl. The prophet tells her that she would have gotten a greater heavenly reward by giving her to a relative (as a slave).

*Sahih Bukhari (2:15:103) - ''"I was watching the display of black slaves in the mosque..."''

*Sahih Bukhari (59:637) - ''"The Prophet sent Ali to Khalid to bring the Khumus (of the booty) and I hated Ali, and Ali had taken a bath (after a sexual act with a slave-girl from the Khumus). I said to Khalid, 'Don't you see this (i.e. Ali)?' When we reached the Prophet I mentioned that to him. He said, 'O Buraida! Do you hate Ali?' I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'Do you hate him, for he deserves more than that from the Khumlus.'"''

*Abu Dawud (2150) - ''"The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) sent a military expedition to Awtas on the occasion of the battle of Hunain. They met their enemy and fought with them. They defeated them and took them captives. Some of the Companions of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) were reluctant to have intercourse with the female captives in the presence of their husbands who were unbelievers. So Allah, the Exalted, sent down the Qur’anic verse: (Quran 4:24) 'And all married women (are forbidden) unto you save those (captives) whom your right hands possess.'"
''
*Abu Dawud (1814) - ''"...[Abu Bakr] He then began to beat [his slave] him while the Apostle of Allah (pbuh) was smiling and saying: Look at this man who is in the sacred state (putting on ihram), what is he doing?"
''
*Abu Dawud (38:4458) - ''Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib: “A slave-girl belonging to the house of the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) committed fornication. He (the Prophet) said: Rush up, Ali, and inflict the prescribed punishment on her. I then hurried up, and saw that blood was flowing from her, and did not stop. So I came to him and he said: Have you finished inflicting (punishment on her)? I said: I went to her while her blood was flowing. He said: Leave her alone till her bleeding stops; then inflict the prescribed punishment on her. And inflict the prescribed punishment on those whom your right hands possess (i.e. slaves)”.''

*Abu Dawud (1:142) - ''"Do not beat your wife as you beat your slave-girl"''

===Stealing from non-Muslims===
The Koran and the various Hadiths encourage Muslims to steal from non-Muslims.
*Koran (8:69) - "So enjoy what you took as booty; the spoils are lawful and good."

*Koran (48:20) - "Allah promised you many acquisitions which you will take, then he hastened on this one for you and held back the hands of men from you, and that it may be a sign for the believers and that he may guide you on a right path."

*Koran (33:27) - "And he caused you to inherit their land and their houses and their wealth, and land ye have not trodden. Allah is ever able to do all things."

*Sahih Bukhari (53:351) - " Allah's Messenger said, "Booty has been made legal for me."

*Ibn Ishaq (327) - "Allah made booty lawful and good. He used it to incite the Muslims to unity of purpose. So enjoy what you have captured."

*Ibn Ishaq (503) - "Allah saw what was in their hearts [what they coveted] so he rewarded them with victory and with as much spoil as they could take. Allah promised that they would soon capture a great deal of booty.”

*Sahih Bukhari (44:668) - "We were in the company of the Prophet at Dhul-Hulaifa. The people felt hungry and captured some camels and sheep (as booty)..."

*Ahmad 4869 (also found in the original Hadith of Bukhari and Sahih al Jaami' AsSagheer 2828) - It is mentioned from Ibn ‘Umar from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “I have been raised between the hands of the Hour with the sword, until Allah the Exalted is worshipped alone with no associates. He has provided sustenance from beneath the shadow of spears and has decreed humiliation and belittlement for those who oppose my order.”<ref>https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/quran/stealing.aspx</ref>

===Contamination of food given to non-Muslims===
There have been incidents where Muslims contaminate food given to Non-Muslims:
*In 2008, in the U.K, Saeed Hashmi and Jan Yadgari, the owners of a restaurant, sold chocolate cake sprayed with human feces.<ref>https://www.jihadwatch.org/2017/07/uk-muslim-who-sprayed-food-with-feces-and-urine-cant-be-deported</ref>

*In July 2019, the local branch of ISIS in India planned to poison prasadam at a Hindu temple, to kill over 400 Hindu devotees. The suspects were arrested before they could do this.<ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/terror-group-islamic-state-zakir-naik-mumbreshwar-temple-1573514-2019-07-25</ref>

*In August 2019, a Muslim vendor in the city of Meerut in India was caught mixing his Urine and Sperm in Biryani that he sold to Hindus.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LGuYkInllg</ref>

*On April 3, 2020, a Muslim fruit vendor in India was caught licking fruits before selling them.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPoFAe52uw4&feature=emb_title</ref>

*On May 8, 2020, a Muslim man by the name of Abdul Nazim Sheikh Mahmood was caught on video licking bread while cutting it. The incident occurred in Maharashtra, India.<ref>https://www.opindia.com/2020/05/maharashtra-man-arrested-in-amravati-after-video-of-him-spitting-on-bread-in-a-bakery-goes-viral-on-tiktok/</ref>

*On February 21, 2021, a Muslim man by the name of Sohail was caught on video spitting on Rotis while cooking for a wedding in the city of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, India.<ref>https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/watch-man-spits-on-tandoori-rotis-while-cooking-at-wedding-in-ups-meerut-arrested/723272</ref>

*On March 19, 2021, two Muslim men by the names of Sabi Anwar and Ibrahim were caught on camera spitting on Rotis that they were preparing.<ref>https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/2-staffers-held-for-spitting-on-rotis/article34103460.ece</ref>

===Restrictions===
Observant Muslims are not supposed to eat pork and in general do not have dogs as pets; both swine and canines are considered unclean. Muslims can have dogs for safety. Muslims are prohibited from drinking alcoholic beverages, gambling, and from collecting interest on financial transactions.

===Women in Islam===
[[File:Muslim girls at Istiqlal Mosque Jakarta Indonesia.jpg|left|thumb|240px|Muslim girls at Istiqlal [[Mosque]], Jakarta.]]
In pre-Islamic times women's rights were defined by tribal laws which differed among the tribes. Some women had absolute equity and the ability to hold power, while some women were treated worse than chattel; bride prices, unlimited polygamy, and female infanticide were a common theme. [[Sharia law|Islamic law]] offered a path for which Muslim men could regulate women in a legal system based on Muslim principles of jurisprudence on the Arabian peninsula. Treated merely as individual sex objects, women were granted very limited rights but as distinct legal individuals; forced to marry who their parents tell them to, women are required not to directly object in order for the marriage contract to have some form of validity.

Unlike the pre-Islamic times where unlimited polygamy occurred, [[Sharia law]] limits [[polygamy]] to a maximum of four wives at any one time, though the use of "temporary" marriage in effect rendered this restriction meaningless. Once married, only men are entitled to divorce any time they please. The reality of traditional Sharia law as applied in the modern era has shocked the modern conscience.<ref>Linda Rae Bennett, ''Women, Islam and Modernity'' (2005)</ref> These restrictions on women were put into place over a thousand years ago, and there has been little progress since. Women are still not allowed to drive a [[car]], they cannot ride [[bicycle]]s, are unable to [[vote]], have been prohibited from traveling abroad without permission, and they can't use public facilities when men are present.

[[File:Sharia.jpg|right|thumb|220px|Muslim woman tortured under Sharia law.]]
Women in Islam are treated as inferiors to men in almost every regard and women's rights are all but non-existent in Islam, a fact conveniently ignored by the ideology's liberal allies (including in [[feminism]] and the [[mainstream media]]). In [[Sharia]], the testimony of one man equals that of five women. Women are required to cover the head and body in public, by wearing the hijab. Hijab is applied in different ways: a small scarf around the head and western street clothes may be acceptable in Cairo or Damascus but a full length opaque [[burqa]] was enforced in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. As of 2008, [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Iran]], and [[Pakistan]] are the most significant Middle Eastern countries where the government requires women to wear some form of restrictive garb, though cultural pressure in most Islamic countries offers women little choice but to submit to the dictat of hijab. Women who are claimed by their husbands or family to have disgraced their family are put to death in "[[honor killing]]s"; buried halfway or sometimes up to their neck so they cannot run, women, who are in most cases victims, are stoned to death.

====Honor killings====
Another violent practice continued in Islamic countries is [[honor killing]], in which a brother, father, or uncle "restores" or "defends" a family's honor by killing the sister, daughter, or niece that "dishonored" the family through supposedly "promiscuous" behavior. This "promiscuous" activity often includes women from Islamic societies living in the West aspiring to a more open lifestyle. The "honor killing" is more ancient, and pagan in origin, but tolerated and practiced more or less openly in some Islamic societies.

Some apologists might try to excuse or justify this practice by putting down this verse:

<blockquote>
'Because of that, We decreed...that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.' -5:32. [http://quran.com/5/32].
</blockquote>

Notice the ellipses between decreed and that? I hope you did, and if you followed the link you would know that this was decreed to the Children of Israel, who would be the Jews. Now, how could this be a defense against honor killing in Islamic countries if this wasn't even given to Muslims? The answer lies in the very next verse:

<blockquote>
'Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment, Except for those who return [repenting] before you apprehend them. And know that Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.' (5:33-34) [http://quran.com/5/33] [http://quran.com/5/34]
</blockquote>

So what we get from that, unlike the Jews where it is a blessing not to commit murder, for Muslims, it is a deed for Allah to murder those who have "caused corruption". Among these that "cause corruption" could be one's daughter, sister, or wife who is not wearing the headscarf, praying five times a day, not fasting in Ramadan, becoming too Westernized, etc., and thus honor killing would be "justified" in their view. Of course if you look at the next verse, it says that you should be merciful to those who have repented -before you apprehend them. This implies that they will be terrorized, and then there self-preservation instinct will kick in and they will repent. But what about those who don't? What if one's female relative doesn't believe that the headscarf is necessary while you do? And what if she still believes the same way after you apprehend her? You follow 5:33. As Muhammed himself proclaimed:

<blockquote>
I have been made victorious with terror.'
-Bukhari 4.52.220 [http://www.quranexplorer.com/Hadith/English/Hadith/bukhari/004.052.220.html].
</blockquote>

====Female genital mutilation====
Female genital mutilation (also known as "female circumcision") is mentioned in Hadith as an "honorable" condition for a woman, and act to carry out. It is a pre-Islamic tradition in parts of sub-Saharan Africa and the Arab world, though not in Coptic Egypt as some Islamic apologists claim. Female genital mutilation is not called for nor is it supported by the Koran.

====Abortion====
Muslims see [[abortion]] as ''haram'' (forbidden), but accept it if the life of mother is at risk.<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/islamethics/abortion_1.shtml</ref>

====Islamic dress is regular grounds for conflict in multicultural education====
Treatment of women varies widely by country. In the Islamic state of Saudi Arabia women are forbidden from driving a car, traveling in public without their husband or a male family member as an escort, leaving their home without wearing Islamic dress, working or voting. Though not formally forbidden from owning property, they have no way of obtaining this as work is forbidden and only males are permitted to inherit – should a man die, his brothers, sons, and father will all inherit before his wife. These restrictions are part of Sharia law and enforced by the police and a special Islamic office. Pakistan has similar restrictions but to a lesser extent. In contrast, [[Turkey]] has a majority Muslim population and yet grants women some rights similar to those of men including property ownership, employment, and education to university level.

Islamic apologists suggest the extremely repressive policies of countries such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are cultural rather than religious, though these are the countries where traditional Islam is strongest. They point to the more moderate Islam practiced in Turkey as a demonstration that Islam and women's rights are compatible, ignoring the efforts of traditionalists in Turkey to end the few freedoms women were granted by men.

Islamic women's status is controversial. While Islamic men control and oppress Islamic women by compelling them to remain hidden behind the veil, sequestered in the home, and ignorant of the world by denying them access to education and worldly opportunities, Islamic apologists defend some practices. These men claim that many of the restrictions on women, such as the veil, are cultural traditions that pre-date Islam and are intended to protect women from predatory men. Unfortunately, such Islamic men ignore the fact that if a predatory man or group of rapists were to sexually assault an Islamic woman in Islam, she would be punished under Sharia law for "allowing" such an act to occur, and she would likely receive hundreds of lashes and years of jail time or be punished with death; the predatory man or men commonly go unpunished or only receive very light punishments at worst.

=== Atheism vs. Islam ===
From a global perspective, [[Europe]] is more secular/[[Atheism|atheistic]] than the rest of the world although it does have a considerable amount of religious immigrants who have higher birth rates (see: [[Secular Europe]] and [[Atheist population]] and [[Global atheism]]).

===Anti-science===
Modern science started in Christian Europe, not the Islamic world, and not even China. The Islamic world has not accomplished anything major in the sciences, unless copying counts. The Muslims borrowed their architecture from the Byzantines. For example, the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem was built and designed by Byzantine craftsmen. Thousands of years before Muhammad was born, the Greeks discovered algebra and the Persians built the first astrolabe, though no denying that the Arabs were influential in naming it. After Greece and China established academies with Syrian Christians starting the School of Nisibis, the first school of higher education to achieve university status was the University of Bologna, while Al-Ahzar University was established as a madrassa around 970 AD, but did not achieve university status until 990 years later; the first hospital was built by the heretical Nestorians. The Indian numerals were actually modified in Europe, but ironically, the Arabic language was the last one to adopt the modified version.

==Historical background==
According to Islamic belief, in approximately 610 A.D., [[Muhammad]], a 40-year-old merchant of the Quraysh tribe in [[Mecca]], located in the Hijaz (now eastern [[Saudi Arabia]]), was commanded by the angel [[Gabriel]] (or Jibreel) to "recite" the message of Allah (professed by adherents of Islam to be their god). Gabriel said mankind had lost sight of Allah's previous messages to earlier prophets, [[Adam]], [[Noah]], [[Abraham]], [[Moses]], [[Solomon]], and [[Jesus]], among others, and that Muhammad was to spread Allah's message to all people so that mankind would know how to live, how to show respect for Allah, and how to prepare for the judgment day.
[[File:Islam750.jpg|right|thumb|Map of the expansion of Islam]]
The message to Muhammad was to be Allah's last and fullest revelation, a direct copy of the Umm Al Khitab, the mother of all books located in heaven next to Allah; Muhammad was the "seal of the prophets." Muhammad won some converts to Islam in his local area, but his [[monotheist]] preaching threatened to undermine the profitable [[polytheist]] pilgrim traffic supporting many Meccan merchants. In 622 A.D., the merchants drove Muhammad and his followers out of Mecca to the city of Yathrib (later renamed [[Medina]], or the city – as in the city of the prophet). This flight (hijra) from Mecca to Medina marks the beginning of the Islamic lunar calendar, and is celebrated each year in the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Muhammad's forces, composed of the sahaba (companions) from Mecca, and the Ansar (allied tribes from Yathrib) started attacking the trade caravans going in and out of Mecca, cutting off its economic lifeline. After a series of battles between the Meccans and Muhammad's forces, Mecca finally accepted Muhammad's ultimatum to succumb and convert to Islam. The city welcomed the prophet back in 630. Muhammad died in 632.

Tribal elders in a traditional council called the "Shura" elected [[Abu Bakr]] to be Muhammad's successor, or [[Caliph]] (Khalifa). Abu Bakr united the tribes of the Arabian peninsula during his two years as head of the new faith. Upon his death, the elders elected [[Umar ibn al-Khattab]] the next Caliph. During Umar's ten-year reign, Islam invaded and spread through conquest and negotiation into [[Egypt]], [[Syria]], [[Palestine]], [[Iraq]], and parts of Persia (modern-day [[Iran]]). Umar was assassinated by a Persian in 644, and was succeeded by [[Uthman ibn Affan]], who continued the invasions to spread Islam into [[North Africa]], [[Cyprus]], the rest of Persia, [[Afghanistan]], and parts of [[India]] and [[Pakistan]]. Over the next two centuries, Islamic armies continued to expanded Islam's empire into sub-Saharan Africa, [[Spain]], South-east and Central Asia, and [[Turkey]].

The Muslim armies conquered and superseded the ancient Sassanid and Byzantine empires which had ruled before. Within a generation of Muhammad's death Islamic armies occupied an empire stretching from the Nile river to the far-off Persian province of Khorasan. Reasons for the rapid conquest are varied and obscure. The Arab armies were more akin to tribal war bands raiding and settling where and when they could. The Byzantine and Sassanid empires had been at war for centuries. The constant simmering conflict between Constantinople and Persia reached a climax in the early 7th century. The Sassanids conquered briefly Egypt and the Levant threatening the central Byzantine heartland of Anatolia. Under the military reforms of the emperor Heraclius, the Byzantine army consolidated and counterattacked, recapturing all that they had lost and capturing the Sassanian capital of Ctesiphon in 628.

This brief end of the Roman-Persian wars disrupted the frontier areas which had predicated their economies on raiding and mercenary activities. Two major areas in Arabia were directly affected. The Lackmid tribe and the Gassanid tribe both acted as mercenaries for the Persians and Romans. The official religion of both tribes analogically mirrored that of their overseers. Monophysite Christianity was common, particularly of the Jacobite sect. The death of Muhammad and the subsequent Ridda wars occupied these warrior tribes until the reign of Caliph Umar. Additionally, there was great religious unrest in the Levant and Egypt. These areas resented the ruinous taxes and the harsh orthodoxy imposed by the emperor in Constantinople.

The same climate was present in the Sassanid realm with the rise of the dualism of the Manicheans. Under the Caliph Umar, the Arab tribes which had concluded the infighting following the death of Muhammad were allowed to raid into the Byzantine and Sassanid frontiers. The weakened state of both regimes from both military and economic exhaustion and religious unrest made them fertile picking grounds for the tribal warbands. The Arabs were chiefly successful in holding these areas in that they upheld a lightweight regime of low taxes based on the Islamic laws and distant government. Rather than employing an army of bureaucrats and nobility, the early Arab empire was more favorable towards maintaining the existing government structures under the leadership of Arab tribes. In this atmosphere, it is hardly surprising to note the reports from both Islamic and Christian sources of peaceful capitulation and invitation of the invading forces.

[[File:Madina Haram at evening .jpg|center|800px|thumb|Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (the Mosque of the Prophet) in [[Medina]], [[Saudi Arabia]], the site of [[Muhammad|Muhammad's]] tomb.]]

=== Islam and war ===
''See also: [[Irreligion/religion and war]] and [[Islamic terrorism]] and [[Atheism vs. Islam]]''

In his book ''The Irrational [[Atheism|Atheist]]'', [[Vox Day]] wrote:
{{Cquote|It’s also interesting to note that more than half of these religious wars, sixty-six in all, were waged by Islamic nations, which is rather more than might be statistically expected considering that the first war in which Islam was involved took place almost three millennia after the first war chronicled in the ''Encyclopedia'', Akkad’s conquest of Sumer in 2325 B.C.

In light of this evidence, the fact that a specific religion is currently sparking a great deal of
conflict around the globe cannot reasonably be used to indict all religious faith, especially when one
considers that removing that single religion from the equation means that all of the other religious
faiths combined only account for 3.35 percent of humanity’s wars.<ref>[http://www.voxday.net/mart/TIA_free.pdf The Irrational Atheist - Abbreviated free copy on PDF]</ref>}}

===Islam and Christianity===
''See also: [[Dhimma]]''

While adherents of Islam do not believe Jesus to be the Son of God or in the Resurrection, they consider Him and His mother to be among Allah's most important prophets (Marian and Isa) otherwise known as Mary and Jesus. However, the Koran warns against worshipping Jesus, Muhammad, and other humans for fear of [[idolatry]].<ref>[http://www.ccg.org/_domain/ccg.org/Islam/Islam.htm Christian Churches of God Articles on Islam], March 10, 2007</ref>

The Koran states that non-believers will be punished, though the nature of the punishment is not specified (same as similar statements in the Bible and the Torah):

{{cquote|Surely, disbelievers are those who said:
'Allah is the third of the three (in a Trinity).' But there is no god but One, Allah.
And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall the disbelievers among them.

Will they not repent to Allah and ask His Forgiveness? For Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a Siddiqah (i.e. she believed in the words of God and His Books ).
They both used to eat food (as any other human eat).
Look how We make the signs clear to them, yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth)."
}}
::(Koran 5:73-75)

However, Islam does recognize Christians and Jews as "people of the book" since both refer to one God only, and recognize Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic) as a founding prophet.

==Critics==
Most contemporary critics of Islam are either atheists or nominally religious: [[Ibn Warraq]] (author), [[Wafa Sultan]] (psychiatrist), [[Ayaan Hirsi Ali]] (author), [[Hugh Fitzgerald]] (of JihadWatch), [[Oriana Fallaci]] (author), [[Geert Wilders]] (politician), [[Sam Harris]] (author), [[Pamela Geller]] (blogger), [[Bill Maher]] (comedian) and the crowd at the Ayn Rand Institute. The notable exception is [[Robert Spencer]], who while a devout Catholic, criticizes Islam as the socio-political ideology it is. Political critics include [[Winston Churchill]],<ref>[http://thefederalistpapers.org/us/winston-churchills-brutal-takedown-of-islam-means-more-today-than-ever Winston Churchill’s Brutal Takedown of Islam Means More Today than Ever]</ref> [[Herman Cain]], [[Rick Santorum]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news-press.com/article/20130323/NEWS0119/303230016/Santorum-delivers-warning-about-radical-Islam-during-Naples-appearance|title=Santorum delivers warning about radical Islam during Naples appearance|date=March 23, 2013|newspaper=Fort Meyers News Press|author=Lindsay Downey}}</ref> [[David Horowitz]] (author) and [[Pat Robertson]] (preacher). Neither [[Ronald Reagan]] (who helped mujahideen fight atheistic Communists) nor [[George W. Bush]] ("Islam means peace") saw Islam as the problem. Commentators note that the conservative response to fundamental Islam is a far cry from the complete and unequivocal condemnation of Communism during the heyday of the Cold War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liberty-and-culture.com/conservatives.html|title=The Conservative Response to the Islamic Threat.|author=Jason Pappas|date=Sept 5, 2004}}</ref> [[Dinesh D’Souza]] argues that Muslims are "God-fearing conservatives",<ref>{{cite book|author=Dinesh D’Souza|title=The Enemy At Home|year=2007|publisher= Doubleday}}</ref> even though they have formed convenient alliances with liberals and several Islamic countries (particularly Iran) have formed alliances with the Communist regimes in [[China]] and [[North Korea]] and the Marxist regime in [[Venezuela]] to oppose the United States and its Western allies.<ref>''Some of the text for this article was taken from "Islam: A Primer", Congressional Research Service Report for Congress (2003), a work in the public domain'' [http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/islam.htm#back]</ref>

===Ex-Muslims===
[[Michelle Malkin]] highlights a group of [[Ex-Muslims]] hoping to change the terms of debate about Islam in Europe. Maryam Namazie, the head of the British group said "Too many things in the media and government policies have been geared to pandering to the political Islamic movements and Islamic organizations."<ref>[http://michellemalkin.com/2007/06/20/ex-muslims-stand-up-in-britain/ Ex-Muslims stand up in Britain]</ref> Ex-Muslims include Ibn Warraq, Wafa Sultan, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Mark A. Gabriel, Walid Shoebat, and Mosab Hassan Yousef.

== See also ==
[[Image:Africa islam 87.jpg|thumb|Islam in Africa]]
*[[Arab American]]
*[[Islamic republic]]
*[[Islamophobia]]
*[[Qur'an]]
*[[Jihadism]], an extremist, take on Islam
*[[Ramadan]]
*[[In the midst of a Maelstrom: the Holy Spirit and silence: an essay]] encounter of Israeli Messianic Jew and Egyptian Muslim in Alexandria
*[[List of countries by number of Muslims]]
*[[Undercover Muslim]]
*[[Islamic worldviews]]
*[[Islamophilia]]
*[[Judaism and Islam]]
*[[Atheism vs. Islam]]
*[[Islam and Christianity]]

==Further reading==
* Armour, Rollin. ''Islam, Christianity, and the West: A Troubled History'' (2002) [https://www.amazon.com/Islam-Christianity-West-Troubled-History/dp/1570754071/ref=sr_1_32?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342713&sr=1-32 excerpt and text search]
* Armstrong, Karen. ''Islam: A Short History'' (2002) [https://www.amazon.com/Islam-History-Modern-Library-Chronicles/dp/081296618X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342302&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Berkey, Jonathan P. ''The Formation of Islam: Religion and Society in the Near East, 600-1800'' (2002) [https://www.amazon.com/Formation-Islam-Religion-Society-600-1800/dp/0521588138/ref=sr_1_27?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342713&sr=1-27 excerpt and text search]
* Campo, Juan Eduardo. ''Encyclopedia of Islam'' (2009), basic introduction
* Esposito, John J. ''The Oxford History of Islam'' (2000) [https://www.amazon.com/Oxford-History-Islam-John-Esposito/dp/0195107993/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342302&sr=1-6 excerpt and text search]
* Glasse, Cyril. ''The New Encyclopedia of Islam'' ( 2nd ed. 2008)
* Lewis, Bernard. ''Islam in History: Ideas, People, and Events in the Middle East'' (2001), by leading conservative historian [https://www.amazon.com/Islam-History-People-Events-Middle/dp/0812695186/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342525&sr=1-15 excerpt and text search]
* Martin, Richard C. et al. ''Encyclopedia of Islam & the Muslim World'' (2003), more advanced
* Newby, Gordon. ''A Concise Encyclopedia of Islam'' (2002) [https://www.amazon.com/Concise-Encyclopedia-Islam-Gordon-Newby/dp/1851682953/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342942&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Robinson, Chase F. ed. ''The New Cambridge History of Islam'' (Volume 1) (2009), summarizes advanced scholarship
* Ruthven, Malise, and Azim Nanji. ''Historical Atlas of Islam'' (2004)
* Schimmel, Annemarie. ''Islam: An Introduction''. (1992)
* Sonn, Tamara and Mary Williamsburg. ''A Brief History of Islam'' (2004) [https://www.amazon.com/Brief-History-Blackwell-Histories-Religion/dp/1405109009/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342302&sr=1-12 excerpt and text search]
* Wheatcroft, Andrew. ''Infidels: A History of the Conflict Between Christendom and Islam'' (2005) [https://www.amazon.com/Infidels-History-Conflict-Between-Christendom/dp/0812972392/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342525&sr=1-13 excerpt and text search]

==External links==
*[http://muslim-canada.org/islam_christianity.html Islam and Christianity] - excellent article comparing and contrasting the two.
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/ Qur'an online in English]
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/ Sahih Bukhari (Hadith collection) online in English]
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/ Sahih Muslim (Hadith collection) online in English]
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/abudawud/ Sunan Abu-Dawud (Hadith collection) online in English]
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muwatta/ Malik's Muwatta (Hadith collection) online in English]
* Congressional Research Service, "Islam: A Primer", Report for Congress (2003), a work in the public domain and the source of part of this article [http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/islam.htm#back]
*[http://www.creativeminorityreport.com/2011/01/islamists-torch-pope-in-effigy-again.html Islamists Torch Pope in Effigy, Again]
*[http://www.tribecatrib.com/news/2010/december/849_kind-strangers.html Muslims Saving Jews During World War II.] By Shane Dixon Kavanaugh.
*[http://differencesbetween.com/islam-and-muslim/ Difference Between Islam and Muslim]
*[http://bertschlossberg.blogspot.com/ A Turkish Delight: they think so in Israel too!]
*[http://bertschlossberg.blogspot.com/ Turkey's Islamic scholar, Rabbi Meir Lau, and Cain speechless before Abel]

==References==
{{reflist|group=note}}

[[Category:Islam]]
[[Category:Political Ideologies]]
[[Category:Perpetrators of Cancel Culture]]

Islam

2021-08-13T15:47:42Z

Amateratsu: By virtue of believing in gods (or in this case, a monotheistic God) it is a religion, not just a philosphy, etc.

[[Image:Quran.jpg|thumb|right|Pages from the [[Koran]], the foundational text of the Islamic ideology, dictated by a single 7th-century author who claimed to have been inspired by a supernatural being whom Muslims call 'Allah'. If the Constitution is the highest law of the United States, then the Koran is the highest law of Islam.]]

[[Image:Mohammad.jpg|thumb|right|[[Muhammad]], the creator of Islam. Pictorial representations of Muhammad is considered making a graven image of a false god in Islam.]]
'''Islam''' (or '''Mohammedanism'''; archaid) is a major world religion and [[Political|socio-political]] system<ref>[http://www.newenglishreview.org/custpage.cfm/frm/100100/sec_id/100100 Why Islam is Not a Religion], by Rebecca Bynum (Nov. 2011) Speech delivered October 18th to ACT! for America Chapter in Memphis Tennessee</ref> based on the teachings of [[Muhammad]] (sometimes Mohammed), a seventh-century [[Arab]]. Muhammad claimed descent from [[Ishmael]], the son of [[Abraham]]. Muhammad claimed to have received revelations from Allah, the entity which adherents of Islam claim to resemble the [[God]] of [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], via the archangel Gabriel, which were written in the [[Koran]] – thus forming the core teachings of Islam.

The Koran's singular authorship offers no corroborating evidence, as the four Gospels do for example, of testimony of independent eyewitness accounts to its claim of divine inspiration as the Mosaic Law requires,<ref>Dueteronomy 19:15 ''By the testimony of two is a matter established''. The testimony of one - Mohammad - is insufficient to convict the human race, or infidels, of sin, ''per the Law of Moses'' or the Koran itself which claims descent.</ref> from which the Koran's author borrowed selectively.

==Overview==
[[File:World Muslim Population Pew Forum.png|thumb|The Muslim population of the world map according to the Pew Forum 2009 report.]]
The word "Islam"<ref>Arabic الإسلام‎‎, specifically referring to submission to Allah</ref> means "submission" or "surrender" in [[Arabic language|Arabic]]. Islam, as originally designed in the Koran, presents itself as an "Abrahamic faith" and has [[Moses]] in it,<ref>Brannon Wheeler. Moses in the Koran and Islamic Exegesis. Routledge, 2002.</ref> as well as [[Jesus]] as a prophet in Islam,<ref>Muhammad Ata ur-Rahim, Ahmad Thomson. ''Jesus: Prophet of Islam''. TTQ, INC., 2003.</ref> and it specifically denies Jesus's divine nature.

<blockquote>
The world’s Islamic population is expected to increase by about 35% in the next 20 years, rising from 1.6 billion in 2010 to 2.2 billion by 2030, according to new population projections by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life. In the United States, for example, the population projections show the number of Muslims more than doubling over the next two decades, rising from 2.6 million in 2010 to 6.2 million in 2030.<ref>[http://www.pewforum.org/2011/01/27/the-future-of-the-global-muslim-population/ The Future of the Global Muslim Population.]</ref>
</blockquote>

Islam has been criticized for some time because of its demanding of strict submissiveness (especially of women), its suppression and violations of human rights (also including those of women), and its predisposition to being violent toward those of true religious faiths and attacking those faiths deemed a threat to Islam. There have been over 23,000 terrorist attacks committed by adherents of Islam since [[September 11, 2001 attacks|the Islamic terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001]].<ref>http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/</ref> A more recent strain of Islam has combined European totalitarianism and a virulent [[anti-Semitism]]. This version is called [[Jihadism#Lesser jihad|lesser jihad]], [[Islamism]], radical Islam, or militant Islam. Without the historic institution of the Caliph, this form degenerates into stateless terrorist activity that strikes at the heart of civilized man. Some who identify as Muslim have denounced the violent jihadism while others remain silent. Some Muslims and non-Muslims theorize that mainstream Islam has become corrupted over the years that there needs to be an [[Islamic Reformation]] similar to that of the [[Protestant Reformation]].<ref>Michaelle Browers, Charles Kurzman. An Islamic Reformation? Lexington Books, 2004.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.danielpipes.org/954/distinguishing-between-islam-and-islamism|title=Distinguishing between Islam and Islamism|author=Daniel Pipes|date=June 30, 1998}}</ref> The Reformation movements were costly and bloody for well over a century.
[[Image:Mecca.jpg|thumb|left|[[Mecca]], one of the holy cities of Islam.]]
There are small groups of largely Westernized Muslims who publicly reject Islamism. Such moderate Muslim conservatives are in the [[Republican Party]], known as the [[Muslim Republicans]].<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref> One of America's Founding Fathers, [[Thomas Jefferson]], who was a religious [[libertarian]], declared: "''freedom for the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and the Mohammedan, the Hindu and infidel of every denomination''."<ref>John A. Garraty, Story of America Beginnings to 1877, (1992) Holt, Rinehart and Winston, pg 706.</ref>

Issues with Islam arose in the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign. Republican presidential candidate [[Mitt Romney]] said that "''Radical, violent Islamists pose a threat to Americans and others around the world.''" and that "''they take a very different view of Islam than the Muslims I know.''" Romney said that when he lived in Detroit he knew Muslims, as Detroit has a large Muslim population, and says "''They are peace-loving and America-loving individuals. I believe that very sincerely. I believe people of the Islamic faith do not have to subscribe to the idea of radical, violent jihadism.''<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref> Former Republican presidential nominee candidate [[Ron Paul]], a libertarian conservative, says that America should not fear Islam and said that America should just embrace people of all faiths.<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref> American conservative author Margaret Hoover believes that the Republican Party needs to recognize Muslim Republicans, noting an example of Muslim Republican youth Suhail Khan who she describes as "''one of thousands of Muslim Americans who work to promote Christian-Muslim understanding''".<ref>Margaret Hoover, ''American Individualism: How a New Generation of Conservatives Can Save the Republican Party'', Random House Digital, Inc., 2011, pg 202.</ref> Candidates for the Republican nomination like [[Newt Gingrich]] and [[Rick Santorum]] strongly criticized Islamic extremism.<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref>

[[Multiculturalism|Multiculturalists]] ignore or minimize violence in the history of Islam and exaggerate Christian atrocities to advance a [[moral equivalence]]. Proponents of this view often cite the [[Crusades|Great Crusades]]--an unsuccessful attempt by Western Christians to retake parts of the [[Byzantine Empire]] that had been conquered by Islamic armies--and various religious wars which were later fought in Europe between branches of Christianity. However, they brand critics of Islam "racists" (even though Islam is not a "race") and "[[Islamophobia|Islamophobes]]" (a smear term invented for the purpose of censoring and silencing legitimate criticism of Islam) for exposing today's threats by [[jihadism|jihadists]].<ref>http://www.bcbsr.com/topics/charity.html</ref>

A follower of Islam is called a "[[Muslim]]" (rarely "Moslem"), a term which means "one who submits (to Allah)." The older terms "Mohammedan" and "Muhammedan" ("follower of Muhammad"), have fallen out of use.<ref>Additional archaic terms for Muslims include "Hagarene", "Musselman", and "Saracen." Saracen as a term for Muslims was limited to the Crusades era, although it makes frequent re-appearances in pre-modern polemics. Hagarene was a more common term in pre-modern works, as it denotes the Biblical connection of Hagar, the mother of Ishmael, who is claimed to be a patriarch of Islam. Additional names for Muslims in pre-modern and Medieval works are generally derived from misspellings.</ref>

Because of its history of terrorism, mass murder and suicide attacks, Islam, and those who adhere to it, are sometimes generally perceived as having no regard toward human life.<ref>[https://www.conservativenewsandviews.com/2017/07/09/human/permanent-rage-islam/ The Permanent Rage of Islam] at Conservative News and Views</ref>

==Theology==
[[File:Kaaba.jpg|thumb|Masjid al-Haram, the holiest site in Islam.]]

There are no clergy, but there are religious teachers, or [[Imam]]s, who have their followings. All Muslims are supposed to follow the teachings of Muhammad, whom they believe to be Allah's<ref>Arabic الله</ref> last and greatest [[prophet]] (although Jesus, in Matthew 7:15-20, warned "Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves. You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered from thorns or figs from thistles, are they? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will recognize them by their fruit", which serves to explicitly describe Muhammad and such like him). The teachings of Muhammad are transmitted through the [[Koran]], the Hadith, and the Sunnah. The Sunnah is a general term for "the life and doings of the Prophet", which all Muslims are called on to replicate. Islam claims that the Archangel [[Gabriel]] appeared to Muhammad in a cave reciting verbatim a revelation from Allah. The first word that Gabriel says to Muhammad is "Iqra" or "Recite/Proclaim", which is found in the 96th Sura of the Koran.

Muslims believe that Allah revealed the Koran to Muhammad. The key miracle of Islam comes from the historical condition of the illiterate and uneducated Muhammad, as the Koran is composed in an erudite and complex form of Arabic prose and poetry.<ref>Proclaim! (or read!) in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created- Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful,- He Who taught (the use of) the pen,- Taught man that which he knew not.(Surah 96:1-5)</ref> The Koran was not written down in a systematic fashion until a decade after Muhammad died, preferable transmission being through oral recitation. The Koran is claimed by Muslims to be the pure and holy word of Allah, uncreated and eternal. In Islamic belief, the term uncreated is very important, as it implies that there is no author for the Koran, only the delivering of the word to Muhammad who delivered it to the Sahab and the Salaf (The Companions and the Pure), who delivered it to the scribe delegated to record it in the reign of the Caliph Uthman bin Affan.

Islam teaches fundamental contradictions about the nature of Allah. Allah is said to be all-powerful, yet impotent to have a son (Surah 6:100-101). The idea of Allah having offspring is mocked,<ref>"Limitless is He is His glory, and sublimely exalted above anything that men may devise by way of definition: the Originator of the heavens and the earth! How could it be that He should have a child without there ever having been a mate for Him - since it is He who has created everything, and He alone knows everything?" - Surah 6:100-101.</ref> and this limitation of his power differentiates Allah from the Christian God. Allah is a very angry god who loves only those who swear allegiance to him, and hates non-believers. To serve Allah is to hate Allah's enemies with the same divine hatred that Allah hates non-believers (Surah 5:54). This stands in direct contrast to John 3:16.

In Islamic theology, Allah, the alleged maker of heaven and earth (Surah 6:100), is impotent to have a son (Surah 6:101). Human beings, with the ability to reproduce themselves, possess powers Allah is incapable of.

===Divisions within Islam===
Uthman was assassinated in 656 A.D. by soldiers who then installed Ali ibn Abu Talib, Muhammad's son-in-law, as [[Caliph]]. Ali's followers believed Muhammad had chosen Ali to be Muhammad's heir, and had disagreed with the selections of Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman as Caliphs. Ali's claim to the position was challenged by Muawiyah, a kinsman of the murdered Uthman. Five years later, Ali was assassinated by Kharjites, dissidents who broke away from the main body of Islam because they rejected Ali's accepting arbitration to resolve his leadership dispute with Muawiyah. Ali's supporters, or the Shiah al-Ali (or Shiat Ali, partisans of Ali) believed that Ali was the true Caliph and was, in part, divinely inspired. Ali's sons, Hassan and Husayn followed as [[Shia]] Caliphs, Hassan dying in 669 or 670 A.D., possibly by poisoning, and Husayn slain by soldiers of his rival, the [[Sunni]] Caliph Yazid, in 680 A.D.

The Shia Islamic community has divided further as followers coalesced around several of Ali's descendants or successors, called [[Imam]]s. The "twelvers," predominant in Iran, believe the twelfth Imam is in hiding and will reveal himself just before judgment day. Ismailis rejected the seventh Imam and practice a spirituality that seeks hidden meaning in scripture. Ismailis ruled much of [[North Africa]] as the [[Fatimid Dynasty]] of [[Egypt]] in the tenth through the twelfth centuries, and today are found primarily in [[Pakistan]], [[Afghanistan]], and [[India]]. The Sunni majority reject the premise that men can be divine, including Muhammad, Ali, or Jesus, and did not accept any of the Imams who followed Ali. Sunnis remain more committed to traditions and less inclined to accept Shia mysticism. Today, about 15% of the world's Muslims are Shia and 85% are orthodox Sunni.

There are other factions within Islam. Sufis, a name possibly derived from the wool garments they wear, developed around mystical practices and trance-induced revelations. Sufis are found today in [[Turkey]], [[Syria]], and parts of [[Africa]]. One of the most famous modern followers of Sufism was American professional boxer [[Muhammad Ali]] in his later years. Other movements have taken reform tracks, such as the Unitarians of [[Saudi Arabia]], also called [[Wahhabi]]s after their 18th-century reformist founder Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. The conservative Wahhabis are found today in Saudi Arabia and [[Qatar]]. Today the Wahhabi line has a tendency to produce extremists, such as [[Osama Bin Laden]]. Some critics would argue that the [[Taliban]] of Afghanistan took conservative reform to an extreme. Other sects or break-away groups include, among others, the Alawis found in Syria and Turkey, the [[Druze]] in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Israel, the Ibadhis (Kharjites) in Oman and Africa, the Ahmadiya of Pakistan, and the Zaydis of Yemen.

==Origins==
Like Christianity and Judaism, Islam originated in the Middle East. Islam claims to trace its roots back to Abraham through his son Ishmael. Muslims do not believe that Muhammad was the founder of Islam, rather they claim that he restored the original faith of Abraham and the prophets that followed as recorded in the lost books of the Tawrat and Injil.

Based upon this belief, the [[Bible]], both the [[Old Testament|Old]] and [[New Testament]]s, is claimed by adherents of Islam to have become corrupted through the [[Bible translations|translations and misinterpretations]] accumulated over several millennia. The criticism of the [[Torah]] centers around the reconstruction of the existing Biblical text required after the "[[Babylon]]ian captivity". The criticism of the New Testament centers in the many disputed gnostic texts which contradict the orthodox biblical canon. Interestingly, Islamic jurisprudence accepts that the Injil was complete and whole up until the revelation of Muhammad. Therefore, there is some inconsistency in the claims made against the New Testament. For more information, see [[The Bible versus the Qur'an|The Bible versus the Koran]].

Muhammad spent many years attempting to unite disparate polytheistic Arab tribes in the power vacuum created by the fall of the [[Roman Empire]] through recitations of his epic poem, which borrowed heavily from Hebrew scriptures and dietary laws, meeting with only limited success. He was eventually driven out of Mecca by the powers that be for challenging state authority, an event known as the ''Hijra'' or "Flight from Mecca" which marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar.

Eventually Muhammad was summoned back to Mecca by a faction of sympathizers, mainly tribal family members, as political chaos engulfed the city. Muhammad conquered the city after a prolonged siege with attacks on the civilian population and hundreds of beheadings to any who refused to accept his claims to a divine mission of carrying out the will of Allah. The doctrine of abrogation (''nashk'') in Islamic scholarship teaches that the later instructions of Mohammad supersede any earlier contradictory verses in the Koran.<ref>http://www.quranicstudies.com/books/abrogation-in-the-quran-and-islamic-law/</ref> Hence was born political Islam,<ref>https://www.politicalislam.com/abrogation-and-the-koran/</ref> a doctrine of war, conquest, and vengeance, over any earlier utterances which teach Islam a religion of peace. Peace only exists in Islam insofar as all Islam's enemies are subjugated.

==Terminology==
Additional archaic terms for Muslims include, but are not limited to, "Hagarene" and "Saracen." The term Hagarene was more common in post-crusade Europe as it made specific reference to the Biblical mother of Ishmael. In Islam, Ishmael plays an analogous theological role to Isaac. Muslims do not use it today to avoid confusing worship of [[Muhammad]] with worship of [[Allah]].<ref>Schimmel, (1992)</ref>

==Islamic guidance==
During his lifetime, Muhammad's companions learned and later transcribed the verses (surrahs) of the Koran as Muhammad spoke them. In Islam, the teachings of Mohammed were believed to be direct divine revelation from Allah.

The third Caliph, Uthman, collected and codified the various versions of the surrahs into one written Koran that became the standard Arabic text used by the world's Muslims today. The Koran is longer than the Bible and written in general order of longest chapters to shortest rather than in any order of when they were spoken, sometimes making the work appear to be confusing. In all there are 114 chapters. Most of the later recorded sayings of Mohammed, which were also more warlike, actually appear earlier in the text. Present-day Muslims look first to the Koran as a guide to life, then to the [[Sunnah]], or the way of the Prophet (his life as an example for others) as recorded by his early companions, and then to the [[Hadith]], a collection of the Prophet's sayings, comments, advice, and descriptions.

Frequently, Muslims disagreed over how to interpret certain passages in the Qur'an, the Sunnah, or the Hadith in their search for the ideal life and perfect path to heaven. From these interpretations Sunni Muslims developed four schools of law, or interpretations of law, named after their founders or early leaders: the Hanbali, considered the most strict school and predominant today in Saudi Arabia; Shafi, the school of widest acceptance, found in Egypt, parts of Palestine-Syria, south Arabia, and the Far East; Maliki, prevalent in North Africa, Sudan, and Nigeria; and Hanafi, considered the most moderate school, predominant in Ottoman Turkey and today found primarily on the Levant and Indian subcontinent. Frequently, Islamic countries have two separate legal systems, one for civil, criminal, or commercial law, and a second, and separate, system for religious law. Religious courts and their judges (qadis) might handle issues dealing with marriage, divorce, child custody, inheritance, religious education, charitable or religious property (Waqf), or family matters. Among Middle Eastern countries, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen have Shariah courts serving alongside their secular courts or have adopted [[Sharia]]h (Islamic law) as the basis of their legal systems.

===Five pillars of Islam===
*'''[[Shahadah]] (Profession of Faith)''' -The Shahadah is the Muslim profession of faith. 'ašhadu 'al-lā ilāha illā-llāhu wa 'ašhadu 'anna muħammadan rasūlu-llāh, a loose English translation reads "''There is none worthy of worship except Allah, and [[Muhammad]] is the messenger of Allah''" This testament can be seen as the foundation of all of the other tenets of Islam and swears off the divinity of Christ. For the Christian believer, the Shahada is essentially an [[oath]] renouncing the divinity of [[Christ]], "But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven." (Matt 10:33).

*'''[[Salat]] (Ritual Prayer)''' -All Muslims are required to pray to Allah five times each day while facing [[Mecca]]. Praying six times a day is considered willful disobedience to Allah, ''per shariah law'', an act punishable by death.<ref>The example is used by Prof. Quinten Wiktorowitz of an extremist considered by Muslim "moderates" as one who loves Allah so much he defies Allah's instructions. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10576100500497004</ref><ref>[https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://archives.cerium.ca/IMG/pdf/WIKTOROWICZ_2006_Anatomy_of_the_Salafi_Movement.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwiXlY7EttfTAhVF02MKHRExBFwQFggcMAA&usg=AFQjCNH4tKyamYaRwVVY8j23A0VjTOOWJg&sig2=zIzwl9aecd3zpGkLsveV0g "Despite the success of the Prophet’s mission and the growth of Islam, Salafis believe human desires continue to grip Muslims and challenge the purity of the message. In this view, there is an eternal temptation to manipulate and distort the religion through innovation. Although nefarious interests often drive deviancy, it can also result from good intentions. Muslims who pray more than the explicitly proscribed five times a day, for example, are likely motivated by love for God. They are, however, still engaged in innovation because they are inventing new practices to fulfill a human desire." p.4 pdf]</ref>

*'''Zakat (Charity)''' Zakat is often described as charitable giving. Able Muslims must donate to the poor based on the wealth one has accumulated. In current usage it is interpreted as 2.5% of [[net worth]] held for a full lunar year. However, funding violent jihad by wealthy Muslims has been ruled a form of ''zakat'' by Islamic scholars, a requirement to fulfill their Islamic duty under the five pillars. There exists the poor, unemployed, and unemployable jihadis, and the ignorant (''jahiliyya'') infidel masses in need if Islamic enlightening, hence funding terrorism is considered charitable work.

*'''Sawm (Fasting)''' All able-bodied Muslims (children, pregnant women, the elderly, and the ill are exempt) must not eat during the daylight hours of the entire month of [[Ramadan]]. According to Muslims, this purifies the body and soul. Although Muslims and their mainstream media surrogates refer to it as a "fast," this in no way aligns with traditional Christian and Judaic concepts of fasting, and indeed violates the basic concept. Torturing oneself in an outward display of [[piety]] is deemed hypocritcal by the [[monotheist]]ic traditions of Christianity and Judaism. Some Islamic sects allow military, police and emergency services personnel to receive an exemption from fasting from an imam, on the grounds that their work supports the community or national good.

*'''Hajj (Pilgrimage)''' All able-bodied Muslims must make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lives. Many without funds for a round trip never made it back, having been sold off in the slave auction market place at [[Taif]].<ref>https://youtu.be/emRVkisdbhc</ref>

===Sharia===
[[Image:StarCresent.png|thumb|right|220px|The Star and Crescent is a symbol of Islam. It is featured in the national flag of [[Algeria]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Malaysia]], [[Tunisia]], [[Uzbekistan]], [[Mauritania]], [[Pakistan]], and [[Turkey]], amongst others]]
[[Sharia]] is the body of Islamic law. The term means "way" or "path"; it is the legal framework within which public and some private aspects of life are regulated for those living in a legal system based on Islamic principles of jurisprudence. It is not actually part of the canonical Koran; that is to say, it is not believed to be the direct word of Allah by Muslims, but rather the interpretation of it.

Sharia deals with many aspects of day-to-day life, including politics, economics, banking, business law, contract law, sexuality, marriage, divorce, and social issues. Most Islamic scholars regard Sharia as the body of precedent and legal theory established during the early stages of the Islamic Empire, though a few scholars also believe contemporary legal cases can and should shape the law, though such thinkers may be subject to ridicule and even threats from Islamists and their liberal allies.

Sharia law proscribes often brutal punishments for acts, that, in the western world, are relatively minor. For example, under sharia law, turning away from Islam is punishable by death,<ref>[http://www.ntpi.org/html/whyoppose.html]</ref> while women found guilty of adultery is punishable by stoning to death, which often includes many rape victims, as Sharia courts often regard a rape victim as guilty of adultery unless she can provide four witnesses to the act of rape.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6148590.stm</ref> In cases involving the death penalty of corporal punishment, methods of carrying out the punishment are often barbaric, and include public beheading, chopping off of the hand, and flogging.<ref>http://saudiwoman.wordpress.com/2009/08/25/punishment-in-saudi-arabia/</ref> Many Islamic groups have been attempting to have Shariah courts set up in European countries, initially to rule over civil cases between Muslims in Europe.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,422661,00.html</ref>

The need by Islam's adherents to add to and retain followers in its ideology through Sharia, deceit, force and intimidation, particularly through threats of death against those who leave Islam or who levy legitimate criticism against it for its barbaric ways and history, would indicate that overall, Islam is a weak ideology that would not withstand criticism or exposure of the truth of its ways and history. To facilitate retaining its membership and to keep the truth about Islam under wraps, its adherents have formed convenient alliances with sympathetic liberals in politics, academia, the courts, the mainstream media and Hollywood to deceive the public about Islam and what it really is, as well as to censor and silence critics of Islam through ridicule, false accusations of "racism", "hate speech" and "Islamophobia" and the illegal use of the legal system to punish critics.<ref>[http://nationalpost.com/news/weaponization-of-free-speech-prompts-talk-of-a-new-hate-law?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NP_Top_Stories+%28National+Post+-+Top+Stories%29 "Weaponization" of free speech prompts talk of a new hate law] at the ''National Post''</ref>

===Ulemah ===
Sunni Islam does not have a priesthood or clerical hierarchy to conduct religious services or interpret scripture, but it does have prayer leaders, called Imams, and religious scholars, called Ulemah,<ref>"Umma and ulemah" would be roughly equivalent to "laity and clergy".</ref> who often are educated men familiar with the Koran and able to offer commentaries on Koranic verses. Sunni Muslims also respect the teachings and interpretations of scholars, judges, and academics who may interpret laws, write treatises on Sharia (religious law) or Hadith, and issue Fatwas, religious rulings or declarations intended to enlighten or guide Muslims. These religious scholars issue legal rulings on various questions in contemporary life, such as the use of toilet paper which Islamic law previously forbade,<ref>https://nypost.com/2015/04/08/muslims-can-now-use-toilet-paper-turkeys-top-religious-authority/</ref> transgenderism,<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-transgender/pakistani-clerics-declare-transgender-marriages-legal-under-islamic-law-idUSKCN0ZD1IZ</ref> conjugal relations in marriage during the menstrual cycle<ref>http://aliftaa.jo/QuestionEn.aspx?QuestionId=2667#.YGOXVtKSncs</ref> or use of bug zappers.<ref>https://www.islamweb.net/en/fatwa/198619/killing-insects-with-electric-insect-killer</ref>

Shia Islam has a hierarchy that resembles a priesthood. Mullahs are prayer leaders, but usually do not interpret religious law. Mujtahids are religious scholars who may interpret law or passages from the Koran or Hadith. The lower order of Mujtahids are called Hojjatolislam. Ayat Allah (literally sign of Allah, also Ayatollah) is a higher order of Mujtahid who may issue Fatwas, or religious edicts, in addition to leading Islamic schools, interpreting religious law and the Koran, and offering sermons or discourses on proper Islamic behavior.

== Converts to Islam ==
People who convert to Islam from legitimate religions or from nontheism commit ideologically motivated crimes such as [[jihadism|jihadist]] [[terrorism]], [[hate speech]], [[discrimination]], and [[fraud]]: [http://web.archive.org/web/20190327113206/https://wikiislam.net/wiki/Converts_to_Islam A list of converts to Islam]. As has been witnessed many times, people who convert to Islam become radicalized and divide the world into two groups: Muslims ("people who surrender to Allah") and non-Muslims (''kafir''s, i.e. people who think differently).

==Today==
[[File:2012 Sydney protest.jpg|thumb|Some non-Muslims feel threatened by the unforgiving nature of the ideology of Islam.]]
Islam is the world's largest socio-political ideology, with over 1.6 billion followers, and is claimed to be the fastest-growing ideology in America.<ref>[http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/the-fastest-growing-religion-in-america-is-islam]</ref> This rapid growth is mainly due to conversions, high birth rates, and convenient redefinitions of the term "Muslim". Conversions to Christianity (from ''any'' faith or lack thereof) outnumber those to Islam, but are keeping up with the birthrate discrepancy.<ref>[http://www.bible.ca/global-religion-statistics-world-christian-encyclopedia.htm World Christian Encyclopedia]</ref><ref>[http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles6/AlJazeerahAfrica.php Translation of AL-Jazeerah interview between Maher Abdallah and Shiekh Ahmed Katani]</ref>

Islamic doctrine, including what is taught in [[North America]], teaches that 1 John 4:9, "God is love", is a false doctrine.<ref>http://www.arabicbible.com/for-christians/1313-christians-common-questions-about-islam.html?start=2</ref> The doctrine of ''Al-Wala wal-Bara'' teaches true faith is measured in sharing Allah's hatred of the ''kufr'', non-believers, or infidels.<ref>http://www.meforum.org/3545/islam-hatred-non-muslim</ref> In other words, Islamic doctrine teaches that Allah hates his own creation, sinful man, which John 3:16 teaches, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son." ''Al-Wala wal-Bara'', or divine hatred, is used to justify terrorist attacks. The believing Muslim feels he is carrying out Allah's will in killing Allah's enemies. Rather than the [[atonement|atoning]] blood of Jesus for sinful man, the murder of infidels and attacks on their societal institutions and national governments is aimed at blotting out evil in the world.

Even Orthodox Judaism teaches that Jehovah loves sinners. Psalm 138:8, for example, says, "The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands."

[[Indonesia]] has the largest Islamic population in the world.

=== Future of Islam in Europe and the desecularization of Europe ===
''See also: [[Atheism vs. Islam]] and [[Secular Europe]]''
[[File:Europe pol 2004.jpg|thumbnail|right|325px|In 2014, the Pew Research Forum indicated that [[Europe]] will go from 11% of the world's population to 7% of the world's population by 2050.<ref>[https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/02/03/10-projections-for-the-global-population-in-2050/ 10 projections for the global population in 2050] By Rakesh Kochhar, Pew Research Forum, February 3, 2014</ref>]]

In April 2010, Eric Kaufmann indicated concerning the future of Islam in Europe:
{{cquote|I address this in some detail in the book, as well is in a [http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/features/europes-muslim-future recent article in the April issue of Prospect magazine] here in Britain. The short answer is that I don’t foresee a Muslim-majority Europe in this century or in the next. Why? Mainly because Muslim birthrates are plunging both in Europe and the Muslim world. Already, Iran, Tunisia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and several other Muslim countries have replacement-level fertility or below. In the UK, Bangladeshi and Pakistani fertility has halved in a generation and is now under 3 children per woman. This means their long-term growth will begin to tail off. The other part of the equation is the rise of non-Muslim immigrant groups (African and West Indian Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and other Eastern faiths) who are also increasing and therefore making Europe more plural and, in the process, rendering it harder for Muslims to increase their share of the population.

That said, Muslim membership retention and in-group marriage is exceptionally high (over 90 per cent) and they are a much younger population than the host society. So they are on course for steady growth. My colleagues and I expect their fertility to fall to host levels by 2030, but they will still make up 5-15 per cent of most West European countries by 2050 and 10-25 per cent by 2100. This is a major change from the 2-6 per cent levels of today<ref>[http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/shall_the_religious_inherit_the_earth/#sthash.nE0JGi2Y.dpuf ''Shall the religious inherit the earth?''], 2010 Interview with [[Eric Kaufmann]] by MercatorNet</ref>}}

Due to the growing number of Muslims moving into secular Europe/[[Western World]] and the ideological differences between the [[atheist worldview]] and Islam, there has been growing tension between [[atheism|atheists]]/secularists and Muslims - particularly between [[Militant atheism|militant atheists]] and militant Islam.

The [[New Atheism|New Atheists]] [[Richard Dawkins]], [[Sam Harris]] and the late [[Christopher Hitchens]] have received multiple accusations of engaging in "[[Islamophobia|Islamophobic]]" behavior.<ref>
*[https://www.salon.com/2013/03/30/dawkins_harris_hitchens_new_atheists_flirt_with_islamophobia/ Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens: New Atheists flirt with Islamophobia] by Nathan Lean, ''Salon'', March 30, 2013
*[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/apr/03/sam-harris-muslim-animus Sam Harris, the New Atheists, and anti-Muslim animus] by [[Glenn Greenwald]], ''The Guardian'', April 3, 2013</ref> On the other hand, defenders of atheist criticisms of Islam/Muslims indicated that New Atheists should be able to criticize Islam without being accused of "Islamophobia".<ref>[http://www.newstatesman.com/religion/2013/04/new-atheism-should-be-able-criticise-islam-without-being-accused-islamophobia New Atheism should be able to criticise Islam without being accused of Islamophobia] by Andrew Zak Williams, ''New Statesman'', Published 19 April 2013</ref>

For more information, please see:

*[[Atheism vs. Islam]]
*[[Atheism vs. Christianity]]

==Other aspects of Islam==
===Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem===
Muhammad's home city of Mecca was the site of his earliest preaching and conversions, and is the location of the Kaaba, traditionally held to be the foundation stone of the first mosque built by Adam and later restored by Abraham, and now the focus of the annual pilgrimage (hajj). Some historians suggest that the Kaaba, a black stone probably meteoric in origin, was venerated by pre-Islamic polytheistic religions.

At first, Jerusalem was claimed by Islam to be its holy city and the focus of prayers, but Mecca became the center of Islam after Muhammad's return in 630. Medina, because of its early association with Muhammad and as the site of Muhammad's tomb, is second in importance to Mecca. Jerusalem is revered by Muslims as the site of Solomon's temple, Abraham's near-sacrifice of his son Ishmael, and the scene of Muhammad's miraculous midnight journey, the latter two now enshrined in the [[Dome of the Rock]] mosque. According to the Koran (Surrah 17:1, Isra) and Hadith, Muhammad and Gabriel were taken on winged mules from Mecca to Jerusalem, where they ascended through the seven heavens to the presence of Allah. During the visit, Muhammad learned, among other points, that Muslims were to pray five times each day and to honor Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and the other prophets.

===People of the Book===
Christians and Jews are called "people of the Book" in the Koran and are considered earlier forerunners to Islam and viewed as brothers as long as they pay an extra tax when under Islamic rule. Islam, which claims roots tracing back to Abraham through his son Ishmael instead of Isaac as the Jews did, believes that they are the descendants of Allah's promise. Islam claims that both the Old and New Testament were corrupted and corrected by the Koran (though in truth, it is the Koran itself which plagiarized from and corrupted Biblical scripture), but there is still an earlier link claimed between the two religions and Islam. The view of Jews and Christians varied within different parts of the Koran and Islamic history. Much of current Islamic culture, even in places that were once very tolerant such as Egypt, has seen an upsurge in persecution and violence against Christians and Jews.

===Jihad===
Jihad is the "struggle" each Muslim is called to against unbelievers (infidels). Participation in jihad in Allah's cause was the third most important good deed listed in the Hadith, after prayer and honoring one's parents. Jihad was a rallying cry for the military spread of Islam in the seventh through tenth centuries against non-Muslims, and is the same reason for Islamic terrorism and war today. 
Some Muslim apologists in the western world say that jihad refers to the difficulties a Muslim faces in the everyday trials of life, such as the effort to get better grades in school, or the striving to achieve better results from a job, or the struggle to avoid sinful temptations. It is, they say, the internal struggle of good and evil, or the pure and the impure. However, this is simply a fabrication, which has been publicly labeled as such by Muslim scholars in the middle east. Nonetheless, even some mosques not teach this, fostering a more peaceful version of Islam. Unfortunately, it is not based on the Koran and the Hadith, but rather modern revisions. Any Muslim believing this peaceful version can be corrected based on these sacred books, and thus become "radicalized."

====Violent passages of the Koran championed by Islam====
In its passages, the Koran has advocated adherents of Islam to commit acts of violence, hatred and insurrection against those who do not follow that ideology (in particular, Jews and Christians) or are critical of it, to subjugate Judaism, Christianity and other religions to Islam and to force the followers of legitimate religions to submit and adhere to Islam.<ref>[https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/quran/violence.aspx What Does Islam Teach About Violence]</ref><ref>[https://thereligionofpeace.com/pages/quran/hell-and-hate.aspx What Does Islam Teach About Hell and Hate]</ref> Not surprisingly, attempts at pointing out the violence advocated by the Koran have been met with denials and excuses by Islamic apologists, who engage in [[taqiyya]] by claiming that the critics of the violent passages took those passages "out of context" and that "critics only quote the part which (suits) them" while the apologists do exactly what they accuse the critics of doing.<ref>[https://discover-the-truth.com/2014/08/12/quran-2191-and-kill-them-wherever-you-find-them-explained/ Quran 2:191- ‘And kill them wherever you find them…’ Explained] - an attempt by Islamic apologists to excuse violent passages of the Koran by offering deceitful explanations of what they claim those passages "really mean"</ref><ref>[http://islam101.com/terror/verse8_12.htm The Holy Quran, verse 8:12], from another Islamic apologist site which excuses the violent passages of the Koran and attacks its critics by claiming "Some non-Muslims either through ignorance or Islam-bashing continue taking the verses of the Holy Quran out of context and its history to justify their false propaganda"</ref><ref>[https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/games/discover-truth/verses/47-4.aspx "Discover the Truth's" Game] - a refutation of the claims and excuses made by the Islamic apologist site Discover the Truth regarding Koran 47:4</ref><ref>[https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2005/01/jihad_quran_9123_v_matthew_103.html Jihad: Quran 9:123 v. Matthew 10:34] at American Thinker</ref><ref>[https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/06/obama_quotes_verse_532_omits_5.html Obama quotes (Koran) verse 5:32, omits 5:33] at American Thinker</ref> Among the more violent and hateful passages of the Koran are these:

*Koran 2:191 - “Slay the unbelievers wherever you find them.”
*Koran 9:123 - “Make war on the infidels living in your neighborhood.”
*Koran 9:5 - “When opportunity arises kill the infidels wherever you catch them.”
*Koran 3:85 - “Any religion other than Islam is not acceptable.”
*Koran 9:30 - “The Jews and the Christians are perverts; fight them.”
*Koran 5:33 - “Maim and crucify the infidels if they criticize Islam”
*Koran 9:28 - “The infidels are unclean; do not let them into a mosque.”
*Koran 22:19 - “Punish the unbelievers with garments of fire, hooked iron rods, boiling water; melt their skin and bellies.”
*Koran 47:4 - “Do not hanker for peace with the infidels; behead them when you catch them.”
*Koran 8:65 - “The unbelievers are stupid; urge the Muslims to fight them.”
*Koran 3:28 - “Muslims must not take the infidels as friends.”
*Koran 8:12 - “Terrorize and behead those who disbelieve (in Allah).”
*Koran 8:60 - “Muslims must muster all weapons to terrorize the infidels.”

====Osama bin Laden and fundamentalists====
[[Osama bin Laden]], a follower of [[Wahhabism]], stated that Islam is at war with the United States and its allies. Some observers claim that the number of Islamic fundamentalists is growing and poses a threat to the West.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.danielpipes.org/255/islamic-fundamentalists-are-the-new-big-threat-to-the-west|title=Islamic Fundamentalists are the New Big Threat to the West|author=Daniel Pipes|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|date=Sept 16, 1994}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.city-journal.org/html/rev2006-06-04td.html|title=All or Nothing: The quest for a moderate Islam may be futile.|date=June 4, 2006|author=Theodore Dalrymple|newspaper=Cite Journal}}</ref> But other observers differentiate between conservative "fundamentalists" and the "extremists" who follow murderers such as bin Laden or other terrorists.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://townhall.com/columnists/dineshdsouza/2008/09/15/who_speaks_for_islam/page/full/|title=Who Speaks For Islam|author=Dinesh D'Souza|newspaper=Townhall|date=Sept 15, 2009}}</ref> In several major Islamic nations, bin Laden had the support of the majority of people in the early years after the 9/11 attacks. As he lost battles with the West and started to target fellow Muslims his popularity waned.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pewglobal.org/2012/04/30/on-anniversary-of-bin-ladens-death-little-backing-of-al-qaeda/|title=On Anniversary of bin Laden’s Death, Little Backing of al Qaeda|date=April 30, 2012|publisher=Pew Research Center}}</ref>

===Islam and forced conversion===
The Quran and the various Hadiths teach Muslims to fight Non-Muslims until they are killed, converted, or in a permanent state of subjugation.
*Quran (8:38-39) - “Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief) their past will be forgiven... And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism: i.e. worshipping others besides Allah) and the religion (worship) will all be for Allah Alone [in the whole of the world ]. But if they cease (worshipping others besides Allah), then certainly, Allah is All-Seer of what they do.”

*Quran (9:29) - "Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued."

*Quran (9:5) "But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practice regular charity, then open the way for them..."

*Quran (9:11) - (Continued from verse 9:5) "But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then are they your brethren in religion"

*Quran (9:56-57) - "And they swear by Allah that they are most surely of you, and they are not of you, but they are a people who are afraid (of you). If they could find a refuge or cave or a place to enter into, they would certainly have turned thereto, running away in all haste."

*Quran (2:193) - "And fight them until fitna is no more, and religion be only for Allah. But if they desist, then let there be no hostility except against wrong-doers."

*Qur'an (3:83) - "Are they seeking a religion other than Allah's, when every soul in the heavens and the earth has submitted to Him, willingly or by compulsion?"

*Sahih Muslim (1:33) The Messenger of Allah said: "I have been commanded to fight against people till they testify that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, and they establish prayer and pay zakat."

*Sahih Muslim (19:4294) - "When you meet your enemies who are polytheists (which includes Christians), invite them to three courses of action. If they respond to any one of these, you also accept it and withhold yourself from doing them any harm. Invite them to (accept) Islam; if they respond to you, accept it from them and desist from fighting against them ... If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from them the Jizya. If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands. If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah's help and fight them"

*Sahih Bukhari (84:59) - "Allah's Apostle said, 'I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.' And if they say so, pray like our prayers, face our Qibla and slaughter as we slaughter, then their blood and property will be sacred to us and we will not interfere with them except legally and their reckoning will be with Allah.'"

*Sahih Bukhari (53:392) - "While we were in the Mosque, the Prophet came out and said, "Let us go to the Jews" We went out till we reached Bait-ul-Midras. He said to them, "If you embrace Islam, you will be safe. You should know that the earth belongs to Allah and His Apostle, and I want to expel you from this land. So, if anyone amongst you owns some property, he is permitted to sell it, otherwise you should know that the Earth belongs to Allah and His Apostle."

*Sahih Bukhari (2:24) - "Allah's Apostle said: "I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight against the people until they testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah's Apostle, and offer the prayers perfectly and give the obligatory charity, so if they perform a that, then they save their lives and property from me except for Islamic laws and then their reckoning (accounts) will be done by Allah."

*Sahih Bukhari (60:80) - "The Verse:--'You (true Muslims) are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind.' means, the best of peoples for the people, as you bring them with chains on their necks till they embrace Islam."

*Sahih Bukhari (60:40) - "...:And fight them till there is no more affliction (i.e. no more worshiping of others along with Allah)."

*Sahih Bukhari (59:643) - "Testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, or else I will chop off your neck!"

*Ibn Kathir v.4 p.133, Ibn Ishaq/Hisham 959 - "Then the apostle sent Khalid bin Walid… to the Banu al-Harith and ordered him to invite them to Islam three days before he attacked them. If they accepted then he was to accept it from them, and if they declined he was to fight them. So Khalid set out and came to them, and sent out riders in all directions inviting the people to Islam, saying, 'If you accept Islam you will be safe.' So the men accepted Islam as they were invited."

*Ibn Kathir (Commenting on Quran 2:256 in the unabridged version of his tafsir) - "Therefore all people of the world should be called to Islam. If anyone of them refuses to do so, or refuses to pay the jizya, they should be fought till they are killed."

===Islam and slavery===
*Quran (33:50) - ''"O Prophet! We have made lawful to thee thy wives to whom thou hast paid their dowers; and those (slaves) whom thy right hand possesses out of the prisoners of war whom Allah has assigned to thee"
''
*Quran (23:5-6) - ''"..who abstain from sex, except with those joined to them in the marriage bond, or (the captives) whom their right hands possess..."
''
*Quran (4:24) - ''"And all married women (are forbidden unto you) save those (captives) whom your right hands possess."
''
*Quran (8:69) - ''"But (now) enjoy what ye took in war, lawful and good"''

*Quran (24:32) - ''"And marry those among you who are single and those who are fit among your male slaves and your female slaves..."''

*Quran (2:178) - ''"O ye who believe! Retaliation is prescribed for you in the matter of the murdered; the freeman for the freeman, and the slave for the slave, and the female for the female."
''
*Quran (16:75) - ''"Allah sets forth the Parable (of two men: one) a slave under the dominion of another; He has no power of any sort; and (the other) a man on whom We have bestowed goodly favours from Ourselves, and he spends thereof (freely), privately and publicly: are the two equal? (By no means;) praise be to Allah."
''
*Sahih Bukhari (41.598) - Muhammad establishes that slaves are property. They cannot be freed if an owner has outstanding debt, but they can be used to pay off the debt<ref>https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/quran/slavery.aspx</ref>

*Sahih Bukhari (62:137) - Gives an account of women taken as slaves in battle by Mohammed's men after their husbands and fathers were killed. The women were raped with Mohammed's approval.

*Sahih Bukhari (34:432) - Another account of women taken captive and raped with Mohammed's approval. In this case it is evident that the Muslims intend on selling the women after raping them because they are concerned about devaluing their price by impregnating them. Muhammad is asked about coitus interruptus.

*Sahih Bukhari (47:765) - A woman is rebuked by Mohammed for freeing a slave girl. The prophet tells her that she would have gotten a greater heavenly reward by giving her to a relative (as a slave).

*Sahih Bukhari (2:15:103) - ''"I was watching the display of black slaves in the mosque..."''

*Sahih Bukhari (59:637) - ''"The Prophet sent Ali to Khalid to bring the Khumus (of the booty) and I hated Ali, and Ali had taken a bath (after a sexual act with a slave-girl from the Khumus). I said to Khalid, 'Don't you see this (i.e. Ali)?' When we reached the Prophet I mentioned that to him. He said, 'O Buraida! Do you hate Ali?' I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'Do you hate him, for he deserves more than that from the Khumlus.'"''

*Abu Dawud (2150) - ''"The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) sent a military expedition to Awtas on the occasion of the battle of Hunain. They met their enemy and fought with them. They defeated them and took them captives. Some of the Companions of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) were reluctant to have intercourse with the female captives in the presence of their husbands who were unbelievers. So Allah, the Exalted, sent down the Qur’anic verse: (Quran 4:24) 'And all married women (are forbidden) unto you save those (captives) whom your right hands possess.'"
''
*Abu Dawud (1814) - ''"...[Abu Bakr] He then began to beat [his slave] him while the Apostle of Allah (pbuh) was smiling and saying: Look at this man who is in the sacred state (putting on ihram), what is he doing?"
''
*Abu Dawud (38:4458) - ''Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib: “A slave-girl belonging to the house of the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) committed fornication. He (the Prophet) said: Rush up, Ali, and inflict the prescribed punishment on her. I then hurried up, and saw that blood was flowing from her, and did not stop. So I came to him and he said: Have you finished inflicting (punishment on her)? I said: I went to her while her blood was flowing. He said: Leave her alone till her bleeding stops; then inflict the prescribed punishment on her. And inflict the prescribed punishment on those whom your right hands possess (i.e. slaves)”.''

*Abu Dawud (1:142) - ''"Do not beat your wife as you beat your slave-girl"''

===Stealing from non-Muslims===
The Koran and the various Hadiths encourage Muslims to steal from non-Muslims.
*Koran (8:69) - "So enjoy what you took as booty; the spoils are lawful and good."

*Koran (48:20) - "Allah promised you many acquisitions which you will take, then he hastened on this one for you and held back the hands of men from you, and that it may be a sign for the believers and that he may guide you on a right path."

*Koran (33:27) - "And he caused you to inherit their land and their houses and their wealth, and land ye have not trodden. Allah is ever able to do all things."

*Sahih Bukhari (53:351) - " Allah's Messenger said, "Booty has been made legal for me."

*Ibn Ishaq (327) - "Allah made booty lawful and good. He used it to incite the Muslims to unity of purpose. So enjoy what you have captured."

*Ibn Ishaq (503) - "Allah saw what was in their hearts [what they coveted] so he rewarded them with victory and with as much spoil as they could take. Allah promised that they would soon capture a great deal of booty.”

*Sahih Bukhari (44:668) - "We were in the company of the Prophet at Dhul-Hulaifa. The people felt hungry and captured some camels and sheep (as booty)..."

*Ahmad 4869 (also found in the original Hadith of Bukhari and Sahih al Jaami' AsSagheer 2828) - It is mentioned from Ibn ‘Umar from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “I have been raised between the hands of the Hour with the sword, until Allah the Exalted is worshipped alone with no associates. He has provided sustenance from beneath the shadow of spears and has decreed humiliation and belittlement for those who oppose my order.”<ref>https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/quran/stealing.aspx</ref>

===Contamination of food given to non-Muslims===
There have been incidents where Muslims contaminate food given to Non-Muslims:
*In 2008, in the U.K, Saeed Hashmi and Jan Yadgari, the owners of a restaurant, sold chocolate cake sprayed with human feces.<ref>https://www.jihadwatch.org/2017/07/uk-muslim-who-sprayed-food-with-feces-and-urine-cant-be-deported</ref>

*In July 2019, the local branch of ISIS in India planned to poison prasadam at a Hindu temple, to kill over 400 Hindu devotees. The suspects were arrested before they could do this.<ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/terror-group-islamic-state-zakir-naik-mumbreshwar-temple-1573514-2019-07-25</ref>

*In August 2019, a Muslim vendor in the city of Meerut in India was caught mixing his Urine and Sperm in Biryani that he sold to Hindus.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LGuYkInllg</ref>

*On April 3, 2020, a Muslim fruit vendor in India was caught licking fruits before selling them.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPoFAe52uw4&feature=emb_title</ref>

*On May 8, 2020, a Muslim man by the name of Abdul Nazim Sheikh Mahmood was caught on video licking bread while cutting it. The incident occurred in Maharashtra, India.<ref>https://www.opindia.com/2020/05/maharashtra-man-arrested-in-amravati-after-video-of-him-spitting-on-bread-in-a-bakery-goes-viral-on-tiktok/</ref>

*On February 21, 2021, a Muslim man by the name of Sohail was caught on video spitting on Rotis while cooking for a wedding in the city of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, India.<ref>https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/watch-man-spits-on-tandoori-rotis-while-cooking-at-wedding-in-ups-meerut-arrested/723272</ref>

*On March 19, 2021, two Muslim men by the names of Sabi Anwar and Ibrahim were caught on camera spitting on Rotis that they were preparing.<ref>https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/2-staffers-held-for-spitting-on-rotis/article34103460.ece</ref>

===Restrictions===
Observant Muslims are not supposed to eat pork and in general do not have dogs as pets; both swine and canines are considered unclean. Muslims can have dogs for safety. Muslims are prohibited from drinking alcoholic beverages, gambling, and from collecting interest on financial transactions.

===Women in Islam===
[[File:Muslim girls at Istiqlal Mosque Jakarta Indonesia.jpg|left|thumb|240px|Muslim girls at Istiqlal [[Mosque]], Jakarta.]]
In pre-Islamic times women's rights were defined by tribal laws which differed among the tribes. Some women had absolute equity and the ability to hold power, while some women were treated worse than chattel; bride prices, unlimited polygamy, and female infanticide were a common theme. [[Sharia law|Islamic law]] offered a path for which Muslim men could regulate women in a legal system based on Muslim principles of jurisprudence on the Arabian peninsula. Treated merely as individual sex objects, women were granted very limited rights but as distinct legal individuals; forced to marry who their parents tell them to, women are required not to directly object in order for the marriage contract to have some form of validity.

Unlike the pre-Islamic times where unlimited polygamy occurred, [[Sharia law]] limits [[polygamy]] to a maximum of four wives at any one time, though the use of "temporary" marriage in effect rendered this restriction meaningless. Once married, only men are entitled to divorce any time they please. The reality of traditional Sharia law as applied in the modern era has shocked the modern conscience.<ref>Linda Rae Bennett, ''Women, Islam and Modernity'' (2005)</ref> These restrictions on women were put into place over a thousand years ago, and there has been little progress since. Women are still not allowed to drive a [[car]], they cannot ride [[bicycle]]s, are unable to [[vote]], have been prohibited from traveling abroad without permission, and they can't use public facilities when men are present.

[[File:Sharia.jpg|right|thumb|220px|Muslim woman tortured under Sharia law.]]
Women in Islam are treated as inferiors to men in almost every regard and women's rights are all but non-existent in Islam, a fact conveniently ignored by the ideology's liberal allies (including in [[feminism]] and the [[mainstream media]]). In [[Sharia]], the testimony of one man equals that of five women. Women are required to cover the head and body in public, by wearing the hijab. Hijab is applied in different ways: a small scarf around the head and western street clothes may be acceptable in Cairo or Damascus but a full length opaque [[burqa]] was enforced in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. As of 2008, [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Iran]], and [[Pakistan]] are the most significant Middle Eastern countries where the government requires women to wear some form of restrictive garb, though cultural pressure in most Islamic countries offers women little choice but to submit to the dictat of hijab. Women who are claimed by their husbands or family to have disgraced their family are put to death in "[[honor killing]]s"; buried halfway or sometimes up to their neck so they cannot run, women, who are in most cases victims, are stoned to death.

====Honor killings====
Another violent practice continued in Islamic countries is [[honor killing]], in which a brother, father, or uncle "restores" or "defends" a family's honor by killing the sister, daughter, or niece that "dishonored" the family through supposedly "promiscuous" behavior. This "promiscuous" activity often includes women from Islamic societies living in the West aspiring to a more open lifestyle. The "honor killing" is more ancient, and pagan in origin, but tolerated and practiced more or less openly in some Islamic societies.

Some apologists might try to excuse or justify this practice by putting down this verse:

<blockquote>
'Because of that, We decreed...that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.' -5:32. [http://quran.com/5/32].
</blockquote>

Notice the ellipses between decreed and that? I hope you did, and if you followed the link you would know that this was decreed to the Children of Israel, who would be the Jews. Now, how could this be a defense against honor killing in Islamic countries if this wasn't even given to Muslims? The answer lies in the very next verse:

<blockquote>
'Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment, Except for those who return [repenting] before you apprehend them. And know that Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.' (5:33-34) [http://quran.com/5/33] [http://quran.com/5/34]
</blockquote>

So what we get from that, unlike the Jews where it is a blessing not to commit murder, for Muslims, it is a deed for Allah to murder those who have "caused corruption". Among these that "cause corruption" could be one's daughter, sister, or wife who is not wearing the headscarf, praying five times a day, not fasting in Ramadan, becoming too Westernized, etc., and thus honor killing would be "justified" in their view. Of course if you look at the next verse, it says that you should be merciful to those who have repented -before you apprehend them. This implies that they will be terrorized, and then there self-preservation instinct will kick in and they will repent. But what about those who don't? What if one's female relative doesn't believe that the headscarf is necessary while you do? And what if she still believes the same way after you apprehend her? You follow 5:33. As Muhammed himself proclaimed:

<blockquote>
I have been made victorious with terror.'
-Bukhari 4.52.220 [http://www.quranexplorer.com/Hadith/English/Hadith/bukhari/004.052.220.html].
</blockquote>

====Female genital mutilation====
Female genital mutilation (also known as "female circumcision") is mentioned in Hadith as an "honorable" condition for a woman, and act to carry out. It is a pre-Islamic tradition in parts of sub-Saharan Africa and the Arab world, though not in Coptic Egypt as some Islamic apologists claim. Female genital mutilation is not called for nor is it supported by the Koran.

====Abortion====
Muslims see [[abortion]] as ''haram'' (forbidden), but accept it if the life of mother is at risk.<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/islamethics/abortion_1.shtml</ref>

====Islamic dress is regular grounds for conflict in multicultural education====
Treatment of women varies widely by country. In the Islamic state of Saudi Arabia women are forbidden from driving a car, traveling in public without their husband or a male family member as an escort, leaving their home without wearing Islamic dress, working or voting. Though not formally forbidden from owning property, they have no way of obtaining this as work is forbidden and only males are permitted to inherit – should a man die, his brothers, sons, and father will all inherit before his wife. These restrictions are part of Sharia law and enforced by the police and a special Islamic office. Pakistan has similar restrictions but to a lesser extent. In contrast, [[Turkey]] has a majority Muslim population and yet grants women some rights similar to those of men including property ownership, employment, and education to university level.

Islamic apologists suggest the extremely repressive policies of countries such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are cultural rather than religious, though these are the countries where traditional Islam is strongest. They point to the more moderate Islam practiced in Turkey as a demonstration that Islam and women's rights are compatible, ignoring the efforts of traditionalists in Turkey to end the few freedoms women were granted by men.

Islamic women's status is controversial. While Islamic men control and oppress Islamic women by compelling them to remain hidden behind the veil, sequestered in the home, and ignorant of the world by denying them access to education and worldly opportunities, Islamic apologists defend some practices. These men claim that many of the restrictions on women, such as the veil, are cultural traditions that pre-date Islam and are intended to protect women from predatory men. Unfortunately, such Islamic men ignore the fact that if a predatory man or group of rapists were to sexually assault an Islamic woman in Islam, she would be punished under Sharia law for "allowing" such an act to occur, and she would likely receive hundreds of lashes and years of jail time or be punished with death; the predatory man or men commonly go unpunished or only receive very light punishments at worst.

=== Atheism vs. Islam ===
From a global perspective, [[Europe]] is more secular/[[Atheism|atheistic]] than the rest of the world although it does have a considerable amount of religious immigrants who have higher birth rates (see: [[Secular Europe]] and [[Atheist population]] and [[Global atheism]]).

===Anti-science===
Modern science started in Christian Europe, not the Islamic world, and not even China. The Islamic world has not accomplished anything major in the sciences, unless copying counts. The Muslims borrowed their architecture from the Byzantines. For example, the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem was built and designed by Byzantine craftsmen. Thousands of years before Muhammad was born, the Greeks discovered algebra and the Persians built the first astrolabe, though no denying that the Arabs were influential in naming it. After Greece and China established academies with Syrian Christians starting the School of Nisibis, the first school of higher education to achieve university status was the University of Bologna, while Al-Ahzar University was established as a madrassa around 970 AD, but did not achieve university status until 990 years later; the first hospital was built by the heretical Nestorians. The Indian numerals were actually modified in Europe, but ironically, the Arabic language was the last one to adopt the modified version.

==Historical background==
According to Islamic belief, in approximately 610 A.D., [[Muhammad]], a 40-year-old merchant of the Quraysh tribe in [[Mecca]], located in the Hijaz (now eastern [[Saudi Arabia]]), was commanded by the angel [[Gabriel]] (or Jibreel) to "recite" the message of Allah (professed by adherents of Islam to be their god). Gabriel said mankind had lost sight of Allah's previous messages to earlier prophets, [[Adam]], [[Noah]], [[Abraham]], [[Moses]], [[Solomon]], and [[Jesus]], among others, and that Muhammad was to spread Allah's message to all people so that mankind would know how to live, how to show respect for Allah, and how to prepare for the judgment day.
[[File:Islam750.jpg|right|thumb|Map of the expansion of Islam]]
The message to Muhammad was to be Allah's last and fullest revelation, a direct copy of the Umm Al Khitab, the mother of all books located in heaven next to Allah; Muhammad was the "seal of the prophets." Muhammad won some converts to Islam in his local area, but his [[monotheist]] preaching threatened to undermine the profitable [[polytheist]] pilgrim traffic supporting many Meccan merchants. In 622 A.D., the merchants drove Muhammad and his followers out of Mecca to the city of Yathrib (later renamed [[Medina]], or the city – as in the city of the prophet). This flight (hijra) from Mecca to Medina marks the beginning of the Islamic lunar calendar, and is celebrated each year in the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Muhammad's forces, composed of the sahaba (companions) from Mecca, and the Ansar (allied tribes from Yathrib) started attacking the trade caravans going in and out of Mecca, cutting off its economic lifeline. After a series of battles between the Meccans and Muhammad's forces, Mecca finally accepted Muhammad's ultimatum to succumb and convert to Islam. The city welcomed the prophet back in 630. Muhammad died in 632.

Tribal elders in a traditional council called the "Shura" elected [[Abu Bakr]] to be Muhammad's successor, or [[Caliph]] (Khalifa). Abu Bakr united the tribes of the Arabian peninsula during his two years as head of the new faith. Upon his death, the elders elected [[Umar ibn al-Khattab]] the next Caliph. During Umar's ten-year reign, Islam invaded and spread through conquest and negotiation into [[Egypt]], [[Syria]], [[Palestine]], [[Iraq]], and parts of Persia (modern-day [[Iran]]). Umar was assassinated by a Persian in 644, and was succeeded by [[Uthman ibn Affan]], who continued the invasions to spread Islam into [[North Africa]], [[Cyprus]], the rest of Persia, [[Afghanistan]], and parts of [[India]] and [[Pakistan]]. Over the next two centuries, Islamic armies continued to expanded Islam's empire into sub-Saharan Africa, [[Spain]], South-east and Central Asia, and [[Turkey]].

The Muslim armies conquered and superseded the ancient Sassanid and Byzantine empires which had ruled before. Within a generation of Muhammad's death Islamic armies occupied an empire stretching from the Nile river to the far-off Persian province of Khorasan. Reasons for the rapid conquest are varied and obscure. The Arab armies were more akin to tribal war bands raiding and settling where and when they could. The Byzantine and Sassanid empires had been at war for centuries. The constant simmering conflict between Constantinople and Persia reached a climax in the early 7th century. The Sassanids conquered briefly Egypt and the Levant threatening the central Byzantine heartland of Anatolia. Under the military reforms of the emperor Heraclius, the Byzantine army consolidated and counterattacked, recapturing all that they had lost and capturing the Sassanian capital of Ctesiphon in 628.

This brief end of the Roman-Persian wars disrupted the frontier areas which had predicated their economies on raiding and mercenary activities. Two major areas in Arabia were directly affected. The Lackmid tribe and the Gassanid tribe both acted as mercenaries for the Persians and Romans. The official religion of both tribes analogically mirrored that of their overseers. Monophysite Christianity was common, particularly of the Jacobite sect. The death of Muhammad and the subsequent Ridda wars occupied these warrior tribes until the reign of Caliph Umar. Additionally, there was great religious unrest in the Levant and Egypt. These areas resented the ruinous taxes and the harsh orthodoxy imposed by the emperor in Constantinople.

The same climate was present in the Sassanid realm with the rise of the dualism of the Manicheans. Under the Caliph Umar, the Arab tribes which had concluded the infighting following the death of Muhammad were allowed to raid into the Byzantine and Sassanid frontiers. The weakened state of both regimes from both military and economic exhaustion and religious unrest made them fertile picking grounds for the tribal warbands. The Arabs were chiefly successful in holding these areas in that they upheld a lightweight regime of low taxes based on the Islamic laws and distant government. Rather than employing an army of bureaucrats and nobility, the early Arab empire was more favorable towards maintaining the existing government structures under the leadership of Arab tribes. In this atmosphere, it is hardly surprising to note the reports from both Islamic and Christian sources of peaceful capitulation and invitation of the invading forces.

[[File:Madina Haram at evening .jpg|center|800px|thumb|Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (the Mosque of the Prophet) in [[Medina]], [[Saudi Arabia]], the site of [[Muhammad|Muhammad's]] tomb.]]

=== Islam and war ===
''See also: [[Irreligion/religion and war]] and [[Islamic terrorism]] and [[Atheism vs. Islam]]''

In his book ''The Irrational [[Atheism|Atheist]]'', [[Vox Day]] wrote:
{{Cquote|It’s also interesting to note that more than half of these religious wars, sixty-six in all, were waged by Islamic nations, which is rather more than might be statistically expected considering that the first war in which Islam was involved took place almost three millennia after the first war chronicled in the ''Encyclopedia'', Akkad’s conquest of Sumer in 2325 B.C.

In light of this evidence, the fact that a specific religion is currently sparking a great deal of
conflict around the globe cannot reasonably be used to indict all religious faith, especially when one
considers that removing that single religion from the equation means that all of the other religious
faiths combined only account for 3.35 percent of humanity’s wars.<ref>[http://www.voxday.net/mart/TIA_free.pdf The Irrational Atheist - Abbreviated free copy on PDF]</ref>}}

===Islam and Christianity===
''See also: [[Dhimma]]''

While adherents of Islam do not believe Jesus to be the Son of God or in the Resurrection, they consider Him and His mother to be among Allah's most important prophets (Marian and Isa) otherwise known as Mary and Jesus. However, the Koran warns against worshipping Jesus, Muhammad, and other humans for fear of [[idolatry]].<ref>[http://www.ccg.org/_domain/ccg.org/Islam/Islam.htm Christian Churches of God Articles on Islam], March 10, 2007</ref>

The Koran states that non-believers will be punished, though the nature of the punishment is not specified (same as similar statements in the Bible and the Torah):

{{cquote|Surely, disbelievers are those who said:
'Allah is the third of the three (in a Trinity).' But there is no god but One, Allah.
And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall the disbelievers among them.

Will they not repent to Allah and ask His Forgiveness? For Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a Siddiqah (i.e. she believed in the words of God and His Books ).
They both used to eat food (as any other human eat).
Look how We make the signs clear to them, yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth)."
}}
::(Koran 5:73-75)

However, Islam does recognize Christians and Jews as "people of the book" since both refer to one God only, and recognize Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic) as a founding prophet.

==Critics==
Most contemporary critics of Islam are either atheists or nominally religious: [[Ibn Warraq]] (author), [[Wafa Sultan]] (psychiatrist), [[Ayaan Hirsi Ali]] (author), [[Hugh Fitzgerald]] (of JihadWatch), [[Oriana Fallaci]] (author), [[Geert Wilders]] (politician), [[Sam Harris]] (author), [[Pamela Geller]] (blogger), [[Bill Maher]] (comedian) and the crowd at the Ayn Rand Institute. The notable exception is [[Robert Spencer]], who while a devout Catholic, criticizes Islam as the socio-political ideology it is. Political critics include [[Winston Churchill]],<ref>[http://thefederalistpapers.org/us/winston-churchills-brutal-takedown-of-islam-means-more-today-than-ever Winston Churchill’s Brutal Takedown of Islam Means More Today than Ever]</ref> [[Herman Cain]], [[Rick Santorum]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news-press.com/article/20130323/NEWS0119/303230016/Santorum-delivers-warning-about-radical-Islam-during-Naples-appearance|title=Santorum delivers warning about radical Islam during Naples appearance|date=March 23, 2013|newspaper=Fort Meyers News Press|author=Lindsay Downey}}</ref> [[David Horowitz]] (author) and [[Pat Robertson]] (preacher). Neither [[Ronald Reagan]] (who helped mujahideen fight atheistic Communists) nor [[George W. Bush]] ("Islam means peace") saw Islam as the problem. Commentators note that the conservative response to fundamental Islam is a far cry from the complete and unequivocal condemnation of Communism during the heyday of the Cold War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liberty-and-culture.com/conservatives.html|title=The Conservative Response to the Islamic Threat.|author=Jason Pappas|date=Sept 5, 2004}}</ref> [[Dinesh D’Souza]] argues that Muslims are "God-fearing conservatives",<ref>{{cite book|author=Dinesh D’Souza|title=The Enemy At Home|year=2007|publisher= Doubleday}}</ref> even though they have formed convenient alliances with liberals and several Islamic countries (particularly Iran) have formed alliances with the Communist regimes in [[China]] and [[North Korea]] and the Marxist regime in [[Venezuela]] to oppose the United States and its Western allies.<ref>''Some of the text for this article was taken from "Islam: A Primer", Congressional Research Service Report for Congress (2003), a work in the public domain'' [http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/islam.htm#back]</ref>

===Ex-Muslims===
[[Michelle Malkin]] highlights a group of [[Ex-Muslims]] hoping to change the terms of debate about Islam in Europe. Maryam Namazie, the head of the British group said "Too many things in the media and government policies have been geared to pandering to the political Islamic movements and Islamic organizations."<ref>[http://michellemalkin.com/2007/06/20/ex-muslims-stand-up-in-britain/ Ex-Muslims stand up in Britain]</ref> Ex-Muslims include Ibn Warraq, Wafa Sultan, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Mark A. Gabriel, Walid Shoebat, and Mosab Hassan Yousef.

== See also ==
[[Image:Africa islam 87.jpg|thumb|Islam in Africa]]
*[[Arab American]]
*[[Islamic republic]]
*[[Islamophobia]]
*[[Qur'an]]
*[[Jihadism]], an extremist, take on Islam
*[[Ramadan]]
*[[In the midst of a Maelstrom: the Holy Spirit and silence: an essay]] encounter of Israeli Messianic Jew and Egyptian Muslim in Alexandria
*[[List of countries by number of Muslims]]
*[[Undercover Muslim]]
*[[Islamic worldviews]]
*[[Islamophilia]]
*[[Judaism and Islam]]
*[[Atheism vs. Islam]]
*[[Islam and Christianity]]

==Further reading==
* Armour, Rollin. ''Islam, Christianity, and the West: A Troubled History'' (2002) [https://www.amazon.com/Islam-Christianity-West-Troubled-History/dp/1570754071/ref=sr_1_32?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342713&sr=1-32 excerpt and text search]
* Armstrong, Karen. ''Islam: A Short History'' (2002) [https://www.amazon.com/Islam-History-Modern-Library-Chronicles/dp/081296618X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342302&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Berkey, Jonathan P. ''The Formation of Islam: Religion and Society in the Near East, 600-1800'' (2002) [https://www.amazon.com/Formation-Islam-Religion-Society-600-1800/dp/0521588138/ref=sr_1_27?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342713&sr=1-27 excerpt and text search]
* Campo, Juan Eduardo. ''Encyclopedia of Islam'' (2009), basic introduction
* Esposito, John J. ''The Oxford History of Islam'' (2000) [https://www.amazon.com/Oxford-History-Islam-John-Esposito/dp/0195107993/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342302&sr=1-6 excerpt and text search]
* Glasse, Cyril. ''The New Encyclopedia of Islam'' ( 2nd ed. 2008)
* Lewis, Bernard. ''Islam in History: Ideas, People, and Events in the Middle East'' (2001), by leading conservative historian [https://www.amazon.com/Islam-History-People-Events-Middle/dp/0812695186/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342525&sr=1-15 excerpt and text search]
* Martin, Richard C. et al. ''Encyclopedia of Islam & the Muslim World'' (2003), more advanced
* Newby, Gordon. ''A Concise Encyclopedia of Islam'' (2002) [https://www.amazon.com/Concise-Encyclopedia-Islam-Gordon-Newby/dp/1851682953/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342942&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Robinson, Chase F. ed. ''The New Cambridge History of Islam'' (Volume 1) (2009), summarizes advanced scholarship
* Ruthven, Malise, and Azim Nanji. ''Historical Atlas of Islam'' (2004)
* Schimmel, Annemarie. ''Islam: An Introduction''. (1992)
* Sonn, Tamara and Mary Williamsburg. ''A Brief History of Islam'' (2004) [https://www.amazon.com/Brief-History-Blackwell-Histories-Religion/dp/1405109009/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342302&sr=1-12 excerpt and text search]
* Wheatcroft, Andrew. ''Infidels: A History of the Conflict Between Christendom and Islam'' (2005) [https://www.amazon.com/Infidels-History-Conflict-Between-Christendom/dp/0812972392/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342525&sr=1-13 excerpt and text search]

==External links==
*[http://muslim-canada.org/islam_christianity.html Islam and Christianity] - excellent article comparing and contrasting the two.
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/ Qur'an online in English]
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/ Sahih Bukhari (Hadith collection) online in English]
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/ Sahih Muslim (Hadith collection) online in English]
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/abudawud/ Sunan Abu-Dawud (Hadith collection) online in English]
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muwatta/ Malik's Muwatta (Hadith collection) online in English]
* Congressional Research Service, "Islam: A Primer", Report for Congress (2003), a work in the public domain and the source of part of this article [http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/islam.htm#back]
*[http://www.creativeminorityreport.com/2011/01/islamists-torch-pope-in-effigy-again.html Islamists Torch Pope in Effigy, Again]
*[http://www.tribecatrib.com/news/2010/december/849_kind-strangers.html Muslims Saving Jews During World War II.] By Shane Dixon Kavanaugh.
*[http://differencesbetween.com/islam-and-muslim/ Difference Between Islam and Muslim]
*[http://bertschlossberg.blogspot.com/ A Turkish Delight: they think so in Israel too!]
*[http://bertschlossberg.blogspot.com/ Turkey's Islamic scholar, Rabbi Meir Lau, and Cain speechless before Abel]

==References==
{{reflist|group=note}}

[[Category:Islam]]
[[Category:Political Ideologies]]
[[Category:Perpetrators of Cancel Culture]]

Donald Trump

2021-08-13T15:42:15Z

Amateratsu: /* Social Issues */

Donald Trump

2021-08-13T15:40:50Z

Amateratsu: /* Social Issues */

{{Officeholder
|name=Donald John Trump {{verified}}
|image=Donald Trump official presidential photo.jpg
|party=[[Republican]] (1987–1999, 2009–2011, 2012–present) formerly [[Democrat]] (until 1987, 2001–2009), [[Reform Party|Reform]] (1999–2001), and [[Independent voter|Independent]] (2011–2012)
|spouse=Ivana Trump Marla Maples [[Melania Trump]] (current)
|birth_date=June 14, 1946
|children=5
|grandchildren=9
|religion=[[Presbyterian Church (USA)|Presbyterian]]
|offices={{Officeholder/president
|country=the United States
|number=45th
|terms=January 20, 2017 – January 20, 2021
|vp=[[Mike Pence]]
|preceded=[[Barack Obama]]
|former=n
|succeeded=[[Joe Biden]]
}}
}}
:''For his achievements as U.S. President, see [[Donald Trump achievements]].''
:''Donald Trump was [[Conservative of the Year]] in [[Conservative of the Year 2017|2017]] and [[Conservative of the Year 2018|2018]].''
'''Donald John Trump''' (b. [[Queens]], [[New York]], on [[Donald Trump's age|June 14, 1946]]), nicknamed "'''The Donald'''," is the 45th [[President of the United States of America]], as a result of winning the [[2016 presidential election]] as the [[Republican Party]] nominee. Before entering politics, he was a businessman and [[television]] personality. A strong [[conservative]], Trump has [[Donald Trump achievements|achieved much during his presidency]] and advanced many conservative priorities. He has greatly benefited the US energy sector by reducing the energy dependence of the US in the Middle East, helping gasoline prices go down, and encouraging projects such as the Keystone Pipeline. Despite this, he has received more criticism than any U.S. president in history, almost all of which is purely politically motivated.

In the [[United States presidential election, 2020|2020 presidential election]], Trump received at least a record-smashing 74+ million lawful votes, many in the key [[swing states]]. This confirms him as the leader of the [[Republican Party]], indeed the entire nation, for the foreseeable future. Many conservatives who no longer feel they identify with Trump are retiring. This is the most probable cause that at least 25% of Republican senators up in 2022 plan to retire, and many other transitions are occurring among the GOP nationwide.

Trump and his wife Melania tested positive for the [[Wuhan virus]] in early October 2020.<ref>Multiple references:
*[https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/10/01/president-donald-trump-first-lady-melania-trump-test-positive-for-coronavirus/ President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump Test Positive for Coronavirus]
*[https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/519282-president-trump-melania-trump-test-positive-for-covid-19 President Trump, Melania Trump test positive for COVID-19]
*[https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2020/10/02/breaking-president-trump-and-first-lady-test-positive-for-wuhancoronavirus-n2577338 BREAKING: President Trump and First Lady Test Positive for Wuhan Coronavirus]
*[https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-first-lady-test-positive-covid-19-n1241769 Trump, first lady test positive for Covid-19]</ref> The mainstream media have started mocking him, some believing he deserved his positive COVID-19 test; Pence is also vulnerable, since many of his workers have contracted the [[Wuhan coronavirus]]. [[Leftists]] and the [[MSM]] attempted to downplay Trump's experiences with the virus, claiming that the average American would not have received similar medication. Trump's strong leadership against the coronavirus even after falling ill to it himself shocked many.

==Financial worth & education==
Trump has engaged in many financial pursuits and estimated that his net worth was $10 billion, as of July 2015.<ref>LoGiurato, Brett (July 25, 2015). [https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-net-worth-2015-7 "We finally know a lot more about Donald Trump's 'massive' net worth"]. Business Insider website.</ref> ''Forbes'', however, estimates his net worth is $3.1 billion as of 2019.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/profile/donald-trump/ "The world's most powerful people: #2 Donald Trump"]. (March 6, 2017). Forbes.com website.</ref> He graduated from the New York Military Academy in 1964 and first attended college at [[Fordham University]] for two years before transferring to the more competitive [[University of Pennsylvania]] and completing his undergraduate studies at its Wharton School of Finance and Commerce. In September 2020, the [[New York Times]] reported on Donald Trump engaging in tax avoidance. It was claimed that his tax avoidance dates back to the 1990s.

Early media profiles of Trump claim he graduated "first in his class" from Wharton.<ref>Whitman, Alden (January 28, 1973). [https://www.nytimes.com/1973/01/28/archives/a-builder-looks-backand-moves-forward-builder-looks-back-but-moves.html "A builder looks back—and moves forward".] ''New York Times''. Retrieved from ''New York Times'' website.</ref> The evidence suggests otherwise and yet Trump has never sought to correct or clarify this potentially significant error.<ref>Geist, William E. (April 8, 1984). [https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/08/magazine/the-expanding-empire-of-donald-trump.html "The expanding empire of Donald Trump".] ''New York Times Magazine''. Retrieved from ''New York Times'' website.</ref>

==Candidacy==
[[File:2thumb-5-1-300x202.jpg|right|300px|thumb|As Trump rode the escalator to announce his candidacy, polls showed Hillary Clinton's collusion with Russia over the [[Uranium One deal]] was her biggest vulnerability. Deputy Attn. Gen. [[Sally Yates]] was taking steps to ban the Inspector General from oversight of the DOJ-National Security Division and hide [[FISA abuse]].<ref>[https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2020/03/08/doj-political-surveillance-from-the-irs-in-2011-to-the-fisa-court-in-2016/ DOJ Political Surveillance – From the IRS in 2011 to the FISA Court in 2016], Posted on March 8, 2020 by sundance. theconservativetreehouse.com</ref>]]
On June 16, 2015, he declared his candidacy for the Republican nomination in the [[2016 presidential election]].<ref>Multiple references:
*[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/06/16/trump-announces-white-house-bid-joins-crowded-gop-field/ "Trump announces White House bid, joins crowded GOP field"] (June 16, 2015). Fox News website/Politics. The front-runner in a record-breaking field of 17 [[Republican]] candidates, Trump announced that he did not anticipate "throwing punches" against his rivals in the first GOP debate.
*Chiacu, Donna and Torbati, Yeganeh (August 2, 2015). [https://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/02/us-usa-election-debate-idUSKCN0Q70NI20150802 "Trump says won't be 'throwing punches' in U.S. Republican debate"]. Reuters/Politics. But at the debate the [[Fox News Channel]]—particularly its [[feminist]] non-journalist [[Megyn Kelly]]—ambushed Trump with out-of-context quotations designed to smear him as somehow being anti-women. This ignited a national controversy that lasted for days, and Trump called upon Kelly to apologize, which she refused to do.</ref> Unlike most other U.S presidential candidates, Trump sharply criticizes the media and talks about issues that no elected official dares touch. For example, Trump stands up against [[feminists]], unlike most politicians. In another example, in 2011 Trump persistently doubted whether [[Barack Obama]] had been born in the [[United States]], which caused Obama's approval ratings to drop below 40% until Obama finally caved in to Trump and produced what Obama claimed was his birth certificate. Trump then scoffed at Obama's conduct.

'''''In February 2011, Trump announced that he is [[pro-life]], and at the final presidential debate on Oct. 19, 2016, Trump gave the strongest endorsement of the pro-life position of any presidential nominee in history'''''.

Trump's central campaign theme has been to oppose [[illegal immigration]] and [[free trade]], and nominated Senator [[Jeff Sessions]] as [[Attorney General]] to enforce standing legislation on the issue. As reported by [[Breitbart News Network|Breitbart]], "Sen. Sessions, Chairman of the Senate’s Immigration Subcommittee, is widely regarded as the gold standard on immigration. Sessions has also become the intellectual thought leader in the Republican Party on appealing to the blue collar voters who have been abandoned by their political leaders." <ref>Hahn, Julia (August 14, 2015). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/08/14/game-change-trump-consults-with-sen-jeff-sessions-on-immigration-strategy/ "Game change: Trump consults with Sen Jeff Sessions on immigration strategy"]. Breitbart website/Big government.</ref> In the later campaign Trump focused more on [[ISIS]] and terrorism.

At the final presidential debate between [[Hillary Clinton]] and Trump on October 19, 2016, Clinton chastised Trump for running a newspaper advertisement in 1987 critical of the [[Reagan Administration]]. But Trump persuasively explained that he has always disagreed with Reagan's support of free trade, as many other [[conservatives]] disagree with Reagan on this issue.

==Religious beliefs==
:{{Main|Donald Trump's religious views|Donald Trump and evangelicals}}
Donald Trump attended the First [[Presbyterian]] Church in Jamaica, [[Queens]]. He told the [[Christian Broadcasting Network]] that he still considers himself a [[Presbyterian]] and attends services for all major holidays and Sundays, and that "The [[Bible]] is certainly THE book." He receives Bibles from fans in the mail, and he either stores them or gives them away to others.<ref>Haberman, Maggie (April 11, 2011). [https://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/52942.html "Donald Trump talks about religion"]. Politico website.</ref>

In July 2015, Trump stated in an interview that "Why do I have to repent or ask for forgiveness, if I am not making mistakes?"<ref>Nothstine, Ray (July 23, 2015). [http://www.christianpost.com/news/trump-why-do-i-have-to-repent-or-ask-for-forgiveness-if-i-am-not-making-mistakes-video-141856/ Trump: 'Why Do I Have to Repent or Ask for Forgiveness If I Am Not Making Mistakes?' (Video)]. ''The Christian Post''. Retrieved March 13, 2017.</ref> He also stated that "I think if I do something wrong, I think, I just try and make it right. I don't bring God into that picture. I don't."<ref>Scott, Eugene (July 18, 2015). [https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/18/politics/trump-has-never-sought-forgiveness/ Trump believes in God, but hasn't sought forgiveness]. ''CNN''. Retrieved December 4, 2016.</ref> January 2016, Trump stated that "I have a great relationship with God," but that "I don’t like to have to ask for forgiveness."<ref>Key, Pam (January 17, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/video/2016/01/17/trump-i-dont-like-to-have-to-ask-for-forgiveness-from-god/ Trump: ‘I Don’t Like to Have to Ask for Forgiveness’ from God]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved March 13, 2017.</ref> When confronted by [[Cal Thomas]] in an interview in mid 2016 about his not asking God for forgiveness, Trump stated that he would ask God for forgiveness.<ref>Chumley, Cheryl (August 6, 2016). [https://www.wnd.com/2016/06/trump-answers-question-who-do-you-say-jesus-is/ Trump answers question: 'Who do you say Jesus is?] ''WorldNetDaily''. Retrieved March 13, 2017.</ref> In October 2016, [[Ben Carson]] stated that Trump did ask forgiveness from God with [[James Robison]].<ref>Showalter, Brandon (October 10, 2016). [http://www.christianpost.com/news/ben-carson-donald-trump-asked-god-for-forgiveness-prayed-with-james-robison-170650/ Ben Carson: Donald Trump Asked God for Forgiveness, Prayed With James Robison]. ''The Christian Post''. Retrieved March 13, 2017.</ref>

According to exit polling in the 2016 election, Trump won 81 percent of evangelical Christians compared to 16 percent for Clinton, a record high and even more than [[George W. Bush]] won in 2004, showing strong support for Trump from evangelical Christians.<ref name="townhall.com">O'Brien, Cortney (November 12, 2016). [https://townhall.com/tipsheet/cortneyobrien/2016/11/12/white-evangelical-voters-showed-up-this-time-n2243931 Evangelical Voters Showed Up Big Time For Trump]. ''Townhall''. Retrieved December 8, 2016.</ref><ref name="wsj.com">Lovett, Ian (November 9, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/evangelicals-back-donald-trump-in-record-numbers-despite-earlier-doubts-1478689372 Evangelicals Back Donald Trump in Record Numbers, Despite Earlier Doubts]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved December 8, 2016.</ref> He was the first sitting American president to address the annual Values Voters Conference in Washington.<ref>https://www.npr.org/2017/10/13/557459193/trump-set-to-address-values-voter-summit-for-first-time-as-president</ref>

==Career==
[[File:Trump business.jpg|right]]
Donald Trump began his career at [[Trump Organization]]. In his college years, he helped revitalize one of his father's failing real estate ventures. Trump began opening hotels and casinos, which provided him with the cash flow to engage in other ventures. He owns the world-famous [[Trump Tower]] and is the founder of the publicly traded Trump Hotel Casinos & Resorts. Trump also owns the Trump brand, which sells a variety of items, such as bottled water, steak, and even mortgages. Trump has authored a number of books and weathered changing business fortunes, but despite the challenges that he has encountered, he has continued to be a successful businessman and entrepreneur.

Trump [[Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2000|ran unsuccessfully]] for the nomination of the [[Reform Party]] in 2000. Trump considered [[presidential election 2012|running for president in 2012]] as a [[Republican]]. He, among others, questioned the citizenship of [[Barack Obama]], citing his failure to produce his birth certificate. After Obama produced his birth certificate, Trump and the other [[birther]]s continue to doubt its authenticity. Obama's approval ratings were around 40% during the peak of the controversy. Trump later exited the race, and gave the customary endorsement to [[Mitt Romney]] as the other [[Republican]] contenders did.

==Major properties==

*Trump World Tower: 845 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY.

*Trump Tower: 725 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10022 Personal Residence

*Bank of America Center (San Francisco)

*The Trump Building at 40 Wall Street

*Trump Park Avenue

*AXA Financial Center, 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY

*Trump International Hotel & Tower:
**New York
**Chicago
**Washington D.C.
**Las Vegas

*Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida (used by Trump as his "Winter White House".)

*Trump Winery - Charlottesville, Virginia

*14 golf courses (11 in the U.S., 3 in Europe - the course in Bedminster, New Jersey is used by Trump as his "Summer White House")

==Media==
[[File:Donald Trump star.JPG|thumbnail|right|Hollywood Walk of Fame]]
For his contributions to the gaming and entertainment industry, Trump was inducted into the Gaming Hall of Fame in 1995.

In 2003 Trump began as the host and executive producer of the reality [[television]] show ''The Apprentice'' and ''The Celebrity Apprentice'', where contestants compete for a position in Trump's organization. On this show, Trump popularized his catchphrase "You're fired!" Trump received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007 following the success of ''The Apprentice''. However, since he became president, Trump's star as been periodically vandalized by liberal political critics.<ref>Press Association (April 8, 2016). [http://www.onenewspage.com/video/20160408/4211707/Donald-Trump-Hollywood-Walk-of-Fame-Star.htm "Donald Trump's Hollywood Walk of Fame Star vandalised three times a day"].</ref>

Trump is also a noted fan of [[WWE]], and has been a part of some of their shows. Trump was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.

In 2016, following winning the presidential election, Trump was named Person of the Year by [[Time Magazine]].

Trump used to own the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants. Controversy arose when Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner was caught breaking pageant rules by drinking and other activities. Trump gave her a second chance after personally speaking with her and allowed her to retain her crown as she attended rehabilitation. For several weeks after this, [[Rosie O'Donnell]] berated Trump for his decision on ''The View''. A bitter media war ensued with the two exchanging insults.

Trump has made many guest appearances, usually as himself, on many TV shows and in several movies.

==Political positions==

====Coronavirus Pandemic====
President Trump deferred heavily to [[Hillary Clinton]]-supporter Anthony Fauci, a [[Deep State]] bureaucrat in the [[National Institutes of Health]], in responding to the [[coronavirus]] pandemic in early 2020. Trump rejected the advice of [[White House]] official Peter Navarro to take early action cutting off travel from [[China]], and to make [[hydroxychloroquine]] widely available.

Trump's polls numbers plummeted largely because of his deference to Fauci and unwillingness to take the advice of Navarro. John Fleming, an adviser to Chief of Staff [[Mark Meadows]], also misled Trump by denying the benefits of widespread access to hydroxychloroquine, as other countries have done to defeat [[COVID-19]].

====Social Issues====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Religious liberty and LGBT|Donald Trump achievements: Abortion|Donald Trump achievements: Healthcare, welfare, and other social issues}}
[[File:Donald-Trump-Rosa-Parks.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Donald Trump received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations in 1986 for improving the lives of African-American urban youths. From left to right: [[Anita Bryant]], [[Muhammad Ali]], [[Rosa Parks]], and Donald Trump.]]
At the 2011 [[CPAC]] conference, Trump announced he is [[pro-life]].<ref>Rahn, Will (February 10, 2011). [https://dailycaller.com/2011/02/10/trump-at-cpac-points-to-white-house-run/ "Trump at CPAC points to White House run"]. The Daily Caller website.</ref> Trump would not fund Planned Parenthood and the government should not give funds to any organizations that perform abortions<ref>Carroll, Lauren (May 1, 2016) [https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/may/01/ted-cruz/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-planned-parenthood/ "Do Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton agree on Planned Parenthood funding?"] Politifact website.</ref> However, he supports abortion in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mother or child.<ref>Ertelt, Steven (February 1, 2016). [https://www.lifenews.com/2016/02/01/mike-huckabee-defends-donald-trumps-abortion-conversion-he-is-pro-life-now/ "Mike Huckabee defends Donald Trump’s abortion conversion: 'He is pro-life now'"] LifeNews.com.</ref>

Trump says that the legalization of [[same-sex marriage]] doesn't matter because it's "settled law" now.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120831060550/http://www.gop.com/2012-republican-platform_We/#Item3 "Republican platform: We believe in America"] (bef. August 31, 2012). GOP.com website. Archived at Internet Archive on August 31, 2012.</ref> Trump believes that homosexual couples have the same adoption rights as straight couples.<ref>Guo, Jeff (August 10, 2016). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/08/10/how-donald-trump-is-slowly-teaching-republicans-to-embrace-gay-rights/ "Donald Trump is teaching the GOP a different way to embrace gay rights".] ''Washington Post'' website.</ref> Donald Trump has voiced open support for the LGBTQ community, and was the first Republican president to do so.{{cn}} He has stated that he will do everything he can do to protect the LGBTQ community, from Islamic extremists.

Trump says that a business should be able to deny service to a customer if the request conflicts with the owner's religious beliefs?<ref name="christiantoday.com">Hicap, Jonah (June 2, 2015). [http://www.christiantoday.com/article/donald.trump.vows.to.be.the.greatest.representative.of.christians.if.he.wins.white.house/55023.htm "Donald Trump: 'I will be the greatest representative of Christians if I win the White House'"]. Christian Today website.</ref> Trump would not require health insurance providers to offer free birth control.<ref>Associated Press (February 11, 2012). [https://web.archive.org/web/20151128095810/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2012-02-11/obama-birth-control-cpac/53046728/1 "GOP conservatives unite against birth control coverage"]. ''USA Today'' website/News/Washington. Retrieved from November 28, 2015 archive at Internet Archive.</ref>

Trump doesn't think that universities should provide “trigger warnings” and “safe spaces” for students.<ref>Hashmi, Siraj (November 10, 2016). [http://redalertpolitics.com/2016/11/10/safe-spaces-handed-election-donald-trump/ "Safe Spaces handed the election to Donald Trump"]. Red Alert Politics website.</ref>

Trump believes that marital rape be classified and punished as severely as non-marital rape.<ref>Diamond, Jeremy (July 28, 2015). [https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/28/politics/donald-trump-adviser-michael-cohen-rape/ "Trump distances himself from top aide's rape comment"]. CNN website/Politics.</ref>

Trump would not add "Gender Identity" to anti-discrimination laws.<ref>http://www.advocate.com/politics/2016/5/24/donald-trump-claims-accommodating-transgender-people-too-expensive</ref>

Trump wouldn't support a [[separation of church and state]] by removing references to God on money, federal buildings, and national monuments.<ref name="christiantoday.com"/>

Trump says that after a psychological examination to show they fully understand this choice, terminally ill patients be allowed to end their lives via [[assisted suicide]].<ref>http://wingspanonline.net/?p=2398</ref>

Trump supports the [[death penalty]].<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/01/nyregion/angered-by-attack-trump-urges-return-of-the-death-penalty.html</ref>

Trump thinks that the military should allow women to serve as long as they can pass the same physical tests as men.<ref>https://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/donald-trump-women-combat-tricky/2015/12/06/id/704736/</ref> (Compare [[gender norming]].)

Trump says that board members of a business should be the most qualified regardless of gender.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3269718/Trump-gives-young-feminist-brush-equal-pay-abortion-going-make-good-job-happen-pro-life.html</ref>

Trump does not believe that the government can show a confederate flag on public property.<ref>https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-tees-off-on-the-confederate-flag/</ref>

Trump believes that women should be allowed to wear a Niqāb, or face veil, to civic ceremonies.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFVCZhFsNR8</ref>

====Healthcare Issues====
Trump does not support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and would open the markets so insurers can compete across state lines and reduce costs.<ref name="donaldjtrump.com">https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/healthcare-reform</ref><ref name=Educ>Breitbart.tv (February 9, 2011). [https://www.breitbart.com/video/2011/02/09/pro-life-donald-trump-would-eliminate-dept-of-education-impose-25-tax-on-china-imports-if-president/ "Pro-life Donald Trump would eliminate Dept of Education, impose 25% tax on China imports if president"]. Breitbart.com.</ref> However, he has also said, "I like the mandate."<ref>[https://dailycaller.com/2016/02/19/trump-on-obamacare-i-like-the-mandate-video/ "Trump On Obamacare: ‘I Like The Mandate’"]</ref>

Trump thinks that the government should regulate the prices of life-saving drugs.<ref>https://www.politico.com/story/2016/01/trump-backs-
medicare-negotiating-drug-prices-218215</ref>

Trump supports the legalization of marijuana for medical use.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/2015/06/18/exclusive-donald-trump-on-what-made-him-run-for-president-on-hannity/</ref>

''Donald Trump has not yet answered if he supports the privatization of veteran's healthcare.''

Trump believes that the federal government increase funding of health care for low income individuals (Medicaid).<ref>https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-09-15/trump-calls-for-expanded-medicaid-birth-control-without-doctor</ref>

====Controversy with Barack Obama====
[[File:Donald Trump Speaking in Fountain Hills.jpg|thumb|Trump speaking in Fountain Hills, Arizona in March 2016.]]
Trump has also questioned Barack Obama's constitutional eligibility to be president, in light of the ongoing questions surrounding his birth certificate.<ref>[https://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=280533 "Trump: Obama spending millions to hide his past"] (March 28, 2011). WorldNetDaily website.</ref> Trump questioned whether the Obama Administration was successful in negotiating with foreign countries. Trump declared during the 2016 election that he no longer would question Obama's eligibility.

====Economic Issues====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Economic policy and labor|MAGAnomics}}
Trump's economic plan is designed to make the country more competitive by implementing policies that apply to all companies: cutting taxes, including the corporate tax rate, repealing and rolling back stifling regulations, including the biggest of them all, Obamacare and those clobbering the energy sector, renegotiating trade deals such as NAFTA, and killing off the nascent [[Trans-Pacific Partnership]].<ref>Crowley, Monica (December 7, 2016). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/dec/7/donald-trump-and-the-art-of-getting-it-done/ Donald Trump and the art of getting it done]. ''The Washingon Times''. Retrieved December 10, 2016.</ref>

Trump would not require employers be required to pay men and women the same salary for the same job as there are too many other variables such as education, experience, and tenure that determine a fair salary.

''Trump has not answered whether welfare recipients be tested for drugs.''

Trump said he would require businesses be required to provide paid leave for full-time employees during the birth of a child or sick family member.

Trump would raise the federal minimum wage.

Trump believes there should be more restrictions on current welfare benefits.

Trump would instate a 35% tariff on all imports from China even though he used Chinese steel to build all of his Trump Towers.<ref>http://www.newsweek.com/how-donald-trump-ditched-us-steel-workers-china-505717</ref>

Trump would also lower the corporate tax rate.<ref>https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/an-america-first-economic-plan-winning-the-global-competition</ref>

Trump says that the U.S. shouldn't continue to participate in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).<ref>https://money.cnn.com/2016/09/16/news/economy/donald-trump-nafta-mexico-china-tariff/</ref>

Trump would cut public spending in order to reduce the public debt.<ref>https://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/donald-trump-believe-candidate-stands-10-issues/</ref>

Trump believes that the government is currently over-regulating private businesses and that it shouldn't require businesses to pay salaried employees, making up to $46k/year, time-and-a-half for overtime hours.<ref>https://www.politico.com/tipsheets/morning-shift/2016/08/trump-v-overtime-rule-215883</ref>

Trump thinks that the government should prevent “mega mergers” of corporations that could potentially control a large percentage of market share within its industry.<ref>https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-10-22/trump-would-block-proposed-at-t-time-warner-merger-if-elected</ref>

Trump said that labor unions, in theory help the economy but have recently become corrupt and should have their powers limited.<ref>http://projects.newsday.com/opinion/newsday-editorial-board-interviews-donald-trump/#nypd</ref>

Trump would increase the tax on profits from the sale of stocks, bonds, and real estate.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4I5QUGRf-Q&feature=youtu.be</ref>

Trump believes economic stimulus will aid the country during times of recession.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/03/us/politics/trump-clinton-infrastructure.html?_r=0</ref>

Trump thinks the Federal Reserve Bank should be audited by Congress.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-election-trump-fed-idUSL1N12Y1ZG20151103</ref>

Trump doesn't support the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) as this will incentivize companies to move U.S. jobs overseas.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/07/us/politics/transcript-of-the-republican-presidential-debate-in-new-hampshire.html</ref>

Trump would eliminate the [[estate tax]].<ref>https://thehill.com/policy/finance/290825-clinton-to-criticize-trumps-plan-to-repeal-the-estate-tax</ref>

Trump would end all government subsidies and let the free market run its course.<ref>http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/17cfa1a0-0b9e-11e5-a06e-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3e0UlsdmX</ref>

''Trump has not answered if pension payments be increased for retired government workers.''

Trump favors an increased sales tax in order to reduce property taxes even though sales tax would not provide a steady stream of income.<ref>http://www.taxjusticeblog.org/archive/2015/06/donald_trumps_regressive_and_r.php#.VYr8_hNViko</ref>

Trump supports pension plans for federal, state, and local government workers be transitioned into privately managed accounts.<ref name="donaldjtrump.com"/>

Trump said that the U.S. government should not bailout Puerto Rico.<ref>http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=c89b639c-07de-4a0f-a634-dda08e3de95a</ref>

Trump believes citizens should not be allowed to save or invest their money in offshore bank accounts as too many wealthy citizens are abusing loopholes in offshore banking laws to evade taxes.<ref>https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-puts-his-money-in-companies-that-stash-cash-abroad/</ref>

Trump would not apply an in-state sales tax apply to online purchases of in-state buyers from out-of-state sellers.<ref>http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ce65fe3f0bbd43c19cf17c5c8da8d958/trump-amazons-bezos-uses-washington-post-avoid-taxes</ref>

Trump thinks that the government classify Bitcoin as a legal currency.<ref>https://www.cryptocoinsnews.com/trump-presidency-boost-bitcoin-price/</ref>

====Department of Education====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Education}}
At the 2011 [[CPAC]] conference, he stated that he wants to eliminate the Department of Education.<ref name=Educ/>

====Foreign policy====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Foreign policy}}
Donald Trump is a [[nationalism|nationalist]] who promised to "put America first"<ref>[https://insider.foxnews.com/2017/06/07/trump-touts-new-infrastructure-plan-cincinnati-states-america-first-message 'It's Time Finally to Put America First': Trump Touts New Infrastructure Plan]</ref> (See: [[Donald Trump and nationalism]]). At the same time, in April 2017, he stated that "I’m a nationalist and a globalist."<ref>Starr, Penny (April 28, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/04/28/trump-im-a-nationalist-and-a-globalist/ Trump: ‘I’m a Nationalist and a Globalist’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved January 10, 2018.</ref>

In July 2015 Trump explained he wants to improve relationships with [[Russia]]n president [[Vladimir Putin]].<ref>Johnson, Simon (July 31, 2015). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11775145/Donald-Trump-Id-get-on-very-well-with-Putin-if-I-were-president.html "Donald Trump: I'd get on 'very well' with Putin if I were president"]. The Telegraph [U.K.] website.</ref> Many left-wingers accused Trump's presidential campaign of "colluding" with [[Russia]]. However the Trump Administration took several tough actions against Russia, including some that even the Obama Administration avoided.<ref>Berger, Judson (December 26, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/12/26/trump-administration-ends-2017-confronting-russia-after-year-collusion-accusations.html Trump administration ends 2017 confronting Russia after year of collusion accusations]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved December 26, 2017.</ref> In an interview with [[ABC]] he said that Putin won't make a military move into [[Ukraine]]. Furthermore, Trump argued in a tweet that the conflict over [[Crimea]] was the fault of the Obama administration.<ref>[https://edition.cnn.com/2016/07/31/politics/donald-trump-russia-ukraine-crimea-putin/ Trump says Putin is 'not going to go into Ukraine,' despite Crimea]</ref> Trump later accused Russia of taking [[Crimea]] by force and asked whether Obama was too soft on Russia.<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-russia-latest-tweet-accuse-crimea-obama-too-soft-distance-campaign-team-white-house-a7581511.html Donald Trump accuses Russia of taking Crimea by force in attempt to distance himself from campaign allegations]</ref>

Trump said that the [[Iran nuclear deal]] is bad and as president, he kept his promise by withdrawing from it.

After his election as U.S. president, [[Israel]]i prime minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] called Trump "a true friend of the State of Israel."<ref>[https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/netanyahu-trump-israel-true-friend-231094?lo=ap_c4 Netanyahu calls Trump 'a true friend' of Israel]. ''Politico''. November 9, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2016.</ref> On February 2, 2017, Trump stated that building new settlements in the [[West Bank]] "may not be helpful" to achieving peace in the [[Middle East]], and he appeared to shift his formerly strong stance on moving the U.S. embassy to [[Jerusalem]] as he had previously stated.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/02/03/trump-to-israel-settlements-may-not-help-achieve-peace-in-middle-east.html Trump to Israel: Settlements ‘may not help’ achieve peace in the Middle East]. ''Fox News''. February 3, 2017. Retrieved February 5, 2017.</ref> But on December 6, 2017, Trump announced that the U.S. officially recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and that the U.S. would begin the process of moving the U.S. Embassy from [[Tel Aviv]] to Jerusalem.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://server5.kproxy.com/servlet/redirect.srv/saun/sncfausiyyo/sqrs/p2/the-press-office/2017/12/06/president-donald-j-trumps-proclamation-jerusalem-capital-state-israel|title=President Donald J. Trump's Proclamation on Jerusalem as the Capital of the State of Israel |publisher=White House|accessdate=6 December 2017|date=6 December 2017}}</ref> Trump in 2019 also gave official U.S. recognition to the [[Golan Heights]] as being part of Israel. In recognition for his support of Israel, a plaza in Jerusalem was named for Trump ("Donald Trump Square"), as well as a settlement in the Golan Heights ("Trump Heights")

Trump had criticized [[NATO]] for not fulfilling its financial obligations, going so far as declaring the organization "obsolete", but in April 2017 - after getting promises from NATO partners to make increased financial contributions - Trump retracted the obsolete declaration.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/news/the-latest-trump-says-nato-no-longer-obsolete/ The Latest: Trump says NATO ‘no longer obsolete’]. ''Breitbart News'' (from the ''Associated Press''). Retrieved April 21, 2017.</ref><ref>Hagen, Lisa (April 21, 2017). [https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/328558-trump-nato-is-no-longer-obsolete Trump: NATO is ‘no longer obsolete’]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 21, 2017.</ref>

Immediately after taking office, Trump had exchanged vitriolic rhetoric with and made threats to North Korea after the latter carried out numerous medium/long-range missile tests and a nuclear test in September 2017. However, in March 2018, Trump announced he would hold a summit with North Korea Chairman Kim Jong Un, making him the first U.S. president to have bilateral talks with a North Korean leader. The first summit was held in Singapore in June 2018, a second in Hanoi in February 2019, and a third informal summit in the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in June 2019 - during which he became the first sitting U.S. president to step foot on North Korean soil. During the period of the summits, North Korea had halted testing of long/medium-range missiles, as well as nuclear testing (and outside of a few short-range missiles in early May 2019, North Korea hasn't tested any weapons since November 2017.)

On Monday, 7 October 2019, Trump ordered American military forces to withdraw from northern Syria in case Turkish forces and their allies would attack them, meaning the predominantly Syrian Kurdish ''SDF'' (''Syrian Democratic Force'') would not have direct U.S. military support. This decision came after a telephone conversation with Turkish ruler [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] on Sunday,<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/turkey-announces-incursion-of-northeast-syria-us-backed-kurds-have-vowed-all-out-war Trump pulls back troops from northern Syria ahead of Turkish assault, Pentagon officials 'blindsided']</ref> and Turkish forces soon began advancing into northern Syria to create a buffer zone.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/world/turkey-syria-invasion-ground-forces-civilians-dead Turkey announces northern Syria invasion of ground forces; multiple civilians reported dead]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUeXaPaKF50 Why Turkey is invading Syria]</ref> In the same week it was announced that it is planned by the U.S. administration to send 1,500 troops to the Middle East because of the tensions between [[Saudi-Arabia]] and [[Iran]].<ref>[https://video.foxnews.com/v/6040831354001/ President Trump plans to send 1,500 US troops to the Middle East]</ref> President Erdogan visited the White House on November 13, 2019.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/11/13/donald-trump-im-a-big-fan-of-turkish-president-recep-tayyip-erdogan/ Donald Trump: ‘I’m a Big Fan’ of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan]</ref>

====Global warming====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Energy and environmental policy}}
Trump does not believe in the [[Climate Change]] hysteria, once stating the "Nobel committee should take the [[Nobel Prize]] back from [[Al Gore]]."

====Second Amendment rights====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Gun rights}}
Trump is strongly pro-[[Second Amendment]] and against [[leftist]] [[gun control]] and gun free zones. As president, Trump has promised to re-arm military personnel on all American military bases as well as [[ROTC]] recruitment centers, which were disarmed by the [[Clinton Administration]] policy.<ref name=Educ/> Trump was strongly endorsed by the [[National Rifle Association]] in one of its earliest endorsements in an election campaign.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/05/20/nra-to-endorse-trump.html# Trump wins NRA endorsement, blasts Clinton on gun stance at forum]. ''Fox News''. May 20, 2016. Retrieved October 22, 2016.</ref>

====Homosexual agenda====
For all practical purposes, Trump seems to be on the side of the [[homosexual agenda]]. He supports the creation of new law by the [[U.S. Supreme Court]], as in a new right to [[homosexual marriage]], and declares it the "law of the land" even though Congress passed no such law.

Trump has attended multiple [[same-sex marriage]] ceremonies{{Citation needed}}, but has also said in the past that he opposes same-sex marriage. Trump's views are not yet known on other aspects of the [[homosexual agenda]], such as whether Trump would ban [[conversion therapy]] for minors as [[Chris Christie]] did. The [[Fox News Channel]] debate in August avoided these issues.

====Immigration====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Immigration and border security}}
See the discussion in the introduction above. This is Trump's main campaign issue.

A central part of his immigration plan is to build a giant wall on the border with Mexico. Trump estimates it will cost $8 billion, approximately 35 to 40 feet high and stretch 2000 miles.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/02/09/donald-trump-the-wall-is-probably-8-billion Trump Border Wall]</ref> During the campaign, Trump promised that Mexico will pay for the wall, but after taking office, he clarified that payment could be in the form of a tax on Mexican imports or other revenues measures after the Mexican government showed opposition towards Trump's plan.

Trump has also proposed to temporarily ban [[Muslims]] from entering the United States, until "our leaders figure out what the hell is going on," in order to protect Americans from the threats posed by [[Islamic]] [[refugee]]s (and those pretending to be<ref>[http://m.washingtonexaminer.com/isis-fighters-infiltrating-syrian-refugees-uk-is-warned/article/2572051 ISIS fighters infiltrating Syrian refugees, UK is warned]</ref>) entering the country.<ref>[http://www.donaldjtrump.com/media/donald-trump-insists-muslim-ban-is-about-safety-not-religion Donald Trump Insists Muslim Ban Is About Safety, Not Religion]</ref>

Efforts have been made by hostile journalists to paint Trump as advocating a [[Muslim registry]], but what he actually proposed was a [[database for Syrian refugees]].

====Political contributions====
He has been criticized for his substantial contributions to [[Democrat]] lawmakers; the majority of those lawmakers are located in the states he resides in: New York and Florida. The amount he has donated since 2008 is $25,000, which is insignificant considering his wealth.<ref>Allin, Olivia (April 30, 2011). [http://www.ontheredcarpet.com/Donald-Trump-calls-nations-leaders-stupid-people-and-blood-sucking-politicians/8104644 "OTRC: Donald Trump calls nation's leaders 'stupid people' and 'blood-sucking politicians'"]. OnTheRedCarpet [news]. Retrieved from ABC7 [KABC Television, Los Angeles] website.</ref>

Trump is not known to be beholden to any big-money donors.

====Tariffs====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Trade policy}}
[[File:Donald Trump RNC July 2016.jpg|thumb|Trump accepting the GOP nomination in Cleveland on June 21, 2016.]]
At the 2011 [[CPAC]] conference, he stated that he supports a 25% tariff on Chinese goods.<ref name=Educ/> The number floated around in 2016 is a 45% tariff. Trump was speaking in regards to China and the [[World Trade Organization]],<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-finance-ministerlou-jiwei-takes-aim-at-donald-trumps-trade-policies-1460892988 Chinese Finance Minister Lou Jiwei Takes Aim at Donald Trump’s Trade Policies, WallStreetJournal, April 17, 2016]</ref>

{{cquote|In a statement from his campaign, Mr. Trump charged that [[China]] was “in total violation of WTO regulations” and that the U.S. “has incompetently allowed them to get away with this” and has failed to impose “equal or greater taxes and tariffs” on China. If he is elected president, Mr. Trump said, China “will learn to deal fairly and justly or we will not deal at all” with Beijing.}}

====Vaccines====
Trump believes that [[vaccines]] cause [[autism]]<ref>Ferris, Sarah (September 16, 2015). [https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/253980-trump-links-vaccines-to-autism-epidemic "Trump links vaccines to autism 'epidemic'"]. The Hill website/Policy/Healthcare.</ref> and has argued against requiring that so many vaccines be given to infants.

==== Eminent domain====
Trump believes that the government has the right to take [[private property]] upon paying just compensation for both infrastructure and to promote economic development.

==== Supreme Court====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: The courts}}
Trump opposed filling the Supreme Court seat held by [[Antonin Scalia]] before the next President takes office. When asked who he might select to the Supreme Court, he said that his sister, a sitting federal court judge, would make a great Supreme Court justice.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://server5.kproxy.com/servlet/redirect.srv/sruj/sfothrfaqegbnvj/suvw/p2/corner/423196/trump-praises-his-sister-pro-abortion-extremist-judge-ramesh-ponnuru|title=Trump Praises His Sister, a Pro-Abortion Extremist Judge|date=Aug 27, 2015|accessdate=February 21, 2016}}</ref>

===Hillary Clinton===
Trump had pledged, if elected president, to appoint a special prosecutor to further investigate [[Hillary Clinton]]'s use of a private email server whilst Secretary of State, but Hillary took her crushing defeat so hard that Trump charitably softened his stance after winning.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/22/us/politics/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-investigation.html Donald Trump Drops Threat of New Hillary Clinton Investigation] New York Times - Nov. 22, 2016</ref> A few of Trump supporters, such as [[Ann Coulter]] and [[Breitbart]], expressed disappointment but Trump rose in overall public approval.<ref>[https://www.newsmax.com/Politics/ann-coulter-slams-trump-clinton/2016/11/22/id/760220/ Ann Coulter Slams Trump's Decision on Clinton] Newsmax.com - Nov. 22, 2016</ref><ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/radio/2016/11/23/peter-schweizer-letting-hillary-off-hook-definition-rigged-system/ Peter Schweizer: Letting Hillary off the Hook Is ‘Definition of a Rigged System’] Breitbart.com - Nov. 23, 2016</ref>

==2016 presidential election==
[[File:Donald Trump (29273256122) Phoenix.jpg|thumb|250px|Donald Trump on August 31, 2016.]]
{{See also|2016 U.S. presidential election|Donald Trump achievements: 2016 election and transition}}
===Path to the Nomination===
In the 2015 [[Value Voters Debate|Value Voters]] poll, Trump performed poorly, coming in fifth, indicating many [[Christian]] [[conservatives]] had not yet warmed up to him.<ref>Flores, Reena (September 26, 2015). [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-conservative-poll-donald-trump-could-not-win/ "The conservative poll Donald Trump could not win"]. CBSNews website.</ref> Trump is a big supporter of [[gambling]], which most Christians, other religious groups, and [[conservatives]] oppose. But by 2016 Trump was winning more support from [[evangelical]]s than any other Republican candidate.

Trump won the Republican primary, receiving more votes than any other Republican primary candidate in history.<ref>Hoft, Joe (June 7, 2016). [https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/06/trump-trumps-wins-historic-race-record-fashion/ HISTORY! Trump Shatters Republican Primary Vote Record by 1.4 Million Votes]. ''The Gateway Pundit''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref>

===General election===
Trump faced former liberal Democrat Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]] in the general election. Trump's campaign was vastly outspent, outraised, and out-staffed by Clinton's.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/11/10/more-with-less-trumps-lean-machine-beats-clintons-big-bank-account.html More With Less: Trump's lean machine beats Clinton's big bank account]. ''Fox News''. November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2016.</ref> The [[mainstream media]] was extremely biased against and unfair towards Trump.<ref>Kurtz, Howard (November 11, 2016). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/11/11/media-remain-hostile-to-donald-trump-even-as-some-pundits-admit-blew-it.html Media remain hostile to Donald Trump even as some pundits admit they blew it]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved November 11, 2016.</ref><ref>[https://www.billoreilly.com/b/Media-Bias-to-the-Extreme/39285014073786148.html Media Bias to the Extreme]. ''BillOReilly.com''. November 11, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2016.</ref> According to a study, 91% of the media coverage concerning Trump was negative and 96% of campaign contributions from the media went to Clinton.<ref>Bedard, Paul (March 19, 2017). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/anti-trump-media-91-coverage-negative-96-of-donations-to-hillary/article/2617828 https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/anti-trump-media-91-coverage-negative-96-of-donations-to-hillary/article/2617828]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved April 27, 2017.</ref>

It was widely expected that Clinton would easily win the election, and the elite pollsters and "political insiders" all predicted a massive Clinton victory.<ref>Vogel, Kenneth P. & Isenstadt, Alex (November 9, 2016). [https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/how-did-everyone-get-2016-wrong-presidential-election-231036 How did everyone get it so wrong?]. ''Politico''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref><ref>Catanese, David (October 24, 2016). [https://www.usnews.com/news/the-run-2016/articles/2016-10-24/republicans-last-hope-the-polls-are-wrong Republicans’ Last Hope: The Polls Are Wrong]. ''U.S. News & World Report''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref> At least once, when a poll was released that actually showed Trump leading, Clinton's campaign dismissed it as "bad polling".<ref>Nelson, Louis (November 1, 2016). [https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/clinton-campaign-bad-poll-abc-washington-post-230591 Clinton camp on new survey showing Trump ahead: It’s ‘bad polling’]. ''Politico''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref> Instead, Trump won the election in a massive, historical upset, winning even states such as [[Pennsylvania]], [[Michigan]], and [[Wisconsin]], which a Republican had not won for 20–30 years.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/11/08/first-polls-close-in-2016-race-trump-projected-to-win-ind-ky-clinton-wins-vt.html Trump wins presidency, defeats Clinton in historic election upset]. ''Fox News''. November 8, 2016. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref><ref>Blake, Aaron (November 9, 2016). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/11/08/donald-trumps-path-to-victory-is-suddenly-looking-much-much-wider/ Donald Trump just blew up the electoral map]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref> The predictions were off the mark dramatically. The actual polls themselves were broadly correct showing Clinton leading over Trump by about 2%.<ref>[https://www.redstate.com/jaycaruso/2017/07/16/latest-job-approval-poll-president-trump-awful]</ref> However Trump 'flipped' key districts and states smashing Clinton's so-called 'Blue firewall'.<ref>Flint, Joe & Alpert, Lukas I. (November 9, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/bad-polling-in-hand-media-misses-mark-badly-with-election-predictions-1478710860 How the Media’s Election Predictions Badly Missed the Mark]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref> Trump's election victory was described by ''[[Politico]]'' as "the most stunning upset in American history."<ref>Goldmacher, Shane & Schreckinger, Ben (November 9, 2016). [https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/election-results-2016-clinton-trump-231070?lo=ap_c1 Trump pulls off biggest upset in U.S. history]. ''Politico''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref>

While the GOP increased its vote share across the entire nation, Trump made the largest gains in the rural [[Midwest]] and [[Rust Belt]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/11/08/us/elections/how-trump-pushed-the-election-map-to-the-right.html How Trump Reshaped the Election Map]. ''The New York Times''. November 9, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2016.</ref> Although Clinton won the popular vote 65,515,369 (48.05%) to 62,853,327 (46.09%), according to unofficial results, the large vote totals came from states which have resisted voter identification reforms.<ref>[http://www.inquisitr.com/3719036/3-million-illegal-immigrants-voted-gregg-phillips-votestand-donald-trump-final-popular-vote-count-2016-predictions/ 3 Million Illegal Immigrants Voted, Claims Gregg Phillips Of VoteStand: Donald Trump’s Final Popular Vote Count Alleged To Be Better Than 2016 Predictions], Patrick Frye, ''The Inquisitr'', November 15, 2016</ref> Dr. Robert Epstein of the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology testified before Congress that [[Google]] bias and meddling had shifted "between 2.6 million and up to 10.4 million votes" to Hillary Clinton.<ref>https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2019/08/psychologist-google-generated-at-least-2-6-million-votes-for-hillary.php</ref> Trump won the [[electoral college]] vote, 306 to 232, with the incomplete vote count reported.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://server5.kproxy.com/servlet/redirect.srv/sruj/swxn/sjkl/p2/election/results|title=Election Results|accessdate=Nov. 12, 2016}}</ref> Trump won more votes in the general election than any Republican candidate in U.S. history, and he won the largest number of electoral votes since [[George H. W. Bush]].<ref>Hoft, Jim (November 22, 2016). [https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/11/trump-breaks-record-votes-republican-candidate-history/ Trump Breaks Record for Most Votes by Republican Candidate in History]. ''The Gateway Pundit''. Retrieved November 22, 2016.</ref> In addition, Trump won 2,623 counties—the largest number for both a Republican or Democrat since [[Ronald Reagan]] in 1984—while the Democrats won only 489, something even the liberal [[PolitiFact]] admitted to be true.<ref>Jacobson, Louis (December 4, 2016). [https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/dec/04/mike-pence/mike-pence-says-donald-trump-won-most-counties-rep/ Mike Pence says Donald Trump won most counties by a Republican since Ronald Reagan]. ''PolitiFact''. Retrieved December 4, 2016.</ref> Geographically speaking, Trump accordingly won 85 percent of the nation<ref>Wallace, Tim (November 16, 2016). [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/11/16/us/politics/the-two-americas-of-2016.html?_r=0 The Two Americas of 2016]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved December 5, 2016.</ref> and 61 percent of the states (including Maine's 2nd district). With the historic flip of Elliott County, Kentucky, every rural, white-majority Southern county voted for the Republican nominee for the first time in history.<ref>Simon, Jeff (December 9, 2016). [https://www.cnn.com/2016/12/09/politics/elliott-county-kentucky-democratic-streak-broken-by-donald-trump/index.html How Trump ended Democrats' 144-year winning streak in one county]. ''CNN''. Retrieved January 15, 2017.</ref>

According to exit polling, Trump won 81 percent of evangelical Christians compared to 16 percent for Clinton, a record high and even more than [[George W. Bush]] won in 2004,<ref name="townhall.com"/><ref name="wsj.com"/> even though some have disputed the accuracy of such exit polling methods.<ref>Showalter, Brandon (November 16, 2016). [http://www.christianpost.com/news/81-percent-evangelicals-vote-trump-eric-teetsel-joe-carter-171542/ Did 81 Percent of Evangelicals Really Vote for Trump? Not So Fast, Some Say]. ''The Christian Post''. Retrieved December 8, 2016.</ref> This is largely due to Trump's conservative policies that align well with the Bible, including opposition to abortion.

While liberal, establishmentarian world leaders made generally nuanced statements in response to Trump's election upset, conservative, right-wing leaders, including the leaders of insurgent parties in European nations, reacted positively to Trump's election.<ref>Ashkenas, Jeremy; Aisch, Gregor (December 5, 2016). [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/05/world/europe/populism-in-age-of-trump.html?_r=0 European Populism in the Age of Donald Trump]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved December 5, 2016.</ref>

In addition to Trump's defeat of Clinton, the Republican Party kept control of the House and Senate, outperforming expectations.<ref>Bresnahan, John (November 9, 2016). [https://www.politico.eu/article/republicans-on-cusp-of-keeping-the-senate/ Republicans hold the Senate in a stunner]. ''Politico''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref><ref>Hughes, Siobhan (November 9, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/republicans-are-confident-about-retaining-control-of-the-house-1478634160 Democrats Gain Seats in House, But GOP Retains Majority]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref> The Republican Party performed well—much better than expected—in state races, winning trifectas in [[Kentucky]], [[Iowa]], [[Missouri]], and [[New Hampshire]], and Democrats only had six trifectas and total control in five states, a record low.<ref>Greenblatt, Alan (November 9, 2016). [http://www.governing.com/topics/elections/gov-republicans-add-dominance-state-legislatures.html Republicans Add to Their Dominance of State Legislatures]. ''Governing''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref><ref>Siegel, Josh (November 9, 2016). [http://dailysignal.com/2016/11/09/republicans-maintain-strong-control-of-state-capitols-what-that-means/ Republicans Maintain Strong Control of State Capitols. Here’s What That Means.] ''The Daily Signal''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref> The GOP won 25 trifectas, the largest since 1952.<ref>Lieb, David A. (December 29, 2016). [https://www.pressreader.com/usa/chicago-tribune/20161229/281822873464433 GOP-Controlled States Aim to Reshape Laws]. ''Chicago Tribune'' (from the Associated Press). Retrieved December 30, 2016.</ref> The GOP now controlled the highest amount of governorships since 1922,<ref>Lieb, David A. (November 9, 2016). [https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2016-11-09/republicans-expand-control-of-governorships-legislatures Republicans governorships rise to highest mark since 1922]. ''U.S. News & World Report''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref> and it controlled the most state legislative chambers in history.<ref>Bosman, Julie & Davey, Monica (November 11, 2016). [https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/12/us/republicans-expand-control-in-a-deeply-divided-nation.html Republicans Expand Control in a Deeply Divided Nation]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved November 14, 2016.</ref>

Despite expectations that Trump's election victory would cause the markets to plunge, the [[Dow Jones Industrial Average]] actually performed very strongly, closing at the highest level it had ever reached in history after the second day.<ref name="MarketRally">La Monica, Paul R. (November 10, 2016). [https://money.cnn.com/2016/11/10/investing/markets-stocks-donald-trump-rally/index.html The 'yuge' Donald Trump market rally continues]. ''CNN Money''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref> It is rare for the stock market to rise immediately after a U.S. presidential election regardless of the winner.<ref name="MarketRally"/> The stock market had its best week in five years due to optimism of a Trump presidency.<ref>Craig, Victoria (November 11, 2016). [https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/11/11/trump-optimism-propels-dow-to-best-week-in-five-years.html Trump Optimism Propels Dow to Best Week in Five Years]. ''Fox Business''. Retrieved November 12, 2016.</ref>

After the election, childish [[leftists]] and [[anarchists]], who could not accept the results of the election, strongly protested Trump's victory and committed outrageous and extreme acts of vandalism and violence,<ref name="Protests">Chiaramonte, Perry (November 10, 2016). [https://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/11/10/trump-protests-intensify-as-doubts-swirl-about-spontaneity.html Trump protests intensify, as doubts swirl about spontaneity]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved November 11, 2016.</ref> even brutally attacking and beating at least one alleged Trump supporter.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/11/10/video-emerges-group-beating-chicago-man-while-yelling-dont-vote-trump.html Video emerges of mob beating Chicago man while yelling 'don't vote Trump']. ''Fox News''. November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2016.</ref> Many of these protests were likely organized and coordinated, as many protestors were bused in by Coach buses.<ref name="Protests"/> This occurred on the heels of Hillary Clinton, the Clinton campaign, and major mainstream media condemning in the harshest terms Trump and his supporters' complaints of a "rigged election," and failure to accept the results would damage democracy. Clinton, President Obama, and the media highlighted the protests and failed to condemn the leftist violence and protests as detrimental to democracy.

==2020 presidential election==
{{See also|2016 U.S. presidential election|Donald Trump achievements|Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign|United States presidential election, 2020}}
As an incumbent with a strong economy, Donald Trump was favored to win the 2020 U.S. presidential election. However, Democrats, through the use of [[voter fraud]], stole the election from Donald Trump and gave it to Joe Biden illegally. (see [[Biden Putsch]])

=== Donald Trump on Joe Biden's age and his aging ===
''See also:'' [[Biden's age]] and [[Donald Trump's age]]

Nate Silver of ''FiveThirtyEight'' wrote about Bidens's age:
{{Cquote|A lot of rank-and-file voters do have concerns about Biden’s age. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll in February found that 62 percent of voters had reservations about voting for someone aged 75 or older. [https://news.gallup.com/poll/254120/less-half-vote-socialist-president.aspx Other polls] have also shown advanced age to be a concern among Democrats, Republicans and independents alike.<ref>[https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/are-bidens-opponents-being-too-coy-in-making-age-an-issue/ Voters Care About Biden’s Age — Not About His Gaffes] by Nate Silver,''FiveThirtyEight''</ref>}}

Donald Trump has called Joe Biden "sleepy" and said that "he looks different than he used to, he acts different than he used to, he’s even slower than he used to be".<ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/07/joe-biden-age-2020/593350/ Is Joe Biden ‘Too Old’?] EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE, ''The Atlantic''</ref> See also: [[Biden's age]]

The ''[[New York Times]]'' stated:
{{Cquote|Meeting with a group of union officials in the West Wing this year, the president appealed for their support in part by tapping on his head and saying, “Biden is losing it,” according to a participant in the meeting who disclosed the president’s comment on condition of anonymity.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/29/us/politics/joe-biden-age.html Why Joe Biden’s Age Worries Some Democratic Allies and Voters], ''New York Times''</ref>}}

==President of the United States==
[[File:Donald Trump at his desk, December 2018.png|thumb|250px|President Trump sitting at his desk in the [[Oval Office]], December 21, 2018]]
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements}}
===Transition===
{{See also|Trump transition}}
The day after being elected president, Trump released a solidly conservative agenda for his first 100 days in office, even though ending the [[abortion|legalized murder of the unborn]] was not on the agenda.<ref>Kelly, Amita & Sprunt, Barbara (November 9, 2016). [https://www.npr.org/2016/11/09/501451368/here-is-what-donald-trump-wants-to-do-in-his-first-100-days Here Is What Donald Trump Wants To Do In His First 100 Days]. ''NPR''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref>

On November 30, 2016, before Trump had finalized all his cabinet appointments, it was still described by Politico as "a conservative dream team that has Republicans cheering and liberals in despair" due to the many strong conservatives Trump had appointed, in contrast to moderates like [[George W. Bush]].<ref>Restuccia, Andrew; Cook, Nancy; Woellert, Lorraine (November 30, 2016). [https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/trump-conservative-dream-team-231972 Trump's conservative dream team]. ''Politico''. Retrieved November 30, 2016.</ref><ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/11/30/politico-donald-trump-cabinet-conservative-dream-team/ Politico: Donald Trump’s Cabinet a ‘Conservative Dream Team’]. ''Breitbart News''. November 30, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2017.</ref> Accordingly, ''[[Newsweek]]'' called Trump's incomplete cabinet the most conservative cabinet in U.S. history.<ref>Cooper, Matthew (December 9, 2016). [http://www.newsweek.com/trump-cabinet-picks-nominees-conservative-530477 Donald Trump Is Building the Most Conservative Presidential Cabinet In U.S. History]. ''Newsweek''. Retrieved December 10, 2016.</ref> ''[[The Washington Times]]'' noted how Trump was defying Washington establishment norms in his cabinet picks.<ref>Hurt, Charles (December 6, 2016). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/dec/6/donald-trumps-cabinet-picks-define-business-as-not/ Trump defines business as not-usual for D.C.] ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved December 10, 2016.</ref>

''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' stated that "it’s nearly impossible to identify a clear ideological bent" in Trump's appointments.<ref>Seib, Gerald (December 5, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-shuffles-the-ideological-deck-1480955194 Donald Trump Shuffles the Ideological Deck]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved December 5, 2016.</ref> However, this can be easily explained by the fact that Trump has used some of his cabinet nominations to unite the GOP by appealing to most of its factions, even though Trump's appointments are still very conservative.

During the transition period, the Obama Administration engaged in surveillance and information-gathering of Trump, in order to investigate any [[Trump-Russia scandal|alleged ties to Russia]]. This was confirmed by GOP U.S. Representative [[Devin Nunes]] on March 22, 2017,<ref>Derespina, Cody (March 23, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/23/trump-basks-in-nunes-surveillance-news-so-that-means-im-right.html Trump basks in Nunes surveillance news: 'So that means I'm right']. ''Fox News''. Retrieved March 23, 2017.</ref> and by [[Evelyn Farkas]], the deputy assistant secretary of defense under Obama, on March 29, 2017.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/29/former-obama-official-discloses-rush-to-get-intelligence-on-trump-team.html Former Obama official discloses rush to get intelligence on Trump team]. ''Fox News''. March 29, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.</ref><ref>Poor, Jeff (March 29, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/video/2017/03/29/fmr-obama-official-reveals-pre-inauguration-effort-to-gather-intel-on-incoming-trump-team/ Fmr Obama Official Reveals Pre-Inauguration Effort to Gather Intel on Incoming Trump Team]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved March 30, 2017.</ref>

===Inauguration===
[[File:Donald Trumpswearing in.jpg|thumb|200px|Trump being sworn in, January 20, 2017.]]
Trump was inaugurated on January 20, 2017, giving one of the strongest inauguration addresses in American history.<ref>Boyle, Matthew (January 20, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/01/20/america-first-president-donald-trump-brings-the-rain-in-inauguration-address/ ‘America First’: President Donald Trump Brings the Rain in Inauguration Address]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved January 20, 2017.</ref><ref>McCaskill, Nolan D. (January 20, 2017). [https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/key-points-of-trumps-inaugural-speech-233900 Key moments from Trump's inauguration speech]. ''Politico''. Retrieved January 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Scott, Patrick; Midgley, Robert (January 20, 2017). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/20/donald-trump-just-delivered-american-inauguration-speech-ever/ Donald Trump just delivered the most 'American' inauguration speech ever]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved January 20, 2017.</ref> His first bill signed as president was to allow retired general and Defense Secretary nominee [[James Mattis]] to be confirmed.<ref>Kopan, Tal (January 20, 2017). [https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/20/politics/donald-trump-first-law-actions/ President Donald Trump signs first bill into law]. ''CNN''. Retrieved January 20, 2017.</ref> That same day, Trump instituted a national day of patriotism,<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-measures-idUSKBN1542IH Trump takes first actions on Cabinet, declares day of patriotism: spokesman]. ''Reuters''. January 20, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2017.</ref> and a few days later Trump officially designated his inauguration day the '''''National Day of Patriotic Devotion'''''.<ref>[https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/01/24/2017-01798/national-day-of-patriotic-devotion National Day of Patriotic Devotion -- Proclamation 9570 of January 20, 2017]. ''Federal Register''. January 24, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2017.</ref><ref>Shelbourne, Mallory (January 23, 2017). [https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/315735-trump-declares-inauguration-day-national-day-of-patriotic-devotion https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/315735-trump-declares-inauguration-day-national-day-of-patriotic-devotion]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved February 2, 2017.</ref>

Despite the fact that leftists knew for two months that Trump would be inaugurated president, hateful, anti-American, and immature leftists engaged in violent protests and did major acts of vandalism and even injuring the police who were sent in.<ref>Vargas, Theresa; Hartz, Taylor; Hermann, Peter (January 20, 2017). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/protesters-bring-shouts-skirmishes-and-shutdowns-to-inauguration-celebration/2017/01/20/00ea4c72-df11-11e6-acdf-14da832ae861_story.html?utm_term=.c4443fa64f5a Inauguration protesters vandalize, set fires, try to disrupt Trump’s oath, as police arrest 200]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved January 20, 2017.</ref><ref name="LimoFire">Lawler, David (January 20, 2017). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/20/anti-donald-trump-activists-try-block-access-inauguration/ Donald Trump protests: Limo 'set on fire' and 217 arrested as police use tear gas on black-clad activists]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved January 20, 2017.</ref> At least 217 protesters were arrested.<ref name="LimoFire"/><ref>Weber, Joseph (January 20, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/20/trump-supporters-protesters-rally-before-sunrise-on-inauguration-day.html Hundreds of protesters arrested in Inauguration Day clashes]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved March 31, 2017.</ref><ref>Noble, Andrea; McDermott, Ryan M. (January 20, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jan/20/donald-trump-inauguration-protests-begin-turn-viol/ D.C. police report 217 arrested during Inauguration Day riots]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved March 31, 2017.</ref>

Despite having no power to block Trump's cabinet nominees and having no reason to delay the process,<ref>Pergram, Chad (January 20, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/20/senate-battle-erupts-over-dem-delay-confirming-trump-nominees.html Senate battle erupts over Dem 'delay' confirming Trump nominees]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved January 23, 2017.</ref> liberal Senate Democrats delayed confirmation of Trump's nominees, so that only two were confirmed on Trump's first day in office.<ref>Dinan, Stephen (January 22, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jan/22/trumps-cabinet-picks-delayed-by-democrats-only-two/? Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks delayed by Democrats, only two confirmed]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved January 23, 2017.</ref> This was a large difference from other recent presidents,<ref>Phillips, Amber (January 21, 2017). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/01/20/donald-trump-will-start-his-presidency-with-the-smallest-confirmed-cabinet-in-decades/?utm_term=.9d7692169687 Donald Trump is starting his presidency with the smallest confirmed Cabinet in decades]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved Janaury 23, 2017.</ref> who, with the exception of [[George H. W. Bush]], had much larger numbers confirmed in the first week.<ref>Bluey, Robert (January 22, 2017). [http://dailysignal.com/2017/01/22/trumps-nominees-face-unprecedented-democrat-obstructionism/ Trump’s Nominees Face ‘Unprecedented’ Democrat Obstructionism]. ''The Daily Signal''. Retrieved January 23, 2017.</ref>

===Tenure===
{{See also|Donald Trump's major achievements}}
Due to his promotion and support of conservative, America First policies, President Trump faced large opposition from the Left, including from within the government bureaucracy.<ref>Singman, Brooke (January 1, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/31/trump-faces-bureaucratic-battle-in-implementing-agenda.html Trump faces bureaucratic battle in implementing agenda]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved February 1, 2017.</ref><ref>Kurtz, Howard (February 3, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/02/03/empire-strikes-back-why-trumps-private-talks-with-foreign-leaders-were-leaked.html The empire strikes back: Why Trump's private talks with foreign leaders were leaked]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved February 3, 2017.</ref> (The fact that members of the Deep State have grown visibly scared of reports stating such confirms this view;<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2017/03/22/politico-obama-admin-bureaucrats-panicked-by-breitbart-spotlight-dont-question-our-loyalty/ POLITICO: Obama Admin Bureaucrats ‘Panicked’ by Breitbart Spotlight: Don’t Question Our Loyalty!] ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved March 22, 2017.</ref> in May 2017, it was reported that 60% of [[National Security Council]] employees were Obama-Administration holdovers<ref>Wong, Kristina (May 17, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/05/17/trump-under-siege-more-than-60-percent-of-nsc-employees-placed-by-obama/ Trump Under Siege: More than 60 Percent of NSC Employees Placed by Obama]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 18, 2017.</ref>) Additionally, Senate Democrats continued to unduly delay Trump's cabinet nominees at historic and unprecedented proportions—by February 8, 2017, only [[George Washington]] had fewer cabinet nominees confirmed by this length of time into his presidency.<ref>Singman, Brooke (February 8, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/02/08/trump-facing-historic-delays-in-confirmation-push.html Trump facing historic delays in confirmation push]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved February 8, 2017.</ref>

On January 23, 2017, Trump signed an order which withdrew the United States from the globalist [[Trans-Pacific Partnership]].<ref>Chakraborty, Barnini (January 23, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/23/trump-signs-executive-order-withdrawing-us-from-tpp-trade-deal.html Trump signs executive order withdrawing US from TPP trade deal]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved January 23, 2017.</ref> That same day, Trump signed an order reinstating the [[Mexico City Policy]], which defunded International Planned Parenthood and other organizations that promote foreign abortions.<ref>LaBarbera, Peter (January 23, 2017). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-trump-signs-order-defunding-international-planned-parenthood-forei BREAKING: Trump signs order defunding International Planned Parenthood, foreign abortions]. ''LifeSite News''. Retrieved January 23, 2017.</ref><ref>Hellman, Jessie (January 23, 2017). [https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/abortion/315652-trump-signs-executive-order-reinstating-global-gag-rule-on Trump reinstates ban on US funds promoting abortion overseas]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 23, 2017.</ref>

Trump was very busy and productive in his first week and showed he was serious about his campaign promises, undoing Obama's illegitimate legacy and instituting conservative executive orders.<ref>Davenport, David (January 27, 2017). [https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddavenport/2017/01/27/how-trump-managed-to-undo-obamas-legacy-in-one-week/#3ae6bcba5bbf How Trump Managed To Undo Obama's Legacy In One Week]. ''Forbes''. Retrieved January 27, 2017.</ref><ref>Said-Moorhouse, Lauren (January 26, 2017). [https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/26/politics/executive-orders-presidents-actions-presidential-memoranda/ What's Trump done so far? His productive first week and how it stacks up to previous presidents]. ''CNN''. Retrieved January 27, 2017.</ref><ref>[https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/01/28/president-trumps-first-week-action President Trump's First Week of Action]. ''whitehouse.gov''. January 28, 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2017.</ref> This caused the [[stock market]] to increase, and the [[Dow Jones]] passed 20,000 points for the first time in history.<ref>Imbert, Fred (January 25, 2017). [https://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/25/us-markets.html Dow closes above 20,000 for first time as Trump orders send stocks flying]. ''CNBC''. Retrieved January 25, 2017.</ref><ref>Craig, Victoria (January 25, 2017). [https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/01/25/dow-races-past-20k-in-reinvigorated-trump-rally.html Dow Races Past 20K in Reinvigorated Trump Rally]. ''Fox Business''. Retrieved January 25, 2017.</ref> On March 1, 2017, the day after Trump made his first address to a joint-session of Congress, the stock market rose dramatically again, with the Dow Jones passing the 21,000 mark for the first time in history.<ref>Witkowski, Wallace; Mahmudova, Anora (March 1, 2017). [https://www.marketwatch.com/story/wall-street-stocks-set-to-resume-rally-on-fed-rate-hike-hopes-trump-relief-2017-03-01 Dow closes above 21,000 as stocks soar after Trump speech]. ''MarketWatch''. Retrieved March 1, 2017.</ref><ref>Holcomb, John (March 1, 2017). [https://townhall.com/tipsheet/justinholcomb/2017/03/01/stock-market-booms-past-21000-for-the-first-time-in-history-n2292388 The Trump Bump: Stock Market Hits 21,000 for the First Time in History]. ''Townhall''. Retrieved March 1, 2017.</ref><ref>DeSoto, Randy (March 1, 2017). [http://www.westernjournalism.com/stock-market-hits-new-high-follow-trumps-speech-to-congress/ Stock Market Hits New High Following Trump’s Speech To Congress]. ''Western Journalism''. Retrieved March 1, 2017.</ref>

As evidence of this intense [[mainstream media]] opposition to President Trump, a study published close to the 100th-day mark of Trump's presidency showed that 89% of media coverage regarding Trump was negative.<ref>
* Harper, Jennifer (April 19, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/apr/19/donald-trump-media-coverage-is-89-percent-negative/ As first 100 days in office approaches, media coverage of Trump is 89% negative: Study]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
* Noyes, Rich; Ciandella, Mike (April 19, 2017). [https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/rich-noyes/2017/04/18/honeymoon-hell-liberal-media-vs-president-trump Honeymoon from Hell: The Liberal Media vs. President Trump]. ''NewsBusters -- Media Research Center''. Retrieved April 21, 2017.</ref> Additionally, Trump was on track to become the most mocked president on late-night comedy TV in at least 25 years.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywood/2017/05/04/study-trump-track-mocked-president-late-night-25-years/ Study: Trump On Track to Be Most Mocked President on Late-Night TV in 25 Years]. ''Breitbart News''. May 4, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2017.</ref>

On April 26, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security, acting under an executive order established by President Trump, established the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office (VOICE), created to help support victims of illegal immigrant crime, and it established the DHS-Victim Information and Notification Exchange, which was created to help those victims track the custody status of the illegal criminals.<ref>
* Singman, Brooke (April 26, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/04/26/dhs-announces-office-for-victims-illegal-immigrant-crime.html DHS announces office for victims of illegal immigrant crime]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
* McHugh, Katie (April 26, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/04/26/dhs-kelly-voice-victims-illegal-alien-criminals/ DHS Kelly Creates VOICE For Many Victims of Illegal Alien Criminals]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
* McHugh, Katie (April 25, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/04/25/dhs-unveil-voice-office-victims-illegal-alien-crime/ DHS to Unveil VOICE Office for Victims of Illegal Alien Crime]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 26, 2017.</ref> However, leftists took to pranking the phone line created, showing disrespect to the victims of illegal immigration.<ref>Singman, Brooke (April 27, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/04/27/ice-rips-pranksters-jamming-hotline-to-report-space-aliens.html ICE rips pranksters jamming hotline to report space aliens]. '' Fox News''. Retrieved April 27, 2017.</ref>

Canadian Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]] described President Trump as being very authentic – the way he acts in public is like how he does in private.<ref>Yilek, Caitlin (August 31, 2017). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/canadian-prime-minister-justin-trudeau-trump-is-surprisingly-authentic/article/2633107 Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: Trump is surprisingly 'authentic']. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved August 31, 2017.</ref>

====Temporary immigration and refugee suspensions====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Immigration, illegal immigration, and border security}}
Trump received criticism from liberals and [[establishment]] Republicans<ref>McHugh, Katie (January 31, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/01/31/establishment-republicans-bash-trumps-executive-order-on-immigration-refugee-resettlement/ Establishment Republicans Bash Trump’s Executive Order on Immigration, Refugee Resettlement]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref> when he signed an executive order temporarily banning immigration from certain high-risk Islamic countries as well as refugee entry. Despite this criticism, 49 percent of the American public supported the decision compared to 41 percent opposed, according to the "mainstream" Reuters,<ref>Kahn, Chris (January 31, 2017). [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-immigration-poll-exclusive-idUSKBN15F2MG Exclusive: Only a third of Americans think Trump's travel ban will make them more safe]. ''Reuters''. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref> and 57% percent of likely American voters supported the ban according to Rasmussen.<ref>[http://m.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/immigration/january_2017/most_support_temporary_ban_on_newcomers_from_terrorist_havens Most Support Temporary Ban on Newcomers from Terrorist Havens].'' January 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2017.</ref> Additionally, while the leftist [[establishment]] European leaders opposed the ban, a strong majority—55% average—of Europeans support the ban, according to a poll in 10 [[European Union]] nations.<ref>Shaw, Adam (February 9, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/02/09/majority-europeans-in-favor-trump-style-muslim-ban-poll-shows.html Majority of Europeans in favor of a Trump-style Muslim ban, poll shows]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved February 9, 2017.</ref><ref>Jamieson, Alastair (February 8, 2017). [https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/europes-border-crisis/majority-leading-eu-nations-support-trump-style-travel-ban-poll-n718271 Majority in Leading EU Nations Support Trump-Style Travel Ban: Poll]. ''NBC News''. Retrieved February 9, 2017.</ref> On March 6, 2017, Trump signed a second executive order concerning the temporary suspension of refugees and others from certain high-risk countries after the first one was blocked by the courts. The second order made some clarifications and minor improvements over the first, such as exempting green card holders from the ban and excluding [[Iraq]] from it as it had developed an acceptable vetting process.<ref>Munro, Neil (March 6, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/03/06/trump-new-refugees-executive-pushes-back-judges/ Donald Trump Signs Executive Order Banning Travel from Six Terror-Tied Countries]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved March 6, 2017.</ref><ref>Chakraborty, Barnini (March 6, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/06/trump-signs-new-immigration-order-narrows-scope-travel-ban.html Trump signs new immigration order, narrows scope of travel ban]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved March 6, 2017.</ref>

Trump showed he would not tolerate incompetent leftist administration officials when he fired acting [[United States Department of Justice|Attorney General]] [[Sally Yates]] (a left-wing Obama holdover) when she refused to defend his refugee and immigration ban executive order.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/30/acting-ag-tells-justice-department-staff-not-to-defend-trumps-refugee-order.html Trump fires acting AG after Justice Department staff told not to defend refugee order]. ''Fox News''. January 30, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref><ref>[https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/01/30/statement-appointment-dana-boente-acting-attorney-general Statement on the Appointment of Dana Boente as Acting Attorney General]. ''whitehouse.gov''. January 30, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref> Trump emulated [[Ronald Reagan]]'s firing of the striking PATCO workers in 1981 by doing so,<ref>Boyle, Matthew (January 30, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/01/30/trumps-patco-moment-emanating-reagan-president-takes-control-federal-government-protect-country-citizens/ Trump’s PATCO Moment: Emanating Reagan, the President Takes Control of Federal Government to ‘Protect the Country and Its Citizens’]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref> contrary to the [[mainstream media]] spin.<ref>Kurtz, Howard (February 1, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/02/01/trumps-firing-defiant-obama-holdover-why-hes-no-richard-nixon.html Trump's firing of a defiant Obama holdover: Why he's no Richard Nixon]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved February 1, 2017.</ref> That same night, Trump replaced the acting director of [[Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] (another Obama holdover) with a more competent official who had a reputation for enforcing immigration laws.<ref>Chamberlain, Samuel (January 31, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/31/trump-names-thomas-homan-acting-director-ice-replacing-obama-holdover.html Trump names Thomas Homan acting director of ICE, replacing Obama holdover]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref><ref>Berman, Mark; Zapotosky, Matt (January 30, 2017). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/01/30/trump-appoints-new-immigration-and-customs-enforcement-director-noted-for-his-work-deporting-illegal-immigrants/?utm_term=.addf12ae690a Trump appoints new Immigration and Customs Enforcement director noted for his work deporting illegal immigrants]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref>

====Reducing regulations and government====
:''For more information, see [[Donald Trump achievements: Deregulation and government size]]''
In the first six weeks of Trump's presidency, over 90 regulations were repealed, whether through executive orders, Acts of Congress, or other means.<ref>Farand, Chloe (March 6, 2017). [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-federal-state-regulations-month-oval-office-white-house-us-president-deregulate-a7614031.html Donald Trump disassembles 90 federal state regulations in just over a month in White House]. ''The Independent''. Retrieved March 7, 2017.</ref><ref>[https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3480299-10-Examples-Industries-Push-Followed-by-Trump.html#document/p60/a341284 Trump-Era Trend: Industries Protest. Regulations Rolled Back. A Dozen Examples]. ''The New York Times'' (through ''DocumentCloud''). Retrieved March 7, 2017.</ref> Trump also signed numerous executive actions promoting a smaller government.

====Supreme Court====
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: The courts|Trump Supreme Court}}
On January 31, 2017, Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch to the [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]].<ref>Klukowski, Ken (January 31, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/01/31/trump-nominates-judge-neil-gorsuch-supreme-court/ Trump Nominates Judge Neil Gorsuch to Supreme Court]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref><ref>Hurley, Lawrence; Holland, Steve (January 31, 2017). [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-trump-idUSKBN15F1OW Trump picks conservative judge Gorsuch for U.S. Supreme Court]. ''Reuters''. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref> The nomination was well received by many conservatives.<ref>Chamberlain, Steve (January 31, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/31/reaction-to-trumps-supreme-court-pick-split-along-partisan-lines.html Conservatives hail Trump's Supreme Court pick]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref><ref>Ertelt, Steven (January 31, 2017). [https://www.lifenews.com/2017/01/31/president-donald-trump-nominates-pro-life-friendly-judge-neil-gorsuch-to-the-supreme-court/ President Donald Trump Nominates Pro-Life-Friendly Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court]. ''LifeNews.com''. Retrieved January 31, 2017.</ref> Others, most notably [[Andrew Schlafly]], disagreed with the nomination due to concerns about Gorsuch's position on abortion.<ref>Dannenfelser, Marjorie (January 31, 2017). [https://townhall.com/columnists/marjoriedannenfelser/2017/01/31/the-truth-about-trumps-prolife-scotus-list-n2279232 The Truth about Trump’s Pro-life SCOTUS List]. ''Townhall''. Retrieved February 1, 2017.</ref><ref>http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Template:Mainpageright&diff=1302133&oldid=1301962</ref>

Upon the swing justice [[Anthony Kennedy|Anthony Kennedy's]] announcement on June 21, 2018, that he would retire from the Court at the end of the succeeding month, Trump nominated the conservative [[Brett Kavanaugh]] to replace him.<ref>Mason, Ian (July 9, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/07/09/trump-brett-kavanaugh-supreme-court-nominee/ Trump Announces Brett Kavanaugh as Supreme Court Nominee] ''Breitbart News''.</ref>

====Public trust====
According to a poll conducted by [[Emerson College]] on February 5–6, 2017, more Americans trust the Trump Administration than the media.<ref>McHugh, Katie (February 9, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/02/09/poll-voters-trust-trump-administration-media/ Poll: Voters Trust Trump Administration More Than Media]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved February 9, 2017.</ref>

====Economic progress====
[[File:Real Disposable Personal Income Per Capita.png|right|350px|thumb|Real Personal Income gains under President Trump beginning from the flat base of President Obama's last year in office. ''Source: Federal Reserve Board'']]
{{See also|Donald Trump achievements: Economic policy and labor}}
In May 2017, the unemployment rate fell from 4.4% from 4.3%, the lowest since May 2001, as the number of unemployed persons was little changed at 6.9 million and the labor force participation rate fell to 62.7 percent.<ref>[https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/unemployment-rate United States Unemployment Rate]. ''tradingeconomics.com''. Retrieved June 14, 2017.</ref>

According to a Rasmussen survey, consumer confidence is the second-highest it's been in the index's history. The market cap of the U.S. stock market has risen more than $3 trillion since Mr. Trump was elected. Small-business confidence has surged to a 12-year high.

==Books==
*''Trump: The Art of the Deal'' with Tony Schwartz (1987)
*''Trump: Surviving at the Top'' with Charles Leerhsen (1990)
*''Trump: The Art of the Comeback'' with Kate Bohner (1997)
*''The America We Deserve'' with Dave Shiflett (2000)
*''Trump: How to Get Rich'' with Meredith McIver (2004)
*''Trump: Think Like a Billionaire: Everything You Need to Know about Success, Real Estate and Life'' with Meredith McIver (2005)
*''Why We Want You to Be Rich: Two Men, One Message'' with Meredith McIver and Robert T. Kiyosaki (2006)
*''Think Big and Kick Ass in Business and Life'' with Bill Zanker (2007)
*''Trump: Never Give Up: How I Turned My Biggest Challenges into Success'' with Meredith McIver (2008)
*''Think Like a Champion: An Informal Education in Business and Life'' with Meredith McIver (2009)
*''Midas Touch: Why Some Entrepreneurs Get Rich—and Why Most Don't'' with Robert T. Kiyosaki (2011)
*''Time to Get Tough: Making America #1 Again'' (2011)
*''Crippled America: How to Make America Great Again'' (2015)

==Quotes==
===Quotes as U.S. President===
====Inaugural address====
*"....today we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another, or from one party to another, but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C., and giving it back to you, the people."<ref name="InaugTransc">[https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/full-text-donald-trump-inauguration-speech-transcript-233907 Full text: 2017 Donald Trump inauguration speech transcript]. ''Politico''. January 20, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2017.</ref>
*"We assembled here today our issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital, and in every hall of power, from this day forward: a new vision will govern our land, from this day forward, it's going to be only America first. America first."<ref name="InaugTransc"/>
*"[We will] unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth."<ref name="InaugTransc"/>
*"When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice."<ref name="InaugTransc"/>

====2017====
*"In America we don’t worship government, we worship God."<ref>Miller, S.A. (May 13, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/may/13/donald-trump-tells-liberty-university-graduates-we/ Trump at Liberty University: ‘We don’t worship government, we worship God’]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved May 13, 2017.</ref><ref>Moons, Michelle (May 13, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/05/13/president-donald-trumps-1st-commencement-speech-america-dont-worship-government-worship-god/ President Donald Trump’s First Commencement Speech: ‘In America We Don’t Worship Government, We Worship God’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 13, 2017.</ref>
*"I didn’t get elected to serve the Washington media—I got elected to serve the forgotten men and women and that’s exactly what I’m doing."<ref>Spiering, Charlie (May 17, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/05/17/donald-trump-vows-to-fight-on-no-politician-in-history-has-been-treated-worse-or-more-unfairly/ Donald Trump: ‘I Didn’t Get Elected to Serve the Washington Media’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 17, 2017.</ref><ref>Singman, Brooke (May 17, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/05/17/trump-takes-on-media-during-coast-guard-commencement-speech.html Trump takes on media during Coast Guard commencement speech]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved May 17, 2017.</ref>
* "The problem in Venezuela is not that socialism has been poorly implemented, but that socialism has been faithfully implemented." (UN speech, September 2017)
* "The most important truth our Founders understood was this: Freedom is not a gift from government; freedom is a gift from God."<ref>[https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/920474831749025795 @realDonaldTrump], 17 Oct 2017</ref><ref>Crookston, Paul (October 17, 2017). [https://freebeacon.com/politics/trump-freedom-not-gift-government-freedom-gift-god/ Trump: ‘Freedom Is Not a Gift From Government; Freedom Is a Gift From God’]. ''The Washington Free Beacon''. Retrieved October 20, 2017.</ref>

===Quotes from the 2016 campaign for President===
[[File:Donald Trump and Mike Pence RNC July 2016.jpg|thumb|Trump and his running-mate, [[Mike Pence]], at the 2016 Republican National Convention.]]
Trump's tactics of naming and shaming candidates has been proven very effective. He called Jeb Bush 'low-energy Jeb' and it stuck. Then came Marco Rubio as 'Little Marco.' Next came 'Lyin' Ted' for Ted Cruz. For the Democrats, he calls Hillary Clinton 'Crooked Hillary'. He doesn't give Bernie Sanders the same treatment though he has referred to him as a Communist.

*“We will no longer surrender this country or its people to the false song of [[globalism]].”
*"I think we have a president who, as a president, is totally incompetent, and he doesn’t know what he’s doing. I think he has no idea what he’s doing. And our country is going to [[hell]]."<ref>http://time.com/4210983/republican-debate-barack-obama-incompetent/</ref>
*"I will be the greatest jobs president that [[God]] ever created."
*"I’m using my own money. I’m not using the lobbyists. I’m not using donors. I don’t care. I’m really rich."
*"Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people."
*"Nobody would be tougher on ISIS than Donald Trump. Nobody. Within our military, I will find the General Patton, or I will find General MacArthur, I will find the right guy."
*"I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will have [[Mexico]] pay for that wall."
*"I think the big problem this country has is being politically correct."<ref>https://video.foxnews.com/v/4406746003001/watch-a-replay-of-fox-news-prime-time-presidential-debate/?#sp=show-clips</ref><ref>https://www.google.com/search?q=a+big+problem+with+our+country+is+too+politically+incorrect&oq=a+big+problem+with+our+country+is+too+politically+incorrect&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i64l3.8295j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=119&ie=UTF-8</ref>
*"Becoming the nominee of the party of [[Abraham Lincoln]] has been the greatest honor of my life.<ref>https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/294401-trump-claims-party-of-lincoln-mantle-in-speech-at-black</ref>

====General election debate quotes====
*"Because you would be in jail." (Trump in response to Clinton saying that it would be a good thing that he "is not in charge of the law in our country")<ref name="2ndTranscript">[https://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/2016-presidential-debate-transcript-229519 Full transcript: Second 2016 presidential debate]. ''Politico''. October 10, 2016. Retrieved October 11, 2016.</ref>
*"Now she’s blaming the lie on the late great Abraham Lincoln. ...Honest Abe never lied. That’s the good thing. That's the big difference between Abraham Lincoln and you." (Trump in response to Clinton's excuse for having "'a public and private position on certain issues.'")<ref name="2ndTranscript"/>
*"Hillary has experience, but it’s bad experience."<ref>Goodenough, Patrick (September 27, 2016). [https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/patrick-goodenough/ Trump: 'Hillary Has Experience, But It's Bad Experience']. ''cnsnews.com''. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref>

===Quotes from Twitter===
[[File:Screenshot 2015-09-28-12-11-31-1.png|right|300px|Thumb|Tweet from Billionaire Carl Icahn]]
{{Cquote| '''Somebody said I’m the Ernest Hemingway of 140 characters.'''}}
Trump's tweets are archived and fully searchable online.<ref>http://www.trumptwitterarchive.com/archive</ref> Here are some choice examples:
* "An 'extremely credible source' has called my office and told me that @BarackObama's birth certificate is a fraud."<ref>Trump, Donald J. (August 6, 2012, 1:23 pm). [https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/232572505238433794 "An 'extremely credible source' has called my office and told me that @BarackObama's birth certificate is a fraud."] Tweet by @realDonaldTrump.</ref>
* "It’s amazing how people can talk about me but I’m not allowed to talk about them."<ref>Trump, Donald J. (November 13, 2012, 12:23pm). [https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/268449146711703553 "It’s amazing how people can talk about me but I’m not allowed to talk about them."] Tweet by @realDonaldTrump.</ref>
* "This very expensive GLOBAL WARMING bull**** has got to stop. Our planet is freezing, record low temps,and our GW scientists are stuck in ice."<ref>Trump, Donald J. (January 1, 2014, 4:39pm). [https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/418542137899491328 "This very expensive GLOBAL WARMING bull**** has got to stop. Our planet is freezing, record low temps,and our GW scientists are stuck in ice."] Tweet by @realDonaldTrump.</ref>

====2015====
* "So many 'politically correct' fools in our country. We have to all get back to work and stop wasting time and energy on nonsense!" (August 8, 2015)
* "Notice that illegal immigrants will be given ObamaCare and free college tuition but nothing has been mentioned about our VETERANS #DemDebate" (October 13, 2015)
* "They laughed at me when I said to bomb the ISIS controlled oil fields. Now they are not laughing and doing what I said." (November 13, 2015)
* "President Obama said 'ISIL continues to shrink' in an interview just hours before the horrible attack in Paris. He is just so bad! CHANGE." (November 14, 2015)
* "Refugees from Syria are now pouring into our great country. Who knows who they are - some could be ISIS. Is our president insane?" (November 17, 2015)
* "Eight Syrians were just caught on the southern border trying to get into the U.S. ISIS maybe? I told you so. WE NEED A BIG & BEAUTIFUL WALL!" (November 19, 2015)

====2016====
* "Hillary said that guns don't keep you safe. If she really believes that she should demand that her heavily armed bodyguards quickly disarm!" (January 3, 2016)
* "I wonder if President Obama would have attended the funeral of Justice Scalia if it were held in a Mosque? Very sad that he did not go!" (February 20, 2016)
* "The organized group of people, many of them thugs, who shut down our First Amendment rights in Chicago, have totally energized America!" (March 12, 2016)
* "Why is it that the horrendous protesters, who scream, curse punch, shut down roads/doors during my RALLIES, are never blamed by media? SAD!" (March 20, 2016)
* "Do you all remember how beautiful and safe a place Brussels was. Not anymore, it is from a different world! U.S. must be vigilant and smart!" (March 22, 2016)
* "For the 1st time in American history, America’s 16,500 border patrol agents have issue[d] a presidential primary endorsement—me! Thank you." (April 1, 2016)
*"We are going to say Merry [[Christmas]] again." (December 2016 in [[Michigan]]).<ref>[Trump: 'We are going to say merry Christmas again'], ''The Hill'', December 13, 2016</ref>

====2017====
*"The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!"<ref>Greenwood, Mark (February 17, 2017). [https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/320168-trump-the-media-is-the-enemy-of-the-american-people Trump tweets: The media is the 'enemy of the American people']. ''The Hill''. Retrieved February 27, 2017.</ref>

* "Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion!" (March 31, 2017)
* "Despite the constant negative press covfefe" (May 31 2017)
* "That's right, we need a TRAVEL BAN for certain DANGEROUS countries, not some politically correct term that won't help us protect our people!" (June 5, 2017, while the Dept. of Justice was arguing in court that his Executive Order was not a "travel ban")
* "Fake News is at an all time high. Where is their apology to me for all of the incorrect stories???" (June 13, 2017)

===Other quotes===
* "[T]he country is going to hell."<ref>Cassidy, Chris (March 19, 2015). [http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/us_politics/2015/03/country_is_going_to_hell_claims_donald_trump "'Country is going to hell,' claims Donald Trump"]. BostonHerald.com website.</ref>
* "We have no leader in this country.”<ref>Reisner, Hiram (April 22, 2011). [https://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/donaldtrump-karlrove-gop-birther/2011/04/22/id/393742 "Trump: I'd just take Libyan oil"]. NewsMax website.</ref>
* "Our leaders are stupid, they are stupid people."<ref>Pierce, Tony (April 29, 2011). [http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2011/04/donald-trump-in-vegas-our-leaders-are-stupid-they-are-stupid-people.html "Donald Trump in Vegas: 'Our leaders are stupid; they are stupid people'"]. Los Angeles Times website/Top of the Ticket blog.</ref>
* "I can tell you I am [the 2012 Obama campaign's] worst nightmare."<ref>Mooney, Alexander (April 11, 2011). [http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/11/trump-says-he-is-obama-campaigns-worst-nightmare/comment-page-6/ "Trump says he is Obama campaign's worst nightmare"]. Cable News Network website/politicalticker blog.</ref>
* "Obama has no solutions."<ref>Coz, Steve (August 19, 2012). [https://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/trump-gibbs-fox-obama/2012/08/19/id/449050/ "Trump fires back at Obama campaign smear"]. Newsmax website/Newsfront.</ref>
*"Everything in life is luck."<ref name="Telegraph">https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-election/12107003/Donald-Trump-faces-questions-over-Two-Corinthians.html</ref>
*"[Barack Obama] is probably the least transparent president in the history of the country."<ref name="Telegraph"/>
*"Not teaching your kids about money is like not caring whether they eat."<ref name="Telegraph"/>

== Liberal denialism and Donald Trump ==

:''See also:'' [[Liberal denialism and Donald Trump]] and [[Liberal denial]]

Post the 2016 U.S. presidential election many liberals were in denial that Donald Trump was going to be president of the United States. Before the election, many liberal media outlets took the line that Donald Trump could not win the [[Republican]] primary and could not win the presidential election.<ref>
*[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/11/09/the-wrongest-media-predictions-about-donald-trump/?utm_term=.febb2623a89f The wrongest media predictions about Donald Trump The wrongest media predictions about Donald Trump], ''Washington Post'', 2016</ref>

=== Political scientists, denialism and Donald Trump ===

{{See also|Atheism and science}}

Few, if any, [[Political science|political scientists]] predicted early on that Donald Trump would win the Republican primary and then would subsequently be elected president of the United States. Furthermore, most pollsters indicated that Trump would lose the election.

27 percent of American political scientists believe in the existence of God while 76 percent of American doctors said they believe in God.<ref>
*[http://www.livescience.com/379-scientists-belief-god-varies-starkly-discipline.html Scientists belief in God varies starkly by discipline], Livescience.com
*[https://www.nbcnews.com/id/8318894/ns/health-health_care/t/survey-most-doctors-believe-god-afterlife/ Most doctors believe in God], NBC News</ref> Most American [[atheism|atheists]] lean to the left politically (see: [[Atheism and politics]]). Compared to [[medical science]], which has many effective medicines and surgical procedures, the social science of political science is often unreliable.

===Trump and the mainstream media===
{{See also|Mainstream media and Donald Trump}}
The leftist [[mainstream media]] despises Trump and, under the influence of [[Trump Derangement Syndrome]], refuses to report objectively when covering him.

=== Angry secular leftists and Donald Trump ===

:''See also:'' [[Donald Trump and American atheists]] and [[Secular leftists and psychogenic illness]]

American [[secular left]]ists were extremely angry and upset in the aftermath of Donald Trump's election victory (see: [[Donald Trump and American atheists]]).

In certain cases, it became debilitating (see:: [[Secular leftists and psychogenic illness]]). The website Marketwatch reported concerning the aftermath of the 2016 presidential race: ''Trump’s win is causing a surge in demand for mental health services''<ref>[https://www.marketwatch.com/story/trumps-win-is-causing-a-surge-in-demand-for-mental-health-services-2016-11-10 Trump’s win is causing a surge in demand for mental health services], Marketwatch 2016</ref>

The ''Religion News Service'' reported:
{{Cquote|For the last decade, [[Atheism|atheists]], [[secular humanism|humanists]] and others [[secular]]ists have worked hard to organize a “secular vote” that would counter the political clout of the [[religious right]].

President-elect Donald J. Trump’s victory dealt that movement a body blow when he garnered 81 percent of the white [[Evangelical Christians|evangelical]] vote and 60 percent of the white [[Roman Catholic|Catholic]] vote. [[Mormonism|Mormons]], too, voted overwhelmingly for Trump...

[Trump's] platform was seen as anti-secular in many atheist and humanist circles. He said he would appoint religiously conservative Supreme Court justices, ban [[Islam|Muslim]] immigrants, favor [[Christianity]] and repeal the [[Johnson Amendment]], which prohibits certain tax-exempt organizations from endorsing political candidates — issues antithetical to organized atheism and [[humanism]].<ref>[http://religionnews.com/2016/11/09/dealt-a-body-blow-atheists-and-humanists-regroup/ Dealt a body blow, atheists and humanists regroup] by Kimberly Winston, ''Religion News Service'', November 9, 2016</ref>}}

== Trump's Social Media Ban ==
On January 8, 2021, [[Twitter]] and [[Facebook]], in violation of the First Amendment and at risk of being put out of business by the [[Sherman Antitrust Act]] and [[U.S. Color Revolution#Executive Order 13848|Executive Order 13848]] due to their [[antitrust]] violations and censorious actions, illegally censored and silenced President Trump on their platforms by permanently suspending his accounts with them.<ref>[https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/breaking-twitter-bans-president-donald-trump-permanently/ BREAKING: Twitter Bans President Donald Trump — PERMANENTLY] at the Gateway Pundit</ref> This was part of co-ordinated collusion between Twitter, Facebook, [[Instagram]], [[Google]] (and its [[YouTube]] subsidiary) and other liberal Big Tech companies to target Trump and his supporters for illegal censorship and silencing of viewpoints and opinions the Left does not like,<ref>[https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/__trashed-15/ Big Tech Launches Massive Coordinated Cyber Attack on 74,000,000 Trump Voters — GOP SILENT] at the Gateway Pundit</ref> while simultaneously allowing violent leftist individuals and groups like Antifa and Black Lives Matter to have free run of their sites and say and do as they please. Although not officially confirmed as yet, Fox News host [[Sean Hannity]] later reported that Trump has since moved over to conservative social media website [[Parler]], prompting a wave of new accounts to subsequently open up there.<ref>[https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/report-sean-hannity-says-president-trump-joined-parler/ UPDATE – NOT CONFIRMED: Sean Hannity Says President Trump Has Joined Parler] at the Gateway Pundit</ref>

== Trump’s Website: 45 Office ==
{{main|45 Office}}
On March 29, 2021, Trump launched 45 Office.

==See also==
* [[Donald Trump's religious views]]
* [[Trump Administration]]
* [[Essay:Donald Trump One Two Body Blow]]
* [[The Chalkening]]
* [[Trump University]]
*[[Liberal Smear Machine]]
* [[Kathryn Steinle]]
* [[Mollie Tibbetts]]
* [[Sarah Root]]
* [[Alveda King]]
* [[Trump effect]]
* [[Deep State coup 2.0]]
* [[Biden Junta]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.trump.com Trump.com - Official website]
* [https://www.donaldjtrump.com donaldjtrump.com - Official website]
* [http://www.LyingCrookedHillary.com LyingCrookedHillary.com]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw8c2Cq-vpg The Untruth About Donald Trump] by [[Stefan Molyneux]], Published on Jan 18, 2016
* [http://www.untruthaboutdonaldtrump.com UntruthAboutDonaldTrump.com]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yyoauXmzjg Do Emotions Trump Facts?] [[Thomas Sowell]] on Donald Trump - Rebutted! by Stefan Molyneux
* [http://gop12.thehill.com/2011/04/trump-explains-conversion-on-abortion.html Trump explains his pro-life conversion]
* 100 groups have signed [http://www.pseagles.com/Coalition_letter_Supreme_Court this coalition letter] re: Trump's [[Trump Supreme Court|nomination to the Supreme Court]].



{{USPresidents}}
{{Globalism}}
{{Conservatism}}
{{Conservative Presidents}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Trump, Donald}}
[[Category:Donald Trump]]
[[Category:Celebrities]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:American Authors]]
[[Category:2016 Presidential Candidates]]
[[Category:United States Presidential Election, 2020]]
[[Category:Best Selling Authors]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Pro Second Amendment]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Former Democrats]]
[[Category:Liberal Conservatism]]
[[Category:Billionaires]]
[[Category:The 100 Americans The Left Hates Most]]
[[Category:Nationalists]]
[[Category:Patriots]]
[[Category:Anti-establishment]]
[[Category:Populists]]
[[Category:Former Heads of State]]
[[Category:Former Heads of Government]]
[[Category:Christians]]
[[Category:America First Agenda]]
[[Category:Republican Anti-establishment]]
[[Category:Non-Interventionist Republicans]]
[[Category:Pro First Amendment]]
[[Category:Peace Makers]]
[[Category:Movement Conservatives]]

Abortion

2021-08-10T16:40:29Z

Amateratsu: /* Public Opinion */ Doesn't change the fact these are the most recent statistics. Look up the Gallup poll yourself.

[[Image:Baby.jpg|right|thumb|250px|An unborn child in the womb. Liberals believe that the unborn child has no right to life.]]
'''Abortion''' is the induced termination of a [[pregnancy]],<ref>American Heritage Dictionary definition, [http://www.bartleby.com/61/7/A0020700.html abortion].</ref> often causing [[fetal pain]]. Abortion has two victims: the unborn child, and the mother who can never forget the loss she caused. Breast cancer rates increase by ''more than six times'' for women who have abortion, according to a recent study.<ref>[http://www.indianjcancer.com/article.asp?issn=0019-509X;year=2013;volume=50;issue=4;spage=316;epage=321;aulast=Bhadoria AS Bhadoria, U Kapil, N Sareen, P Singh, "Reproductive factors and breast cancer: A case-control study in tertiary care hospital of North India," 50 ''Indian Journal of Cancer'' 4, 316-321 (2013)</ref> Additional victims of abortion include after-born children, who have a higher rate of premature birth and birth defects due to the harm caused by a prior abortion.

Abortion is a billion-dollar industry in the [[United States]]. Although [[Planned Parenthood]] likes to claim abortion accounts for just 3% of its services, according to its 2007-08 budget, it received $1.038 billion of revenue, and half to two-thirds relates to its abortion services. (''See [[Abortion#Planned Parenthood.27s Budget|Planned Parenthood's Budget]]'') Dr. George Tiller "estimated that he performed 250 to 300 late-term abortions in 2003, each costing an average of $6,000."<ref>Hegeman, R. (2009, March 25). [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/03/25/kan_doctor_testifies_in_abortion_case_against_him/ Kan. doctor testifies in abortion case against him]. ''Associated Press''.</ref> There have been more than 60 million abortions in the [[United States]] since 1973.<ref name=factsheet>''Number of Abortions''. [http://www.christianliferesources.com/?/library/view.php&articleid=1042 U.S. Abortion Statistics By Year (1973-Current)]. National Right to Life Factsheet, January 2012. (Privacy laws and likely desire to keep this silent holocaust from raising alarm hinders data collection on abortion. CDC researchers have admitted they probably undercount the total number of abortions because reporting laws vary from state to state and some abortionists probably do not report or under-report the abortions they perform. Abortions from CA and NH have not been counted by the CDC since 1998, and reports from other states are also missing for some years.)</ref>

Right to choose is no solace, because doing something so wrong will have devastating consequences. A right to privacy would not permit the taking of life when that life is inconvenient, whether in the privacy of one's own home or own body.
{{TOC right}}
Saying one can't criticize a woman's choice to murder her children is like saying one can't criticize the president without being the president.<ref name=lucente>Lucente Jr., T.J. (2012, January 29). [https://www.limaohio.com/articles/right-78475-privacy-one.html Right to Privacy is Not a License to Kill]. ''LimaOhio.com.'' Freedom Communications, Inc.</ref> Rape or life of the mother are extremely rare circumstances accounting for less than 1% of all abortions, with little bearing on the broader "abortion on demand" issue, particularly since all legislation the Pro-Life movement has been putting out recently has included exceptions for them, and many states had laws allowing abortion for such cases before ''Roe v. Wade'' - abortion was legalized for other reasons. (''See [[Abortion#Arguments On Abortion|Arguments On Abortion]]'')

Ultimately, this debate is about when a fetus becomes a human being worthy of all applicable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness under the [[Declaration of Independence]], for once it is we should not take its life lightly. And when it comes to that, 18,150 abortions occur after the 21st week of pregnancy<ref name=induced>(2011, August). [https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html/ Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States]. ''Guttmacher Institute''.</ref> - the earliest point children can be born prematurely and live.<ref name=tooyoung>Rochman, B. (2011, May 27). [http://healthland.time.com/2011/05/27/baby-born-at-21-weeks-survives-how-young-is-too-young-to-save/ A 21-Week-Old Baby Survives and Doctors Ask, How Young is Too Young to Save?] ''Time Magazine''.</ref> An additional 45,980 abortions occur in the 16th-20th weeks of pregnancy.<ref name=induced /> These are 60 thousand abortions each year that are clearly murder, since the child is at or near the same stage of pregnancy as children born prematurely via C-Section. Furthermore, substantial fetal development occurs within the first 12 weeks (1st trimester) of pregnancy, including brain wave activity at 6 weeks, complete body sensitivity at 10 weeks, and all facial expressions (including smiling) at 11 weeks.<ref name=clowes>Clowes, Brian, PhD. 2001. [https://www.hli.org/index.php/the-facts-of-life/480?task=view The Facts of Life]. Ch. 12. Front Royal: Human Life International.
Also in: Sharing the Pro-Life Message. Chicago: Pro-Life Action League, 2009. Print.</ref> By not erring on the side of caution when potentially infringing on the inalienable right to life given by our Creator, the Pro-Choice movement has brought the blood of countless children on their hands, and on our nation's. (''See [[Abortion#When Does Life Begin.3F|When Does Life Begin?]]'')

A growing body of evidence increasingly suggests that abortion is linked to Breast Cancer, later premature births, and other health concerns. Millions of women who had an abortion later suffer psychologically or physically from it, and support groups exist to help.<ref>Rodgers-Melnick, A. (2002, January 20). [http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20020120abortion0120p3.asp Groups support those who regret abortions]. ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''.</ref> Many victims of abortion find healing by speaking out against, and discouraging, similar harm to other mothers and their children.<ref>"I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born," observed President [[Ronald Reagan]]. He also observed, "With me, abortion is not a problem of religion, it's a problem of the Constitution. I believe that until and unless someone can establish that the unborn child ''is not a living human being'', then that child is already protected by the Constitution, which guarantees life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to all of us."</ref> "Abortion doesn't solve your problems, it only creates different ones," warned a full-page ad by women who had abortions.<ref>''Anglicans for Life'' and ''Priests for Life''. [http://www.silentnomoreawareness.org/signaturead/ad.pdf We Regret Our Abortions]. ''Orange County Right to Life''.</ref> Abortion always ends the life of the unborn child, typically by dismemberment. Abortion increases the risk of breast cancer, future premature birth, mental illness, and other long-term health problems for the mother, as detailed below. (''See [[Abortion#Health Concerns|Health Concerns]]'')

One of NARAL's founders, [[Bernard Nathanson]], acknowledged that NARAL in the early days of the Pro-Choice movement simply fabricated statistics on back-alley abortions; inflating the actual numbers ten-fold to get abortion legalized. Rather than making abortion rare, the annual number of abortions has increased 1500% since [[Roe v. Wade]].<ref name=nathanson>Kupelian, David (2005, January 20). "[https://www.wnd.com/2005/01/28544/ Blood Confessions: Ex-Abortionists Spill Their Guts]." ''Whistleblower Magazine''. ''Whistleblower Magazine'' (2003, January 2). "[https://www.wnd.com/2003/01/16460/ Ex-Abortionists Expose America's Greatest Scandal]."</ref> (''See [[Abortion#History|History]]'') Gallup polling in 2012 reveals that just 24% of Americans support abortion after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy,<ref name=gallupabortion>''Gallup''. "[https://www.gallup.com/poll/1576/abortion.aspx/ Abortion]." Do you think abortion should be legal in most circumstances or only in a few circumstances?</ref> even though abortion is allowed in all 9 months.<ref name=ninemonths>[http://www.whyprolife.com/is-abortion-legal-all-9-months-of-pregnancy/ Is Abortion Legal All 9 Months of Pregnancy?] ''WhyProLife.com''.</ref> Just 25% believe abortion should be legal under all circumstances, and an additional 13% believe it should be legal under most circumstances. Most Americans believe abortion should usually be illegal save in rare cases.<ref name=gallupabortion /> (''See [[Abortion#Public Opinion|Public Opinion]]'')

[[Abortion in Poland]] declined by 99% after [[communism]] was overthrown (and abortion abolished<ref>''Catholic World News'' (2007, April 11). [http://www.catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=50451 Liberal abortion law takes effect in Portugal]. Trinity Communications.</ref>), and women's health has dramatically improved there due to fewer abortions.<ref>Johnston, W.R., Dr. (2008, October 9). [http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/ab-poland.html Historical abortion statistics, Poland]. ''Johnston's Archive'.</ref>

==Statistics on abortion==

''See also:'' [[Abortion statistics]]

* As of 2012, it is estimated there has been over 59.8 million babies murdered by abortion since the Supreme Court handed down its 1973 ''Roe v. Wade'' decision. After reaching 25 percent from a high of over 1.6 million in the year 1990, the number of abortions performed annually in the U.S. has leveled off at about 1.2 million infants murdered by abortion a year, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI). By 2016, the number of yearly abortions in America dropped to an historic low of less than 1,000,000.<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/17/health/us-abortions-historic-lows-trnd/ Abortions in the US have been dropping. Now it's at a historic low</ref>
* Approximately 22% of all U.S. pregnancies ended in abortion.<ref>Jones RK and Kooistra, K., [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1363/4304111/abstract Abortion incidence and access to services in the United States], 2008, Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2011, 43(1):41-50. (Excludes miscarriages.)</ref>
* Only about 1 percent each year are attributed to rape and incest.<ref name=rare>Johnston, W.R., Dr. (2008, October 9). [http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/abreasons.html Reasons given for having abortions in the United States]. ''Johnston's Archive'.</ref> 40% of women ages 15 to 44 have had at least one abortion. 4 out of 10 teen pregnancies end in murder by abortion. Based on the rate of abortion, it was estimated (2000) that 43 percent of American women would have at least one abortion by the age of 45.
* 7 out of 10 U.S. women are sexually active (usually as fornicators) but do not want to become pregnant.<ref>''Alan Guttmacher Institute'', In Brief: Fact Sheet, [https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html/ Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States], August 2011.</ref>
* Women who have never married and are not cohabiting account for 45% of all abortions. 57% of all women having abortions between 15 and 44 are in their 20's. 36% of non-Hispanic women are abortions were white, 30% are non-Hispanic black, and 25% are Hispanic.<ref name=patients>Jones RK, Finer LB and Singh S, [https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/US-Abortion-Patients.pdf Characteristics of U.S. Abortion Patients], 2008, New York: Guttmacher Institute, 2010.</ref>
* 37% of women killing babies by abortion were Protestant, (include those who identified as “Christian” but who did not specify a denomination) while 28% were Catholic, and 20% identified themselves as born-again, evangelical, charismatic or fundamentalist (in 2000, some 13% of abortion patients aged 18 and older identified as born-again or evangelical before the question was reworded slightly for the 2008 survey), while 27% gave no religious affiliation, increasing from 22% in 2000. (Protestants were under-represented among those committing abortion in proportion to the total number of Protestants nationwide, and the relative abortion rate for this group was lower than the rate for all women.)<ref name=patients />
* Although 66% of women having abortions had some type of health insurance, 57% paid for their abortion out of pocket. Among women with private health insurance, 63% paid out of pocket.<ref name=patients />

==Arguments On Abortion==

''See also:'' [[Abortion arguments]]

The following are some common Pro-Choice arguments on abortion, and problems with the reasoning.
===Right to Choose===
The obvious question not being confronted is what choice is at stake? The choice to kill another human being to bypass the consequences and responsibilities that should accompany the choice to create another life; in essence the choice to murder one's own children so sex can be engaged in freely without responsibility or consequence.<ref>Hoffman, M.C. (2012, May 28). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/abortion-is-murder-for-the-purpose-of-population-control-says-turkish-prime Abortion is ‘murder’ for the purpose of population control, says Turkish prime minister]. ''Life Site News''.</ref> Sometimes women die from abortion.<ref>See "Documented Incidents of 365 Women Who Have Been Killed by "Safe" and Legal Abortion." [http://abortionviolence.com/DEATHS.HTM 365 women who have been killed by 'Legal' abortion]</ref> Since abortion is deliberate and thought about in advance, it is comparable to a premeditated killing.<ref>First-degree murder is defined as "a killing which is deliberate and premeditated." [http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/first+degree+murder First Degree Murder]. ''The Free Dictionary''.</ref>
====Rare Circumstances: Life of Mother and Rape====
''BBC News'' has an article called "Abortion in self-defence" arguing that abortion should be allowed in cases where the mother's life and health are at risk, and that this is justifiable self-defense. However, ''BBC News'' acknowledges that abortion is NOT justified for the following reasons: {{cquote|"But supposing the mother is not in physical danger, what then? There are a number of cases where some people argue that a woman should have the right to an abortion, such as: damage to mental health, damage to family, damage to career prospects, damage to financial prospects, damage to plans for her life. The self-defence argument for abortion seems to fail here, because although a threat to life can be a defence to a charge of killing someone, none of the above would be an adequate defence in a case of homicide, nor would they be regarded as reasons that justified euthanasia. But if we don't regard the foetus as a person with a right to live, or if we regard it as a being that doesn't have a full right to life, then these cases of self-defence may be arguable."
-''BBC News''.<ref name=bbc>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/abortion/philosophical/selfdefence.shtml Abortion in Self-Defence]. ''BBC News''. Retrieved July 23, 2012.</ref>}} However, (A) danger to life of the mother, like rape, is a very rare circumstance that accounts for less than 1% of all abortions,<ref name=rare /> (B) all major legislation put out by the Right to Life movement over the past decade has included exceptions allowing abortions for rape and life of the mother (e.g. [[Mexico City Policy]], [[Born Alive Infant Protection Act]], [[Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act]], etc.) and (C) at least 13 states had legislation allowing abortion for rape or life of the mother BEFORE Roe v. Wade<ref>[https://www.nrlc.org/abortion/facts/abortiontimeline.html Abortion History Timeline]. ''National Right to Life Committee''.</ref> - abortion was legalized for other reasons.

The bottom line is that apart from such extremely rare circumstances, ''BBC News'' acknowledges that "''The self-defence argument for abortion seems to fail here, because although a threat to life can be a defence to a charge of killing someone, none of the above would be an adequate defence in a case of homicide, nor would they be regarded as reasons that justified euthanasia.''"<ref name=bbc /> Choosing to kill another person, in other words, is unjustifiable unless the mother's life is in danger or, debatably, if rape occurred. In fact, those who bring up cases like rape and life of the mother are doing so because, deep inside, they themselves know that choosing to murder another human being is justifiable only under such extreme circumstances, and NOT for abortion on demand.

The only way to justify abortion apart from such circumstances is, as ''BBC News'' says, "''if we don't regard the foetus as a person with a right to live, or if we regard it as a being that doesn't have a full right to life''".<ref name=bbc /> You see, this is not about the right to choose at all, and such a slogan distracts from the real issue - the real issue is whether the fetus is a human being deserving of a full right to life. Because if it is a human being worthy of the right to life, then there is no excuse for "choosing to kill" via abortion on demand.

===Right to One's Body===
The Pro-Choice movement likes to say that women should have a right to their bodies. However, such a right should logically not allow one to harm others with that body, including physical assault, murder, rape, or theft, and therefore, this is not an absolute right, but a privilege that is not intended to exceed another's unalienable rights, including the right to life. As Hugh V. McLachlan of ''Glasgow Caledonian University'' pointed out in 1997, there is no entitlement to one's body and "''we have rights duties, liabilities, restrictions and
disadvantages as well as rights concerning our own bodies.''" {{cquote|"Consider the assumption at issue in the abstract: 'That particular X is your X and, therefore, you are entitled to do what you want with it'. As a matter of pure logic, the claim is an absurdity. What if 'X' stands for a Thompson Machine Gun? Should we say: 'That is your machine gun and, therefore, you can do whatever you like with it?' On the contrary, although there might be some things which you and only you can of right do to and with the gun, if that particular machine gun is your machine gun then it is incumbent upon you in particular to ensure that certain things are not done with it. Is the situation any different when 'X' pertains to one's body or to parts of it? I do not think so."
-Hugh V. McLachlan, ''Glasgow Caledonian University''.<ref name=mclachlan>McLachlan, H.V. (1997). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1377347/ Bodies, Rights, and Abortions]. Journal of Medical Ethics. Vol. 23. p. 176.</ref>}}
As McLachlan continues to point out, this emphasis on rights neglects the other side of the coin, responsibilities or duties. He gives on pg. 177 the example of an insurance policy, and how using one's body to commit suicide can invalidate such a contract.<ref name=mclachlan /> Logically, creating another human life should likewise bring responsibly for actions toward that life - how is the decision to create another human life of lesser importance than the decision to sign an insurance contract? Why should one be able to kill a separate person to void the sexual decision to bring about another life, yet not be able to kill oneself without voiding an insurance contract? {{cquote|"Certainly a woman has a right to control her own body, but the unborn entity, though for a time living inside her body, is not part of her body. Hence, abortion is not justified, since no one's right to personal autonomy is so strong that it permits the arbitrary execution of others."
-Francis J. Beckwith, ''Christian Research Journal''.<ref>Beckwith, F.J. (1991). [https://christiananswers.net/q-sum/q-life009.html Doesn't a woman have the right to control her own body?] ''Christian Research Journal''. At ''ChristianAnswers.net''.</ref>}}Ultimately, the real question is whether the fetus in question is another human being to be accorded unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness under the Declaration of Independence, for if so, no right to one's body should give power to infringe on its unalienable right to life. Your right to your body does not include the right, in other words, to kill others using that body to avoid the responsibilities and consequences of a sexual decision to create another life. That is what in the real world is called "murder" and it is reprehensible. Therefore, the real question is at what point a fetus becomes a human being.

===Right to Privacy===
To get abortion legalized, the Pro-Choice movement had to argue that women should have a "right to privacy".<ref>Levin, M.R. (2005, March 14). [http://old.nationalreview.com/levin/levin200503140754.asp Death by Privacy]. ''The National Review''.</ref> However, logically, if the fetus is a human being and thus murder would be committed, privacy is no excuse for such murder. Logically, killing someone in the privacy of one's own home should no more be an excuse for murder than killing them in the privacy of one's body. Furthermore, as Judge Henry J. Friendly pointed out in the nation's first major abortion case, [[Hall v. Lefkowitz]], abortion is actually a complete violation of privacy when you look at it, requiring intervention in a woman's most private areas by a physician and variety of medical personnel.
{{cquote|A holding that the privacy of sexual intercourse is protected against governmental intrusion scarcely carries as a corollary that when this has resulted in conception, government may not forbid destruction of the fetus. The type of abortion the plaintiffs particularly wish to protect against governmental sanction is the antithesis of privacy. The woman consents to intervention in the uterus by a physician, with the usual retinue of assistants, nurses, and other paramedical personnel, indeed the condition calling for such intervention may very likely have been established by clinical tests... Yet, even if we were to take plaintiffs’ legal position that the legislature cannot constitutionally interfere with a woman’s right to do as she will with her own body so long as no harm is done to others, the argument does not support the conclusion plaintiffs would have us draw from it. For we cannot say the New York legislature lacked a rational basis for considering that abortion causes such harm. Even if we should put aside the interests of the father, negligible indeed in the many cases when he has abandoned the prospective mother but not in all, the legislature could permissibly consider the fetus itself to deserve protection.<ref name=friendly>Randolph, A. Raymond. [http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol29_No3_Randolph.pdf Before Roe v. Wade: Judge Friendly's Draft Abortion Opinion]. ''Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy''. Vol. 29.</ref>}}
===Women Choose, Not Men===
The Pro-Choice movement likes to say men and fathers should have no say in the abortion debate, only women. However, as Thomas J. Lucente Jr. points out, this is similar to saying one can't criticize the President unless one is the President. {{cquote|"The pro-abortion crowd will argue that because I am a man, I should not be allowed to have an opinion on abortion, unless, of course, I support the mass murder of 50 million babies in the last 39 years. That's akin to saying I can't criticize the president unless I have been the president."
-Thomas J. Lucente Jr.<ref name=lucente />}} As [[Alan Keyes]] has pointed out, the Pro-Choice movement essentially is arguing for the baby's rights to be dependent on the mother's desire for it, making women slave-owners, essentially - this is very different from the [[Declaration of Independence]] which says the Creator gives us our unalienable rights, rather than them being dependent upon other people.<ref>Jefferson, T. (1776, July 4). [http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm The Declaration of Independence]. Retrieved from ''USHistory.org''. Independence Hall Association.</ref> {{cquote|"Either you can subscribe to the American creed which says that God endowed us with our rights, or you can subscribe to the abortion creed which says that those rights are the consequences of our mother's will."
-Alan Keyes, speech at Southern Methodist University, Feb. 24, 1997.<ref>[http://www.abortiontv.com/Words/Slavery.htm Former Presidential candidate, Alan Keyes shares his views on the commonalities between abortion and slavery]. ''AbortionTV.com''.</ref>}}
{{cquote|"... abortion is to our time what slavery was to the 19th Century, and if anyone of conscience went anywhere in the 19th Century and did not confront the American people with the evil of slavery, then they were not doing what statesmanship required... Well, it's a part of her body utterly dependent on her body, not viable apart from her body. She has, therefore, absolute power over this being, and given that absolute power she has the absolute right to dispose of it according to her will. We don't recognize what that's saying? What that's saying is that power makes for right. Might makes for right. If I have you in my power, I may dispose of you and your life according to my will. And if that argument is now accepted, and we have embraced it as a fundamental principle of law, then we have rejected the right principle. For if our right, our most basic and conditional right, the right to life itself comes to us not from God but from our mother's choice, then there is no human right that transcends in its claim, human choice and human power. Abortion is the paradigm, the ultimate paradigm of despotism, tyranny, oppression, slavery, holocaust."
-Alan Keyes, speech in San Francisco, March 3, 2003.<ref>[http://www.notable-quotes.com/a/abortion_quotes.html Abortion Quotes]. ''NotableQuotes.com''.</ref>}} Ultimately, every American has a responsibility to stand up for the rights of other Americans when they are being murdered - regardless of gender. And to say a mother should be able to murder her children whenever she feels like it, apart from the father's opinions, is simply wrong.

== When Does Life Begin? ==

''See also:'' [[When does life begin?]]

Logically, one ought to be erring on the side of caution when potentially infringing on another person's inalienable right to life, rather than seeing how close we can come to committing murder without doing so. Abortion in the U.S. is legal in all 9 months (36 weeks) of pregnancy.<ref name=ninemonths />
===Premature Birth===
Even though children can be born as early as 21 weeks after pregnancy<ref name=tooyoung /> the Guttmacher Institute, Planned Parenthood's research arm, reports that 1.5% of the 1.21 million abortions in the United States occur after the 21st week of pregnancy.<ref name=induced /> Therefore, 18,150 abortions occur each year after the earliest point that children can be born prematurely and live. An additional 3.8% occur 16–20 weeks after pregnancy, an additional 45,980 abortions each year that are most certainly murder given proximity to time of premature birth.<ref name=induced /> Why is a baby considered human outside the womb, yet nothing more than a fetus to be aborted at or near the same point in pregnancy if still inside the womb? And what will abortionists argue? That this is "only" 50-60 thousand innocent lives being taken each year?

===Fetal Development===
{{cquote|"Modern biology instructs that the genetic code that will dictate the entire future of the fetus is formed as early as the ___ day after conception; the fetus is thus something more than inert matter. The rules of property and of tort have come increasingly to recognize its rights."
-Judge Henry Friendly, [[Hall v. Lefkowitz]].<ref name=friendly>Randolph, A. Raymond. "[http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol29_No3_Randolph.pdf Before Roe v. Wade: Judge Friendly's Draft Abortion Opinion]." ''Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy''. Vol. 29.</ref>}}
According to Brian Clowes, Ph.D,<ref name=clowes /> as cited by the Pro-Life Action League,<ref>(2009). [http://www.whyprolife.com/life-in-the-womb/ Sharing the Pro-Life Message]. "Life in the Womb." Pro-Life Action League. Chicago.</ref> fetal development occurs as follows after conception:
* 2 weeks: First completed brain cells appear.
* 3 weeks: Heart begins beating, eyes form; brain, spinal column, and nervous system virtually complete.
* 4 weeks: Muscle development, arm and leg buds visible, neocortical cells appear, blood flows in baby's veins separate from mother's blood.
* 5 weeks: Pituitary gland forms, mouth, ears, and nose take shape.
* 6 weeks: Brain waves can be detected.
* 7 weeks: Cartilage skeleton completely formed, umbilical cord complete, brain coordinates voluntary muscle movement and involuntary organ movement, lips sensitive to touch.
* 8 weeks: Based on nervous system development, a fetus can likely feel pain, teeth present, all organs present save lungs, taste buds and fingerprints forming, responds to tapping on amniotic sac.
* 9 weeks: Fingernails form, can bend its fingers around an object and suck its thumb.
* 10 weeks: All parts of body sensitive to touch; can swallow, squint, frown, and pucker brow.
* 11 weeks: Breathing amniotic fluid and does so until birth, urination, all facial expressions (including smiling) possible, taste buds complete.
* 12 weeks: Can kick, turn over, make a fist, hiccup, cry, open its mouth, press its lips together, and practice breathing.
* 13 weeks: All senses are present, including vocal chords.
* 20 weeks: Can be surprised by loud external noises.
* 23 weeks: A fetus demonstrates REM (Rapid Eye Movement).
* 4 months: Can grasp, swim, and turn somersaults.
* 6 months: Hair growth on head and eyebrows, eyelashes form.
* 7 months: A fetus' hands can support its entire weight.
* 8 months: Fetus weighs more than 4 lbs., all body systems present.
* 9 months: After this point, the fetus gains a half lb. each week and 41 of the 45 total generations of cell replication have already taken place.

Given this, it is small wonder that 76% of Americans in 2011 disapprove of abortion after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
 (''See [[Abortion#2nd Trimester|Public Polling]]'')

Objectively and logically speaking, based on a large amount of evidence, abortion is a form of murder.<ref>Taylor, Paul F (May 2, 2014). [https://answersingenesis.org/sanctity-of-life/abortion/is-it-really-a-matter-of-life-and-death/ Chapter 12: Abortion: Is It Really a Matter of Life and Death?]. ''Answers in Genesis'' (from ''The New Answers Book 3''). Retrieved January 22, 2017.</ref> as well as child sacrifice.<ref>Ham, Ken (October 26, 2015). [https://answersingenesis.org/sanctity-of-life/abortion/abortion-and-child-sacrifice/ Abortion and Child Sacrifice]. ''Answers in Genesis''. Retrieved January 22, 2017.</ref>

==Health Concerns==

''See also:'' [[Abortion health risks]]

===Mental Health Risks From Abortion===
A comprehensive review of literature, published in the ''British Journal of Psychiatry'' suggests that "there is a significant increase in mental health problems after abortion."<ref name="BJP">{{cite web|url = http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/199/3/A11.full#sec-3|title =Abortion, mental health and dental disease|publisher = British Journal of Psychiatry|quote=A comprehensive review of the literature suggests that there is a significant increase in mental health problems after abortion. Coleman (pp. 180–186) suggests that these risks need to be reflected in the delivery of abortion services, and raises the thorny issue that 90% of UK abortions are justified on the presumption that abortion actually reduces the risk to mental health associated with continuing the pregnancy. There is an increasing awareness of increased comorbid physical illness in patients with severe mental illness. Kisely and colleagues (pp. 187–193) found that the levels of advanced dental disease were increased threefold in patients with severe mental illness. The authors suggest that there needs to be improved recognition of this problem – reflected in a more proactive approach to dental hygiene in these patients.|accessdate = 1 September 2011}}</ref><ref name="DavenportMD">{{cite web|url = https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/09/major_study_links_suicide_and_other_mental_health_problems_to_abortion.html|title =Major Study Links Suicide and Other Mental Health Problems to Abortion|publisher = [[American Thinker]]|quote=An important meta-analysis published today in the prestigious British Journal of Psychiatry demonstrates that nearly 10% of mental health problems in women are directly attributable to abortion. "Abortion and mental health: quantitative synthesis and analysis of research published 1995-2009," by Priscilla Coleman of Bowling Green University, shows that women with an abortion history have an 81% increased risk of mental health problems and 155% increased risk of suicide. This meta-analysis combines 22 studies of 877,181 women, 163, 831 of whom have had abortions. A meta-analysis is an especially powerful type of study because it includes a large number of subjects, and by combining studies is much more reliable than a single study.|author=Mary L. Davenport, MD|accessdate = 1 September 2011}}</ref>

===Abortion and Breast Cancer ===
The vast majority of scientific studies have shown that abortion causes an increase in breast cancer, including 16 out of 17 statistically significant studies.<ref name=trumped>Malek, K. (2003). [http://www.jpands.org/vol8no2/malec.pdf The Abortion-Breast Cancer Link: How Politics Trumped Science and Informed Consent]. ''Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons'', 8(2), 41-45.</ref> "A new study coming from researchers in [[Sri Lanka]] finds women who had abortions ... [had a] 3.42 [increased risk] ... compared with those who kept their baby. ... The Sri Lankan study is the fourth epidemiological study in fourteen months to report an abortion-breast cancer link, including studies from the U.S., China and Turkey."<ref>Ertelt, S. (2010, June 22). [https://www.lifenews.com/nat6451.html Study Confirms Abortion Triples Breast Cancer Risk Among Sri Lanka Women]. ''LifeNews.com''.</ref> LifeNews also reported in 2009 that a [[National Cancer Institute]] researcher admitted there was a link between abortion and breast cancer.<ref>Ertelt, S. (2009, January 1). [https://www.lifenews.com/nat5850.html National Cancer Institute Researcher Admits Abortion-Breast Cancer Link True]. ''LifeNews.com''.</ref> Studies showing that abortion increases breast cancer predate the political controversy.<ref>(2002). [http://www.bcpinstitute.org/brochure.htm Breast Cancer Prevention Institute Online Brochure]. ''Breast Cancer Prevention Institute''.</ref> A study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center published in 2009 confirmed a 40% increase in risk in breast cancer from abortion.<ref>Byrne, D. (2010, January 11). [http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/dennis-byrne-barbershop/2010/01/breast-cancer-oral-contraceptives-abortion-and-lies.html Breast cancer, oral contraceptives, abortion and lies (?)] ''ChicagoNow''.</ref><ref>It is undisputed that childbirth protects against breast cancer, and thus early termination of pregnancy must increase the risk of cancer for the mother compared to carrying that same pregnancy to birth.</ref> Yet the abortion industry conceals this increased risk, just as the tobacco industry concealed its cancer risk for decades.<ref>Addison, T.E., M.D. (1998, July). [http://www.mindfully.org/Industry/Tobacco-ChronologyJul98.htm A Chronology of Tobacco in the Civilized World], ''San Francisco Medicine''.</ref>
[[Image:Abortion Hurts Women.jpg|thumb|275px|right|Walk for Life rally]]
A new study on breast cancer in Turkey published in April 2009 in the peer-reviewed World Journal of Surgical Oncology found, through a surveying process, that induced abortion was a statistically significant cause of breast cancer risk. The study concludes, “Our findings suggest that age and induced abortion were found to be significantly associated with increased breast cancer risk….”<ref>Ozman, V. et al. (2009, April 8). [http://wjso.com/content/7/1/37 Breast cancer risk factors in Turkish women – a University Hospital based nested case control study]. ''World Journal of Surgical Oncology'', 7(37). doi:10.1186/1477-7819-7-37</ref>

Specifically, the study found that Turkish women who received one or more induced abortions had a 66% higher risk of breast cancer than women who never had an abortion.<ref>Baklinski, T.M. (2009, July 29). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/jul/09072903.html Study: Breast Cancer Risk 66% Higher in Turkish Women with Abortions]. ''LifeSiteNews.com''.</ref><ref>Malek, K. (2009, July 28). [http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/press_releases/090728/index.htm Study: Turkish Women with Abortions Have Statistically Significant 66% Increase in Breast Cancer Risk / Researchers Likely Underestimated the Risk, Reports Scientist]. ''Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer''.</ref>

Dr. Janet Daling, who considers herself supportive of a right to perform abortions, brought the abortion-breast cancer link into the mainstream with her federally funded research on the topic. Her report, released in 1994, found a 50% increase in breast cancer risk due to induced abortion.<ref>Janet R. Daling et al., "Risk of Breast Cancer Among Young Women: Relationship to Induced Abortion," 86 Journal of the National Cancer Institute; (1994);1584</ref><ref>(2001, March 28). [http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/032801.htm Women's Organization Accuses MAMM of Misleading Public About Abortion-Breast Cancer Link]. ''Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer''.</ref> She said, "I have three sisters with breast cancer and I resent people messing with the scientific data to further their own agenda, be they pro-choice or pro-life. I would have loved to have found no association between breast cancer and abortion, but our research is rock solid and our data is accurate."<ref>L.A. Daily News, Sept. 1997.</ref> Similarly, an early study published in Japan in 1957 showed that women who have abortions have a much higher risk of breast cancer than those who decide to keep their baby.<ref>Segi M, et al. An epidemiological study on cancer in Japan. GANN. 1957; 48:1-63.</ref>

In a peer-reviewed medical journal, Karen Malec observed that:<ref name=trumped />

:Thirty-eight epidemiological studies exploring an independent link [between abortion and] breast cancer have been published. Twenty-nine report risk elevations. Thirteen out of 15 American studies found risk elevations. Seventeen studies are statistically significant, 16 of which report increased risk.

Dr. Angela Lanfranchi, M.D., F.A.C.S., a specialist in breast cancer an a clinical assistant professor of surgery at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, has explained the physiology and epidemiology of the abortion-breast cancer link. She made the following observation:<ref>Angela Lanfranchi, M.D., F.A.C.S, "The breast physiology and the epidemiology of the abortion breast cancer link," 12 Imago Hominis, No. 3, 228 (2005) (emphasis added).</ref>

:This past August in Minneapolis, Patrick Carroll, director of the Pension and Population Research Institute of London, presented a paper to the largest gathering of statisticians in North America. '''He showed that abortion was the best predictor of breast cancer in Britain.''' Breast cancer is the only cancer in Britain which has its highest incidence and mortality rate among the upper rather than lower social classes. Abortion before a full term pregnancy and late pregnancy were the best explanations for this incidence. He also found that there had been a 70% increase risk of breast cancer between 1971 and 2002 and that for women between 50 and 54 years of age incidence was highly correlated with abortion.

Demographic evidence of abortion causing breast cancer includes the following. Breast cancer rates are far lower in Western countries that prohibited abortion than in those that promoted it. Ireland, which virtually bans abortion, reportedly has a lifetime rate of breast cancer of only 1 in 13, nearly half the rate of 1 in 7.5 in the United States.<ref>"Probability of breast cancer in American Women," National Cancer Institute (Apr. 15, 2005); K. O'Flaherty, R. Oakley, "Self-checks 'useless' in breast cancer fight," Sunday Tribune (Ireland), at 8 (Oct. 6, 2002).</ref> The rate of breast cancer increases steadily as one travels from Ireland, where abortion is illegal, to Northern Ireland, where abortion is legal but rare, to England, where abortion is common.<ref>R. O'Reilly, "New weapon in war against breast cancer," The Press Association Limited (Dec. 17, 1998); "Portugal-abortion referendum," Associated Press Worldstream (June 27, 1998).</ref>

In Romania, abortion was illegal under two decades of rule by the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, and the country enjoyed one of the lowest breast cancer rates in the entire world during that time, far lower than comparable Western countries. Romania's breast cancer rate was an astounding one-sixth the rate of the United States.<ref>A. Khan, "The role of fat in breast cancer," The Independent (May 18, 1998).</ref> But after the execution of Ceausescu on Christmas Day, 1989, Romania has taken the opposite approach, embracing abortion to the point that Romania now has one of the highest abortion rates in the world.<ref>N. Abdullaev, "Russians are quickest to marry and divorce," Moscow Times (Dec 8, 2004).</ref> One Romanian observer decried, "The liberalization of abortions in Romania in 1990, the significant increase of the number of abortions at relatively short intervals, determined a rise in the incidence of breast and uterine cervix cancer in my country."<ref>Information packet, Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) World Conference on Breast Cancer (July 1997).</ref>

Studies on rats, which are an accepted method for identifying causes of cancer in humans, further confirm that abortion does indeed increase the risk of breast cancer. As Dr. [[Joel Brind]] observed, "Researchers also widely admit to the biological plausibility of abortion as an independent cause of breast cancer, through the estrogen-mediated stimulation of breast growth in the absence of differentiation. This was demonstrated experimentally in rats in the landmark experiments of Russo and Russo."<ref>[[Joel Brind]], "[http://www.jpands.org/vol10no4/brind.pdf Induced Abortion as an Independent Risk Factor for Breast Cancer: A Critical Review of Recent Studies Based on Prospective Data]," J. of Am. Physicians & Surgeons 105 (Winter 2005) (citing Russo J, Russo IH. Susceptibility of the mammary gland to
carcinogenesis. 1980;100:497-512).</ref> Additional scientific information on the abortion-breast cancer link is available at [http://www.bcpinstitute.org BCPInstitute.org].

An expert (Dr. Lynn Rosenberg) hired to defend abortion felt compelled to admit, under cross-examination, that a woman increases her risk for breast cancer by having an abortion compared to carrying her pregnancy to childbirth:<ref>[http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/rosenberg's_testimony.htm Rosenberg's Testimony]. ''Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer''.</ref>

:Question by the attorney: 'So in other words, a woman who finds herself pregnant at age 15 will have a higher breast cancer risk if she chooses to abort that pregnancy, than if she carries the pregnancy to term, [is that] correct?'

:Dr. Lynn Rosenberg: 'Probably, yes.'

:Question: 'Looking at that another way, let's compare two women. Let's say both got pregnant at age 15-- one terminates the pregnancy, but the other carries the pregnancy to term. And both women go on to get married and have two kids, say, at age 30 and age 35. Is the risk of breast cancer higher for the woman who had an abortion at age 15 or the woman who had a baby at age 15, all other things being equal?'

:Dr. Lynn Rosenberg: 'It's probably higher for the one who had an abortion at age 15.'

Despite the overwhelming evidence—and inescapable logic—for abortion increasing breast cancer, promoters of abortion cite flawed articles in an attempt to deny the link. The flaws in these articles are exposed in the [[Harvard abortion study]] and "Legal Implications of a Link Between Abortion and Breast Cancer" by Andrew Schlafly in the ''Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons''.<ref>Schafly, A. (2005, Spring). [http://www.jpands.org/vol10no1/aschlafly.pdf Legal Implications of a Link Between Abortion and Breast Cancer]. ''Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons'', 10(1), 10-14.</ref>

As Dr. Lanfranchi has explained:<ref>Lanfranchi, A. (2008, Spring). [http://www.jpands.org/vol13no1/lanfranchi.pdf The Federal Government and Academic Texts as Barriers to Informed Consent]. ''Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons'', 13(1), 12-15.</ref>

:Well-documented breast physiology accounts for the fact that oral contraceptives and abortion are risk factors for breast cancer. There is an effort to suppress this information by federal agencies and those in academic medicine. Without this information, women cannot make a fully informed choice about their method of fertility control or about whether to maintain an unplanned pregnancy. Medical ethics demands that they be informed.

Pro-choice should include ''informed'' choice.<ref>The Archdiocese of St. Louis, for example, remarked about abortions and increased risk for breast cancer: "To dismiss that link is irresponsible." http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5620863.html (Link no longer works)</ref> Yet efforts continue to suppress awareness that abortion increases breast cancer. Pro-life scientists were almost entirely barred from the National Cancer Institute's "study" of the link, and its resulting statements were fatally flawed as explained in [[National Cancer Institute on Abortion]].

Just as organizations denied or failed to disclose the connection between smoking and lung cancer, many organizations aligned with [[liberal]] politicians deny the correlation between abortion and breast cancer despite numerous studies published in peer reviewed journals indicating a likely connection.

[[File:Smelliesdoublecrochet.jpg|right|thumb|250px| The Smellie's double crochet abortion tool was used to grab and forcibly remove the fetus from the womb.]]

===Abortion Causes Future Harm with Premature Births===

"At least 49 studies have demonstrated a statistically significant increase in premature births (PB) or low birth weight (LBW) risk in women with prior induced abortions (IAs)."<ref>Brent Rooney and Byron C. Calhoun, "Induced Abortion and Risk of Later Premature Births," 8 J. Am. Physicians & Surgeons 46 (Summer 2003). [http://www.jpands.org/vol8no2/rooney.pdf]</ref> Premature birth tragically causes brain damage, and an array of other severe, lifelong injuries ranging from Cerebral Palsy to blindness, or even death, and few mothers would knowingly increase the risk of that happening. "There are at least seventeen (17) studies that have found that previous induced abortions increase preterm birth risk” and thereby increase debilitating Cerebral Palsy in children."<ref>Brent Rooney, Letter, 96 European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 239 (2001) (citations omitted).</ref>

In 2008, the generally pro-abortion British medical journal, ''The Lancet'', admitted that a procedure often used in abortion increase the risk of premature birth:<ref name=lancet>Dr, Jay D. Iams, Dr. Robert Romero, Jennifer F. Culhane (PhD), Dr. Robert L. Goldenberg. [http://www.v2020la.org/pub/PUBLICATIONS_BY_TOPICS/ROP/Primary,_secondary,_and_tertiary_interventions.....pdf] Primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions to reduce the morbidity and mortality of preterm birth. Lancet 2008;371:164-175. While the text of this article conceals the connection with abortion, it cites as support for its claims two studies showing how abortion increases risk of premature birth: the 2004 'Ancel' study of ten European countries and the 2005 'Moreau' study that used French subjects. Ancel P-Y, Lelong N, Papiernik E, Saurel-Cubizoilles M-J, Kaminski M. [http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/content/19/3/734.full History of induced abortion as a risk factor for preterm birth in European countries: results of the EUROPOP survey]. Human Reproduction. 2004;112:734-740. Moreau C, Kaminski M, Ancel PY et al. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15777440 Previous I induced abortions and the risk of very preterm delivery; Results of the EPIPAGE study]. British J Obstetrics Gynaecology 2005; 112:430-437.</ref>

:"For example, greater public and professional awareness of evidence that repeated uterine instrumentation--eg, uterine curettage or endometrial biopsy--is associated with increased risk of subsequent preterm birth might over time influence decision-making about the procedure."

Researchers Rooney and Calhoun observed:<ref name=lancet />

:Large studies have reported a doubling of [early premature birth] EPB risk from two prior IAs. Women who had four or more IAs experienced, on average, nine times the risk of [extremely early premature births] XPB, an increase of 800 percent. These results suggest that women contemplating IA should be informed of this potential risk to subsequent pregnancies, and that physicians should be aware of the potential liability and possible need for intensified prenatal care.

Demographic evidence of how abortion increases premature birth includes the following:

:* The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): "[T]he abortion rate for black women has been approximately '''three times''' as high as that for white women (range: 2.6--3.1) since 1991"<ref>https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5407a1.htm (emphasis added)</ref>
:* ''Science Daily'''s report on a study by the Washington University School of Medicine: "African-American women are '''three times''' more likely to deliver babies three to 17 weeks prematurely than Caucasian women"<ref>Washington University School of Medicine (2007, February 12). [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070209074144.htm African-American Mothers]. (emphasis added)</ref>

In 2002 an article entitled "Preterm Birth: A Continuing Challenge" noted that premature births are abnormally high in the United States, citing a study that observed that a previous abortion is a "risk factor for both infertility and preterm birth."<ref>Moore, M.L. (2002, Fall). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1595132/ Preterm Birth: A Continuing Challenge]. ''The Journal of Perinatal Education'', 11(4), 37-40. doi: 10.1624/105812402X88948</ref>

The rate of premature birth is elevated by the same amount as the abortion rate, as expected if abortion increases the risk of premature birth.

===Other Health Risks from Abortion===

The [[U.S. Supreme Court]] ruled in 2007 that:<ref>''Gonzales v. Carhart'', 127 S. Ct. 1610, 1634 (2007).</ref> {{cquote|"While we find no reliable data to measure the phenomenon, it seems unexceptionable to conclude some women come to regret their choice to abort the infant life they once created and sustained. See Brief for Sandra Cano ''et al.'' as Amici Curiae in No. 05-380, pp 22-24. Severe depression and loss of esteem can follow."}} A study published in the Southern Medical Journal observed that there are higher death rates associated with women who have abortion, and that these higher death rates persist over time and across socioeconomic boundaries.<ref>D.C. Reardon, P.G. Ney, F.J. Scheuren, J.R. Cougle, P.K. Coleman, T. Strahan, "Deaths associated with pregnancy outcome: a record linkage study of low income women," 95 Southern Medical Journal 8, at 834-41 (August 2002).</ref>

In [[England]], the "Royal College of Psychiatrists says women should not be allowed to have an abortion until they are counselled on the possible risk to their mental health." The medical royal college warned that women who have abortions may be at risk of mental health problems.<ref>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article3559486.ece (Link no longer works)</ref> A New Zealand study found that abortion in young women may be associated with increased risks of mental health problems.<ref>Fergusson, D.M., et. al. (2006, January). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16405636 Abortion in young women and subsequent mental health]. ''The Journal of Child Psychology andPsychiatry'', 47(1), 16-24. PMID 16405636.</ref> The researcher in this study, who was not pro-life, was shaken by the study and had to go to four journals before he could find one who would publish it.<ref name=gilson>Gilson, T. (2006, February 24). [https://www.thinkingchristian.net/C1148465919/E20060224082323/index.html Abortion and Mental Health]. ''Thinking Christian''.</ref>

The study concludes with the following statement:
{{cquote|These findings are inconsistent with the current consensus on the psychological effects of abortion. In particular, in its 2005 statement on abortion, the American Psychological Association concluded that “well-designed studies of psychological responses following abortion have consistently shown that risk of psychological harm is low...the percentage of women who experience clinically relevant distress is small and appears to be no greater than in general samples of women of reproductive age” (American Psychological Association, 2005). This relatively strong conclusion about the absence of harm from abortion was based on a relatively small number of studies which had one or more of the following limitations: a) absence of comprehensive assessment of mental disorders; b) lack of comparison groups; and c) limited statistical controls. Furthermore, the statement appears to disregard the findings of a number of studies that had claimed to show negative effects for abortion (Cougle et al., 2003; Gissler et al., 1996; Reardon & Cougle, 2002).<ref name=gilson />}}

Professor David Fergusson, lead author of the New Zealand study stated:
{{cquote|It borders on scandalous that one of the most common surgical procedures performed on young women is so poorly researched and evaluated. If this were Prozac or Vioxx, reports of associated harm would be taken much more seriously with more careful research and monitoring procedures." <ref>Throckmorton, W. (2006, January 20). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2006/jan/20/20060120-091648-6456r/?page=all#pagebreak Abortion and Mental Health]. ''The Washington Times''.</ref>}}

Another study published in the OB/GYN Survey detailed long-term physical and psychological health consequences of induced abortions.<ref>J.M. Thorp, Jr., K.E. Hartmann, and E.M. Shadigian, "[content.silaspartners.com/156/41045/156_41045_shadigian.1.pdf Long-Term Physical & Psychological Health Consequences of Induced Abortion: Review of the Evidence]," 58 OB/GYN Survey 1, at 67-79 (2003)</ref>

Suicide rates among women who had abortions are six times higher than women who gave birth in the prior year. Overall, deaths from suicide, homicide and accidents were 248% higher after an abortion, as found by a 13-year study in Finland of its entire population.<ref>http://www.abortionrecoverycounseling.com/Page8.html (Link no longer works)</ref>

In the United States, only one state (Missouri) requires that the abortionist have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the abortion.<ref>Mo. Rev. Stat. § 188.080 prohibits an abortion by a physician "who does not have clinical privileges at a hospital which offers obstetrical or gynecological care located within thirty miles of the location at which the abortion is performed or induced."</ref> In the other 49 states, an abortion patient can and often is left without prompt medical care by the treating physician.

One of the largest abortion providers in the United States, the Metropolitan Medical Associates of New Jersey, was shut down in 2007 by state health officials after one of its botched abortions left a 20-year-old woman in a coma for more than four weeks. She "became severely ill following the abortion and was transferred to Newark Beth Israel Medical Center where she needed blood transfusions and had her uterus removed. She also suffered a stroke due to the serious blood loss and had one of her lungs collapse." The State of New Jersey had shut down the same facility in 1993 also.<ref>Ertelt, S. (2007, March 1). [https://www.lifenews.com/state2137.html Woman Comatose for a Month After Botched Abortion Caused Center’s Closing]. ''LifeNews.com''.</ref>

== Communist China and the consumption of powdered baby flesh from abortions ==

''See also:'' *[[Atheists eat babies meme#Atheistic China and baby eating|Communist China and the consumption of powdered baby flesh]] and [[Atheists eat babies meme]] and [[Atheism, Chinese doctors and baby eating]]

[[File:China on globe.png|right|thumb|250px|In 2014, ''The Washington Times'' reported: "China’s one child policy, baby trafficking, and sex trafficking of [[North Korean]] women aren’t the worst human rights violation happening in the country. Aborting innocent and healthy unborn children and eating them to boost one’s stamina and sexual health is.<ref name="washingtontimes.com">[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/31/chinese-cannibalism-infant-flesh-outrages-world/ Chinese cannibalism of infant flesh outrages the world], ''Washington Times'', 2014</ref>]]
In 2014, ''The Washington Times'' reported:
{{Cquote|China’s one child policy, baby trafficking, and sex trafficking of North Korean women aren’t the worst human rights violation happening in the country. Aborting innocent and healthy unborn children and eating them to boost one’s stamina and sexual health is.

South Korean customs officials recently seized thousands of pills filled with powdered human baby flesh arriving from China. Since August 2011, South Korean officials have intercepted more than 17000 pills smuggled from China.

South Korean officials became aware of a horrific practice of eating aborted fetuses after Seoul Broadcasting System showed a documentary on Chinese doctors who performed abortions and then ate the fetuses. One Chinese doctor on the documentary took out fetuses from his refrigerator.<ref name="washingtontimes.com">[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/31/chinese-cannibalism-infant-flesh-outrages-world/ Chinese cannibalism of infant flesh outrages the world], ''Washington Times'', 2014</ref>}}

For additional information, please see:

*[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2140702/South-Korea-customs-officials-thousands-pills-filled-powdered-human-baby-flesh.html Thousands of pills filled with powdered human baby flesh discovered by customs officials in South Korea], ''The Daily Mail'', 2012

*[https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/05/horrifyingly-ground-baby-pills-are-real-thing/328490/ Horrifyingly, Ground Baby Pills Are a Real Thing] by Alexander Abad-Santos, ''The Atlantic'', May 7, 2012

*[https://abcnews.go.com/Health/chinese-made-infant-flesh-capsules-seized-korea/story?id=16296176 Chinese-Made Infant Flesh Capsules Seized in S. Korea], ''ABC News'', 2012

==History==
[[Image:115523-004-FA619CA3.jpg|thumb|right|250px| The perverse and cruel [[atheism|atheist]] [[Marquis de Sade]] advocated induced abortion.<ref>https://jme.bmj.com/content/6/1/7.abstract</ref>]]
''Please also see:'' [[History of abortion]]

Abortion was an extremely harsh '''''punishment''''' in the [[Old Testament]], imposed against those who have "rebelled against" God:

:"Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb." (Hosea 9:16)

:"Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up." (Hosea 13:16)

:"Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up." (2 Kings 15:16)

The father of [[medicine]], [[Hippocrates]], expressly prohibited abortion in his ethical [[Oath]] long before [[Christianity]].

The ''Journal of Medical Ethics'' article declared concerning the [[atheism|atheist]] and [[sadism|sadist]] [[Marquis de Sade]]:
{{cquote|In 1795 the Marquis de Sade published his La Philosophic dans le boudoir, in which he proposed the use of induced abortion for social reasons and as a means of population control. It is from this time that medical and social acceptance of abortion can be dated, although previously the subject had not been discussed in public in modern times. It is suggested that it was largely due to de Sade's writing that induced abortion received the impetus which resulted in its subsequent spread in western society.<ref>Farr, A.D. (1980). [https://jme.bmj.com/content/6/1/7.abstract The Marquis de Sade and induced abortion]. ''Journal of Medical Ethics'', 6, 7-10. doi:10.1136/jme.6.1.7</ref>}}

[[Population control]] is based on [[pseudoscience]] and ill founded [[economics|economic]] assumptions.<ref>Egnor, M. (2010, November 30). [http://www.evolutionnews.org/2010/11/pz_myers_on_abortion040971.html P.Z. Myers on Abortion]. ''Evolution News and Views''.</ref>

=== Adolf Hitler and Abortion ===
''For more information see:'' [[Abortion and Adolf Hitler]]
[[Image:Hitlerspeech.jpg|thumb|290px|right|[[Adolf Hitler]]]]‎In 1942 [[Adolf Hitler]] declared:
{{cquote|In view of the large families of the Slav native population, it could only suit us if girls and women there had as many abortions as possible. We are not interested in seeing the non-[[German]] population multiply…We must use every means to instill in the population the idea that it is harmful to have several children, the expenses that they cause and the dangerous effect on woman's health… It will be necessary to open special institutions for abortions and doctors must be able to help out there in case there is any question of this being a breach of their professional ethics.<ref>Hoffman, M.C. (2007, September 7). [Israeli Doctor Exposes Nazi Abortion Program https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/sep/07090708.html]. ''LifeSiteNews.com''.</ref>}}

After [[World War II]], the War Crimes Tribunal indicted ten [[Nazi]] leaders for "encouraging and compelling abortion," which the tribunal considered a "crime against humanity."<ref>Wilke, J.C., Dr., et. al. (2006). [https://www.abortionfacts.com/online_books/love_them_both/why_cant_we_love_them_both_25.asp#But%20didn%E2%80%99t%20Hitler%20oppose%20abortion? Why Can't We Love Them Both: Chapter 25, Euthanasia]. ''AbortionFacts.com''.</ref>
===Hall v. Lefkowitz===
[[Hall v. Lefkowitz]] was a court case on November 4, 1969<ref>"[https://www.leagle.com/xmlResult.aspx?xmldoc=19691335305FSupp1030_11150.xml&docbase=CSLWAR1-1950-1985 Hall v. Lefkowitz]." 305 F.Supp. 1030 (1969). www.Leagle.com.</ref> during which Roy Lucas, an assistant professor at the University of Alabama Law School, and his self-founded James Madison Constitutional Law Institute, sued to challenge New York's abortion laws. A three-judge court presided which included famous judge Henry Friendly. Friendly wrote a draft opinion in the spring of 1970 declaring government had right to regulate abortion and protect a fetus, contrary to the later [[Roe v. Wade]] ruling. However, shortly thereafter the New York legislature amended state abortion law to allow abortion within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, and Hall's case was dismissed as unnecessary.<ref name=friendly>Randolph, A. Raymond. "[http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol29_No3_Randolph.pdf Before Roe v. Wade: Judge Friendly's Draft Abortion Opinion]." ''Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy''. Vol. 29.</ref> [[Hall v. Lefkowitz|Read some of Friendly's arguments]] made years before Roe v. Wade.

===NARAL's Lies About Back-Alley Abortions===
Bernard Nathanson, one of NARAL's co-founders, described how he and the organization fabricated abortion statistics and used slogans to sway the public during the early days of Roe v. Wade.
{{cquote|I remember laughing when we made those slogans up. We were looking for some sexy, catchy slogans to capture public opinion. They were very cynical slogans then, just as all of these slogans today are very, very cynical. We persuaded the media that the cause of permissive abortion was a liberal, enlightened, sophisticated one. Knowing that if a true poll were taken, we would be soundly defeated, we simply fabricated the results of fictional polls. We announced to the media that we had taken polls and that 60 percent of Americans were in favor of permissive abortion. We aroused enough sympathy to sell our program of permissive abortion by fabricating the number of illegal abortions done annually in the U.S. The actual figure was approaching 100,000, but the figure we gave to the media repeatedly was 1,000,000. Repeating the big lie often enough convinces the public. The number of women dying from illegal abortions was around 200-250 annually. The figure we constantly fed to the media was 10,000. These false figures took root in the consciousness of Americans, convincing many that we needed to crack the abortion law. Another myth we fed to the public through the media was that legalizing abortion would only mean that the abortions taking place illegally would then be done legally. In fact, of course, abortion is now being used as a primary method of birth control in the U.S. and the annual number of abortions has increased by 1,500 percent since legalization.<ref name=nathanson />}}

=== Roe v. Wade ===
Prior to 1973 abortion was illegal in most of the United States, though a few states (such as Hawaii and New York) allowed it with restrictions.<ref>''A Timeline of Reproductive Rights'' [http://ecampus.bentley.edu/org/wc/reproductiverights.html The Women's Center]</ref> The U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 [[Roe v. Wade]]<ref>Online text of [http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=CASE&court=US&vol=410&page=113 Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973)]</ref> decision ruled that abortions are lawful under the [[U.S. Constitution]] up to the point at which the fetus becomes able to survive outside the womb, and an accompanying decision issued the same day captioned [[Doe v. Bolton]] essentially legalized abortion in the unlimited discretion of the abortionist at any time during pregnancy, up to and including birth. Conservatives immediately criticized these decisions as examples of [[Judicial Activism]]. Ironically, Norma McCorvey, also known as "Jane Roe," only sought an abortion for herself. She did not wish for her personal battle to result in a nationwide "legalization" of the procedure. The only reason the case bore her name was because of her pro-abortion [[feminist]] lawyer, Sarah Weddington, who sought to have Texas' abortion ban overturned.<ref>https://www.lifenews.com/2017/02/18/norma-mccorvey-jane-roe-of-roe-v-wade-passes-away-she-never-had-an-abortion-and-became-pro-life/</ref> Even more importantly, Roe became pro-life and sought to have the Supreme Court's decision overturned.

===Present Day ===
In 2008, worldwide there were approximately 115,000 abortions done per day.<ref name=abortionno>[https://www.abortionno.org/Resources/fastfacts.html Abortion Facts]. ''The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform].</ref> In 2008, approximately 83% of all abortions were performed in developing countries and 17% occurred in developed countries.<ref name=abortionno /> From 2006 to 2015, the number of abortions in the U.S. fell 24% to 638,169, still a very large number.<ref>Multiple references:
*Freiburger, Calvin (November 21, 2018). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/us-abortions-drop-to-record-low-since-roe-v.-wade-cdc-reports US abortion rate drops to record low since Roe v. Wade, CDC reports]. ''LifeSiteNews''. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
*Sullivan, Peter (November 21, 2018). [https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/417876-number-of-abortions-in-us-drops-24-percent-from-2006 Number of abortions in US declines to lowest level since 2006]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
*Leonard, Kimberly (November 21, 2018). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/healthcare/us-abortions-hit-record-post-roe-v-wade-low US abortions hit record post-Roe v. Wade low]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved November 21, 2018.</ref>

States may regulate abortion, such as requiring a 24-hour waiting period and parental consent for minors. Abortion clinics often fail to comply with the health standards of surgical facilities, and States can require compliance (but often do not, resulting in discomfort and harm to the victims of abortion). Many abortionists lack hospital admitting privileges at nearby facilities, so women having complications must go on their own to emergency rooms to see physicians unfamiliar with what actually happened. For any other operation the cost of treating complications is included in the cost of the operation, but for abortions the abortion clinics take their money and typically do not pay for the care of complications.

The more pro-abortion the State regulations are, the larger the number of abortion clinics it will have. [[Arizona]], though a pro-life State, has a regulatory system that results in twelve abortion clinics operating within its borders. In contrast, [[Mississippi]] has only one abortion clinic, and [[Missouri]] has only two.

====Abortion and Eugenics====
{{See also|Abortion and eugenics}}
Abortion and eugenics are often very strongly related. Abortion is commonly used to kill those babies who happen to suffer from [[Down Syndrome]]<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10521836</ref><ref>Bilger, Micaiah (February 7, 2017). [https://www.lifenews.com/2017/02/07/european-nations-are-using-abortion-to-create-a-down-syndrome-free-world/ European Nations are Using Abortion to Create a “Down Syndrome Free” World]. ''LifeNews.com''. Retrieved February 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Gee, Alison (September 29, 2017). [https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-37500189 A world without Down's syndrome?] ''BBC News''. Retrieved February 20, 2017.</ref> and other physical and mental issues, to remove said physical and mental issues from the human race. [[Eugenics]] is essentially the unethical removal of those with physical and mental issues to "purify" the human race.

[[Iceland]] has very pro-abortion policies and nearly 100% of babies with Down Syndrome are aborted.<ref>Multiple references:
*Quinones, Julian; Lajka, Arijeta (August 14, 2017). [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/down-syndrome-iceland/ "What kind of society do you want to live in?": Inside the country where Down syndrome is disappearing]. ''CBS News''. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
*Williams, Thomas D. (August 15, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2017/08/15/iceland-approaches-100-percent-termination-rate-down-syndrome/ Iceland Approaches 100% ‘Termination Rate’ of Babies with Down Syndrome]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
*Desanctis, Alexandra (August 16, 2017). [https://www.nationalreview.com/article/450509/down-syndrome-iceland-cbs-news-disturbing-report Iceland Eliminates People with Down Syndrome]. ''National Review''. Retrieved August 17, 2017.</ref> According to Dr. Peter McParland, an obstetrician from the National Maternity Hospital, and Anne Trainer:<ref>[http://liveactionnews.org/legal-abortion-leading-downs-syndrome-free-world/ Quote of the day: Legal abortion is leading us to a ‘Down’s syndrome-free world’]. ''Live Action News''. February 6, 2017. Retrieved February 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Trainer, Annie (February 4, 2017). [https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/the-eighth-amendment-protected-my-son-3217231-Feb2017/ 'Abortion is leading us to a 'Down's Syndrome-free' world. I can barely type the words']. ''thejournal.ie''. Retrieved February 20, 2017.</ref>

{{cquote|'In Britain, 90% of babies with Down’s Syndrome are aborted before birth. In Iceland, every single baby, 100% of all those diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome, are aborted. There hasn’t been a baby with Down’s Syndrome born in Iceland in the past five years.'

Denmark is following suit, and is expected to be “Down’s Syndrome-free” by 2030 and these cold and chilling statistics show us exactly where legal abortion is leading the rest of Europe.}}

==Reasons Given For Abortions==

[[File:AbortionReasons.jpg‎|thumb|400px| Primary reasons women reported for undergoing abortions]]

''See also:'' [[Reasons given for abortion]]

The Alan Guttmacher Institute, which is not a [[conservative]] or [[pro-life]] organization, conducted a poll of more than 1,200 patients undergoing induced abortions at 11 large-scale [[abortion facilities]] in the United States. The women were asked to identify reasons for seeking abortions, and identify the primary motivation. An additional 38 women at four sites were interviewed in-depth.<ref name="agiSurvey">[https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/psrh/full/3711005.pdf Lawrence Finer, et al., "Reasons U.S. Women Have Abortions: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives", ''Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health'', September 2005]</ref>

The poll omitted any reference to whether the women were able to see an ultrasound of their unborn children before choosing to have an abortion. For the vast majority of women who have abortion, the reason is a lack of knowledge about the unborn child as displayed by an ultrasound. Because a large part of their campaign funds are bankrolled by the abortion industry, liberals are frequent opponents to laws making available ultrasound treatment for patients not certain of the decision. Some physicians have been reported intimidating and pressuring patients to continue with an abortion after the patient has had a change of heart, either on the operating table or before surgery. One doctor, who was also employed as a spokesman for a prominent liberal pro-abortion think tank, reportedly forced a patient to undergo the procedure in order to fill a quota on insurance claims.

Among reasons provided to the women as part of the poll, the two most common selections were "Having a baby would dramatically change my life" (74%) and "I can't afford a baby now" (73%).<ref name="agiSurvey"/> Concerns about their own health were mentioned by only 13% of the women, while only 12% mentioned concerns about the baby's health, though only 3% and 4% respectively gave those as their primary reason for seeking abortion.<ref name="agiSurvey"/>

Interestingly, only 14% indicated "[[husband]] or partner wants me to have an abortion" as a reason, down from 24% in a previous survey in 1987.<ref name="agiSurvey"/> This contrasts with research on women post-abortion, among whom 64% reported feeling pressured by others to abort, and may indicate pressure to abort comes not so much from husbands now as other relationships.<ref name="reardon">[http://www.theunchoice.com/pdf/FactSheets/ForcedAbortionFactSheet.pdf David Reardon, "Forced Abortion in America", April 2010]</ref>

What is often ignored in studies of why women submit to abortions is an ambivalence by some in early pregnancy. Such ambivalence typically resolves when the mother becomes more aware of her unborn child, as displayed by an [[ultrasound]].<ref>Lederman, ''Psychosocial Adaptation in Pregnancy'', 1984</ref><ref>"The Unwanted Pregnancy," ''Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology'', 1970, Cited in Gardner, ''Abortion: The Personal Dilemma'', 1972</ref><ref>Nichols and Humenick, ''Childbirth Education: Practice, Research, and Theory'', 1988</ref>

Less than one percent of all abortions are due to rape. Abortion does not liberate women. It liberates men from the responsibilities of raising children, as well as responsibility for their sexual behavior, including emotional and financial support. Here is a comparison. The founding feminists Susan B. Anthony and Liz Stanton were pro-life. The radical feminists (feminazis) believe that pregnant women are inferior to non-pregnant women. The biggest financial contributor to abortion rights is the Playboy Foundation, which is supportive of the philosophy of uncommitted, anonymous sex without consequences; women are reduced to the status of a consumer item which, if “broken” by pregnancy, can be “fixed” by abortion. A large majority of women who got an abortion said that they did so because they felt pressured by others. This is why before abortion became legal in the US, women who got an abortion did not receive jail time, but instead, get treated as a second victim while the abortionist gets punished. Instead of legalizing abortion in cases of rape, overturn the 1977 US Supreme Court case of [[Coker v. Georgia]], in which the Supreme Court struck down the death penalty for rapists as a violation of the eighth amendment.

Disability does not do anything to take away happiness. Eugenics is a waste of lives and delays the research needed to treat disabilities. We need to help the disabled live independent lives. There eventually be a cure for them as technology advances. In July 2013, scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester have learned to shut down the extra chromosome that causes Down's syndrome.<ref>
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/jul/17/downs-syndrome-cells-fixed-chromosome-therapy</ref>

==Public Opinion==
''See also:'' [[Views on abortion]]
Public polling, as seen below (sourced from Gallup<ref name=gallupabortion/>), reveals that Americans are almost evenly split between identifying as Pro-Life or Pro-Choice, with most believing it should be legal only in a few circumstances (48%) such as rape (77%) and life of the mother (83%).

===Legal or Illegal===
According to Gallup's most recent poll (May 3–18, 2021), 19% of Americans believe abortion should always be illegal, and 33% believe it should be legal only in a few circumstances, a combined 52% that believe it should always or usually be illegal. 32% believe abortion should always be legal, and 13% believe that it should be legal in most circumstances, a combined 45% that believe it should always or usually be legal. 3% hold no opinion. The percentage of Americans which believe abortion should always or usually be illegal has varied from a low of 51% (Sept. 6–7, 1994, and Sept. 22–24, 1995) to a high of 62% (May 2–5, 2005). Gallup has polled the question 33 times since it began asking in 1994.<ref>''Gallup''. "[https://www.gallup.com/poll/1576/abortion.aspx/ Abortion]." Do you think abortion should be legal in most circumstances or only in a few circumstances?</ref>

===Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice===
Currently, 49% of Americans describe themselves as Pro-Choice, 47% describe themselves as Pro-Life, and 4% as Mixed/Neither, as of the most recent poll (May 3–18, 2021). The percentage of Americans describing themselves as Pro-Life has varied from a low of 33% (Sept. 3–6, 1995) to a high of 51% (May 7–10, 2009). The percentage of Americans describing themselves as Pro-Choice has varied from a low of 41% (May 3–6, 2012) to a high of 56% (Sept. 22–24, 1995). Gallup has polled the question 41 times since it began asking in 1995.<ref name=gallupabortion/>
===By Trimester===
Gallup has asked the following question four times from 2003 to 2011: "Thinking more generally, do you think abortion should generally be legal or generally illegal during each of the following stages of pregnancy. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?"<ref name=gallupabortion/>
====1st Trimester====
The following results were given for "In the first three months of pregnancy" (1st Trimester):
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Polling Date
! Should be legal
! Should be illegal
! Depends (vol.)
! No opinion
|-
| 2011, June 9–12
|align="center"|62%
|align="center"|35%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|1%
|-
| 2003, January 10–12
|align="center"|66%
|align="center"|29%
|align="center"|3%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| 2000, March 30-April 2
|align="center"|65%
|align="center"|31%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| 1996, July 25–26
|align="center"|64%
|align="center"|30%
|align="center"|4%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}

====2nd Trimester====
The following results were given for "In the second three months of pregnancy" (2nd Trimester):
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Polling Date
! Should be legal
! Should be illegal
! Depends (vol.)
! No opinion
|-
| 2011, June 9–12
|align="center"|24%
|align="center"|71%
|align="center"|3%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| 2003, January 10–12
|align="center"|25%
|align="center"|68%
|align="center"|4%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| 2000, March 30-April 2
|align="center"|24%
|align="center"|69%
|align="center"|4%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| 1996, July 25–26
|align="center"|26%
|align="center"|65%
|align="center"|7%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}
====3rd Trimester====
The following results were given for "In the last three months of pregnancy" (3rd Trimester):
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Polling Date
! Should be legal
! Should be illegal
! Depends (vol.)
! No opinion
|-
| 2011, June 9–12
|align="center"|10%
|align="center"|86%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|1%
|-
| 2003, January 10–12
|align="center"|10%
|align="center"|84%
|align="center"|4%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| 2000, March 30-April 2
|align="center"|8%
|align="center"|86%
|align="center"|3%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| 1996, July 25–26
|align="center"|13%
|align="center"|82%
|align="center"|3%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}
===By Circumstances===
According to the most recent Gallup poll (June 9–12, 2011), the following percentages of Americans say abortion should be legal under each circumstance:<ref name=gallupabortion/>
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Circumstance
! Should be legal
! Should be illegal
! Depends (vol.)
! No opinion
|-
| When the woman's life is endangered
|align="center"|83%
|align="center"|13%
|align="center"|1%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| When the woman's physical health is endangered
|align="center"|82%
|align="center"|15%
|align="center"|1%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| When the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest
|align="center"|75%
|align="center"|22%
|align="center"|1%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| When the woman's mental health is endangered
|align="center"|61%
|align="center"|35%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| When there is evidence the baby may be mentally impaired
|align="center"|51%
|align="center"|46%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| When there is evidence the baby may be physically impaired
|align="center"|50%
|align="center"|45%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| When the woman or family cannot afford to raise the child
|align="center"|36%
|align="center"|61%
|align="center"|1%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}
===Pro-Life Initiatives===
According to Gallup's most recent poll (July 15–17, 2011) these proposals by the Pro-Life movement have received the following public support levels. Those marked "(2005)" were polled most recently on November 11–13, 2005. Those marked "(2003)" were last polled on January 10–12, 2003.<ref name=gallupabortion/>
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Proposal
! Favor
! Oppose
! No opinion
|-
| (2003) A law requiring doctors to inform patients about alternatives to abortion before performing the procedure
|align="center"|88%
|align="center"|11%
|align="center"|1%
|-
| A law requiring doctors inform patients about possible risks of abortion before performing the procedure
|align="center"|87%
|align="center"|11%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| A law requiring women under 18 to get parental consent for any abortion
|align="center"|71%
|align="center"|27%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| A law requiring women seeking abortions to wait 24 hours before having the procedure done
|align="center"|69%
|align="center"|28%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| A law making partial birth abortions illegal except for life of the mother
|align="center"|64%
|align="center"|31%
|align="center"|5%
|-
| (2005) A law requiring that the husband of a married woman be notified if she decides to have an abortion
|align="center"|64%
|align="center"|34%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| A law requiring women seeking an abortion be shown an ultrasound image of her fetus at least 24 hours before
|align="center"|50%
|align="center"|46%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| A law letting pharmacists and health providers opt out of medicine/surgical procedures resulting in abortion
|align="center"|46%
|align="center"|51%
|align="center"|4%
|-
| (2005) A constitutional amendment to ban abortion in all circumstances, except to save the life of the mother
|align="center"|37%
|align="center"|61%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}

==Abortion Alternatives==

''See also:'' [[Abortion Alternatives]]

[[Optionline]] provides consultants that connects individuals to nearby pregnancy centers that offer the following services: free pregnancy tests and pregnancy information; Information about the risks of abortion and the morning after pill; medical services, including [[STD]] tests; early ultrasounds and pregnancy confirmation. In addition, some of these centers provide information regarding free housing to women who are facing housing concerns.<ref>[http://www.pregnancycenters.org/ OptionLine]. ''OptionLine.org''.</ref>

The primary alternative to abortion is adoption. [[Liberty Godparent Foundation]] is a [[Christian]] organization focused on improving the lives of unwed pregnant teens, babies and adoptive families by providing two alternatives, The Liberty Godparent Maternity Home and Family Life Services Adoption Agency.<ref>[http://www.godparent.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=59 Family Life Services]. ''GodParentFoundation.org''.</ref> [[Catholic Social Services]] provides adoption assistance to people of all beliefs in addition to supporting families in need.

==Planned Parenthood's Budget==

''See also:'' [[Planned Parenthood's budget]]

[[Planned Parenthood]] likes to claim that abortion accounts for just 3% of its services.<ref>[https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/who-we-are/planned-parenthood-glance-5552.htm Planned Parenthood At a Glance]. ''Planned Parenthood''.</ref> However, an examination of its finances reveals that much if not most of its [[income]] relates to abortion.<ref>Barto, N. & Musgrave, M. (2012, July 29). [http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2012/07/27/20120727womens-health-care.html Diverting Funds Betters Women's Health Care]. ''The Arizona Republic''.</ref> According to Planned Parenthood's 2007-08 budget, it received $1.038 billion of [[revenue]] from the following sources:<ref>[https://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/AR08_vFinal.pdf Annual Report 2007-2008]. Pg. 18. ''Planned Parenthood''.</ref>
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
!
! Revenue (millions)
! %
|-
| Health Center Income
|align="center"|$374.7
|align="center"|36.1%
|-
| Govt. Grants & Services
|align="center"|$349.6
|align="center"|33.7%
|-
| Contributions & Requests
|align="center"|$244.9
|align="center"|23.6%
|-
| Other Operating Revenue
|align="center"|$68.9
|align="center"|6.6%
|-
|align="center"|'''Total Revenue'''
|align="center"|'''$1,038.1'''
|align="center"|'''100.0%'''
|-
|}
Planned Parenthood's reported $374.7 million of revenue from "Health Center Income". Given that it reported performing 305,130 abortions,<ref>Page 9.</ref> at an average cost of $450 (which lines up with statistics from the [[National Abortion Federation]]<ref>Dudley, S. (2003). [http://www.prochoice.org/about_abortion/facts/economics.html Economics of Abortion]. ''National Abortion Federation''.</ref>), approximately $137.4 million of that $374.7 million Health Center Income came directly from performing abortions per analysis by [[Live Action]].<ref>Schmidt, D. (2010, May 14). [http://liveaction.org/blog/data-36-7-of-planned-parenthoods-health-center-income-is-from-abortions/ DATA: 36.7% of Planned Parenthood’s 'Health Center Income' is from Abortions]. ''Live Action''.</ref>

Since much of its money comes from Government Grants and Services or Contributions and Requests ($595.5 million) likely related to abortion, in addition to this $137.4 million of direct abortion revenue, it appears probable that as much as half to two-thirds of Planned Parenthood's revenue relates to abortion.

==Targeted Demographics==

''See also:'' [[Abortion and various groups]]

===Women in China===
Forced abortion caused by China's One-Child Policy leads to deaths of mothers,<ref>Bo Gu, B. (2012, June 14). [http://behindthewall.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/06/14/12222877-gruesome-photos-put-spotlight-on-chinas-one-child-policy?lite Gruesome Photos Put Spotlight on China's One-Child Policy]. ''NBC News''.</ref> as well as "gendercide".<ref>Hayes, A. (2012, April 30). [http://articles.cnn.com/2012-04-30/asia/world_asia_china-forced-abortions_1_reggie-littlejohn-china-s-national-population-abortions?_s=PM:ASIA Activists allege forced abortions, sterilizations in China]. ''CNN''. Littlejohn, R. (2012, April 27). [https://www.lifenews.com/2012/04/27/the-real-war-against-women-forced-abortion-gendercide/ The Real War Against Women: Forced Abortion, Gendercide]. ''LifeNews''.</ref> Because men tend to be higher wage earners, many families choose to abort their female children, opting instead for males.<ref>Ling, C. [http://www.allgirlsallowed.org/category/topics/one-child-policy-china One-Child Policy Statistics]. ''AllGirlsAllowed.com''.</ref> Photos in 2012 of these forced abortions led to national outrage and calls to end China's One-Child Policy.<ref>Riviera, G. (2012, June 14). [https://abcnews.go.com/International/chinas-forced-abortions-child-rule-hits-women/story?id=16558428 How China's Forced Abortion Policy Hits Two Women]. ''ABC News''. Wong, E. (2012, July 22). [https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/23/world/asia/pressure-to-repeal-chinas-one-child-law-is-growing.html?pagewanted=all Reports of Forced Abortions Fuel Push to End Chinese Law]. ''New York Times''. MacLeod, C. (2012, July 24). [https://www.usatoday.com/news/story/2012-07-25/China-forced-abortions/56465974/1 Pressure mounts to stop China's forced abortions]. ''USA Today''. Sudworth, J. (2012, June 15). [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-18453995 Chinese officials apologise to woman in forced abortion]. ''BBC News''.</ref> The sex-selective abortion policy has led to a huge gender disparity in China, 122.66 boys for every girl born, the highest ratio in the entire Asia Specific region,<ref>(2010, March 9). [https://www.un.org.cn/cms/p/news/27/1346/content.html Gender Inequality Persists in China]. ''United Nations in China''. Ward, C. (2011, August 12). [https://abcnews.go.com/International/chinas-census-shows-growing-gender-gap/story?id=14288216 China's Preference for Boys Shows Growing Gender Gap]. ''ABC News''.</ref> and resulted in 32 million single males.<ref>LaFraniere, S. (2009, April 10). [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/11/world/asia/11china.html Chinese Bias for Baby Boys Creates a Gap of 32 Million]. ''The New York Times''. AFP (2010, January 12). [http://news.discovery.com/human/china-birth-rate-single-men.html China's Gender Gap Leaves Millions of Single Men]. ''Discovery News''.</ref> Logically this is a driving force behind human trafficking, prostitution, and the female slave trade which occurs near China.<ref>Weisenthal, J. (2010, April 12). [http://articles.businessinsider.com/2010-04-12/news/30049254_1_boys-and-girls-selective-abortions-village-hall Amazing First-Hand Account Of The Massive Gender Disparity In China]. ''Business Insider''.</ref> In 2015, the one-child policy was scrapped and by new year 2016, the two-child policy took effect. Now there are discussions to scrap child limits altogether.

===Minority Communities===
[[File:4287336112 d3f9126c99.jpg|right|thumb|325px|According to [[Cybercast News Service]]: "An analysis by the Cybercast News Service compared the location of [[Planned Parenthood]] abortion clinics with population data from the U.S. Census in 2000. The results appear to bolster the charge that the organization targets black communities."<ref name="cnsnews.com">https://www.cnsnews.com/ViewSpecialReports.asp?Page=%5CSpecialReports%5Carchive%5C200502%5CSPE20050207a.html (Link no longer works.)</ref>
 
(photo obtained from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/muriel215/4287336112/ Flickr, see Creative commons license agreement)] ]]
"Each day '''1,786''' African American children are aborted." According to the [[U.S.]] Census of 2006, African Americans are at 1.96 birth rate which is beneath the replacement level of 2.1.<ref>[http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/1685410938.html African American Pro-Life Group Holds Protest at NAACP] Christian News Network, July 13, 2009</ref> At the continued rate, [[racism]] by abortion will decimate the black population of the U.S.

According to writer George Grant, the author of ''Killing Angel'':

"During the 1980s when [[Planned Parenthood]] shifted its focus from community-based clinics to school-based clinics, it again targeted inner-city minority neighborhoods...Of the more than 100 school-based clinics that have opened nationwide in the last decade [1980s], none has been at substantially all-white schools....None has been at suburban middle-class schools. All have been at black, minority or ethnic schools.” <ref>Green, T.L. (2001, May 10). [https://www.citizenreviewonline.org/special_issues/population/the_negro_project.htm The Negro Project: Margaret Sanger's Eugenic Plan for Black Americans]. ''Concerned Women For America''.</ref>

Planned Parenthood itself reported that its abortions on minorities in 1991 were 42.7% of its total abortions.<ref name=ppracism>Murphy, L.K. (1994, June). [http://www.ewtn.com/library/PROLIFE/PPRACISM.TXT Planned Parenthood's Racism]. ''Life Research Institute''.</ref> However, during that time period, minorities comprised only 19.7% of the U.S. population.<ref name=ppracism />

According to [[Cybercast News Service]]: "An analysis by the Cybercast News Service compared the location of Planned Parenthood abortion clinics with population data from the U.S. Census in 2000. The results appear to bolster the charge that the organization targets black communities."<ref name="cnsnews.com"/>

According to the ''Open Journal of Preventive Medicine'' in June 2016, abortion was the cause of death of 61% of Black Americans.<ref>Williams, Thomas D. (August 4, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/08/04/report-abortion-accounts-for-61-of-black-deaths-in-america/ Report: Abortion Accounts for 61% of Black Deaths in America]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 4, 2018.</ref>

==Political Support of Abortion==

''See also:'' [[Abortion and politics]]

The most powerful political action committee (PAC) is EMILY's List.<ref>http://www.emilyslist.org/newsroom/releases/20070201.html (Link no longer works.)</ref> EMILY's List contributes money to Democratic candidates who support abortion-on-demand, including forced taxpayer funding of abortion. EMILY's List candidates also oppose regulations such as:

* Providing health information to abortion patients;
* Requiring that the abortionist have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital in case there is a complication; and
* Providing parental notification if the patient is a teenager.

Due to the influence of the abortion industry and EMILY's List, nearly every Democratic presidential candidate and senatorial candidate supports abortion-on-demand. "EMILY's List, the nation's largest political action committee, continues to be the dominant financial resource for Democratic candidates," its above-referenced website declares.

There is no comparably funded organization opposing abortion, because there are no monetary rewards to defending human life. Instead, candidates and supporters who oppose abortion are motivated by religious and ethical principles.
===Pro-Life Democrats===
''See also:'' [[DFLA#2009-2010 Obamacare Influence]]

While most Democrats support abortion, a growing number have been affiliating with [[Democrats For Life of America]], also known as Pro-Life Democrats. ObamaCare in 2009-2010 would have passed rapidly if not for their influence, since Democrats had a Supermajority allowing them to pass anything without a single Republican vote. However, 40 Pro-Life Democrats, led by Congressman [[Bart Stupak]] signed a letter refusing to let ObamaCare pass without reforms on the abortion issue, and fought the bill from June 2009 to March 2010, in an attempt to add the Stupak Amendment to the bill (which was added to the House bill but removed in the Senate despite attempts by Sen. [[Ben Nelson]] to add it there as well).
===Politics and Demographics===
''See also:'' [[American atheism]] and [[Global atheism]] and [[Decline of atheism]] and [[liberal]]

The Birkbeck College, University of London professor Eric Kaufman wrote in his 2010 book ''Shall the Righteous Inherit the Earth?'' concerning America:
{{cquote|High evangelical fertility rates more than compensated for losses to liberal Protestant sects during the twentieth century. In recent decades, white secularism has surged, but Latino and Asian religious immigration has taken up the slack, keeping secularism at bay. Across denominations, the fertility advantage of religious fundamentalists of all colours is significant and growing. After 2020, their demographic weight will begin to tip the balance in the [[Culture War|culture wars]] towards the conservative side, ramping up pressure on hot-button issues such as abortion. By the end of the century, three quarters of America may be pro-life. Their activism will leap over the borders of the 'Redeemer Nation' to evangelize the world. Already, the rise of the World Congress of Families has launched a global religious right, its arms stretching across the bloody lines of the War on Terror to embrace the entire Abrahamic family.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/why-are-years-2012-and-2020-key-years.html Why are 2012 and 2020 key years for Christian creationists and pro-lifers?]</ref>}}

==Ultrasound images==
About 80% of women who see an ultrasound of their fetus (unborn child) decide not to abort.<ref>(2005, April 22). [http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/145703/abortion_foes_use_ultrasound__focus_on_the_family_budgets/ Abortion Foes Use Ultrasound ; Focus on the Family Budgets Millions for Pricey Equipment]. ''RedOrbit''.</ref>

*http://www.ob-ultrasound.net/frames.htm
*https://www.flickr.com/photos/drakelelane/388759116/
*http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_information/ultrasound/13_weeks.htm
*http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_information/ultrasound/ultrasound_3d.htm
*http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_information/ultrasound/triple_jump.htm

== See also ==
*[[Abortion and the Bible]]
*[[Abortion and eugenics]]
*[[Abortion Facts]]
*[[Abortion funding]]
*[[Abortion genocide]]
*[[Abortion procedures]]
*[[Abortion rates by US state]]
*[[Abortionist]]
*[[Anti Abortion activism: a personal essay]]
*[[More News/Abortion|Articles about '''Abortion''' from "More News"]]
*[[:Category:Abortion]]
*[[Culture of life]]
*[[Separate Life|Essay on abortion]]
*[[Eugenics]]
*[[Fetus]]
*[[Harvard abortion study]]
*[[Abortion breast cancer studies]]
*[[Homosexual activists and abortion]]
*[[Margaret Sanger]]
*[http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/abrpt/2006abrpt.pdf Minnesota official abortion statistics]
*[[National Right to Life Committee]]
*[[Partial birth abortion]]
*[[Planned Parenthood]]
*[[Right to life]]
*[[Right to life movement]]
*[[Sanctity of life]]
*[[Silent scream]]
*[[Taxpayer-funded abortion]]
*[[Communist China and baby eating]]
*[[Atheists eat babies meme]]

==External links==
* [http://creationwiki.org/Abortion Abortion] by [[CreationWiki]]
* [https://www.abortionfacts.com/ Abortion Facts]
* [http://www.carm.org/abortion.htm Abortion] by [[Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry]]
* [https://www.lifesitenews.com/ LifeSiteNews.com]
* [http://www.ProLifeOnCampus.com/ Pro Life on Campus]
* [http://www.aim.org/wls/category/abortion/ What Liberals Say - Category: Abortion], [[Accuracy In Media]]
* [http://www.investigatemagazine.com/mar3abrt.htm Abortion and breast cancer in New Zealand]
* [http://www.numberofabortions.com/ Real Time Estimation of Abortions Worldwide]
{{Abortion}}
{{Liberalism}}

==Further Reading==
The Choice: The Abortion Divide in America by Danielle D'Souza Gill

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=35em}}

[[Category:Abortion]]
[[Category:Sexuality]]
[[Category:Religion and Politics]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]

Abortion

2021-08-10T15:16:39Z

Amateratsu: /* Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice */

[[Image:Baby.jpg|right|thumb|250px|An unborn child in the womb. Liberals believe that the unborn child has no right to life.]]
'''Abortion''' is the induced termination of a [[pregnancy]],<ref>American Heritage Dictionary definition, [http://www.bartleby.com/61/7/A0020700.html abortion].</ref> often causing [[fetal pain]]. Abortion has two victims: the unborn child, and the mother who can never forget the loss she caused. Breast cancer rates increase by ''more than six times'' for women who have abortion, according to a recent study.<ref>[http://www.indianjcancer.com/article.asp?issn=0019-509X;year=2013;volume=50;issue=4;spage=316;epage=321;aulast=Bhadoria AS Bhadoria, U Kapil, N Sareen, P Singh, "Reproductive factors and breast cancer: A case-control study in tertiary care hospital of North India," 50 ''Indian Journal of Cancer'' 4, 316-321 (2013)</ref> Additional victims of abortion include after-born children, who have a higher rate of premature birth and birth defects due to the harm caused by a prior abortion.

Abortion is a billion-dollar industry in the [[United States]]. Although [[Planned Parenthood]] likes to claim abortion accounts for just 3% of its services, according to its 2007-08 budget, it received $1.038 billion of revenue, and half to two-thirds relates to its abortion services. (''See [[Abortion#Planned Parenthood.27s Budget|Planned Parenthood's Budget]]'') Dr. George Tiller "estimated that he performed 250 to 300 late-term abortions in 2003, each costing an average of $6,000."<ref>Hegeman, R. (2009, March 25). [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/03/25/kan_doctor_testifies_in_abortion_case_against_him/ Kan. doctor testifies in abortion case against him]. ''Associated Press''.</ref> There have been more than 60 million abortions in the [[United States]] since 1973.<ref name=factsheet>''Number of Abortions''. [http://www.christianliferesources.com/?/library/view.php&articleid=1042 U.S. Abortion Statistics By Year (1973-Current)]. National Right to Life Factsheet, January 2012. (Privacy laws and likely desire to keep this silent holocaust from raising alarm hinders data collection on abortion. CDC researchers have admitted they probably undercount the total number of abortions because reporting laws vary from state to state and some abortionists probably do not report or under-report the abortions they perform. Abortions from CA and NH have not been counted by the CDC since 1998, and reports from other states are also missing for some years.)</ref>

Right to choose is no solace, because doing something so wrong will have devastating consequences. A right to privacy would not permit the taking of life when that life is inconvenient, whether in the privacy of one's own home or own body.
{{TOC right}}
Saying one can't criticize a woman's choice to murder her children is like saying one can't criticize the president without being the president.<ref name=lucente>Lucente Jr., T.J. (2012, January 29). [https://www.limaohio.com/articles/right-78475-privacy-one.html Right to Privacy is Not a License to Kill]. ''LimaOhio.com.'' Freedom Communications, Inc.</ref> Rape or life of the mother are extremely rare circumstances accounting for less than 1% of all abortions, with little bearing on the broader "abortion on demand" issue, particularly since all legislation the Pro-Life movement has been putting out recently has included exceptions for them, and many states had laws allowing abortion for such cases before ''Roe v. Wade'' - abortion was legalized for other reasons. (''See [[Abortion#Arguments On Abortion|Arguments On Abortion]]'')

Ultimately, this debate is about when a fetus becomes a human being worthy of all applicable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness under the [[Declaration of Independence]], for once it is we should not take its life lightly. And when it comes to that, 18,150 abortions occur after the 21st week of pregnancy<ref name=induced>(2011, August). [https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html/ Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States]. ''Guttmacher Institute''.</ref> - the earliest point children can be born prematurely and live.<ref name=tooyoung>Rochman, B. (2011, May 27). [http://healthland.time.com/2011/05/27/baby-born-at-21-weeks-survives-how-young-is-too-young-to-save/ A 21-Week-Old Baby Survives and Doctors Ask, How Young is Too Young to Save?] ''Time Magazine''.</ref> An additional 45,980 abortions occur in the 16th-20th weeks of pregnancy.<ref name=induced /> These are 60 thousand abortions each year that are clearly murder, since the child is at or near the same stage of pregnancy as children born prematurely via C-Section. Furthermore, substantial fetal development occurs within the first 12 weeks (1st trimester) of pregnancy, including brain wave activity at 6 weeks, complete body sensitivity at 10 weeks, and all facial expressions (including smiling) at 11 weeks.<ref name=clowes>Clowes, Brian, PhD. 2001. [https://www.hli.org/index.php/the-facts-of-life/480?task=view The Facts of Life]. Ch. 12. Front Royal: Human Life International.
Also in: Sharing the Pro-Life Message. Chicago: Pro-Life Action League, 2009. Print.</ref> By not erring on the side of caution when potentially infringing on the inalienable right to life given by our Creator, the Pro-Choice movement has brought the blood of countless children on their hands, and on our nation's. (''See [[Abortion#When Does Life Begin.3F|When Does Life Begin?]]'')

A growing body of evidence increasingly suggests that abortion is linked to Breast Cancer, later premature births, and other health concerns. Millions of women who had an abortion later suffer psychologically or physically from it, and support groups exist to help.<ref>Rodgers-Melnick, A. (2002, January 20). [http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20020120abortion0120p3.asp Groups support those who regret abortions]. ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''.</ref> Many victims of abortion find healing by speaking out against, and discouraging, similar harm to other mothers and their children.<ref>"I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born," observed President [[Ronald Reagan]]. He also observed, "With me, abortion is not a problem of religion, it's a problem of the Constitution. I believe that until and unless someone can establish that the unborn child ''is not a living human being'', then that child is already protected by the Constitution, which guarantees life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to all of us."</ref> "Abortion doesn't solve your problems, it only creates different ones," warned a full-page ad by women who had abortions.<ref>''Anglicans for Life'' and ''Priests for Life''. [http://www.silentnomoreawareness.org/signaturead/ad.pdf We Regret Our Abortions]. ''Orange County Right to Life''.</ref> Abortion always ends the life of the unborn child, typically by dismemberment. Abortion increases the risk of breast cancer, future premature birth, mental illness, and other long-term health problems for the mother, as detailed below. (''See [[Abortion#Health Concerns|Health Concerns]]'')

One of NARAL's founders, [[Bernard Nathanson]], acknowledged that NARAL in the early days of the Pro-Choice movement simply fabricated statistics on back-alley abortions; inflating the actual numbers ten-fold to get abortion legalized. Rather than making abortion rare, the annual number of abortions has increased 1500% since [[Roe v. Wade]].<ref name=nathanson>Kupelian, David (2005, January 20). "[https://www.wnd.com/2005/01/28544/ Blood Confessions: Ex-Abortionists Spill Their Guts]." ''Whistleblower Magazine''. ''Whistleblower Magazine'' (2003, January 2). "[https://www.wnd.com/2003/01/16460/ Ex-Abortionists Expose America's Greatest Scandal]."</ref> (''See [[Abortion#History|History]]'') Gallup polling in 2012 reveals that just 24% of Americans support abortion after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy,<ref name=gallupabortion>''Gallup''. "[https://www.gallup.com/poll/1576/abortion.aspx/ Abortion]." Do you think abortion should be legal in most circumstances or only in a few circumstances?</ref> even though abortion is allowed in all 9 months.<ref name=ninemonths>[http://www.whyprolife.com/is-abortion-legal-all-9-months-of-pregnancy/ Is Abortion Legal All 9 Months of Pregnancy?] ''WhyProLife.com''.</ref> Just 25% believe abortion should be legal under all circumstances, and an additional 13% believe it should be legal under most circumstances. Most Americans believe abortion should usually be illegal save in rare cases.<ref name=gallupabortion /> (''See [[Abortion#Public Opinion|Public Opinion]]'')

[[Abortion in Poland]] declined by 99% after [[communism]] was overthrown (and abortion abolished<ref>''Catholic World News'' (2007, April 11). [http://www.catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=50451 Liberal abortion law takes effect in Portugal]. Trinity Communications.</ref>), and women's health has dramatically improved there due to fewer abortions.<ref>Johnston, W.R., Dr. (2008, October 9). [http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/ab-poland.html Historical abortion statistics, Poland]. ''Johnston's Archive'.</ref>

==Statistics on abortion==

''See also:'' [[Abortion statistics]]

* As of 2012, it is estimated there has been over 59.8 million babies murdered by abortion since the Supreme Court handed down its 1973 ''Roe v. Wade'' decision. After reaching 25 percent from a high of over 1.6 million in the year 1990, the number of abortions performed annually in the U.S. has leveled off at about 1.2 million infants murdered by abortion a year, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI). By 2016, the number of yearly abortions in America dropped to an historic low of less than 1,000,000.<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/17/health/us-abortions-historic-lows-trnd/ Abortions in the US have been dropping. Now it's at a historic low</ref>
* Approximately 22% of all U.S. pregnancies ended in abortion.<ref>Jones RK and Kooistra, K., [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1363/4304111/abstract Abortion incidence and access to services in the United States], 2008, Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2011, 43(1):41-50. (Excludes miscarriages.)</ref>
* Only about 1 percent each year are attributed to rape and incest.<ref name=rare>Johnston, W.R., Dr. (2008, October 9). [http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/abreasons.html Reasons given for having abortions in the United States]. ''Johnston's Archive'.</ref> 40% of women ages 15 to 44 have had at least one abortion. 4 out of 10 teen pregnancies end in murder by abortion. Based on the rate of abortion, it was estimated (2000) that 43 percent of American women would have at least one abortion by the age of 45.
* 7 out of 10 U.S. women are sexually active (usually as fornicators) but do not want to become pregnant.<ref>''Alan Guttmacher Institute'', In Brief: Fact Sheet, [https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html/ Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States], August 2011.</ref>
* Women who have never married and are not cohabiting account for 45% of all abortions. 57% of all women having abortions between 15 and 44 are in their 20's. 36% of non-Hispanic women are abortions were white, 30% are non-Hispanic black, and 25% are Hispanic.<ref name=patients>Jones RK, Finer LB and Singh S, [https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/US-Abortion-Patients.pdf Characteristics of U.S. Abortion Patients], 2008, New York: Guttmacher Institute, 2010.</ref>
* 37% of women killing babies by abortion were Protestant, (include those who identified as “Christian” but who did not specify a denomination) while 28% were Catholic, and 20% identified themselves as born-again, evangelical, charismatic or fundamentalist (in 2000, some 13% of abortion patients aged 18 and older identified as born-again or evangelical before the question was reworded slightly for the 2008 survey), while 27% gave no religious affiliation, increasing from 22% in 2000. (Protestants were under-represented among those committing abortion in proportion to the total number of Protestants nationwide, and the relative abortion rate for this group was lower than the rate for all women.)<ref name=patients />
* Although 66% of women having abortions had some type of health insurance, 57% paid for their abortion out of pocket. Among women with private health insurance, 63% paid out of pocket.<ref name=patients />

==Arguments On Abortion==

''See also:'' [[Abortion arguments]]

The following are some common Pro-Choice arguments on abortion, and problems with the reasoning.
===Rare Circumstances: Life of Mother and Rape===
''BBC News'' has an article called "Abortion in self-defence" arguing that abortion should be allowed in cases where the mother's life and health are at risk, and that this is justifiable self-defense. However, ''BBC News'' acknowledges that abortion is NOT justified for the following reasons: {{cquote|"But supposing the mother is not in physical danger, what then? There are a number of cases where some people argue that a woman should have the right to an abortion, such as: damage to mental health, damage to family, damage to career prospects, damage to financial prospects, damage to plans for her life. The self-defence argument for abortion seems to fail here, because although a threat to life can be a defence to a charge of killing someone, none of the above would be an adequate defence in a case of homicide, nor would they be regarded as reasons that justified euthanasia. But if we don't regard the foetus as a person with a right to live, or if we regard it as a being that doesn't have a full right to life, then these cases of self-defence may be arguable."
-''BBC News''.<ref name=bbc>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/abortion/philosophical/selfdefence.shtml Abortion in Self-Defence]. ''BBC News''. Retrieved July 23, 2012.</ref>}} However, (A) danger to life of the mother, like rape, is a very rare circumstance that accounts for less than 1% of all abortions,<ref name=rare /> (B) all major legislation put out by the Right to Life movement over the past decade has included exceptions allowing abortions for rape and life of the mother (e.g. [[Mexico City Policy]], [[Born Alive Infant Protection Act]], [[Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act]], etc.) and (C) at least 13 states had legislation allowing abortion for rape or life of the mother BEFORE Roe v. Wade<ref>[https://www.nrlc.org/abortion/facts/abortiontimeline.html Abortion History Timeline]. ''National Right to Life Committee''.</ref> - abortion was legalized for other reasons.

The bottom line is that apart from such extremely rare circumstances, ''BBC News'' acknowledges that "''The self-defence argument for abortion seems to fail here, because although a threat to life can be a defence to a charge of killing someone, none of the above would be an adequate defence in a case of homicide, nor would they be regarded as reasons that justified euthanasia.''"<ref name=bbc /> Choosing to kill another person, in other words, is unjustifiable unless the mother's life is in danger or, debatably, if rape occurred. In fact, those who bring up cases like rape and life of the mother are doing so because, deep inside, they themselves know that choosing to murder another human being is justifiable only under such extreme circumstances, and NOT for abortion on demand.

The only way to justify abortion apart from such circumstances is, as ''BBC News'' says, "''if we don't regard the foetus as a person with a right to live, or if we regard it as a being that doesn't have a full right to life''".<ref name=bbc /> You see, this is not about the right to choose at all, and such a slogan distracts from the real issue - the real issue is whether the fetus is a human being deserving of a full right to life. Because if it is a human being worthy of the right to life, then there is no excuse for "choosing to kill" via abortion on demand.

===Right to One's Body===
The Pro-Choice movement likes to say that women should have a right to their bodies. However, such a right should logically not allow one to harm others with that body, including physical assault, murder, rape, or theft, and therefore, this is not an absolute right, but a privilege that is not intended to exceed another's unalienable rights, including the right to life. As Hugh V. McLachlan of ''Glasgow Caledonian University'' pointed out in 1997, there is no entitlement to one's body and "''we have rights duties, liabilities, restrictions and
disadvantages as well as rights concerning our own bodies.''" {{cquote|"Consider the assumption at issue in the abstract: 'That particular X is your X and, therefore, you are entitled to do what you want with it'. As a matter of pure logic, the claim is an absurdity. What if 'X' stands for a Thompson Machine Gun? Should we say: 'That is your machine gun and, therefore, you can do whatever you like with it?' On the contrary, although there might be some things which you and only you can of right do to and with the gun, if that particular machine gun is your machine gun then it is incumbent upon you in particular to ensure that certain things are not done with it. Is the situation any different when 'X' pertains to one's body or to parts of it? I do not think so."
-Hugh V. McLachlan, ''Glasgow Caledonian University''.<ref name=mclachlan>McLachlan, H.V. (1997). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1377347/ Bodies, Rights, and Abortions]. Journal of Medical Ethics. Vol. 23. p. 176.</ref>}}
As McLachlan continues to point out, this emphasis on rights neglects the other side of the coin, responsibilities or duties. He gives on pg. 177 the example of an insurance policy, and how using one's body to commit suicide can invalidate such a contract.<ref name=mclachlan /> Logically, creating another human life should likewise bring responsibly for actions toward that life - how is the decision to create another human life of lesser importance than the decision to sign an insurance contract? Why should one be able to kill a separate person to void the sexual decision to bring about another life, yet not be able to kill oneself without voiding an insurance contract? {{cquote|"Certainly a woman has a right to control her own body, but the unborn entity, though for a time living inside her body, is not part of her body. Hence, abortion is not justified, since no one's right to personal autonomy is so strong that it permits the arbitrary execution of others."
-Francis J. Beckwith, ''Christian Research Journal''.<ref>Beckwith, F.J. (1991). [https://christiananswers.net/q-sum/q-life009.html Doesn't a woman have the right to control her own body?] ''Christian Research Journal''. At ''ChristianAnswers.net''.</ref>}}Ultimately, the real question is whether the fetus in question is another human being to be accorded unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness under the Declaration of Independence, for if so, no right to one's body should give power to infringe on its unalienable right to life. Your right to your body does not include the right, in other words, to kill others using that body to avoid the responsibilities and consequences of a sexual decision to create another life. That is what in the real world is called "murder" and it is reprehensible. Therefore, the real question is at what point a fetus becomes a human being.

===Right to Privacy===
To get abortion legalized, the Pro-Choice movement had to argue that women should have a "right to privacy".<ref>Levin, M.R. (2005, March 14). [http://old.nationalreview.com/levin/levin200503140754.asp Death by Privacy]. ''The National Review''.</ref> However, logically, if the fetus is a human being and thus murder would be committed, privacy is no excuse for such murder. Logically, killing someone in the privacy of one's own home should no more be an excuse for murder than killing them in the privacy of one's body. Furthermore, as Judge Henry J. Friendly pointed out in the nation's first major abortion case, [[Hall v. Lefkowitz]], abortion is actually a complete violation of privacy when you look at it, requiring intervention in a woman's most private areas by a physician and variety of medical personnel.
{{cquote|A holding that the privacy of sexual intercourse is protected against governmental intrusion scarcely carries as a corollary that when this has resulted in conception, government may not forbid destruction of the fetus. The type of abortion the plaintiffs particularly wish to protect against governmental sanction is the antithesis of privacy. The woman consents to intervention in the uterus by a physician, with the usual retinue of assistants, nurses, and other paramedical personnel, indeed the condition calling for such intervention may very likely have been established by clinical tests... Yet, even if we were to take plaintiffs’ legal position that the legislature cannot constitutionally interfere with a woman’s right to do as she will with her own body so long as no harm is done to others, the argument does not support the conclusion plaintiffs would have us draw from it. For we cannot say the New York legislature lacked a rational basis for considering that abortion causes such harm. Even if we should put aside the interests of the father, negligible indeed in the many cases when he has abandoned the prospective mother but not in all, the legislature could permissibly consider the fetus itself to deserve protection.<ref name=friendly>Randolph, A. Raymond. [http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol29_No3_Randolph.pdf Before Roe v. Wade: Judge Friendly's Draft Abortion Opinion]. ''Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy''. Vol. 29.</ref>}}
===Women Choose, Not Men===
The Pro-Choice movement likes to say men and fathers should have no say in the abortion debate, only women. However, as Thomas J. Lucente Jr. points out, this is similar to saying one can't criticize the President unless one is the President. {{cquote|"The pro-abortion crowd will argue that because I am a man, I should not be allowed to have an opinion on abortion, unless, of course, I support the mass murder of 50 million babies in the last 39 years. That's akin to saying I can't criticize the president unless I have been the president."
-Thomas J. Lucente Jr.<ref name=lucente />}} As [[Alan Keyes]] has pointed out, the Pro-Choice movement essentially is arguing for the baby's rights to be dependent on the mother's desire for it, making women slave-owners, essentially - this is very different from the [[Declaration of Independence]] which says the Creator gives us our unalienable rights, rather than them being dependent upon other people.<ref>Jefferson, T. (1776, July 4). [http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm The Declaration of Independence]. Retrieved from ''USHistory.org''. Independence Hall Association.</ref> {{cquote|"Either you can subscribe to the American creed which says that God endowed us with our rights, or you can subscribe to the abortion creed which says that those rights are the consequences of our mother's will."
-Alan Keyes, speech at Southern Methodist University, Feb. 24, 1997.<ref>[http://www.abortiontv.com/Words/Slavery.htm Former Presidential candidate, Alan Keyes shares his views on the commonalities between abortion and slavery]. ''AbortionTV.com''.</ref>}}
{{cquote|"... abortion is to our time what slavery was to the 19th Century, and if anyone of conscience went anywhere in the 19th Century and did not confront the American people with the evil of slavery, then they were not doing what statesmanship required... Well, it's a part of her body utterly dependent on her body, not viable apart from her body. She has, therefore, absolute power over this being, and given that absolute power she has the absolute right to dispose of it according to her will. We don't recognize what that's saying? What that's saying is that power makes for right. Might makes for right. If I have you in my power, I may dispose of you and your life according to my will. And if that argument is now accepted, and we have embraced it as a fundamental principle of law, then we have rejected the right principle. For if our right, our most basic and conditional right, the right to life itself comes to us not from God but from our mother's choice, then there is no human right that transcends in its claim, human choice and human power. Abortion is the paradigm, the ultimate paradigm of despotism, tyranny, oppression, slavery, holocaust."
-Alan Keyes, speech in San Francisco, March 3, 2003.<ref>[http://www.notable-quotes.com/a/abortion_quotes.html Abortion Quotes]. ''NotableQuotes.com''.</ref>}} Ultimately, every American has a responsibility to stand up for the rights of other Americans when they are being murdered - regardless of gender. And to say a mother should be able to murder her children whenever she feels like it, apart from the father's opinions, is simply wrong.

== When Does Life Begin? ==

''See also:'' [[When does life begin?]]

Logically, one ought to be erring on the side of caution when potentially infringing on another person's inalienable right to life, rather than seeing how close we can come to committing murder without doing so. Abortion in the U.S. is legal in all 9 months (36 weeks) of pregnancy.<ref name=ninemonths />
===Premature Birth===
Even though children can be born as early as 21 weeks after pregnancy<ref name=tooyoung /> the Guttmacher Institute, Planned Parenthood's research arm, reports that 1.5% of the 1.21 million abortions in the United States occur after the 21st week of pregnancy.<ref name=induced /> Therefore, 18,150 abortions occur each year after the earliest point that children can be born prematurely and live. An additional 3.8% occur 16–20 weeks after pregnancy, an additional 45,980 abortions each year that are most certainly murder given proximity to time of premature birth.<ref name=induced /> Why is a baby considered human outside the womb, yet nothing more than a fetus to be aborted at or near the same point in pregnancy if still inside the womb? And what will abortionists argue? That this is "only" 50-60 thousand innocent lives being taken each year?

===Fetal Development===
{{cquote|"Modern biology instructs that the genetic code that will dictate the entire future of the fetus is formed as early as the ___ day after conception; the fetus is thus something more than inert matter. The rules of property and of tort have come increasingly to recognize its rights."
-Judge Henry Friendly, [[Hall v. Lefkowitz]].<ref name=friendly>Randolph, A. Raymond. "[http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol29_No3_Randolph.pdf Before Roe v. Wade: Judge Friendly's Draft Abortion Opinion]." ''Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy''. Vol. 29.</ref>}}
According to Brian Clowes, Ph.D,<ref name=clowes /> as cited by the Pro-Life Action League,<ref>(2009). [http://www.whyprolife.com/life-in-the-womb/ Sharing the Pro-Life Message]. "Life in the Womb." Pro-Life Action League. Chicago.</ref> fetal development occurs as follows after conception:
* 2 weeks: First completed brain cells appear.
* 3 weeks: Heart begins beating, eyes form; brain, spinal column, and nervous system virtually complete.
* 4 weeks: Muscle development, arm and leg buds visible, neocortical cells appear, blood flows in baby's veins separate from mother's blood.
* 5 weeks: Pituitary gland forms, mouth, ears, and nose take shape.
* 6 weeks: Brain waves can be detected.
* 7 weeks: Cartilage skeleton completely formed, umbilical cord complete, brain coordinates voluntary muscle movement and involuntary organ movement, lips sensitive to touch.
* 8 weeks: Based on nervous system development, a fetus can likely feel pain, teeth present, all organs present save lungs, taste buds and fingerprints forming, responds to tapping on amniotic sac.
* 9 weeks: Fingernails form, can bend its fingers around an object and suck its thumb.
* 10 weeks: All parts of body sensitive to touch; can swallow, squint, frown, and pucker brow.
* 11 weeks: Breathing amniotic fluid and does so until birth, urination, all facial expressions (including smiling) possible, taste buds complete.
* 12 weeks: Can kick, turn over, make a fist, hiccup, cry, open its mouth, press its lips together, and practice breathing.
* 13 weeks: All senses are present, including vocal chords.
* 20 weeks: Can be surprised by loud external noises.
* 23 weeks: A fetus demonstrates REM (Rapid Eye Movement).
* 4 months: Can grasp, swim, and turn somersaults.
* 6 months: Hair growth on head and eyebrows, eyelashes form.
* 7 months: A fetus' hands can support its entire weight.
* 8 months: Fetus weighs more than 4 lbs., all body systems present.
* 9 months: After this point, the fetus gains a half lb. each week and 41 of the 45 total generations of cell replication have already taken place.

Given this, it is small wonder that 76% of Americans in 2011 disapprove of abortion after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
 (''See [[Abortion#2nd Trimester|Public Polling]]'')

Objectively and logically speaking, based on a large amount of evidence, abortion is a form of murder.<ref>Taylor, Paul F (May 2, 2014). [https://answersingenesis.org/sanctity-of-life/abortion/is-it-really-a-matter-of-life-and-death/ Chapter 12: Abortion: Is It Really a Matter of Life and Death?]. ''Answers in Genesis'' (from ''The New Answers Book 3''). Retrieved January 22, 2017.</ref> as well as child sacrifice.<ref>Ham, Ken (October 26, 2015). [https://answersingenesis.org/sanctity-of-life/abortion/abortion-and-child-sacrifice/ Abortion and Child Sacrifice]. ''Answers in Genesis''. Retrieved January 22, 2017.</ref>

==Health Concerns==

''See also:'' [[Abortion health risks]]

===Mental Health Risks From Abortion===
A comprehensive review of literature, published in the ''British Journal of Psychiatry'' suggests that "there is a significant increase in mental health problems after abortion."<ref name="BJP">{{cite web|url = http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/199/3/A11.full#sec-3|title =Abortion, mental health and dental disease|publisher = British Journal of Psychiatry|quote=A comprehensive review of the literature suggests that there is a significant increase in mental health problems after abortion. Coleman (pp. 180–186) suggests that these risks need to be reflected in the delivery of abortion services, and raises the thorny issue that 90% of UK abortions are justified on the presumption that abortion actually reduces the risk to mental health associated with continuing the pregnancy. There is an increasing awareness of increased comorbid physical illness in patients with severe mental illness. Kisely and colleagues (pp. 187–193) found that the levels of advanced dental disease were increased threefold in patients with severe mental illness. The authors suggest that there needs to be improved recognition of this problem – reflected in a more proactive approach to dental hygiene in these patients.|accessdate = 1 September 2011}}</ref><ref name="DavenportMD">{{cite web|url = https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/09/major_study_links_suicide_and_other_mental_health_problems_to_abortion.html|title =Major Study Links Suicide and Other Mental Health Problems to Abortion|publisher = [[American Thinker]]|quote=An important meta-analysis published today in the prestigious British Journal of Psychiatry demonstrates that nearly 10% of mental health problems in women are directly attributable to abortion. "Abortion and mental health: quantitative synthesis and analysis of research published 1995-2009," by Priscilla Coleman of Bowling Green University, shows that women with an abortion history have an 81% increased risk of mental health problems and 155% increased risk of suicide. This meta-analysis combines 22 studies of 877,181 women, 163, 831 of whom have had abortions. A meta-analysis is an especially powerful type of study because it includes a large number of subjects, and by combining studies is much more reliable than a single study.|author=Mary L. Davenport, MD|accessdate = 1 September 2011}}</ref>

===Abortion and Breast Cancer ===
The vast majority of scientific studies have shown that abortion causes an increase in breast cancer, including 16 out of 17 statistically significant studies.<ref name=trumped>Malek, K. (2003). [http://www.jpands.org/vol8no2/malec.pdf The Abortion-Breast Cancer Link: How Politics Trumped Science and Informed Consent]. ''Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons'', 8(2), 41-45.</ref> "A new study coming from researchers in [[Sri Lanka]] finds women who had abortions ... [had a] 3.42 [increased risk] ... compared with those who kept their baby. ... The Sri Lankan study is the fourth epidemiological study in fourteen months to report an abortion-breast cancer link, including studies from the U.S., China and Turkey."<ref>Ertelt, S. (2010, June 22). [https://www.lifenews.com/nat6451.html Study Confirms Abortion Triples Breast Cancer Risk Among Sri Lanka Women]. ''LifeNews.com''.</ref> LifeNews also reported in 2009 that a [[National Cancer Institute]] researcher admitted there was a link between abortion and breast cancer.<ref>Ertelt, S. (2009, January 1). [https://www.lifenews.com/nat5850.html National Cancer Institute Researcher Admits Abortion-Breast Cancer Link True]. ''LifeNews.com''.</ref> Studies showing that abortion increases breast cancer predate the political controversy.<ref>(2002). [http://www.bcpinstitute.org/brochure.htm Breast Cancer Prevention Institute Online Brochure]. ''Breast Cancer Prevention Institute''.</ref> A study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center published in 2009 confirmed a 40% increase in risk in breast cancer from abortion.<ref>Byrne, D. (2010, January 11). [http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/dennis-byrne-barbershop/2010/01/breast-cancer-oral-contraceptives-abortion-and-lies.html Breast cancer, oral contraceptives, abortion and lies (?)] ''ChicagoNow''.</ref><ref>It is undisputed that childbirth protects against breast cancer, and thus early termination of pregnancy must increase the risk of cancer for the mother compared to carrying that same pregnancy to birth.</ref> Yet the abortion industry conceals this increased risk, just as the tobacco industry concealed its cancer risk for decades.<ref>Addison, T.E., M.D. (1998, July). [http://www.mindfully.org/Industry/Tobacco-ChronologyJul98.htm A Chronology of Tobacco in the Civilized World], ''San Francisco Medicine''.</ref>
[[Image:Abortion Hurts Women.jpg|thumb|275px|right|Walk for Life rally]]
A new study on breast cancer in Turkey published in April 2009 in the peer-reviewed World Journal of Surgical Oncology found, through a surveying process, that induced abortion was a statistically significant cause of breast cancer risk. The study concludes, “Our findings suggest that age and induced abortion were found to be significantly associated with increased breast cancer risk….”<ref>Ozman, V. et al. (2009, April 8). [http://wjso.com/content/7/1/37 Breast cancer risk factors in Turkish women – a University Hospital based nested case control study]. ''World Journal of Surgical Oncology'', 7(37). doi:10.1186/1477-7819-7-37</ref>

Specifically, the study found that Turkish women who received one or more induced abortions had a 66% higher risk of breast cancer than women who never had an abortion.<ref>Baklinski, T.M. (2009, July 29). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/jul/09072903.html Study: Breast Cancer Risk 66% Higher in Turkish Women with Abortions]. ''LifeSiteNews.com''.</ref><ref>Malek, K. (2009, July 28). [http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/press_releases/090728/index.htm Study: Turkish Women with Abortions Have Statistically Significant 66% Increase in Breast Cancer Risk / Researchers Likely Underestimated the Risk, Reports Scientist]. ''Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer''.</ref>

Dr. Janet Daling, who considers herself supportive of a right to perform abortions, brought the abortion-breast cancer link into the mainstream with her federally funded research on the topic. Her report, released in 1994, found a 50% increase in breast cancer risk due to induced abortion.<ref>Janet R. Daling et al., "Risk of Breast Cancer Among Young Women: Relationship to Induced Abortion," 86 Journal of the National Cancer Institute; (1994);1584</ref><ref>(2001, March 28). [http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/032801.htm Women's Organization Accuses MAMM of Misleading Public About Abortion-Breast Cancer Link]. ''Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer''.</ref> She said, "I have three sisters with breast cancer and I resent people messing with the scientific data to further their own agenda, be they pro-choice or pro-life. I would have loved to have found no association between breast cancer and abortion, but our research is rock solid and our data is accurate."<ref>L.A. Daily News, Sept. 1997.</ref> Similarly, an early study published in Japan in 1957 showed that women who have abortions have a much higher risk of breast cancer than those who decide to keep their baby.<ref>Segi M, et al. An epidemiological study on cancer in Japan. GANN. 1957; 48:1-63.</ref>

In a peer-reviewed medical journal, Karen Malec observed that:<ref name=trumped />

:Thirty-eight epidemiological studies exploring an independent link [between abortion and] breast cancer have been published. Twenty-nine report risk elevations. Thirteen out of 15 American studies found risk elevations. Seventeen studies are statistically significant, 16 of which report increased risk.

Dr. Angela Lanfranchi, M.D., F.A.C.S., a specialist in breast cancer an a clinical assistant professor of surgery at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, has explained the physiology and epidemiology of the abortion-breast cancer link. She made the following observation:<ref>Angela Lanfranchi, M.D., F.A.C.S, "The breast physiology and the epidemiology of the abortion breast cancer link," 12 Imago Hominis, No. 3, 228 (2005) (emphasis added).</ref>

:This past August in Minneapolis, Patrick Carroll, director of the Pension and Population Research Institute of London, presented a paper to the largest gathering of statisticians in North America. '''He showed that abortion was the best predictor of breast cancer in Britain.''' Breast cancer is the only cancer in Britain which has its highest incidence and mortality rate among the upper rather than lower social classes. Abortion before a full term pregnancy and late pregnancy were the best explanations for this incidence. He also found that there had been a 70% increase risk of breast cancer between 1971 and 2002 and that for women between 50 and 54 years of age incidence was highly correlated with abortion.

Demographic evidence of abortion causing breast cancer includes the following. Breast cancer rates are far lower in Western countries that prohibited abortion than in those that promoted it. Ireland, which virtually bans abortion, reportedly has a lifetime rate of breast cancer of only 1 in 13, nearly half the rate of 1 in 7.5 in the United States.<ref>"Probability of breast cancer in American Women," National Cancer Institute (Apr. 15, 2005); K. O'Flaherty, R. Oakley, "Self-checks 'useless' in breast cancer fight," Sunday Tribune (Ireland), at 8 (Oct. 6, 2002).</ref> The rate of breast cancer increases steadily as one travels from Ireland, where abortion is illegal, to Northern Ireland, where abortion is legal but rare, to England, where abortion is common.<ref>R. O'Reilly, "New weapon in war against breast cancer," The Press Association Limited (Dec. 17, 1998); "Portugal-abortion referendum," Associated Press Worldstream (June 27, 1998).</ref>

In Romania, abortion was illegal under two decades of rule by the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, and the country enjoyed one of the lowest breast cancer rates in the entire world during that time, far lower than comparable Western countries. Romania's breast cancer rate was an astounding one-sixth the rate of the United States.<ref>A. Khan, "The role of fat in breast cancer," The Independent (May 18, 1998).</ref> But after the execution of Ceausescu on Christmas Day, 1989, Romania has taken the opposite approach, embracing abortion to the point that Romania now has one of the highest abortion rates in the world.<ref>N. Abdullaev, "Russians are quickest to marry and divorce," Moscow Times (Dec 8, 2004).</ref> One Romanian observer decried, "The liberalization of abortions in Romania in 1990, the significant increase of the number of abortions at relatively short intervals, determined a rise in the incidence of breast and uterine cervix cancer in my country."<ref>Information packet, Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) World Conference on Breast Cancer (July 1997).</ref>

Studies on rats, which are an accepted method for identifying causes of cancer in humans, further confirm that abortion does indeed increase the risk of breast cancer. As Dr. [[Joel Brind]] observed, "Researchers also widely admit to the biological plausibility of abortion as an independent cause of breast cancer, through the estrogen-mediated stimulation of breast growth in the absence of differentiation. This was demonstrated experimentally in rats in the landmark experiments of Russo and Russo."<ref>[[Joel Brind]], "[http://www.jpands.org/vol10no4/brind.pdf Induced Abortion as an Independent Risk Factor for Breast Cancer: A Critical Review of Recent Studies Based on Prospective Data]," J. of Am. Physicians & Surgeons 105 (Winter 2005) (citing Russo J, Russo IH. Susceptibility of the mammary gland to
carcinogenesis. 1980;100:497-512).</ref> Additional scientific information on the abortion-breast cancer link is available at [http://www.bcpinstitute.org BCPInstitute.org].

An expert (Dr. Lynn Rosenberg) hired to defend abortion felt compelled to admit, under cross-examination, that a woman increases her risk for breast cancer by having an abortion compared to carrying her pregnancy to childbirth:<ref>[http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/rosenberg's_testimony.htm Rosenberg's Testimony]. ''Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer''.</ref>

:Question by the attorney: 'So in other words, a woman who finds herself pregnant at age 15 will have a higher breast cancer risk if she chooses to abort that pregnancy, than if she carries the pregnancy to term, [is that] correct?'

:Dr. Lynn Rosenberg: 'Probably, yes.'

:Question: 'Looking at that another way, let's compare two women. Let's say both got pregnant at age 15-- one terminates the pregnancy, but the other carries the pregnancy to term. And both women go on to get married and have two kids, say, at age 30 and age 35. Is the risk of breast cancer higher for the woman who had an abortion at age 15 or the woman who had a baby at age 15, all other things being equal?'

:Dr. Lynn Rosenberg: 'It's probably higher for the one who had an abortion at age 15.'

Despite the overwhelming evidence—and inescapable logic—for abortion increasing breast cancer, promoters of abortion cite flawed articles in an attempt to deny the link. The flaws in these articles are exposed in the [[Harvard abortion study]] and "Legal Implications of a Link Between Abortion and Breast Cancer" by Andrew Schlafly in the ''Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons''.<ref>Schafly, A. (2005, Spring). [http://www.jpands.org/vol10no1/aschlafly.pdf Legal Implications of a Link Between Abortion and Breast Cancer]. ''Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons'', 10(1), 10-14.</ref>

As Dr. Lanfranchi has explained:<ref>Lanfranchi, A. (2008, Spring). [http://www.jpands.org/vol13no1/lanfranchi.pdf The Federal Government and Academic Texts as Barriers to Informed Consent]. ''Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons'', 13(1), 12-15.</ref>

:Well-documented breast physiology accounts for the fact that oral contraceptives and abortion are risk factors for breast cancer. There is an effort to suppress this information by federal agencies and those in academic medicine. Without this information, women cannot make a fully informed choice about their method of fertility control or about whether to maintain an unplanned pregnancy. Medical ethics demands that they be informed.

Pro-choice should include ''informed'' choice.<ref>The Archdiocese of St. Louis, for example, remarked about abortions and increased risk for breast cancer: "To dismiss that link is irresponsible." http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5620863.html (Link no longer works)</ref> Yet efforts continue to suppress awareness that abortion increases breast cancer. Pro-life scientists were almost entirely barred from the National Cancer Institute's "study" of the link, and its resulting statements were fatally flawed as explained in [[National Cancer Institute on Abortion]].

Just as organizations denied or failed to disclose the connection between smoking and lung cancer, many organizations aligned with [[liberal]] politicians deny the correlation between abortion and breast cancer despite numerous studies published in peer reviewed journals indicating a likely connection.

[[File:Smelliesdoublecrochet.jpg|right|thumb|250px| The Smellie's double crochet abortion tool was used to grab and forcibly remove the fetus from the womb.]]

===Abortion Causes Future Harm with Premature Births===

"At least 49 studies have demonstrated a statistically significant increase in premature births (PB) or low birth weight (LBW) risk in women with prior induced abortions (IAs)."<ref>Brent Rooney and Byron C. Calhoun, "Induced Abortion and Risk of Later Premature Births," 8 J. Am. Physicians & Surgeons 46 (Summer 2003). [http://www.jpands.org/vol8no2/rooney.pdf]</ref> Premature birth tragically causes brain damage, and an array of other severe, lifelong injuries ranging from Cerebral Palsy to blindness, or even death, and few mothers would knowingly increase the risk of that happening. "There are at least seventeen (17) studies that have found that previous induced abortions increase preterm birth risk” and thereby increase debilitating Cerebral Palsy in children."<ref>Brent Rooney, Letter, 96 European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 239 (2001) (citations omitted).</ref>

In 2008, the generally pro-abortion British medical journal, ''The Lancet'', admitted that a procedure often used in abortion increase the risk of premature birth:<ref name=lancet>Dr, Jay D. Iams, Dr. Robert Romero, Jennifer F. Culhane (PhD), Dr. Robert L. Goldenberg. [http://www.v2020la.org/pub/PUBLICATIONS_BY_TOPICS/ROP/Primary,_secondary,_and_tertiary_interventions.....pdf] Primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions to reduce the morbidity and mortality of preterm birth. Lancet 2008;371:164-175. While the text of this article conceals the connection with abortion, it cites as support for its claims two studies showing how abortion increases risk of premature birth: the 2004 'Ancel' study of ten European countries and the 2005 'Moreau' study that used French subjects. Ancel P-Y, Lelong N, Papiernik E, Saurel-Cubizoilles M-J, Kaminski M. [http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/content/19/3/734.full History of induced abortion as a risk factor for preterm birth in European countries: results of the EUROPOP survey]. Human Reproduction. 2004;112:734-740. Moreau C, Kaminski M, Ancel PY et al. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15777440 Previous I induced abortions and the risk of very preterm delivery; Results of the EPIPAGE study]. British J Obstetrics Gynaecology 2005; 112:430-437.</ref>

:"For example, greater public and professional awareness of evidence that repeated uterine instrumentation--eg, uterine curettage or endometrial biopsy--is associated with increased risk of subsequent preterm birth might over time influence decision-making about the procedure."

Researchers Rooney and Calhoun observed:<ref name=lancet />

:Large studies have reported a doubling of [early premature birth] EPB risk from two prior IAs. Women who had four or more IAs experienced, on average, nine times the risk of [extremely early premature births] XPB, an increase of 800 percent. These results suggest that women contemplating IA should be informed of this potential risk to subsequent pregnancies, and that physicians should be aware of the potential liability and possible need for intensified prenatal care.

Demographic evidence of how abortion increases premature birth includes the following:

:* The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): "[T]he abortion rate for black women has been approximately '''three times''' as high as that for white women (range: 2.6--3.1) since 1991"<ref>https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5407a1.htm (emphasis added)</ref>
:* ''Science Daily'''s report on a study by the Washington University School of Medicine: "African-American women are '''three times''' more likely to deliver babies three to 17 weeks prematurely than Caucasian women"<ref>Washington University School of Medicine (2007, February 12). [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070209074144.htm African-American Mothers]. (emphasis added)</ref>

In 2002 an article entitled "Preterm Birth: A Continuing Challenge" noted that premature births are abnormally high in the United States, citing a study that observed that a previous abortion is a "risk factor for both infertility and preterm birth."<ref>Moore, M.L. (2002, Fall). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1595132/ Preterm Birth: A Continuing Challenge]. ''The Journal of Perinatal Education'', 11(4), 37-40. doi: 10.1624/105812402X88948</ref>

The rate of premature birth is elevated by the same amount as the abortion rate, as expected if abortion increases the risk of premature birth.

===Other Health Risks from Abortion===

The [[U.S. Supreme Court]] ruled in 2007 that:<ref>''Gonzales v. Carhart'', 127 S. Ct. 1610, 1634 (2007).</ref> {{cquote|"While we find no reliable data to measure the phenomenon, it seems unexceptionable to conclude some women come to regret their choice to abort the infant life they once created and sustained. See Brief for Sandra Cano ''et al.'' as Amici Curiae in No. 05-380, pp 22-24. Severe depression and loss of esteem can follow."}} A study published in the Southern Medical Journal observed that there are higher death rates associated with women who have abortion, and that these higher death rates persist over time and across socioeconomic boundaries.<ref>D.C. Reardon, P.G. Ney, F.J. Scheuren, J.R. Cougle, P.K. Coleman, T. Strahan, "Deaths associated with pregnancy outcome: a record linkage study of low income women," 95 Southern Medical Journal 8, at 834-41 (August 2002).</ref>

In [[England]], the "Royal College of Psychiatrists says women should not be allowed to have an abortion until they are counselled on the possible risk to their mental health." The medical royal college warned that women who have abortions may be at risk of mental health problems.<ref>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article3559486.ece (Link no longer works)</ref> A New Zealand study found that abortion in young women may be associated with increased risks of mental health problems.<ref>Fergusson, D.M., et. al. (2006, January). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16405636 Abortion in young women and subsequent mental health]. ''The Journal of Child Psychology andPsychiatry'', 47(1), 16-24. PMID 16405636.</ref> The researcher in this study, who was not pro-life, was shaken by the study and had to go to four journals before he could find one who would publish it.<ref name=gilson>Gilson, T. (2006, February 24). [https://www.thinkingchristian.net/C1148465919/E20060224082323/index.html Abortion and Mental Health]. ''Thinking Christian''.</ref>

The study concludes with the following statement:
{{cquote|These findings are inconsistent with the current consensus on the psychological effects of abortion. In particular, in its 2005 statement on abortion, the American Psychological Association concluded that “well-designed studies of psychological responses following abortion have consistently shown that risk of psychological harm is low...the percentage of women who experience clinically relevant distress is small and appears to be no greater than in general samples of women of reproductive age” (American Psychological Association, 2005). This relatively strong conclusion about the absence of harm from abortion was based on a relatively small number of studies which had one or more of the following limitations: a) absence of comprehensive assessment of mental disorders; b) lack of comparison groups; and c) limited statistical controls. Furthermore, the statement appears to disregard the findings of a number of studies that had claimed to show negative effects for abortion (Cougle et al., 2003; Gissler et al., 1996; Reardon & Cougle, 2002).<ref name=gilson />}}

Professor David Fergusson, lead author of the New Zealand study stated:
{{cquote|It borders on scandalous that one of the most common surgical procedures performed on young women is so poorly researched and evaluated. If this were Prozac or Vioxx, reports of associated harm would be taken much more seriously with more careful research and monitoring procedures." <ref>Throckmorton, W. (2006, January 20). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2006/jan/20/20060120-091648-6456r/?page=all#pagebreak Abortion and Mental Health]. ''The Washington Times''.</ref>}}

Another study published in the OB/GYN Survey detailed long-term physical and psychological health consequences of induced abortions.<ref>J.M. Thorp, Jr., K.E. Hartmann, and E.M. Shadigian, "[content.silaspartners.com/156/41045/156_41045_shadigian.1.pdf Long-Term Physical & Psychological Health Consequences of Induced Abortion: Review of the Evidence]," 58 OB/GYN Survey 1, at 67-79 (2003)</ref>

Suicide rates among women who had abortions are six times higher than women who gave birth in the prior year. Overall, deaths from suicide, homicide and accidents were 248% higher after an abortion, as found by a 13-year study in Finland of its entire population.<ref>http://www.abortionrecoverycounseling.com/Page8.html (Link no longer works)</ref>

In the United States, only one state (Missouri) requires that the abortionist have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the abortion.<ref>Mo. Rev. Stat. § 188.080 prohibits an abortion by a physician "who does not have clinical privileges at a hospital which offers obstetrical or gynecological care located within thirty miles of the location at which the abortion is performed or induced."</ref> In the other 49 states, an abortion patient can and often is left without prompt medical care by the treating physician.

One of the largest abortion providers in the United States, the Metropolitan Medical Associates of New Jersey, was shut down in 2007 by state health officials after one of its botched abortions left a 20-year-old woman in a coma for more than four weeks. She "became severely ill following the abortion and was transferred to Newark Beth Israel Medical Center where she needed blood transfusions and had her uterus removed. She also suffered a stroke due to the serious blood loss and had one of her lungs collapse." The State of New Jersey had shut down the same facility in 1993 also.<ref>Ertelt, S. (2007, March 1). [https://www.lifenews.com/state2137.html Woman Comatose for a Month After Botched Abortion Caused Center’s Closing]. ''LifeNews.com''.</ref>

== Communist China and the consumption of powdered baby flesh from abortions ==

''See also:'' *[[Atheists eat babies meme#Atheistic China and baby eating|Communist China and the consumption of powdered baby flesh]] and [[Atheists eat babies meme]] and [[Atheism, Chinese doctors and baby eating]]

[[File:China on globe.png|right|thumb|250px|In 2014, ''The Washington Times'' reported: "China’s one child policy, baby trafficking, and sex trafficking of [[North Korean]] women aren’t the worst human rights violation happening in the country. Aborting innocent and healthy unborn children and eating them to boost one’s stamina and sexual health is.<ref name="washingtontimes.com">[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/31/chinese-cannibalism-infant-flesh-outrages-world/ Chinese cannibalism of infant flesh outrages the world], ''Washington Times'', 2014</ref>]]
In 2014, ''The Washington Times'' reported:
{{Cquote|China’s one child policy, baby trafficking, and sex trafficking of North Korean women aren’t the worst human rights violation happening in the country. Aborting innocent and healthy unborn children and eating them to boost one’s stamina and sexual health is.

South Korean customs officials recently seized thousands of pills filled with powdered human baby flesh arriving from China. Since August 2011, South Korean officials have intercepted more than 17000 pills smuggled from China.

South Korean officials became aware of a horrific practice of eating aborted fetuses after Seoul Broadcasting System showed a documentary on Chinese doctors who performed abortions and then ate the fetuses. One Chinese doctor on the documentary took out fetuses from his refrigerator.<ref name="washingtontimes.com">[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/31/chinese-cannibalism-infant-flesh-outrages-world/ Chinese cannibalism of infant flesh outrages the world], ''Washington Times'', 2014</ref>}}

For additional information, please see:

*[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2140702/South-Korea-customs-officials-thousands-pills-filled-powdered-human-baby-flesh.html Thousands of pills filled with powdered human baby flesh discovered by customs officials in South Korea], ''The Daily Mail'', 2012

*[https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/05/horrifyingly-ground-baby-pills-are-real-thing/328490/ Horrifyingly, Ground Baby Pills Are a Real Thing] by Alexander Abad-Santos, ''The Atlantic'', May 7, 2012

*[https://abcnews.go.com/Health/chinese-made-infant-flesh-capsules-seized-korea/story?id=16296176 Chinese-Made Infant Flesh Capsules Seized in S. Korea], ''ABC News'', 2012

==History==
[[Image:115523-004-FA619CA3.jpg|thumb|right|250px| The perverse and cruel [[atheism|atheist]] [[Marquis de Sade]] advocated induced abortion.<ref>https://jme.bmj.com/content/6/1/7.abstract</ref>]]
''Please also see:'' [[History of abortion]]

Abortion was an extremely harsh '''''punishment''''' in the [[Old Testament]], imposed against those who have "rebelled against" God:

:"Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb." (Hosea 9:16)

:"Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up." (Hosea 13:16)

:"Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up." (2 Kings 15:16)

The father of [[medicine]], [[Hippocrates]], expressly prohibited abortion in his ethical [[Oath]] long before [[Christianity]].

The ''Journal of Medical Ethics'' article declared concerning the [[atheism|atheist]] and [[sadism|sadist]] [[Marquis de Sade]]:
{{cquote|In 1795 the Marquis de Sade published his La Philosophic dans le boudoir, in which he proposed the use of induced abortion for social reasons and as a means of population control. It is from this time that medical and social acceptance of abortion can be dated, although previously the subject had not been discussed in public in modern times. It is suggested that it was largely due to de Sade's writing that induced abortion received the impetus which resulted in its subsequent spread in western society.<ref>Farr, A.D. (1980). [https://jme.bmj.com/content/6/1/7.abstract The Marquis de Sade and induced abortion]. ''Journal of Medical Ethics'', 6, 7-10. doi:10.1136/jme.6.1.7</ref>}}

[[Population control]] is based on [[pseudoscience]] and ill founded [[economics|economic]] assumptions.<ref>Egnor, M. (2010, November 30). [http://www.evolutionnews.org/2010/11/pz_myers_on_abortion040971.html P.Z. Myers on Abortion]. ''Evolution News and Views''.</ref>

=== Adolf Hitler and Abortion ===
''For more information see:'' [[Abortion and Adolf Hitler]]
[[Image:Hitlerspeech.jpg|thumb|290px|right|[[Adolf Hitler]]]]‎In 1942 [[Adolf Hitler]] declared:
{{cquote|In view of the large families of the Slav native population, it could only suit us if girls and women there had as many abortions as possible. We are not interested in seeing the non-[[German]] population multiply…We must use every means to instill in the population the idea that it is harmful to have several children, the expenses that they cause and the dangerous effect on woman's health… It will be necessary to open special institutions for abortions and doctors must be able to help out there in case there is any question of this being a breach of their professional ethics.<ref>Hoffman, M.C. (2007, September 7). [Israeli Doctor Exposes Nazi Abortion Program https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/sep/07090708.html]. ''LifeSiteNews.com''.</ref>}}

After [[World War II]], the War Crimes Tribunal indicted ten [[Nazi]] leaders for "encouraging and compelling abortion," which the tribunal considered a "crime against humanity."<ref>Wilke, J.C., Dr., et. al. (2006). [https://www.abortionfacts.com/online_books/love_them_both/why_cant_we_love_them_both_25.asp#But%20didn%E2%80%99t%20Hitler%20oppose%20abortion? Why Can't We Love Them Both: Chapter 25, Euthanasia]. ''AbortionFacts.com''.</ref>
===Hall v. Lefkowitz===
[[Hall v. Lefkowitz]] was a court case on November 4, 1969<ref>"[https://www.leagle.com/xmlResult.aspx?xmldoc=19691335305FSupp1030_11150.xml&docbase=CSLWAR1-1950-1985 Hall v. Lefkowitz]." 305 F.Supp. 1030 (1969). www.Leagle.com.</ref> during which Roy Lucas, an assistant professor at the University of Alabama Law School, and his self-founded James Madison Constitutional Law Institute, sued to challenge New York's abortion laws. A three-judge court presided which included famous judge Henry Friendly. Friendly wrote a draft opinion in the spring of 1970 declaring government had right to regulate abortion and protect a fetus, contrary to the later [[Roe v. Wade]] ruling. However, shortly thereafter the New York legislature amended state abortion law to allow abortion within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, and Hall's case was dismissed as unnecessary.<ref name=friendly>Randolph, A. Raymond. "[http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol29_No3_Randolph.pdf Before Roe v. Wade: Judge Friendly's Draft Abortion Opinion]." ''Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy''. Vol. 29.</ref> [[Hall v. Lefkowitz|Read some of Friendly's arguments]] made years before Roe v. Wade.

===NARAL's Lies About Back-Alley Abortions===
Bernard Nathanson, one of NARAL's co-founders, described how he and the organization fabricated abortion statistics and used slogans to sway the public during the early days of Roe v. Wade.
{{cquote|I remember laughing when we made those slogans up. We were looking for some sexy, catchy slogans to capture public opinion. They were very cynical slogans then, just as all of these slogans today are very, very cynical. We persuaded the media that the cause of permissive abortion was a liberal, enlightened, sophisticated one. Knowing that if a true poll were taken, we would be soundly defeated, we simply fabricated the results of fictional polls. We announced to the media that we had taken polls and that 60 percent of Americans were in favor of permissive abortion. We aroused enough sympathy to sell our program of permissive abortion by fabricating the number of illegal abortions done annually in the U.S. The actual figure was approaching 100,000, but the figure we gave to the media repeatedly was 1,000,000. Repeating the big lie often enough convinces the public. The number of women dying from illegal abortions was around 200-250 annually. The figure we constantly fed to the media was 10,000. These false figures took root in the consciousness of Americans, convincing many that we needed to crack the abortion law. Another myth we fed to the public through the media was that legalizing abortion would only mean that the abortions taking place illegally would then be done legally. In fact, of course, abortion is now being used as a primary method of birth control in the U.S. and the annual number of abortions has increased by 1,500 percent since legalization.<ref name=nathanson />}}

=== Roe v. Wade ===
Prior to 1973 abortion was illegal in most of the United States, though a few states (such as Hawaii and New York) allowed it with restrictions.<ref>''A Timeline of Reproductive Rights'' [http://ecampus.bentley.edu/org/wc/reproductiverights.html The Women's Center]</ref> The U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 [[Roe v. Wade]]<ref>Online text of [http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=CASE&court=US&vol=410&page=113 Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973)]</ref> decision ruled that abortions are lawful under the [[U.S. Constitution]] up to the point at which the fetus becomes able to survive outside the womb, and an accompanying decision issued the same day captioned [[Doe v. Bolton]] essentially legalized abortion in the unlimited discretion of the abortionist at any time during pregnancy, up to and including birth. Conservatives immediately criticized these decisions as examples of [[Judicial Activism]]. Ironically, Norma McCorvey, also known as "Jane Roe," only sought an abortion for herself. She did not wish for her personal battle to result in a nationwide "legalization" of the procedure. The only reason the case bore her name was because of her pro-abortion [[feminist]] lawyer, Sarah Weddington, who sought to have Texas' abortion ban overturned.<ref>https://www.lifenews.com/2017/02/18/norma-mccorvey-jane-roe-of-roe-v-wade-passes-away-she-never-had-an-abortion-and-became-pro-life/</ref> Even more importantly, Roe became pro-life and sought to have the Supreme Court's decision overturned.

===Present Day ===
In 2008, worldwide there were approximately 115,000 abortions done per day.<ref name=abortionno>[https://www.abortionno.org/Resources/fastfacts.html Abortion Facts]. ''The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform].</ref> In 2008, approximately 83% of all abortions were performed in developing countries and 17% occurred in developed countries.<ref name=abortionno /> From 2006 to 2015, the number of abortions in the U.S. fell 24% to 638,169, still a very large number.<ref>Multiple references:
*Freiburger, Calvin (November 21, 2018). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/us-abortions-drop-to-record-low-since-roe-v.-wade-cdc-reports US abortion rate drops to record low since Roe v. Wade, CDC reports]. ''LifeSiteNews''. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
*Sullivan, Peter (November 21, 2018). [https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/417876-number-of-abortions-in-us-drops-24-percent-from-2006 Number of abortions in US declines to lowest level since 2006]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
*Leonard, Kimberly (November 21, 2018). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/healthcare/us-abortions-hit-record-post-roe-v-wade-low US abortions hit record post-Roe v. Wade low]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved November 21, 2018.</ref>

States may regulate abortion, such as requiring a 24-hour waiting period and parental consent for minors. Abortion clinics often fail to comply with the health standards of surgical facilities, and States can require compliance (but often do not, resulting in discomfort and harm to the victims of abortion). Many abortionists lack hospital admitting privileges at nearby facilities, so women having complications must go on their own to emergency rooms to see physicians unfamiliar with what actually happened. For any other operation the cost of treating complications is included in the cost of the operation, but for abortions the abortion clinics take their money and typically do not pay for the care of complications.

The more pro-abortion the State regulations are, the larger the number of abortion clinics it will have. [[Arizona]], though a pro-life State, has a regulatory system that results in twelve abortion clinics operating within its borders. In contrast, [[Mississippi]] has only one abortion clinic, and [[Missouri]] has only two.

====Abortion and Eugenics====
{{See also|Abortion and eugenics}}
Abortion and eugenics are often very strongly related. Abortion is commonly used to kill those babies who happen to suffer from [[Down Syndrome]]<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10521836</ref><ref>Bilger, Micaiah (February 7, 2017). [https://www.lifenews.com/2017/02/07/european-nations-are-using-abortion-to-create-a-down-syndrome-free-world/ European Nations are Using Abortion to Create a “Down Syndrome Free” World]. ''LifeNews.com''. Retrieved February 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Gee, Alison (September 29, 2017). [https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-37500189 A world without Down's syndrome?] ''BBC News''. Retrieved February 20, 2017.</ref> and other physical and mental issues, to remove said physical and mental issues from the human race. [[Eugenics]] is essentially the unethical removal of those with physical and mental issues to "purify" the human race.

[[Iceland]] has very pro-abortion policies and nearly 100% of babies with Down Syndrome are aborted.<ref>Multiple references:
*Quinones, Julian; Lajka, Arijeta (August 14, 2017). [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/down-syndrome-iceland/ "What kind of society do you want to live in?": Inside the country where Down syndrome is disappearing]. ''CBS News''. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
*Williams, Thomas D. (August 15, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2017/08/15/iceland-approaches-100-percent-termination-rate-down-syndrome/ Iceland Approaches 100% ‘Termination Rate’ of Babies with Down Syndrome]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
*Desanctis, Alexandra (August 16, 2017). [https://www.nationalreview.com/article/450509/down-syndrome-iceland-cbs-news-disturbing-report Iceland Eliminates People with Down Syndrome]. ''National Review''. Retrieved August 17, 2017.</ref> According to Dr. Peter McParland, an obstetrician from the National Maternity Hospital, and Anne Trainer:<ref>[http://liveactionnews.org/legal-abortion-leading-downs-syndrome-free-world/ Quote of the day: Legal abortion is leading us to a ‘Down’s syndrome-free world’]. ''Live Action News''. February 6, 2017. Retrieved February 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Trainer, Annie (February 4, 2017). [https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/the-eighth-amendment-protected-my-son-3217231-Feb2017/ 'Abortion is leading us to a 'Down's Syndrome-free' world. I can barely type the words']. ''thejournal.ie''. Retrieved February 20, 2017.</ref>

{{cquote|'In Britain, 90% of babies with Down’s Syndrome are aborted before birth. In Iceland, every single baby, 100% of all those diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome, are aborted. There hasn’t been a baby with Down’s Syndrome born in Iceland in the past five years.'

Denmark is following suit, and is expected to be “Down’s Syndrome-free” by 2030 and these cold and chilling statistics show us exactly where legal abortion is leading the rest of Europe.}}

==Reasons Given For Abortions==

[[File:AbortionReasons.jpg‎|thumb|400px| Primary reasons women reported for undergoing abortions]]

''See also:'' [[Reasons given for abortion]]

The Alan Guttmacher Institute, which is not a [[conservative]] or [[pro-life]] organization, conducted a poll of more than 1,200 patients undergoing induced abortions at 11 large-scale [[abortion facilities]] in the United States. The women were asked to identify reasons for seeking abortions, and identify the primary motivation. An additional 38 women at four sites were interviewed in-depth.<ref name="agiSurvey">[https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/psrh/full/3711005.pdf Lawrence Finer, et al., "Reasons U.S. Women Have Abortions: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives", ''Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health'', September 2005]</ref>

The poll omitted any reference to whether the women were able to see an ultrasound of their unborn children before choosing to have an abortion. For the vast majority of women who have abortion, the reason is a lack of knowledge about the unborn child as displayed by an ultrasound. Because a large part of their campaign funds are bankrolled by the abortion industry, liberals are frequent opponents to laws making available ultrasound treatment for patients not certain of the decision. Some physicians have been reported intimidating and pressuring patients to continue with an abortion after the patient has had a change of heart, either on the operating table or before surgery. One doctor, who was also employed as a spokesman for a prominent liberal pro-abortion think tank, reportedly forced a patient to undergo the procedure in order to fill a quota on insurance claims.

Among reasons provided to the women as part of the poll, the two most common selections were "Having a baby would dramatically change my life" (74%) and "I can't afford a baby now" (73%).<ref name="agiSurvey"/> Concerns about their own health were mentioned by only 13% of the women, while only 12% mentioned concerns about the baby's health, though only 3% and 4% respectively gave those as their primary reason for seeking abortion.<ref name="agiSurvey"/>

Interestingly, only 14% indicated "[[husband]] or partner wants me to have an abortion" as a reason, down from 24% in a previous survey in 1987.<ref name="agiSurvey"/> This contrasts with research on women post-abortion, among whom 64% reported feeling pressured by others to abort, and may indicate pressure to abort comes not so much from husbands now as other relationships.<ref name="reardon">[http://www.theunchoice.com/pdf/FactSheets/ForcedAbortionFactSheet.pdf David Reardon, "Forced Abortion in America", April 2010]</ref>

What is often ignored in studies of why women submit to abortions is an ambivalence by some in early pregnancy. Such ambivalence typically resolves when the mother becomes more aware of her unborn child, as displayed by an [[ultrasound]].<ref>Lederman, ''Psychosocial Adaptation in Pregnancy'', 1984</ref><ref>"The Unwanted Pregnancy," ''Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology'', 1970, Cited in Gardner, ''Abortion: The Personal Dilemma'', 1972</ref><ref>Nichols and Humenick, ''Childbirth Education: Practice, Research, and Theory'', 1988</ref>

Less than one percent of all abortions are due to rape. Abortion does not liberate women. It liberates men from the responsibilities of raising children, as well as responsibility for their sexual behavior, including emotional and financial support. Here is a comparison. The founding feminists Susan B. Anthony and Liz Stanton were pro-life. The radical feminists (feminazis) believe that pregnant women are inferior to non-pregnant women. The biggest financial contributor to abortion rights is the Playboy Foundation, which is supportive of the philosophy of uncommitted, anonymous sex without consequences; women are reduced to the status of a consumer item which, if “broken” by pregnancy, can be “fixed” by abortion. A large majority of women who got an abortion said that they did so because they felt pressured by others. This is why before abortion became legal in the US, women who got an abortion did not receive jail time, but instead, get treated as a second victim while the abortionist gets punished. Instead of legalizing abortion in cases of rape, overturn the 1977 US Supreme Court case of [[Coker v. Georgia]], in which the Supreme Court struck down the death penalty for rapists as a violation of the eighth amendment.

Disability does not do anything to take away happiness. Eugenics is a waste of lives and delays the research needed to treat disabilities. We need to help the disabled live independent lives. There eventually be a cure for them as technology advances. In July 2013, scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester have learned to shut down the extra chromosome that causes Down's syndrome.<ref>
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/jul/17/downs-syndrome-cells-fixed-chromosome-therapy</ref>

==Public Opinion==
''See also:'' [[Views on abortion]]
Public polling, as seen below (sourced from Gallup<ref name=gallupabortion/>), reveals that Americans are almost evenly split between identifying as Pro-Life or Pro-Choice, with most believing it should be legal only in a few circumstances (48%) such as rape (77%) and life of the mother (83%).

===Legal or Illegal===
According to Gallup's most recent poll (May 3–18, 2021), 19% of Americans believe abortion should always be illegal, and 33% believe it should be legal only in a few circumstances, a combined 52% that believe it should always or usually be illegal. 32% believe abortion should always be legal, and 13% believe that it should be legal in most circumstances, a combined 45% that believe it should always or usually be legal. 3% hold no opinion. The percentage of Americans which believe abortion should always or usually be illegal has varied from a low of 51% (Sept. 6–7, 1994, and Sept. 22–24, 1995) to a high of 62% (May 2–5, 2005). Gallup has polled the question 33 times since it began asking in 1994.<ref>''Gallup''. "[https://www.gallup.com/poll/1576/abortion.aspx/ Abortion]." Do you think abortion should be legal in most circumstances or only in a few circumstances?</ref>

===Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice===
Currently, 49% of Americans describe themselves as Pro-Choice, 47% describe themselves as Pro-Life, and 4% as Mixed/Neither, as of the most recent poll (May 3–18, 2021). The percentage of Americans describing themselves as Pro-Life has varied from a low of 33% (Sept. 3–6, 1995) to a high of 51% (May 7–10, 2009). The percentage of Americans describing themselves as Pro-Choice has varied from a low of 41% (May 3–6, 2012) to a high of 56% (Sept. 22–24, 1995). Gallup has polled the question 41 times since it began asking in 1995.<ref name=gallupabortion/>

===By Trimester===
Gallup has asked the following question four times from 2003 to 2011: "Thinking more generally, do you think abortion should generally be legal or generally illegal during each of the following stages of pregnancy. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?"<ref name=gallupabortion/>
====1st Trimester====
The following results were given for "In the first three months of pregnancy" (1st Trimester):
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Polling Date
! Should be legal
! Should be illegal
! Depends (vol.)
! No opinion
|-
| 2011, June 9–12
|align="center"|62%
|align="center"|35%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|1%
|-
| 2003, January 10–12
|align="center"|66%
|align="center"|29%
|align="center"|3%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| 2000, March 30-April 2
|align="center"|65%
|align="center"|31%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| 1996, July 25–26
|align="center"|64%
|align="center"|30%
|align="center"|4%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}

====2nd Trimester====
The following results were given for "In the second three months of pregnancy" (2nd Trimester):
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Polling Date
! Should be legal
! Should be illegal
! Depends (vol.)
! No opinion
|-
| 2011, June 9–12
|align="center"|24%
|align="center"|71%
|align="center"|3%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| 2003, January 10–12
|align="center"|25%
|align="center"|68%
|align="center"|4%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| 2000, March 30-April 2
|align="center"|24%
|align="center"|69%
|align="center"|4%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| 1996, July 25–26
|align="center"|26%
|align="center"|65%
|align="center"|7%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}
====3rd Trimester====
The following results were given for "In the last three months of pregnancy" (3rd Trimester):
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Polling Date
! Should be legal
! Should be illegal
! Depends (vol.)
! No opinion
|-
| 2011, June 9–12
|align="center"|10%
|align="center"|86%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|1%
|-
| 2003, January 10–12
|align="center"|10%
|align="center"|84%
|align="center"|4%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| 2000, March 30-April 2
|align="center"|8%
|align="center"|86%
|align="center"|3%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| 1996, July 25–26
|align="center"|13%
|align="center"|82%
|align="center"|3%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}
===By Circumstances===
According to the most recent Gallup poll (June 9–12, 2011), the following percentages of Americans say abortion should be legal under each circumstance:<ref name=gallupabortion/>
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Circumstance
! Should be legal
! Should be illegal
! Depends (vol.)
! No opinion
|-
| When the woman's life is endangered
|align="center"|83%
|align="center"|13%
|align="center"|1%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| When the woman's physical health is endangered
|align="center"|82%
|align="center"|15%
|align="center"|1%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| When the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest
|align="center"|75%
|align="center"|22%
|align="center"|1%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| When the woman's mental health is endangered
|align="center"|61%
|align="center"|35%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| When there is evidence the baby may be mentally impaired
|align="center"|51%
|align="center"|46%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| When there is evidence the baby may be physically impaired
|align="center"|50%
|align="center"|45%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| When the woman or family cannot afford to raise the child
|align="center"|36%
|align="center"|61%
|align="center"|1%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}
===Pro-Life Initiatives===
According to Gallup's most recent poll (July 15–17, 2011) these proposals by the Pro-Life movement have received the following public support levels. Those marked "(2005)" were polled most recently on November 11–13, 2005. Those marked "(2003)" were last polled on January 10–12, 2003.<ref name=gallupabortion/>
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Proposal
! Favor
! Oppose
! No opinion
|-
| (2003) A law requiring doctors to inform patients about alternatives to abortion before performing the procedure
|align="center"|88%
|align="center"|11%
|align="center"|1%
|-
| A law requiring doctors inform patients about possible risks of abortion before performing the procedure
|align="center"|87%
|align="center"|11%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| A law requiring women under 18 to get parental consent for any abortion
|align="center"|71%
|align="center"|27%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| A law requiring women seeking abortions to wait 24 hours before having the procedure done
|align="center"|69%
|align="center"|28%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| A law making partial birth abortions illegal except for life of the mother
|align="center"|64%
|align="center"|31%
|align="center"|5%
|-
| (2005) A law requiring that the husband of a married woman be notified if she decides to have an abortion
|align="center"|64%
|align="center"|34%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| A law requiring women seeking an abortion be shown an ultrasound image of her fetus at least 24 hours before
|align="center"|50%
|align="center"|46%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| A law letting pharmacists and health providers opt out of medicine/surgical procedures resulting in abortion
|align="center"|46%
|align="center"|51%
|align="center"|4%
|-
| (2005) A constitutional amendment to ban abortion in all circumstances, except to save the life of the mother
|align="center"|37%
|align="center"|61%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}

==Abortion Alternatives==

''See also:'' [[Abortion Alternatives]]

[[Optionline]] provides consultants that connects individuals to nearby pregnancy centers that offer the following services: free pregnancy tests and pregnancy information; Information about the risks of abortion and the morning after pill; medical services, including [[STD]] tests; early ultrasounds and pregnancy confirmation. In addition, some of these centers provide information regarding free housing to women who are facing housing concerns.<ref>[http://www.pregnancycenters.org/ OptionLine]. ''OptionLine.org''.</ref>

The primary alternative to abortion is adoption. [[Liberty Godparent Foundation]] is a [[Christian]] organization focused on improving the lives of unwed pregnant teens, babies and adoptive families by providing two alternatives, The Liberty Godparent Maternity Home and Family Life Services Adoption Agency.<ref>[http://www.godparent.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=59 Family Life Services]. ''GodParentFoundation.org''.</ref> [[Catholic Social Services]] provides adoption assistance to people of all beliefs in addition to supporting families in need.

==Planned Parenthood's Budget==

''See also:'' [[Planned Parenthood's budget]]

[[Planned Parenthood]] likes to claim that abortion accounts for just 3% of its services.<ref>[https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/who-we-are/planned-parenthood-glance-5552.htm Planned Parenthood At a Glance]. ''Planned Parenthood''.</ref> However, an examination of its finances reveals that much if not most of its [[income]] relates to abortion.<ref>Barto, N. & Musgrave, M. (2012, July 29). [http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2012/07/27/20120727womens-health-care.html Diverting Funds Betters Women's Health Care]. ''The Arizona Republic''.</ref> According to Planned Parenthood's 2007-08 budget, it received $1.038 billion of [[revenue]] from the following sources:<ref>[https://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/AR08_vFinal.pdf Annual Report 2007-2008]. Pg. 18. ''Planned Parenthood''.</ref>
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
!
! Revenue (millions)
! %
|-
| Health Center Income
|align="center"|$374.7
|align="center"|36.1%
|-
| Govt. Grants & Services
|align="center"|$349.6
|align="center"|33.7%
|-
| Contributions & Requests
|align="center"|$244.9
|align="center"|23.6%
|-
| Other Operating Revenue
|align="center"|$68.9
|align="center"|6.6%
|-
|align="center"|'''Total Revenue'''
|align="center"|'''$1,038.1'''
|align="center"|'''100.0%'''
|-
|}
Planned Parenthood's reported $374.7 million of revenue from "Health Center Income". Given that it reported performing 305,130 abortions,<ref>Page 9.</ref> at an average cost of $450 (which lines up with statistics from the [[National Abortion Federation]]<ref>Dudley, S. (2003). [http://www.prochoice.org/about_abortion/facts/economics.html Economics of Abortion]. ''National Abortion Federation''.</ref>), approximately $137.4 million of that $374.7 million Health Center Income came directly from performing abortions per analysis by [[Live Action]].<ref>Schmidt, D. (2010, May 14). [http://liveaction.org/blog/data-36-7-of-planned-parenthoods-health-center-income-is-from-abortions/ DATA: 36.7% of Planned Parenthood’s 'Health Center Income' is from Abortions]. ''Live Action''.</ref>

Since much of its money comes from Government Grants and Services or Contributions and Requests ($595.5 million) likely related to abortion, in addition to this $137.4 million of direct abortion revenue, it appears probable that as much as half to two-thirds of Planned Parenthood's revenue relates to abortion.

==Targeted Demographics==

''See also:'' [[Abortion and various groups]]

===Women in China===
Forced abortion caused by China's One-Child Policy leads to deaths of mothers,<ref>Bo Gu, B. (2012, June 14). [http://behindthewall.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/06/14/12222877-gruesome-photos-put-spotlight-on-chinas-one-child-policy?lite Gruesome Photos Put Spotlight on China's One-Child Policy]. ''NBC News''.</ref> as well as "gendercide".<ref>Hayes, A. (2012, April 30). [http://articles.cnn.com/2012-04-30/asia/world_asia_china-forced-abortions_1_reggie-littlejohn-china-s-national-population-abortions?_s=PM:ASIA Activists allege forced abortions, sterilizations in China]. ''CNN''. Littlejohn, R. (2012, April 27). [https://www.lifenews.com/2012/04/27/the-real-war-against-women-forced-abortion-gendercide/ The Real War Against Women: Forced Abortion, Gendercide]. ''LifeNews''.</ref> Because men tend to be higher wage earners, many families choose to abort their female children, opting instead for males.<ref>Ling, C. [http://www.allgirlsallowed.org/category/topics/one-child-policy-china One-Child Policy Statistics]. ''AllGirlsAllowed.com''.</ref> Photos in 2012 of these forced abortions led to national outrage and calls to end China's One-Child Policy.<ref>Riviera, G. (2012, June 14). [https://abcnews.go.com/International/chinas-forced-abortions-child-rule-hits-women/story?id=16558428 How China's Forced Abortion Policy Hits Two Women]. ''ABC News''. Wong, E. (2012, July 22). [https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/23/world/asia/pressure-to-repeal-chinas-one-child-law-is-growing.html?pagewanted=all Reports of Forced Abortions Fuel Push to End Chinese Law]. ''New York Times''. MacLeod, C. (2012, July 24). [https://www.usatoday.com/news/story/2012-07-25/China-forced-abortions/56465974/1 Pressure mounts to stop China's forced abortions]. ''USA Today''. Sudworth, J. (2012, June 15). [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-18453995 Chinese officials apologise to woman in forced abortion]. ''BBC News''.</ref> The sex-selective abortion policy has led to a huge gender disparity in China, 122.66 boys for every girl born, the highest ratio in the entire Asia Specific region,<ref>(2010, March 9). [https://www.un.org.cn/cms/p/news/27/1346/content.html Gender Inequality Persists in China]. ''United Nations in China''. Ward, C. (2011, August 12). [https://abcnews.go.com/International/chinas-census-shows-growing-gender-gap/story?id=14288216 China's Preference for Boys Shows Growing Gender Gap]. ''ABC News''.</ref> and resulted in 32 million single males.<ref>LaFraniere, S. (2009, April 10). [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/11/world/asia/11china.html Chinese Bias for Baby Boys Creates a Gap of 32 Million]. ''The New York Times''. AFP (2010, January 12). [http://news.discovery.com/human/china-birth-rate-single-men.html China's Gender Gap Leaves Millions of Single Men]. ''Discovery News''.</ref> Logically this is a driving force behind human trafficking, prostitution, and the female slave trade which occurs near China.<ref>Weisenthal, J. (2010, April 12). [http://articles.businessinsider.com/2010-04-12/news/30049254_1_boys-and-girls-selective-abortions-village-hall Amazing First-Hand Account Of The Massive Gender Disparity In China]. ''Business Insider''.</ref> In 2015, the one-child policy was scrapped and by new year 2016, the two-child policy took effect. Now there are discussions to scrap child limits altogether.

===Minority Communities===
[[File:4287336112 d3f9126c99.jpg|right|thumb|325px|According to [[Cybercast News Service]]: "An analysis by the Cybercast News Service compared the location of [[Planned Parenthood]] abortion clinics with population data from the U.S. Census in 2000. The results appear to bolster the charge that the organization targets black communities."<ref name="cnsnews.com">https://www.cnsnews.com/ViewSpecialReports.asp?Page=%5CSpecialReports%5Carchive%5C200502%5CSPE20050207a.html (Link no longer works.)</ref>
 
(photo obtained from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/muriel215/4287336112/ Flickr, see Creative commons license agreement)] ]]
"Each day '''1,786''' African American children are aborted." According to the [[U.S.]] Census of 2006, African Americans are at 1.96 birth rate which is beneath the replacement level of 2.1.<ref>[http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/1685410938.html African American Pro-Life Group Holds Protest at NAACP] Christian News Network, July 13, 2009</ref> At the continued rate, [[racism]] by abortion will decimate the black population of the U.S.

According to writer George Grant, the author of ''Killing Angel'':

"During the 1980s when [[Planned Parenthood]] shifted its focus from community-based clinics to school-based clinics, it again targeted inner-city minority neighborhoods...Of the more than 100 school-based clinics that have opened nationwide in the last decade [1980s], none has been at substantially all-white schools....None has been at suburban middle-class schools. All have been at black, minority or ethnic schools.” <ref>Green, T.L. (2001, May 10). [https://www.citizenreviewonline.org/special_issues/population/the_negro_project.htm The Negro Project: Margaret Sanger's Eugenic Plan for Black Americans]. ''Concerned Women For America''.</ref>

Planned Parenthood itself reported that its abortions on minorities in 1991 were 42.7% of its total abortions.<ref name=ppracism>Murphy, L.K. (1994, June). [http://www.ewtn.com/library/PROLIFE/PPRACISM.TXT Planned Parenthood's Racism]. ''Life Research Institute''.</ref> However, during that time period, minorities comprised only 19.7% of the U.S. population.<ref name=ppracism />

According to [[Cybercast News Service]]: "An analysis by the Cybercast News Service compared the location of Planned Parenthood abortion clinics with population data from the U.S. Census in 2000. The results appear to bolster the charge that the organization targets black communities."<ref name="cnsnews.com"/>

According to the ''Open Journal of Preventive Medicine'' in June 2016, abortion was the cause of death of 61% of Black Americans.<ref>Williams, Thomas D. (August 4, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/08/04/report-abortion-accounts-for-61-of-black-deaths-in-america/ Report: Abortion Accounts for 61% of Black Deaths in America]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 4, 2018.</ref>

==Political Support of Abortion==

''See also:'' [[Abortion and politics]]

The most powerful political action committee (PAC) is EMILY's List.<ref>http://www.emilyslist.org/newsroom/releases/20070201.html (Link no longer works.)</ref> EMILY's List contributes money to Democratic candidates who support abortion-on-demand, including forced taxpayer funding of abortion. EMILY's List candidates also oppose regulations such as:

* Providing health information to abortion patients;
* Requiring that the abortionist have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital in case there is a complication; and
* Providing parental notification if the patient is a teenager.

Due to the influence of the abortion industry and EMILY's List, nearly every Democratic presidential candidate and senatorial candidate supports abortion-on-demand. "EMILY's List, the nation's largest political action committee, continues to be the dominant financial resource for Democratic candidates," its above-referenced website declares.

There is no comparably funded organization opposing abortion, because there are no monetary rewards to defending human life. Instead, candidates and supporters who oppose abortion are motivated by religious and ethical principles.
===Pro-Life Democrats===
''See also:'' [[DFLA#2009-2010 Obamacare Influence]]

While most Democrats support abortion, a growing number have been affiliating with [[Democrats For Life of America]], also known as Pro-Life Democrats. ObamaCare in 2009-2010 would have passed rapidly if not for their influence, since Democrats had a Supermajority allowing them to pass anything without a single Republican vote. However, 40 Pro-Life Democrats, led by Congressman [[Bart Stupak]] signed a letter refusing to let ObamaCare pass without reforms on the abortion issue, and fought the bill from June 2009 to March 2010, in an attempt to add the Stupak Amendment to the bill (which was added to the House bill but removed in the Senate despite attempts by Sen. [[Ben Nelson]] to add it there as well).
===Politics and Demographics===
''See also:'' [[American atheism]] and [[Global atheism]] and [[Decline of atheism]] and [[liberal]]

The Birkbeck College, University of London professor Eric Kaufman wrote in his 2010 book ''Shall the Righteous Inherit the Earth?'' concerning America:
{{cquote|High evangelical fertility rates more than compensated for losses to liberal Protestant sects during the twentieth century. In recent decades, white secularism has surged, but Latino and Asian religious immigration has taken up the slack, keeping secularism at bay. Across denominations, the fertility advantage of religious fundamentalists of all colours is significant and growing. After 2020, their demographic weight will begin to tip the balance in the [[Culture War|culture wars]] towards the conservative side, ramping up pressure on hot-button issues such as abortion. By the end of the century, three quarters of America may be pro-life. Their activism will leap over the borders of the 'Redeemer Nation' to evangelize the world. Already, the rise of the World Congress of Families has launched a global religious right, its arms stretching across the bloody lines of the War on Terror to embrace the entire Abrahamic family.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/why-are-years-2012-and-2020-key-years.html Why are 2012 and 2020 key years for Christian creationists and pro-lifers?]</ref>}}

==Ultrasound images==
About 80% of women who see an ultrasound of their fetus (unborn child) decide not to abort.<ref>(2005, April 22). [http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/145703/abortion_foes_use_ultrasound__focus_on_the_family_budgets/ Abortion Foes Use Ultrasound ; Focus on the Family Budgets Millions for Pricey Equipment]. ''RedOrbit''.</ref>

*http://www.ob-ultrasound.net/frames.htm
*https://www.flickr.com/photos/drakelelane/388759116/
*http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_information/ultrasound/13_weeks.htm
*http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_information/ultrasound/ultrasound_3d.htm
*http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_information/ultrasound/triple_jump.htm

== See also ==
*[[Abortion and the Bible]]
*[[Abortion and eugenics]]
*[[Abortion Facts]]
*[[Abortion funding]]
*[[Abortion genocide]]
*[[Abortion procedures]]
*[[Abortion rates by US state]]
*[[Abortionist]]
*[[Anti Abortion activism: a personal essay]]
*[[More News/Abortion|Articles about '''Abortion''' from "More News"]]
*[[:Category:Abortion]]
*[[Culture of life]]
*[[Separate Life|Essay on abortion]]
*[[Eugenics]]
*[[Fetus]]
*[[Harvard abortion study]]
*[[Abortion breast cancer studies]]
*[[Homosexual activists and abortion]]
*[[Margaret Sanger]]
*[http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/abrpt/2006abrpt.pdf Minnesota official abortion statistics]
*[[National Right to Life Committee]]
*[[Partial birth abortion]]
*[[Planned Parenthood]]
*[[Right to life]]
*[[Right to life movement]]
*[[Sanctity of life]]
*[[Silent scream]]
*[[Taxpayer-funded abortion]]
*[[Communist China and baby eating]]
*[[Atheists eat babies meme]]

==External links==
* [http://creationwiki.org/Abortion Abortion] by [[CreationWiki]]
* [https://www.abortionfacts.com/ Abortion Facts]
* [http://www.carm.org/abortion.htm Abortion] by [[Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry]]
* [https://www.lifesitenews.com/ LifeSiteNews.com]
* [http://www.ProLifeOnCampus.com/ Pro Life on Campus]
* [http://www.aim.org/wls/category/abortion/ What Liberals Say - Category: Abortion], [[Accuracy In Media]]
* [http://www.investigatemagazine.com/mar3abrt.htm Abortion and breast cancer in New Zealand]
* [http://www.numberofabortions.com/ Real Time Estimation of Abortions Worldwide]
{{Abortion}}
{{Liberalism}}

==Further Reading==
The Choice: The Abortion Divide in America by Danielle D'Souza Gill

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=35em}}

[[Category:Abortion]]
[[Category:Sexuality]]
[[Category:Religion and Politics]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]

Abortion

2021-08-10T15:12:25Z

Amateratsu: /* Legal or Illegal */ Using recent statistics. The old ones were almost a decade old.

[[Image:Baby.jpg|right|thumb|250px|An unborn child in the womb. Liberals believe that the unborn child has no right to life.]]
'''Abortion''' is the induced termination of a [[pregnancy]],<ref>American Heritage Dictionary definition, [http://www.bartleby.com/61/7/A0020700.html abortion].</ref> often causing [[fetal pain]]. Abortion has two victims: the unborn child, and the mother who can never forget the loss she caused. Breast cancer rates increase by ''more than six times'' for women who have abortion, according to a recent study.<ref>[http://www.indianjcancer.com/article.asp?issn=0019-509X;year=2013;volume=50;issue=4;spage=316;epage=321;aulast=Bhadoria AS Bhadoria, U Kapil, N Sareen, P Singh, "Reproductive factors and breast cancer: A case-control study in tertiary care hospital of North India," 50 ''Indian Journal of Cancer'' 4, 316-321 (2013)</ref> Additional victims of abortion include after-born children, who have a higher rate of premature birth and birth defects due to the harm caused by a prior abortion.

Abortion is a billion-dollar industry in the [[United States]]. Although [[Planned Parenthood]] likes to claim abortion accounts for just 3% of its services, according to its 2007-08 budget, it received $1.038 billion of revenue, and half to two-thirds relates to its abortion services. (''See [[Abortion#Planned Parenthood.27s Budget|Planned Parenthood's Budget]]'') Dr. George Tiller "estimated that he performed 250 to 300 late-term abortions in 2003, each costing an average of $6,000."<ref>Hegeman, R. (2009, March 25). [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/03/25/kan_doctor_testifies_in_abortion_case_against_him/ Kan. doctor testifies in abortion case against him]. ''Associated Press''.</ref> There have been more than 60 million abortions in the [[United States]] since 1973.<ref name=factsheet>''Number of Abortions''. [http://www.christianliferesources.com/?/library/view.php&articleid=1042 U.S. Abortion Statistics By Year (1973-Current)]. National Right to Life Factsheet, January 2012. (Privacy laws and likely desire to keep this silent holocaust from raising alarm hinders data collection on abortion. CDC researchers have admitted they probably undercount the total number of abortions because reporting laws vary from state to state and some abortionists probably do not report or under-report the abortions they perform. Abortions from CA and NH have not been counted by the CDC since 1998, and reports from other states are also missing for some years.)</ref>

Right to choose is no solace, because doing something so wrong will have devastating consequences. A right to privacy would not permit the taking of life when that life is inconvenient, whether in the privacy of one's own home or own body.
{{TOC right}}
Saying one can't criticize a woman's choice to murder her children is like saying one can't criticize the president without being the president.<ref name=lucente>Lucente Jr., T.J. (2012, January 29). [https://www.limaohio.com/articles/right-78475-privacy-one.html Right to Privacy is Not a License to Kill]. ''LimaOhio.com.'' Freedom Communications, Inc.</ref> Rape or life of the mother are extremely rare circumstances accounting for less than 1% of all abortions, with little bearing on the broader "abortion on demand" issue, particularly since all legislation the Pro-Life movement has been putting out recently has included exceptions for them, and many states had laws allowing abortion for such cases before ''Roe v. Wade'' - abortion was legalized for other reasons. (''See [[Abortion#Arguments On Abortion|Arguments On Abortion]]'')

Ultimately, this debate is about when a fetus becomes a human being worthy of all applicable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness under the [[Declaration of Independence]], for once it is we should not take its life lightly. And when it comes to that, 18,150 abortions occur after the 21st week of pregnancy<ref name=induced>(2011, August). [https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html/ Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States]. ''Guttmacher Institute''.</ref> - the earliest point children can be born prematurely and live.<ref name=tooyoung>Rochman, B. (2011, May 27). [http://healthland.time.com/2011/05/27/baby-born-at-21-weeks-survives-how-young-is-too-young-to-save/ A 21-Week-Old Baby Survives and Doctors Ask, How Young is Too Young to Save?] ''Time Magazine''.</ref> An additional 45,980 abortions occur in the 16th-20th weeks of pregnancy.<ref name=induced /> These are 60 thousand abortions each year that are clearly murder, since the child is at or near the same stage of pregnancy as children born prematurely via C-Section. Furthermore, substantial fetal development occurs within the first 12 weeks (1st trimester) of pregnancy, including brain wave activity at 6 weeks, complete body sensitivity at 10 weeks, and all facial expressions (including smiling) at 11 weeks.<ref name=clowes>Clowes, Brian, PhD. 2001. [https://www.hli.org/index.php/the-facts-of-life/480?task=view The Facts of Life]. Ch. 12. Front Royal: Human Life International.
Also in: Sharing the Pro-Life Message. Chicago: Pro-Life Action League, 2009. Print.</ref> By not erring on the side of caution when potentially infringing on the inalienable right to life given by our Creator, the Pro-Choice movement has brought the blood of countless children on their hands, and on our nation's. (''See [[Abortion#When Does Life Begin.3F|When Does Life Begin?]]'')

A growing body of evidence increasingly suggests that abortion is linked to Breast Cancer, later premature births, and other health concerns. Millions of women who had an abortion later suffer psychologically or physically from it, and support groups exist to help.<ref>Rodgers-Melnick, A. (2002, January 20). [http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20020120abortion0120p3.asp Groups support those who regret abortions]. ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''.</ref> Many victims of abortion find healing by speaking out against, and discouraging, similar harm to other mothers and their children.<ref>"I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born," observed President [[Ronald Reagan]]. He also observed, "With me, abortion is not a problem of religion, it's a problem of the Constitution. I believe that until and unless someone can establish that the unborn child ''is not a living human being'', then that child is already protected by the Constitution, which guarantees life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to all of us."</ref> "Abortion doesn't solve your problems, it only creates different ones," warned a full-page ad by women who had abortions.<ref>''Anglicans for Life'' and ''Priests for Life''. [http://www.silentnomoreawareness.org/signaturead/ad.pdf We Regret Our Abortions]. ''Orange County Right to Life''.</ref> Abortion always ends the life of the unborn child, typically by dismemberment. Abortion increases the risk of breast cancer, future premature birth, mental illness, and other long-term health problems for the mother, as detailed below. (''See [[Abortion#Health Concerns|Health Concerns]]'')

One of NARAL's founders, [[Bernard Nathanson]], acknowledged that NARAL in the early days of the Pro-Choice movement simply fabricated statistics on back-alley abortions; inflating the actual numbers ten-fold to get abortion legalized. Rather than making abortion rare, the annual number of abortions has increased 1500% since [[Roe v. Wade]].<ref name=nathanson>Kupelian, David (2005, January 20). "[https://www.wnd.com/2005/01/28544/ Blood Confessions: Ex-Abortionists Spill Their Guts]." ''Whistleblower Magazine''. ''Whistleblower Magazine'' (2003, January 2). "[https://www.wnd.com/2003/01/16460/ Ex-Abortionists Expose America's Greatest Scandal]."</ref> (''See [[Abortion#History|History]]'') Gallup polling in 2012 reveals that just 24% of Americans support abortion after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy,<ref name=gallupabortion>''Gallup''. "[https://www.gallup.com/poll/1576/abortion.aspx/ Abortion]." Do you think abortion should be legal in most circumstances or only in a few circumstances?</ref> even though abortion is allowed in all 9 months.<ref name=ninemonths>[http://www.whyprolife.com/is-abortion-legal-all-9-months-of-pregnancy/ Is Abortion Legal All 9 Months of Pregnancy?] ''WhyProLife.com''.</ref> Just 25% believe abortion should be legal under all circumstances, and an additional 13% believe it should be legal under most circumstances. Most Americans believe abortion should usually be illegal save in rare cases.<ref name=gallupabortion /> (''See [[Abortion#Public Opinion|Public Opinion]]'')

[[Abortion in Poland]] declined by 99% after [[communism]] was overthrown (and abortion abolished<ref>''Catholic World News'' (2007, April 11). [http://www.catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=50451 Liberal abortion law takes effect in Portugal]. Trinity Communications.</ref>), and women's health has dramatically improved there due to fewer abortions.<ref>Johnston, W.R., Dr. (2008, October 9). [http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/ab-poland.html Historical abortion statistics, Poland]. ''Johnston's Archive'.</ref>

==Statistics on abortion==

''See also:'' [[Abortion statistics]]

* As of 2012, it is estimated there has been over 59.8 million babies murdered by abortion since the Supreme Court handed down its 1973 ''Roe v. Wade'' decision. After reaching 25 percent from a high of over 1.6 million in the year 1990, the number of abortions performed annually in the U.S. has leveled off at about 1.2 million infants murdered by abortion a year, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI). By 2016, the number of yearly abortions in America dropped to an historic low of less than 1,000,000.<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/17/health/us-abortions-historic-lows-trnd/ Abortions in the US have been dropping. Now it's at a historic low</ref>
* Approximately 22% of all U.S. pregnancies ended in abortion.<ref>Jones RK and Kooistra, K., [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1363/4304111/abstract Abortion incidence and access to services in the United States], 2008, Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2011, 43(1):41-50. (Excludes miscarriages.)</ref>
* Only about 1 percent each year are attributed to rape and incest.<ref name=rare>Johnston, W.R., Dr. (2008, October 9). [http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/abreasons.html Reasons given for having abortions in the United States]. ''Johnston's Archive'.</ref> 40% of women ages 15 to 44 have had at least one abortion. 4 out of 10 teen pregnancies end in murder by abortion. Based on the rate of abortion, it was estimated (2000) that 43 percent of American women would have at least one abortion by the age of 45.
* 7 out of 10 U.S. women are sexually active (usually as fornicators) but do not want to become pregnant.<ref>''Alan Guttmacher Institute'', In Brief: Fact Sheet, [https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html/ Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States], August 2011.</ref>
* Women who have never married and are not cohabiting account for 45% of all abortions. 57% of all women having abortions between 15 and 44 are in their 20's. 36% of non-Hispanic women are abortions were white, 30% are non-Hispanic black, and 25% are Hispanic.<ref name=patients>Jones RK, Finer LB and Singh S, [https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/US-Abortion-Patients.pdf Characteristics of U.S. Abortion Patients], 2008, New York: Guttmacher Institute, 2010.</ref>
* 37% of women killing babies by abortion were Protestant, (include those who identified as “Christian” but who did not specify a denomination) while 28% were Catholic, and 20% identified themselves as born-again, evangelical, charismatic or fundamentalist (in 2000, some 13% of abortion patients aged 18 and older identified as born-again or evangelical before the question was reworded slightly for the 2008 survey), while 27% gave no religious affiliation, increasing from 22% in 2000. (Protestants were under-represented among those committing abortion in proportion to the total number of Protestants nationwide, and the relative abortion rate for this group was lower than the rate for all women.)<ref name=patients />
* Although 66% of women having abortions had some type of health insurance, 57% paid for their abortion out of pocket. Among women with private health insurance, 63% paid out of pocket.<ref name=patients />

==Arguments On Abortion==

''See also:'' [[Abortion arguments]]

The following are some common Pro-Choice arguments on abortion, and problems with the reasoning.
===Rare Circumstances: Life of Mother and Rape===
''BBC News'' has an article called "Abortion in self-defence" arguing that abortion should be allowed in cases where the mother's life and health are at risk, and that this is justifiable self-defense. However, ''BBC News'' acknowledges that abortion is NOT justified for the following reasons: {{cquote|"But supposing the mother is not in physical danger, what then? There are a number of cases where some people argue that a woman should have the right to an abortion, such as: damage to mental health, damage to family, damage to career prospects, damage to financial prospects, damage to plans for her life. The self-defence argument for abortion seems to fail here, because although a threat to life can be a defence to a charge of killing someone, none of the above would be an adequate defence in a case of homicide, nor would they be regarded as reasons that justified euthanasia. But if we don't regard the foetus as a person with a right to live, or if we regard it as a being that doesn't have a full right to life, then these cases of self-defence may be arguable."
-''BBC News''.<ref name=bbc>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/abortion/philosophical/selfdefence.shtml Abortion in Self-Defence]. ''BBC News''. Retrieved July 23, 2012.</ref>}} However, (A) danger to life of the mother, like rape, is a very rare circumstance that accounts for less than 1% of all abortions,<ref name=rare /> (B) all major legislation put out by the Right to Life movement over the past decade has included exceptions allowing abortions for rape and life of the mother (e.g. [[Mexico City Policy]], [[Born Alive Infant Protection Act]], [[Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act]], etc.) and (C) at least 13 states had legislation allowing abortion for rape or life of the mother BEFORE Roe v. Wade<ref>[https://www.nrlc.org/abortion/facts/abortiontimeline.html Abortion History Timeline]. ''National Right to Life Committee''.</ref> - abortion was legalized for other reasons.

The bottom line is that apart from such extremely rare circumstances, ''BBC News'' acknowledges that "''The self-defence argument for abortion seems to fail here, because although a threat to life can be a defence to a charge of killing someone, none of the above would be an adequate defence in a case of homicide, nor would they be regarded as reasons that justified euthanasia.''"<ref name=bbc /> Choosing to kill another person, in other words, is unjustifiable unless the mother's life is in danger or, debatably, if rape occurred. In fact, those who bring up cases like rape and life of the mother are doing so because, deep inside, they themselves know that choosing to murder another human being is justifiable only under such extreme circumstances, and NOT for abortion on demand.

The only way to justify abortion apart from such circumstances is, as ''BBC News'' says, "''if we don't regard the foetus as a person with a right to live, or if we regard it as a being that doesn't have a full right to life''".<ref name=bbc /> You see, this is not about the right to choose at all, and such a slogan distracts from the real issue - the real issue is whether the fetus is a human being deserving of a full right to life. Because if it is a human being worthy of the right to life, then there is no excuse for "choosing to kill" via abortion on demand.

===Right to One's Body===
The Pro-Choice movement likes to say that women should have a right to their bodies. However, such a right should logically not allow one to harm others with that body, including physical assault, murder, rape, or theft, and therefore, this is not an absolute right, but a privilege that is not intended to exceed another's unalienable rights, including the right to life. As Hugh V. McLachlan of ''Glasgow Caledonian University'' pointed out in 1997, there is no entitlement to one's body and "''we have rights duties, liabilities, restrictions and
disadvantages as well as rights concerning our own bodies.''" {{cquote|"Consider the assumption at issue in the abstract: 'That particular X is your X and, therefore, you are entitled to do what you want with it'. As a matter of pure logic, the claim is an absurdity. What if 'X' stands for a Thompson Machine Gun? Should we say: 'That is your machine gun and, therefore, you can do whatever you like with it?' On the contrary, although there might be some things which you and only you can of right do to and with the gun, if that particular machine gun is your machine gun then it is incumbent upon you in particular to ensure that certain things are not done with it. Is the situation any different when 'X' pertains to one's body or to parts of it? I do not think so."
-Hugh V. McLachlan, ''Glasgow Caledonian University''.<ref name=mclachlan>McLachlan, H.V. (1997). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1377347/ Bodies, Rights, and Abortions]. Journal of Medical Ethics. Vol. 23. p. 176.</ref>}}
As McLachlan continues to point out, this emphasis on rights neglects the other side of the coin, responsibilities or duties. He gives on pg. 177 the example of an insurance policy, and how using one's body to commit suicide can invalidate such a contract.<ref name=mclachlan /> Logically, creating another human life should likewise bring responsibly for actions toward that life - how is the decision to create another human life of lesser importance than the decision to sign an insurance contract? Why should one be able to kill a separate person to void the sexual decision to bring about another life, yet not be able to kill oneself without voiding an insurance contract? {{cquote|"Certainly a woman has a right to control her own body, but the unborn entity, though for a time living inside her body, is not part of her body. Hence, abortion is not justified, since no one's right to personal autonomy is so strong that it permits the arbitrary execution of others."
-Francis J. Beckwith, ''Christian Research Journal''.<ref>Beckwith, F.J. (1991). [https://christiananswers.net/q-sum/q-life009.html Doesn't a woman have the right to control her own body?] ''Christian Research Journal''. At ''ChristianAnswers.net''.</ref>}}Ultimately, the real question is whether the fetus in question is another human being to be accorded unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness under the Declaration of Independence, for if so, no right to one's body should give power to infringe on its unalienable right to life. Your right to your body does not include the right, in other words, to kill others using that body to avoid the responsibilities and consequences of a sexual decision to create another life. That is what in the real world is called "murder" and it is reprehensible. Therefore, the real question is at what point a fetus becomes a human being.

===Right to Privacy===
To get abortion legalized, the Pro-Choice movement had to argue that women should have a "right to privacy".<ref>Levin, M.R. (2005, March 14). [http://old.nationalreview.com/levin/levin200503140754.asp Death by Privacy]. ''The National Review''.</ref> However, logically, if the fetus is a human being and thus murder would be committed, privacy is no excuse for such murder. Logically, killing someone in the privacy of one's own home should no more be an excuse for murder than killing them in the privacy of one's body. Furthermore, as Judge Henry J. Friendly pointed out in the nation's first major abortion case, [[Hall v. Lefkowitz]], abortion is actually a complete violation of privacy when you look at it, requiring intervention in a woman's most private areas by a physician and variety of medical personnel.
{{cquote|A holding that the privacy of sexual intercourse is protected against governmental intrusion scarcely carries as a corollary that when this has resulted in conception, government may not forbid destruction of the fetus. The type of abortion the plaintiffs particularly wish to protect against governmental sanction is the antithesis of privacy. The woman consents to intervention in the uterus by a physician, with the usual retinue of assistants, nurses, and other paramedical personnel, indeed the condition calling for such intervention may very likely have been established by clinical tests... Yet, even if we were to take plaintiffs’ legal position that the legislature cannot constitutionally interfere with a woman’s right to do as she will with her own body so long as no harm is done to others, the argument does not support the conclusion plaintiffs would have us draw from it. For we cannot say the New York legislature lacked a rational basis for considering that abortion causes such harm. Even if we should put aside the interests of the father, negligible indeed in the many cases when he has abandoned the prospective mother but not in all, the legislature could permissibly consider the fetus itself to deserve protection.<ref name=friendly>Randolph, A. Raymond. [http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol29_No3_Randolph.pdf Before Roe v. Wade: Judge Friendly's Draft Abortion Opinion]. ''Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy''. Vol. 29.</ref>}}
===Women Choose, Not Men===
The Pro-Choice movement likes to say men and fathers should have no say in the abortion debate, only women. However, as Thomas J. Lucente Jr. points out, this is similar to saying one can't criticize the President unless one is the President. {{cquote|"The pro-abortion crowd will argue that because I am a man, I should not be allowed to have an opinion on abortion, unless, of course, I support the mass murder of 50 million babies in the last 39 years. That's akin to saying I can't criticize the president unless I have been the president."
-Thomas J. Lucente Jr.<ref name=lucente />}} As [[Alan Keyes]] has pointed out, the Pro-Choice movement essentially is arguing for the baby's rights to be dependent on the mother's desire for it, making women slave-owners, essentially - this is very different from the [[Declaration of Independence]] which says the Creator gives us our unalienable rights, rather than them being dependent upon other people.<ref>Jefferson, T. (1776, July 4). [http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm The Declaration of Independence]. Retrieved from ''USHistory.org''. Independence Hall Association.</ref> {{cquote|"Either you can subscribe to the American creed which says that God endowed us with our rights, or you can subscribe to the abortion creed which says that those rights are the consequences of our mother's will."
-Alan Keyes, speech at Southern Methodist University, Feb. 24, 1997.<ref>[http://www.abortiontv.com/Words/Slavery.htm Former Presidential candidate, Alan Keyes shares his views on the commonalities between abortion and slavery]. ''AbortionTV.com''.</ref>}}
{{cquote|"... abortion is to our time what slavery was to the 19th Century, and if anyone of conscience went anywhere in the 19th Century and did not confront the American people with the evil of slavery, then they were not doing what statesmanship required... Well, it's a part of her body utterly dependent on her body, not viable apart from her body. She has, therefore, absolute power over this being, and given that absolute power she has the absolute right to dispose of it according to her will. We don't recognize what that's saying? What that's saying is that power makes for right. Might makes for right. If I have you in my power, I may dispose of you and your life according to my will. And if that argument is now accepted, and we have embraced it as a fundamental principle of law, then we have rejected the right principle. For if our right, our most basic and conditional right, the right to life itself comes to us not from God but from our mother's choice, then there is no human right that transcends in its claim, human choice and human power. Abortion is the paradigm, the ultimate paradigm of despotism, tyranny, oppression, slavery, holocaust."
-Alan Keyes, speech in San Francisco, March 3, 2003.<ref>[http://www.notable-quotes.com/a/abortion_quotes.html Abortion Quotes]. ''NotableQuotes.com''.</ref>}} Ultimately, every American has a responsibility to stand up for the rights of other Americans when they are being murdered - regardless of gender. And to say a mother should be able to murder her children whenever she feels like it, apart from the father's opinions, is simply wrong.

== When Does Life Begin? ==

''See also:'' [[When does life begin?]]

Logically, one ought to be erring on the side of caution when potentially infringing on another person's inalienable right to life, rather than seeing how close we can come to committing murder without doing so. Abortion in the U.S. is legal in all 9 months (36 weeks) of pregnancy.<ref name=ninemonths />
===Premature Birth===
Even though children can be born as early as 21 weeks after pregnancy<ref name=tooyoung /> the Guttmacher Institute, Planned Parenthood's research arm, reports that 1.5% of the 1.21 million abortions in the United States occur after the 21st week of pregnancy.<ref name=induced /> Therefore, 18,150 abortions occur each year after the earliest point that children can be born prematurely and live. An additional 3.8% occur 16–20 weeks after pregnancy, an additional 45,980 abortions each year that are most certainly murder given proximity to time of premature birth.<ref name=induced /> Why is a baby considered human outside the womb, yet nothing more than a fetus to be aborted at or near the same point in pregnancy if still inside the womb? And what will abortionists argue? That this is "only" 50-60 thousand innocent lives being taken each year?

===Fetal Development===
{{cquote|"Modern biology instructs that the genetic code that will dictate the entire future of the fetus is formed as early as the ___ day after conception; the fetus is thus something more than inert matter. The rules of property and of tort have come increasingly to recognize its rights."
-Judge Henry Friendly, [[Hall v. Lefkowitz]].<ref name=friendly>Randolph, A. Raymond. "[http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol29_No3_Randolph.pdf Before Roe v. Wade: Judge Friendly's Draft Abortion Opinion]." ''Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy''. Vol. 29.</ref>}}
According to Brian Clowes, Ph.D,<ref name=clowes /> as cited by the Pro-Life Action League,<ref>(2009). [http://www.whyprolife.com/life-in-the-womb/ Sharing the Pro-Life Message]. "Life in the Womb." Pro-Life Action League. Chicago.</ref> fetal development occurs as follows after conception:
* 2 weeks: First completed brain cells appear.
* 3 weeks: Heart begins beating, eyes form; brain, spinal column, and nervous system virtually complete.
* 4 weeks: Muscle development, arm and leg buds visible, neocortical cells appear, blood flows in baby's veins separate from mother's blood.
* 5 weeks: Pituitary gland forms, mouth, ears, and nose take shape.
* 6 weeks: Brain waves can be detected.
* 7 weeks: Cartilage skeleton completely formed, umbilical cord complete, brain coordinates voluntary muscle movement and involuntary organ movement, lips sensitive to touch.
* 8 weeks: Based on nervous system development, a fetus can likely feel pain, teeth present, all organs present save lungs, taste buds and fingerprints forming, responds to tapping on amniotic sac.
* 9 weeks: Fingernails form, can bend its fingers around an object and suck its thumb.
* 10 weeks: All parts of body sensitive to touch; can swallow, squint, frown, and pucker brow.
* 11 weeks: Breathing amniotic fluid and does so until birth, urination, all facial expressions (including smiling) possible, taste buds complete.
* 12 weeks: Can kick, turn over, make a fist, hiccup, cry, open its mouth, press its lips together, and practice breathing.
* 13 weeks: All senses are present, including vocal chords.
* 20 weeks: Can be surprised by loud external noises.
* 23 weeks: A fetus demonstrates REM (Rapid Eye Movement).
* 4 months: Can grasp, swim, and turn somersaults.
* 6 months: Hair growth on head and eyebrows, eyelashes form.
* 7 months: A fetus' hands can support its entire weight.
* 8 months: Fetus weighs more than 4 lbs., all body systems present.
* 9 months: After this point, the fetus gains a half lb. each week and 41 of the 45 total generations of cell replication have already taken place.

Given this, it is small wonder that 76% of Americans in 2011 disapprove of abortion after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
 (''See [[Abortion#2nd Trimester|Public Polling]]'')

Objectively and logically speaking, based on a large amount of evidence, abortion is a form of murder.<ref>Taylor, Paul F (May 2, 2014). [https://answersingenesis.org/sanctity-of-life/abortion/is-it-really-a-matter-of-life-and-death/ Chapter 12: Abortion: Is It Really a Matter of Life and Death?]. ''Answers in Genesis'' (from ''The New Answers Book 3''). Retrieved January 22, 2017.</ref> as well as child sacrifice.<ref>Ham, Ken (October 26, 2015). [https://answersingenesis.org/sanctity-of-life/abortion/abortion-and-child-sacrifice/ Abortion and Child Sacrifice]. ''Answers in Genesis''. Retrieved January 22, 2017.</ref>

==Health Concerns==

''See also:'' [[Abortion health risks]]

===Mental Health Risks From Abortion===
A comprehensive review of literature, published in the ''British Journal of Psychiatry'' suggests that "there is a significant increase in mental health problems after abortion."<ref name="BJP">{{cite web|url = http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/199/3/A11.full#sec-3|title =Abortion, mental health and dental disease|publisher = British Journal of Psychiatry|quote=A comprehensive review of the literature suggests that there is a significant increase in mental health problems after abortion. Coleman (pp. 180–186) suggests that these risks need to be reflected in the delivery of abortion services, and raises the thorny issue that 90% of UK abortions are justified on the presumption that abortion actually reduces the risk to mental health associated with continuing the pregnancy. There is an increasing awareness of increased comorbid physical illness in patients with severe mental illness. Kisely and colleagues (pp. 187–193) found that the levels of advanced dental disease were increased threefold in patients with severe mental illness. The authors suggest that there needs to be improved recognition of this problem – reflected in a more proactive approach to dental hygiene in these patients.|accessdate = 1 September 2011}}</ref><ref name="DavenportMD">{{cite web|url = https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/09/major_study_links_suicide_and_other_mental_health_problems_to_abortion.html|title =Major Study Links Suicide and Other Mental Health Problems to Abortion|publisher = [[American Thinker]]|quote=An important meta-analysis published today in the prestigious British Journal of Psychiatry demonstrates that nearly 10% of mental health problems in women are directly attributable to abortion. "Abortion and mental health: quantitative synthesis and analysis of research published 1995-2009," by Priscilla Coleman of Bowling Green University, shows that women with an abortion history have an 81% increased risk of mental health problems and 155% increased risk of suicide. This meta-analysis combines 22 studies of 877,181 women, 163, 831 of whom have had abortions. A meta-analysis is an especially powerful type of study because it includes a large number of subjects, and by combining studies is much more reliable than a single study.|author=Mary L. Davenport, MD|accessdate = 1 September 2011}}</ref>

===Abortion and Breast Cancer ===
The vast majority of scientific studies have shown that abortion causes an increase in breast cancer, including 16 out of 17 statistically significant studies.<ref name=trumped>Malek, K. (2003). [http://www.jpands.org/vol8no2/malec.pdf The Abortion-Breast Cancer Link: How Politics Trumped Science and Informed Consent]. ''Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons'', 8(2), 41-45.</ref> "A new study coming from researchers in [[Sri Lanka]] finds women who had abortions ... [had a] 3.42 [increased risk] ... compared with those who kept their baby. ... The Sri Lankan study is the fourth epidemiological study in fourteen months to report an abortion-breast cancer link, including studies from the U.S., China and Turkey."<ref>Ertelt, S. (2010, June 22). [https://www.lifenews.com/nat6451.html Study Confirms Abortion Triples Breast Cancer Risk Among Sri Lanka Women]. ''LifeNews.com''.</ref> LifeNews also reported in 2009 that a [[National Cancer Institute]] researcher admitted there was a link between abortion and breast cancer.<ref>Ertelt, S. (2009, January 1). [https://www.lifenews.com/nat5850.html National Cancer Institute Researcher Admits Abortion-Breast Cancer Link True]. ''LifeNews.com''.</ref> Studies showing that abortion increases breast cancer predate the political controversy.<ref>(2002). [http://www.bcpinstitute.org/brochure.htm Breast Cancer Prevention Institute Online Brochure]. ''Breast Cancer Prevention Institute''.</ref> A study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center published in 2009 confirmed a 40% increase in risk in breast cancer from abortion.<ref>Byrne, D. (2010, January 11). [http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/dennis-byrne-barbershop/2010/01/breast-cancer-oral-contraceptives-abortion-and-lies.html Breast cancer, oral contraceptives, abortion and lies (?)] ''ChicagoNow''.</ref><ref>It is undisputed that childbirth protects against breast cancer, and thus early termination of pregnancy must increase the risk of cancer for the mother compared to carrying that same pregnancy to birth.</ref> Yet the abortion industry conceals this increased risk, just as the tobacco industry concealed its cancer risk for decades.<ref>Addison, T.E., M.D. (1998, July). [http://www.mindfully.org/Industry/Tobacco-ChronologyJul98.htm A Chronology of Tobacco in the Civilized World], ''San Francisco Medicine''.</ref>
[[Image:Abortion Hurts Women.jpg|thumb|275px|right|Walk for Life rally]]
A new study on breast cancer in Turkey published in April 2009 in the peer-reviewed World Journal of Surgical Oncology found, through a surveying process, that induced abortion was a statistically significant cause of breast cancer risk. The study concludes, “Our findings suggest that age and induced abortion were found to be significantly associated with increased breast cancer risk….”<ref>Ozman, V. et al. (2009, April 8). [http://wjso.com/content/7/1/37 Breast cancer risk factors in Turkish women – a University Hospital based nested case control study]. ''World Journal of Surgical Oncology'', 7(37). doi:10.1186/1477-7819-7-37</ref>

Specifically, the study found that Turkish women who received one or more induced abortions had a 66% higher risk of breast cancer than women who never had an abortion.<ref>Baklinski, T.M. (2009, July 29). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/jul/09072903.html Study: Breast Cancer Risk 66% Higher in Turkish Women with Abortions]. ''LifeSiteNews.com''.</ref><ref>Malek, K. (2009, July 28). [http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/press_releases/090728/index.htm Study: Turkish Women with Abortions Have Statistically Significant 66% Increase in Breast Cancer Risk / Researchers Likely Underestimated the Risk, Reports Scientist]. ''Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer''.</ref>

Dr. Janet Daling, who considers herself supportive of a right to perform abortions, brought the abortion-breast cancer link into the mainstream with her federally funded research on the topic. Her report, released in 1994, found a 50% increase in breast cancer risk due to induced abortion.<ref>Janet R. Daling et al., "Risk of Breast Cancer Among Young Women: Relationship to Induced Abortion," 86 Journal of the National Cancer Institute; (1994);1584</ref><ref>(2001, March 28). [http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/032801.htm Women's Organization Accuses MAMM of Misleading Public About Abortion-Breast Cancer Link]. ''Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer''.</ref> She said, "I have three sisters with breast cancer and I resent people messing with the scientific data to further their own agenda, be they pro-choice or pro-life. I would have loved to have found no association between breast cancer and abortion, but our research is rock solid and our data is accurate."<ref>L.A. Daily News, Sept. 1997.</ref> Similarly, an early study published in Japan in 1957 showed that women who have abortions have a much higher risk of breast cancer than those who decide to keep their baby.<ref>Segi M, et al. An epidemiological study on cancer in Japan. GANN. 1957; 48:1-63.</ref>

In a peer-reviewed medical journal, Karen Malec observed that:<ref name=trumped />

:Thirty-eight epidemiological studies exploring an independent link [between abortion and] breast cancer have been published. Twenty-nine report risk elevations. Thirteen out of 15 American studies found risk elevations. Seventeen studies are statistically significant, 16 of which report increased risk.

Dr. Angela Lanfranchi, M.D., F.A.C.S., a specialist in breast cancer an a clinical assistant professor of surgery at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, has explained the physiology and epidemiology of the abortion-breast cancer link. She made the following observation:<ref>Angela Lanfranchi, M.D., F.A.C.S, "The breast physiology and the epidemiology of the abortion breast cancer link," 12 Imago Hominis, No. 3, 228 (2005) (emphasis added).</ref>

:This past August in Minneapolis, Patrick Carroll, director of the Pension and Population Research Institute of London, presented a paper to the largest gathering of statisticians in North America. '''He showed that abortion was the best predictor of breast cancer in Britain.''' Breast cancer is the only cancer in Britain which has its highest incidence and mortality rate among the upper rather than lower social classes. Abortion before a full term pregnancy and late pregnancy were the best explanations for this incidence. He also found that there had been a 70% increase risk of breast cancer between 1971 and 2002 and that for women between 50 and 54 years of age incidence was highly correlated with abortion.

Demographic evidence of abortion causing breast cancer includes the following. Breast cancer rates are far lower in Western countries that prohibited abortion than in those that promoted it. Ireland, which virtually bans abortion, reportedly has a lifetime rate of breast cancer of only 1 in 13, nearly half the rate of 1 in 7.5 in the United States.<ref>"Probability of breast cancer in American Women," National Cancer Institute (Apr. 15, 2005); K. O'Flaherty, R. Oakley, "Self-checks 'useless' in breast cancer fight," Sunday Tribune (Ireland), at 8 (Oct. 6, 2002).</ref> The rate of breast cancer increases steadily as one travels from Ireland, where abortion is illegal, to Northern Ireland, where abortion is legal but rare, to England, where abortion is common.<ref>R. O'Reilly, "New weapon in war against breast cancer," The Press Association Limited (Dec. 17, 1998); "Portugal-abortion referendum," Associated Press Worldstream (June 27, 1998).</ref>

In Romania, abortion was illegal under two decades of rule by the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, and the country enjoyed one of the lowest breast cancer rates in the entire world during that time, far lower than comparable Western countries. Romania's breast cancer rate was an astounding one-sixth the rate of the United States.<ref>A. Khan, "The role of fat in breast cancer," The Independent (May 18, 1998).</ref> But after the execution of Ceausescu on Christmas Day, 1989, Romania has taken the opposite approach, embracing abortion to the point that Romania now has one of the highest abortion rates in the world.<ref>N. Abdullaev, "Russians are quickest to marry and divorce," Moscow Times (Dec 8, 2004).</ref> One Romanian observer decried, "The liberalization of abortions in Romania in 1990, the significant increase of the number of abortions at relatively short intervals, determined a rise in the incidence of breast and uterine cervix cancer in my country."<ref>Information packet, Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) World Conference on Breast Cancer (July 1997).</ref>

Studies on rats, which are an accepted method for identifying causes of cancer in humans, further confirm that abortion does indeed increase the risk of breast cancer. As Dr. [[Joel Brind]] observed, "Researchers also widely admit to the biological plausibility of abortion as an independent cause of breast cancer, through the estrogen-mediated stimulation of breast growth in the absence of differentiation. This was demonstrated experimentally in rats in the landmark experiments of Russo and Russo."<ref>[[Joel Brind]], "[http://www.jpands.org/vol10no4/brind.pdf Induced Abortion as an Independent Risk Factor for Breast Cancer: A Critical Review of Recent Studies Based on Prospective Data]," J. of Am. Physicians & Surgeons 105 (Winter 2005) (citing Russo J, Russo IH. Susceptibility of the mammary gland to
carcinogenesis. 1980;100:497-512).</ref> Additional scientific information on the abortion-breast cancer link is available at [http://www.bcpinstitute.org BCPInstitute.org].

An expert (Dr. Lynn Rosenberg) hired to defend abortion felt compelled to admit, under cross-examination, that a woman increases her risk for breast cancer by having an abortion compared to carrying her pregnancy to childbirth:<ref>[http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/rosenberg's_testimony.htm Rosenberg's Testimony]. ''Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer''.</ref>

:Question by the attorney: 'So in other words, a woman who finds herself pregnant at age 15 will have a higher breast cancer risk if she chooses to abort that pregnancy, than if she carries the pregnancy to term, [is that] correct?'

:Dr. Lynn Rosenberg: 'Probably, yes.'

:Question: 'Looking at that another way, let's compare two women. Let's say both got pregnant at age 15-- one terminates the pregnancy, but the other carries the pregnancy to term. And both women go on to get married and have two kids, say, at age 30 and age 35. Is the risk of breast cancer higher for the woman who had an abortion at age 15 or the woman who had a baby at age 15, all other things being equal?'

:Dr. Lynn Rosenberg: 'It's probably higher for the one who had an abortion at age 15.'

Despite the overwhelming evidence—and inescapable logic—for abortion increasing breast cancer, promoters of abortion cite flawed articles in an attempt to deny the link. The flaws in these articles are exposed in the [[Harvard abortion study]] and "Legal Implications of a Link Between Abortion and Breast Cancer" by Andrew Schlafly in the ''Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons''.<ref>Schafly, A. (2005, Spring). [http://www.jpands.org/vol10no1/aschlafly.pdf Legal Implications of a Link Between Abortion and Breast Cancer]. ''Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons'', 10(1), 10-14.</ref>

As Dr. Lanfranchi has explained:<ref>Lanfranchi, A. (2008, Spring). [http://www.jpands.org/vol13no1/lanfranchi.pdf The Federal Government and Academic Texts as Barriers to Informed Consent]. ''Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons'', 13(1), 12-15.</ref>

:Well-documented breast physiology accounts for the fact that oral contraceptives and abortion are risk factors for breast cancer. There is an effort to suppress this information by federal agencies and those in academic medicine. Without this information, women cannot make a fully informed choice about their method of fertility control or about whether to maintain an unplanned pregnancy. Medical ethics demands that they be informed.

Pro-choice should include ''informed'' choice.<ref>The Archdiocese of St. Louis, for example, remarked about abortions and increased risk for breast cancer: "To dismiss that link is irresponsible." http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5620863.html (Link no longer works)</ref> Yet efforts continue to suppress awareness that abortion increases breast cancer. Pro-life scientists were almost entirely barred from the National Cancer Institute's "study" of the link, and its resulting statements were fatally flawed as explained in [[National Cancer Institute on Abortion]].

Just as organizations denied or failed to disclose the connection between smoking and lung cancer, many organizations aligned with [[liberal]] politicians deny the correlation between abortion and breast cancer despite numerous studies published in peer reviewed journals indicating a likely connection.

[[File:Smelliesdoublecrochet.jpg|right|thumb|250px| The Smellie's double crochet abortion tool was used to grab and forcibly remove the fetus from the womb.]]

===Abortion Causes Future Harm with Premature Births===

"At least 49 studies have demonstrated a statistically significant increase in premature births (PB) or low birth weight (LBW) risk in women with prior induced abortions (IAs)."<ref>Brent Rooney and Byron C. Calhoun, "Induced Abortion and Risk of Later Premature Births," 8 J. Am. Physicians & Surgeons 46 (Summer 2003). [http://www.jpands.org/vol8no2/rooney.pdf]</ref> Premature birth tragically causes brain damage, and an array of other severe, lifelong injuries ranging from Cerebral Palsy to blindness, or even death, and few mothers would knowingly increase the risk of that happening. "There are at least seventeen (17) studies that have found that previous induced abortions increase preterm birth risk” and thereby increase debilitating Cerebral Palsy in children."<ref>Brent Rooney, Letter, 96 European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 239 (2001) (citations omitted).</ref>

In 2008, the generally pro-abortion British medical journal, ''The Lancet'', admitted that a procedure often used in abortion increase the risk of premature birth:<ref name=lancet>Dr, Jay D. Iams, Dr. Robert Romero, Jennifer F. Culhane (PhD), Dr. Robert L. Goldenberg. [http://www.v2020la.org/pub/PUBLICATIONS_BY_TOPICS/ROP/Primary,_secondary,_and_tertiary_interventions.....pdf] Primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions to reduce the morbidity and mortality of preterm birth. Lancet 2008;371:164-175. While the text of this article conceals the connection with abortion, it cites as support for its claims two studies showing how abortion increases risk of premature birth: the 2004 'Ancel' study of ten European countries and the 2005 'Moreau' study that used French subjects. Ancel P-Y, Lelong N, Papiernik E, Saurel-Cubizoilles M-J, Kaminski M. [http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/content/19/3/734.full History of induced abortion as a risk factor for preterm birth in European countries: results of the EUROPOP survey]. Human Reproduction. 2004;112:734-740. Moreau C, Kaminski M, Ancel PY et al. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15777440 Previous I induced abortions and the risk of very preterm delivery; Results of the EPIPAGE study]. British J Obstetrics Gynaecology 2005; 112:430-437.</ref>

:"For example, greater public and professional awareness of evidence that repeated uterine instrumentation--eg, uterine curettage or endometrial biopsy--is associated with increased risk of subsequent preterm birth might over time influence decision-making about the procedure."

Researchers Rooney and Calhoun observed:<ref name=lancet />

:Large studies have reported a doubling of [early premature birth] EPB risk from two prior IAs. Women who had four or more IAs experienced, on average, nine times the risk of [extremely early premature births] XPB, an increase of 800 percent. These results suggest that women contemplating IA should be informed of this potential risk to subsequent pregnancies, and that physicians should be aware of the potential liability and possible need for intensified prenatal care.

Demographic evidence of how abortion increases premature birth includes the following:

:* The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): "[T]he abortion rate for black women has been approximately '''three times''' as high as that for white women (range: 2.6--3.1) since 1991"<ref>https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5407a1.htm (emphasis added)</ref>
:* ''Science Daily'''s report on a study by the Washington University School of Medicine: "African-American women are '''three times''' more likely to deliver babies three to 17 weeks prematurely than Caucasian women"<ref>Washington University School of Medicine (2007, February 12). [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070209074144.htm African-American Mothers]. (emphasis added)</ref>

In 2002 an article entitled "Preterm Birth: A Continuing Challenge" noted that premature births are abnormally high in the United States, citing a study that observed that a previous abortion is a "risk factor for both infertility and preterm birth."<ref>Moore, M.L. (2002, Fall). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1595132/ Preterm Birth: A Continuing Challenge]. ''The Journal of Perinatal Education'', 11(4), 37-40. doi: 10.1624/105812402X88948</ref>

The rate of premature birth is elevated by the same amount as the abortion rate, as expected if abortion increases the risk of premature birth.

===Other Health Risks from Abortion===

The [[U.S. Supreme Court]] ruled in 2007 that:<ref>''Gonzales v. Carhart'', 127 S. Ct. 1610, 1634 (2007).</ref> {{cquote|"While we find no reliable data to measure the phenomenon, it seems unexceptionable to conclude some women come to regret their choice to abort the infant life they once created and sustained. See Brief for Sandra Cano ''et al.'' as Amici Curiae in No. 05-380, pp 22-24. Severe depression and loss of esteem can follow."}} A study published in the Southern Medical Journal observed that there are higher death rates associated with women who have abortion, and that these higher death rates persist over time and across socioeconomic boundaries.<ref>D.C. Reardon, P.G. Ney, F.J. Scheuren, J.R. Cougle, P.K. Coleman, T. Strahan, "Deaths associated with pregnancy outcome: a record linkage study of low income women," 95 Southern Medical Journal 8, at 834-41 (August 2002).</ref>

In [[England]], the "Royal College of Psychiatrists says women should not be allowed to have an abortion until they are counselled on the possible risk to their mental health." The medical royal college warned that women who have abortions may be at risk of mental health problems.<ref>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article3559486.ece (Link no longer works)</ref> A New Zealand study found that abortion in young women may be associated with increased risks of mental health problems.<ref>Fergusson, D.M., et. al. (2006, January). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16405636 Abortion in young women and subsequent mental health]. ''The Journal of Child Psychology andPsychiatry'', 47(1), 16-24. PMID 16405636.</ref> The researcher in this study, who was not pro-life, was shaken by the study and had to go to four journals before he could find one who would publish it.<ref name=gilson>Gilson, T. (2006, February 24). [https://www.thinkingchristian.net/C1148465919/E20060224082323/index.html Abortion and Mental Health]. ''Thinking Christian''.</ref>

The study concludes with the following statement:
{{cquote|These findings are inconsistent with the current consensus on the psychological effects of abortion. In particular, in its 2005 statement on abortion, the American Psychological Association concluded that “well-designed studies of psychological responses following abortion have consistently shown that risk of psychological harm is low...the percentage of women who experience clinically relevant distress is small and appears to be no greater than in general samples of women of reproductive age” (American Psychological Association, 2005). This relatively strong conclusion about the absence of harm from abortion was based on a relatively small number of studies which had one or more of the following limitations: a) absence of comprehensive assessment of mental disorders; b) lack of comparison groups; and c) limited statistical controls. Furthermore, the statement appears to disregard the findings of a number of studies that had claimed to show negative effects for abortion (Cougle et al., 2003; Gissler et al., 1996; Reardon & Cougle, 2002).<ref name=gilson />}}

Professor David Fergusson, lead author of the New Zealand study stated:
{{cquote|It borders on scandalous that one of the most common surgical procedures performed on young women is so poorly researched and evaluated. If this were Prozac or Vioxx, reports of associated harm would be taken much more seriously with more careful research and monitoring procedures." <ref>Throckmorton, W. (2006, January 20). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2006/jan/20/20060120-091648-6456r/?page=all#pagebreak Abortion and Mental Health]. ''The Washington Times''.</ref>}}

Another study published in the OB/GYN Survey detailed long-term physical and psychological health consequences of induced abortions.<ref>J.M. Thorp, Jr., K.E. Hartmann, and E.M. Shadigian, "[content.silaspartners.com/156/41045/156_41045_shadigian.1.pdf Long-Term Physical & Psychological Health Consequences of Induced Abortion: Review of the Evidence]," 58 OB/GYN Survey 1, at 67-79 (2003)</ref>

Suicide rates among women who had abortions are six times higher than women who gave birth in the prior year. Overall, deaths from suicide, homicide and accidents were 248% higher after an abortion, as found by a 13-year study in Finland of its entire population.<ref>http://www.abortionrecoverycounseling.com/Page8.html (Link no longer works)</ref>

In the United States, only one state (Missouri) requires that the abortionist have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the abortion.<ref>Mo. Rev. Stat. § 188.080 prohibits an abortion by a physician "who does not have clinical privileges at a hospital which offers obstetrical or gynecological care located within thirty miles of the location at which the abortion is performed or induced."</ref> In the other 49 states, an abortion patient can and often is left without prompt medical care by the treating physician.

One of the largest abortion providers in the United States, the Metropolitan Medical Associates of New Jersey, was shut down in 2007 by state health officials after one of its botched abortions left a 20-year-old woman in a coma for more than four weeks. She "became severely ill following the abortion and was transferred to Newark Beth Israel Medical Center where she needed blood transfusions and had her uterus removed. She also suffered a stroke due to the serious blood loss and had one of her lungs collapse." The State of New Jersey had shut down the same facility in 1993 also.<ref>Ertelt, S. (2007, March 1). [https://www.lifenews.com/state2137.html Woman Comatose for a Month After Botched Abortion Caused Center’s Closing]. ''LifeNews.com''.</ref>

== Communist China and the consumption of powdered baby flesh from abortions ==

''See also:'' *[[Atheists eat babies meme#Atheistic China and baby eating|Communist China and the consumption of powdered baby flesh]] and [[Atheists eat babies meme]] and [[Atheism, Chinese doctors and baby eating]]

[[File:China on globe.png|right|thumb|250px|In 2014, ''The Washington Times'' reported: "China’s one child policy, baby trafficking, and sex trafficking of [[North Korean]] women aren’t the worst human rights violation happening in the country. Aborting innocent and healthy unborn children and eating them to boost one’s stamina and sexual health is.<ref name="washingtontimes.com">[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/31/chinese-cannibalism-infant-flesh-outrages-world/ Chinese cannibalism of infant flesh outrages the world], ''Washington Times'', 2014</ref>]]
In 2014, ''The Washington Times'' reported:
{{Cquote|China’s one child policy, baby trafficking, and sex trafficking of North Korean women aren’t the worst human rights violation happening in the country. Aborting innocent and healthy unborn children and eating them to boost one’s stamina and sexual health is.

South Korean customs officials recently seized thousands of pills filled with powdered human baby flesh arriving from China. Since August 2011, South Korean officials have intercepted more than 17000 pills smuggled from China.

South Korean officials became aware of a horrific practice of eating aborted fetuses after Seoul Broadcasting System showed a documentary on Chinese doctors who performed abortions and then ate the fetuses. One Chinese doctor on the documentary took out fetuses from his refrigerator.<ref name="washingtontimes.com">[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/31/chinese-cannibalism-infant-flesh-outrages-world/ Chinese cannibalism of infant flesh outrages the world], ''Washington Times'', 2014</ref>}}

For additional information, please see:

*[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2140702/South-Korea-customs-officials-thousands-pills-filled-powdered-human-baby-flesh.html Thousands of pills filled with powdered human baby flesh discovered by customs officials in South Korea], ''The Daily Mail'', 2012

*[https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/05/horrifyingly-ground-baby-pills-are-real-thing/328490/ Horrifyingly, Ground Baby Pills Are a Real Thing] by Alexander Abad-Santos, ''The Atlantic'', May 7, 2012

*[https://abcnews.go.com/Health/chinese-made-infant-flesh-capsules-seized-korea/story?id=16296176 Chinese-Made Infant Flesh Capsules Seized in S. Korea], ''ABC News'', 2012

==History==
[[Image:115523-004-FA619CA3.jpg|thumb|right|250px| The perverse and cruel [[atheism|atheist]] [[Marquis de Sade]] advocated induced abortion.<ref>https://jme.bmj.com/content/6/1/7.abstract</ref>]]
''Please also see:'' [[History of abortion]]

Abortion was an extremely harsh '''''punishment''''' in the [[Old Testament]], imposed against those who have "rebelled against" God:

:"Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb." (Hosea 9:16)

:"Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up." (Hosea 13:16)

:"Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up." (2 Kings 15:16)

The father of [[medicine]], [[Hippocrates]], expressly prohibited abortion in his ethical [[Oath]] long before [[Christianity]].

The ''Journal of Medical Ethics'' article declared concerning the [[atheism|atheist]] and [[sadism|sadist]] [[Marquis de Sade]]:
{{cquote|In 1795 the Marquis de Sade published his La Philosophic dans le boudoir, in which he proposed the use of induced abortion for social reasons and as a means of population control. It is from this time that medical and social acceptance of abortion can be dated, although previously the subject had not been discussed in public in modern times. It is suggested that it was largely due to de Sade's writing that induced abortion received the impetus which resulted in its subsequent spread in western society.<ref>Farr, A.D. (1980). [https://jme.bmj.com/content/6/1/7.abstract The Marquis de Sade and induced abortion]. ''Journal of Medical Ethics'', 6, 7-10. doi:10.1136/jme.6.1.7</ref>}}

[[Population control]] is based on [[pseudoscience]] and ill founded [[economics|economic]] assumptions.<ref>Egnor, M. (2010, November 30). [http://www.evolutionnews.org/2010/11/pz_myers_on_abortion040971.html P.Z. Myers on Abortion]. ''Evolution News and Views''.</ref>

=== Adolf Hitler and Abortion ===
''For more information see:'' [[Abortion and Adolf Hitler]]
[[Image:Hitlerspeech.jpg|thumb|290px|right|[[Adolf Hitler]]]]‎In 1942 [[Adolf Hitler]] declared:
{{cquote|In view of the large families of the Slav native population, it could only suit us if girls and women there had as many abortions as possible. We are not interested in seeing the non-[[German]] population multiply…We must use every means to instill in the population the idea that it is harmful to have several children, the expenses that they cause and the dangerous effect on woman's health… It will be necessary to open special institutions for abortions and doctors must be able to help out there in case there is any question of this being a breach of their professional ethics.<ref>Hoffman, M.C. (2007, September 7). [Israeli Doctor Exposes Nazi Abortion Program https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/sep/07090708.html]. ''LifeSiteNews.com''.</ref>}}

After [[World War II]], the War Crimes Tribunal indicted ten [[Nazi]] leaders for "encouraging and compelling abortion," which the tribunal considered a "crime against humanity."<ref>Wilke, J.C., Dr., et. al. (2006). [https://www.abortionfacts.com/online_books/love_them_both/why_cant_we_love_them_both_25.asp#But%20didn%E2%80%99t%20Hitler%20oppose%20abortion? Why Can't We Love Them Both: Chapter 25, Euthanasia]. ''AbortionFacts.com''.</ref>
===Hall v. Lefkowitz===
[[Hall v. Lefkowitz]] was a court case on November 4, 1969<ref>"[https://www.leagle.com/xmlResult.aspx?xmldoc=19691335305FSupp1030_11150.xml&docbase=CSLWAR1-1950-1985 Hall v. Lefkowitz]." 305 F.Supp. 1030 (1969). www.Leagle.com.</ref> during which Roy Lucas, an assistant professor at the University of Alabama Law School, and his self-founded James Madison Constitutional Law Institute, sued to challenge New York's abortion laws. A three-judge court presided which included famous judge Henry Friendly. Friendly wrote a draft opinion in the spring of 1970 declaring government had right to regulate abortion and protect a fetus, contrary to the later [[Roe v. Wade]] ruling. However, shortly thereafter the New York legislature amended state abortion law to allow abortion within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, and Hall's case was dismissed as unnecessary.<ref name=friendly>Randolph, A. Raymond. "[http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol29_No3_Randolph.pdf Before Roe v. Wade: Judge Friendly's Draft Abortion Opinion]." ''Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy''. Vol. 29.</ref> [[Hall v. Lefkowitz|Read some of Friendly's arguments]] made years before Roe v. Wade.

===NARAL's Lies About Back-Alley Abortions===
Bernard Nathanson, one of NARAL's co-founders, described how he and the organization fabricated abortion statistics and used slogans to sway the public during the early days of Roe v. Wade.
{{cquote|I remember laughing when we made those slogans up. We were looking for some sexy, catchy slogans to capture public opinion. They were very cynical slogans then, just as all of these slogans today are very, very cynical. We persuaded the media that the cause of permissive abortion was a liberal, enlightened, sophisticated one. Knowing that if a true poll were taken, we would be soundly defeated, we simply fabricated the results of fictional polls. We announced to the media that we had taken polls and that 60 percent of Americans were in favor of permissive abortion. We aroused enough sympathy to sell our program of permissive abortion by fabricating the number of illegal abortions done annually in the U.S. The actual figure was approaching 100,000, but the figure we gave to the media repeatedly was 1,000,000. Repeating the big lie often enough convinces the public. The number of women dying from illegal abortions was around 200-250 annually. The figure we constantly fed to the media was 10,000. These false figures took root in the consciousness of Americans, convincing many that we needed to crack the abortion law. Another myth we fed to the public through the media was that legalizing abortion would only mean that the abortions taking place illegally would then be done legally. In fact, of course, abortion is now being used as a primary method of birth control in the U.S. and the annual number of abortions has increased by 1,500 percent since legalization.<ref name=nathanson />}}

=== Roe v. Wade ===
Prior to 1973 abortion was illegal in most of the United States, though a few states (such as Hawaii and New York) allowed it with restrictions.<ref>''A Timeline of Reproductive Rights'' [http://ecampus.bentley.edu/org/wc/reproductiverights.html The Women's Center]</ref> The U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 [[Roe v. Wade]]<ref>Online text of [http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=CASE&court=US&vol=410&page=113 Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973)]</ref> decision ruled that abortions are lawful under the [[U.S. Constitution]] up to the point at which the fetus becomes able to survive outside the womb, and an accompanying decision issued the same day captioned [[Doe v. Bolton]] essentially legalized abortion in the unlimited discretion of the abortionist at any time during pregnancy, up to and including birth. Conservatives immediately criticized these decisions as examples of [[Judicial Activism]]. Ironically, Norma McCorvey, also known as "Jane Roe," only sought an abortion for herself. She did not wish for her personal battle to result in a nationwide "legalization" of the procedure. The only reason the case bore her name was because of her pro-abortion [[feminist]] lawyer, Sarah Weddington, who sought to have Texas' abortion ban overturned.<ref>https://www.lifenews.com/2017/02/18/norma-mccorvey-jane-roe-of-roe-v-wade-passes-away-she-never-had-an-abortion-and-became-pro-life/</ref> Even more importantly, Roe became pro-life and sought to have the Supreme Court's decision overturned.

===Present Day ===
In 2008, worldwide there were approximately 115,000 abortions done per day.<ref name=abortionno>[https://www.abortionno.org/Resources/fastfacts.html Abortion Facts]. ''The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform].</ref> In 2008, approximately 83% of all abortions were performed in developing countries and 17% occurred in developed countries.<ref name=abortionno /> From 2006 to 2015, the number of abortions in the U.S. fell 24% to 638,169, still a very large number.<ref>Multiple references:
*Freiburger, Calvin (November 21, 2018). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/us-abortions-drop-to-record-low-since-roe-v.-wade-cdc-reports US abortion rate drops to record low since Roe v. Wade, CDC reports]. ''LifeSiteNews''. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
*Sullivan, Peter (November 21, 2018). [https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/417876-number-of-abortions-in-us-drops-24-percent-from-2006 Number of abortions in US declines to lowest level since 2006]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
*Leonard, Kimberly (November 21, 2018). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/healthcare/us-abortions-hit-record-post-roe-v-wade-low US abortions hit record post-Roe v. Wade low]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved November 21, 2018.</ref>

States may regulate abortion, such as requiring a 24-hour waiting period and parental consent for minors. Abortion clinics often fail to comply with the health standards of surgical facilities, and States can require compliance (but often do not, resulting in discomfort and harm to the victims of abortion). Many abortionists lack hospital admitting privileges at nearby facilities, so women having complications must go on their own to emergency rooms to see physicians unfamiliar with what actually happened. For any other operation the cost of treating complications is included in the cost of the operation, but for abortions the abortion clinics take their money and typically do not pay for the care of complications.

The more pro-abortion the State regulations are, the larger the number of abortion clinics it will have. [[Arizona]], though a pro-life State, has a regulatory system that results in twelve abortion clinics operating within its borders. In contrast, [[Mississippi]] has only one abortion clinic, and [[Missouri]] has only two.

====Abortion and Eugenics====
{{See also|Abortion and eugenics}}
Abortion and eugenics are often very strongly related. Abortion is commonly used to kill those babies who happen to suffer from [[Down Syndrome]]<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10521836</ref><ref>Bilger, Micaiah (February 7, 2017). [https://www.lifenews.com/2017/02/07/european-nations-are-using-abortion-to-create-a-down-syndrome-free-world/ European Nations are Using Abortion to Create a “Down Syndrome Free” World]. ''LifeNews.com''. Retrieved February 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Gee, Alison (September 29, 2017). [https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-37500189 A world without Down's syndrome?] ''BBC News''. Retrieved February 20, 2017.</ref> and other physical and mental issues, to remove said physical and mental issues from the human race. [[Eugenics]] is essentially the unethical removal of those with physical and mental issues to "purify" the human race.

[[Iceland]] has very pro-abortion policies and nearly 100% of babies with Down Syndrome are aborted.<ref>Multiple references:
*Quinones, Julian; Lajka, Arijeta (August 14, 2017). [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/down-syndrome-iceland/ "What kind of society do you want to live in?": Inside the country where Down syndrome is disappearing]. ''CBS News''. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
*Williams, Thomas D. (August 15, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2017/08/15/iceland-approaches-100-percent-termination-rate-down-syndrome/ Iceland Approaches 100% ‘Termination Rate’ of Babies with Down Syndrome]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
*Desanctis, Alexandra (August 16, 2017). [https://www.nationalreview.com/article/450509/down-syndrome-iceland-cbs-news-disturbing-report Iceland Eliminates People with Down Syndrome]. ''National Review''. Retrieved August 17, 2017.</ref> According to Dr. Peter McParland, an obstetrician from the National Maternity Hospital, and Anne Trainer:<ref>[http://liveactionnews.org/legal-abortion-leading-downs-syndrome-free-world/ Quote of the day: Legal abortion is leading us to a ‘Down’s syndrome-free world’]. ''Live Action News''. February 6, 2017. Retrieved February 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Trainer, Annie (February 4, 2017). [https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/the-eighth-amendment-protected-my-son-3217231-Feb2017/ 'Abortion is leading us to a 'Down's Syndrome-free' world. I can barely type the words']. ''thejournal.ie''. Retrieved February 20, 2017.</ref>

{{cquote|'In Britain, 90% of babies with Down’s Syndrome are aborted before birth. In Iceland, every single baby, 100% of all those diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome, are aborted. There hasn’t been a baby with Down’s Syndrome born in Iceland in the past five years.'

Denmark is following suit, and is expected to be “Down’s Syndrome-free” by 2030 and these cold and chilling statistics show us exactly where legal abortion is leading the rest of Europe.}}

==Reasons Given For Abortions==

[[File:AbortionReasons.jpg‎|thumb|400px| Primary reasons women reported for undergoing abortions]]

''See also:'' [[Reasons given for abortion]]

The Alan Guttmacher Institute, which is not a [[conservative]] or [[pro-life]] organization, conducted a poll of more than 1,200 patients undergoing induced abortions at 11 large-scale [[abortion facilities]] in the United States. The women were asked to identify reasons for seeking abortions, and identify the primary motivation. An additional 38 women at four sites were interviewed in-depth.<ref name="agiSurvey">[https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/psrh/full/3711005.pdf Lawrence Finer, et al., "Reasons U.S. Women Have Abortions: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives", ''Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health'', September 2005]</ref>

The poll omitted any reference to whether the women were able to see an ultrasound of their unborn children before choosing to have an abortion. For the vast majority of women who have abortion, the reason is a lack of knowledge about the unborn child as displayed by an ultrasound. Because a large part of their campaign funds are bankrolled by the abortion industry, liberals are frequent opponents to laws making available ultrasound treatment for patients not certain of the decision. Some physicians have been reported intimidating and pressuring patients to continue with an abortion after the patient has had a change of heart, either on the operating table or before surgery. One doctor, who was also employed as a spokesman for a prominent liberal pro-abortion think tank, reportedly forced a patient to undergo the procedure in order to fill a quota on insurance claims.

Among reasons provided to the women as part of the poll, the two most common selections were "Having a baby would dramatically change my life" (74%) and "I can't afford a baby now" (73%).<ref name="agiSurvey"/> Concerns about their own health were mentioned by only 13% of the women, while only 12% mentioned concerns about the baby's health, though only 3% and 4% respectively gave those as their primary reason for seeking abortion.<ref name="agiSurvey"/>

Interestingly, only 14% indicated "[[husband]] or partner wants me to have an abortion" as a reason, down from 24% in a previous survey in 1987.<ref name="agiSurvey"/> This contrasts with research on women post-abortion, among whom 64% reported feeling pressured by others to abort, and may indicate pressure to abort comes not so much from husbands now as other relationships.<ref name="reardon">[http://www.theunchoice.com/pdf/FactSheets/ForcedAbortionFactSheet.pdf David Reardon, "Forced Abortion in America", April 2010]</ref>

What is often ignored in studies of why women submit to abortions is an ambivalence by some in early pregnancy. Such ambivalence typically resolves when the mother becomes more aware of her unborn child, as displayed by an [[ultrasound]].<ref>Lederman, ''Psychosocial Adaptation in Pregnancy'', 1984</ref><ref>"The Unwanted Pregnancy," ''Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology'', 1970, Cited in Gardner, ''Abortion: The Personal Dilemma'', 1972</ref><ref>Nichols and Humenick, ''Childbirth Education: Practice, Research, and Theory'', 1988</ref>

Less than one percent of all abortions are due to rape. Abortion does not liberate women. It liberates men from the responsibilities of raising children, as well as responsibility for their sexual behavior, including emotional and financial support. Here is a comparison. The founding feminists Susan B. Anthony and Liz Stanton were pro-life. The radical feminists (feminazis) believe that pregnant women are inferior to non-pregnant women. The biggest financial contributor to abortion rights is the Playboy Foundation, which is supportive of the philosophy of uncommitted, anonymous sex without consequences; women are reduced to the status of a consumer item which, if “broken” by pregnancy, can be “fixed” by abortion. A large majority of women who got an abortion said that they did so because they felt pressured by others. This is why before abortion became legal in the US, women who got an abortion did not receive jail time, but instead, get treated as a second victim while the abortionist gets punished. Instead of legalizing abortion in cases of rape, overturn the 1977 US Supreme Court case of [[Coker v. Georgia]], in which the Supreme Court struck down the death penalty for rapists as a violation of the eighth amendment.

Disability does not do anything to take away happiness. Eugenics is a waste of lives and delays the research needed to treat disabilities. We need to help the disabled live independent lives. There eventually be a cure for them as technology advances. In July 2013, scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester have learned to shut down the extra chromosome that causes Down's syndrome.<ref>
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/jul/17/downs-syndrome-cells-fixed-chromosome-therapy</ref>

==Public Opinion==
''See also:'' [[Views on abortion]]
Public polling, as seen below (sourced from Gallup<ref name=gallupabortion/>), reveals that Americans are almost evenly split between identifying as Pro-Life or Pro-Choice, with most believing it should be legal only in a few circumstances (48%) such as rape (77%) and life of the mother (83%).

===Legal or Illegal===
According to Gallup's most recent poll (May 3–18, 2021), 19% of Americans believe abortion should always be illegal, and 33% believe it should be legal only in a few circumstances, a combined 52% that believe it should always or usually be illegal. 32% believe abortion should always be legal, and 13% believe that it should be legal in most circumstances, a combined 45% that believe it should always or usually be legal. 3% hold no opinion. The percentage of Americans which believe abortion should always or usually be illegal has varied from a low of 51% (Sept. 6–7, 1994, and Sept. 22–24, 1995) to a high of 62% (May 2–5, 2005). Gallup has polled the question 33 times since it began asking in 1994.<ref>''Gallup''. "[https://www.gallup.com/poll/1576/abortion.aspx/ Abortion]." Do you think abortion should be legal in most circumstances or only in a few circumstances?</ref>

===Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice===
Currently, 50% of Americans describe themselves as Pro-Life, 41% describe themselves as Pro-Choice, and 4% as Mixed/Neither, as of the most recent poll (May 3–6, 2012). The percentage of Americans describing themselves as Pro-Life has varied from a low of 33% (Sept. 3–6, 1995) to a high of 51% (May 7–10, 2009). Gallup has polled the question 41 times since it began asking in 1995.<ref name=gallupabortion/>
===By Trimester===
Gallup has asked the following question four times from 2003 to 2011: "Thinking more generally, do you think abortion should generally be legal or generally illegal during each of the following stages of pregnancy. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?"<ref name=gallupabortion/>
====1st Trimester====
The following results were given for "In the first three months of pregnancy" (1st Trimester):
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Polling Date
! Should be legal
! Should be illegal
! Depends (vol.)
! No opinion
|-
| 2011, June 9–12
|align="center"|62%
|align="center"|35%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|1%
|-
| 2003, January 10–12
|align="center"|66%
|align="center"|29%
|align="center"|3%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| 2000, March 30-April 2
|align="center"|65%
|align="center"|31%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| 1996, July 25–26
|align="center"|64%
|align="center"|30%
|align="center"|4%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}

====2nd Trimester====
The following results were given for "In the second three months of pregnancy" (2nd Trimester):
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Polling Date
! Should be legal
! Should be illegal
! Depends (vol.)
! No opinion
|-
| 2011, June 9–12
|align="center"|24%
|align="center"|71%
|align="center"|3%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| 2003, January 10–12
|align="center"|25%
|align="center"|68%
|align="center"|4%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| 2000, March 30-April 2
|align="center"|24%
|align="center"|69%
|align="center"|4%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| 1996, July 25–26
|align="center"|26%
|align="center"|65%
|align="center"|7%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}
====3rd Trimester====
The following results were given for "In the last three months of pregnancy" (3rd Trimester):
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Polling Date
! Should be legal
! Should be illegal
! Depends (vol.)
! No opinion
|-
| 2011, June 9–12
|align="center"|10%
|align="center"|86%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|1%
|-
| 2003, January 10–12
|align="center"|10%
|align="center"|84%
|align="center"|4%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| 2000, March 30-April 2
|align="center"|8%
|align="center"|86%
|align="center"|3%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| 1996, July 25–26
|align="center"|13%
|align="center"|82%
|align="center"|3%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}
===By Circumstances===
According to the most recent Gallup poll (June 9–12, 2011), the following percentages of Americans say abortion should be legal under each circumstance:<ref name=gallupabortion/>
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Circumstance
! Should be legal
! Should be illegal
! Depends (vol.)
! No opinion
|-
| When the woman's life is endangered
|align="center"|83%
|align="center"|13%
|align="center"|1%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| When the woman's physical health is endangered
|align="center"|82%
|align="center"|15%
|align="center"|1%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| When the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest
|align="center"|75%
|align="center"|22%
|align="center"|1%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| When the woman's mental health is endangered
|align="center"|61%
|align="center"|35%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| When there is evidence the baby may be mentally impaired
|align="center"|51%
|align="center"|46%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| When there is evidence the baby may be physically impaired
|align="center"|50%
|align="center"|45%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| When the woman or family cannot afford to raise the child
|align="center"|36%
|align="center"|61%
|align="center"|1%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}
===Pro-Life Initiatives===
According to Gallup's most recent poll (July 15–17, 2011) these proposals by the Pro-Life movement have received the following public support levels. Those marked "(2005)" were polled most recently on November 11–13, 2005. Those marked "(2003)" were last polled on January 10–12, 2003.<ref name=gallupabortion/>
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Proposal
! Favor
! Oppose
! No opinion
|-
| (2003) A law requiring doctors to inform patients about alternatives to abortion before performing the procedure
|align="center"|88%
|align="center"|11%
|align="center"|1%
|-
| A law requiring doctors inform patients about possible risks of abortion before performing the procedure
|align="center"|87%
|align="center"|11%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| A law requiring women under 18 to get parental consent for any abortion
|align="center"|71%
|align="center"|27%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| A law requiring women seeking abortions to wait 24 hours before having the procedure done
|align="center"|69%
|align="center"|28%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| A law making partial birth abortions illegal except for life of the mother
|align="center"|64%
|align="center"|31%
|align="center"|5%
|-
| (2005) A law requiring that the husband of a married woman be notified if she decides to have an abortion
|align="center"|64%
|align="center"|34%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| A law requiring women seeking an abortion be shown an ultrasound image of her fetus at least 24 hours before
|align="center"|50%
|align="center"|46%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| A law letting pharmacists and health providers opt out of medicine/surgical procedures resulting in abortion
|align="center"|46%
|align="center"|51%
|align="center"|4%
|-
| (2005) A constitutional amendment to ban abortion in all circumstances, except to save the life of the mother
|align="center"|37%
|align="center"|61%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}

==Abortion Alternatives==

''See also:'' [[Abortion Alternatives]]

[[Optionline]] provides consultants that connects individuals to nearby pregnancy centers that offer the following services: free pregnancy tests and pregnancy information; Information about the risks of abortion and the morning after pill; medical services, including [[STD]] tests; early ultrasounds and pregnancy confirmation. In addition, some of these centers provide information regarding free housing to women who are facing housing concerns.<ref>[http://www.pregnancycenters.org/ OptionLine]. ''OptionLine.org''.</ref>

The primary alternative to abortion is adoption. [[Liberty Godparent Foundation]] is a [[Christian]] organization focused on improving the lives of unwed pregnant teens, babies and adoptive families by providing two alternatives, The Liberty Godparent Maternity Home and Family Life Services Adoption Agency.<ref>[http://www.godparent.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=59 Family Life Services]. ''GodParentFoundation.org''.</ref> [[Catholic Social Services]] provides adoption assistance to people of all beliefs in addition to supporting families in need.

==Planned Parenthood's Budget==

''See also:'' [[Planned Parenthood's budget]]

[[Planned Parenthood]] likes to claim that abortion accounts for just 3% of its services.<ref>[https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/who-we-are/planned-parenthood-glance-5552.htm Planned Parenthood At a Glance]. ''Planned Parenthood''.</ref> However, an examination of its finances reveals that much if not most of its [[income]] relates to abortion.<ref>Barto, N. & Musgrave, M. (2012, July 29). [http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2012/07/27/20120727womens-health-care.html Diverting Funds Betters Women's Health Care]. ''The Arizona Republic''.</ref> According to Planned Parenthood's 2007-08 budget, it received $1.038 billion of [[revenue]] from the following sources:<ref>[https://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/AR08_vFinal.pdf Annual Report 2007-2008]. Pg. 18. ''Planned Parenthood''.</ref>
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
!
! Revenue (millions)
! %
|-
| Health Center Income
|align="center"|$374.7
|align="center"|36.1%
|-
| Govt. Grants & Services
|align="center"|$349.6
|align="center"|33.7%
|-
| Contributions & Requests
|align="center"|$244.9
|align="center"|23.6%
|-
| Other Operating Revenue
|align="center"|$68.9
|align="center"|6.6%
|-
|align="center"|'''Total Revenue'''
|align="center"|'''$1,038.1'''
|align="center"|'''100.0%'''
|-
|}
Planned Parenthood's reported $374.7 million of revenue from "Health Center Income". Given that it reported performing 305,130 abortions,<ref>Page 9.</ref> at an average cost of $450 (which lines up with statistics from the [[National Abortion Federation]]<ref>Dudley, S. (2003). [http://www.prochoice.org/about_abortion/facts/economics.html Economics of Abortion]. ''National Abortion Federation''.</ref>), approximately $137.4 million of that $374.7 million Health Center Income came directly from performing abortions per analysis by [[Live Action]].<ref>Schmidt, D. (2010, May 14). [http://liveaction.org/blog/data-36-7-of-planned-parenthoods-health-center-income-is-from-abortions/ DATA: 36.7% of Planned Parenthood’s 'Health Center Income' is from Abortions]. ''Live Action''.</ref>

Since much of its money comes from Government Grants and Services or Contributions and Requests ($595.5 million) likely related to abortion, in addition to this $137.4 million of direct abortion revenue, it appears probable that as much as half to two-thirds of Planned Parenthood's revenue relates to abortion.

==Targeted Demographics==

''See also:'' [[Abortion and various groups]]

===Women in China===
Forced abortion caused by China's One-Child Policy leads to deaths of mothers,<ref>Bo Gu, B. (2012, June 14). [http://behindthewall.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/06/14/12222877-gruesome-photos-put-spotlight-on-chinas-one-child-policy?lite Gruesome Photos Put Spotlight on China's One-Child Policy]. ''NBC News''.</ref> as well as "gendercide".<ref>Hayes, A. (2012, April 30). [http://articles.cnn.com/2012-04-30/asia/world_asia_china-forced-abortions_1_reggie-littlejohn-china-s-national-population-abortions?_s=PM:ASIA Activists allege forced abortions, sterilizations in China]. ''CNN''. Littlejohn, R. (2012, April 27). [https://www.lifenews.com/2012/04/27/the-real-war-against-women-forced-abortion-gendercide/ The Real War Against Women: Forced Abortion, Gendercide]. ''LifeNews''.</ref> Because men tend to be higher wage earners, many families choose to abort their female children, opting instead for males.<ref>Ling, C. [http://www.allgirlsallowed.org/category/topics/one-child-policy-china One-Child Policy Statistics]. ''AllGirlsAllowed.com''.</ref> Photos in 2012 of these forced abortions led to national outrage and calls to end China's One-Child Policy.<ref>Riviera, G. (2012, June 14). [https://abcnews.go.com/International/chinas-forced-abortions-child-rule-hits-women/story?id=16558428 How China's Forced Abortion Policy Hits Two Women]. ''ABC News''. Wong, E. (2012, July 22). [https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/23/world/asia/pressure-to-repeal-chinas-one-child-law-is-growing.html?pagewanted=all Reports of Forced Abortions Fuel Push to End Chinese Law]. ''New York Times''. MacLeod, C. (2012, July 24). [https://www.usatoday.com/news/story/2012-07-25/China-forced-abortions/56465974/1 Pressure mounts to stop China's forced abortions]. ''USA Today''. Sudworth, J. (2012, June 15). [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-18453995 Chinese officials apologise to woman in forced abortion]. ''BBC News''.</ref> The sex-selective abortion policy has led to a huge gender disparity in China, 122.66 boys for every girl born, the highest ratio in the entire Asia Specific region,<ref>(2010, March 9). [https://www.un.org.cn/cms/p/news/27/1346/content.html Gender Inequality Persists in China]. ''United Nations in China''. Ward, C. (2011, August 12). [https://abcnews.go.com/International/chinas-census-shows-growing-gender-gap/story?id=14288216 China's Preference for Boys Shows Growing Gender Gap]. ''ABC News''.</ref> and resulted in 32 million single males.<ref>LaFraniere, S. (2009, April 10). [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/11/world/asia/11china.html Chinese Bias for Baby Boys Creates a Gap of 32 Million]. ''The New York Times''. AFP (2010, January 12). [http://news.discovery.com/human/china-birth-rate-single-men.html China's Gender Gap Leaves Millions of Single Men]. ''Discovery News''.</ref> Logically this is a driving force behind human trafficking, prostitution, and the female slave trade which occurs near China.<ref>Weisenthal, J. (2010, April 12). [http://articles.businessinsider.com/2010-04-12/news/30049254_1_boys-and-girls-selective-abortions-village-hall Amazing First-Hand Account Of The Massive Gender Disparity In China]. ''Business Insider''.</ref> In 2015, the one-child policy was scrapped and by new year 2016, the two-child policy took effect. Now there are discussions to scrap child limits altogether.

===Minority Communities===
[[File:4287336112 d3f9126c99.jpg|right|thumb|325px|According to [[Cybercast News Service]]: "An analysis by the Cybercast News Service compared the location of [[Planned Parenthood]] abortion clinics with population data from the U.S. Census in 2000. The results appear to bolster the charge that the organization targets black communities."<ref name="cnsnews.com">https://www.cnsnews.com/ViewSpecialReports.asp?Page=%5CSpecialReports%5Carchive%5C200502%5CSPE20050207a.html (Link no longer works.)</ref>
 
(photo obtained from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/muriel215/4287336112/ Flickr, see Creative commons license agreement)] ]]
"Each day '''1,786''' African American children are aborted." According to the [[U.S.]] Census of 2006, African Americans are at 1.96 birth rate which is beneath the replacement level of 2.1.<ref>[http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/1685410938.html African American Pro-Life Group Holds Protest at NAACP] Christian News Network, July 13, 2009</ref> At the continued rate, [[racism]] by abortion will decimate the black population of the U.S.

According to writer George Grant, the author of ''Killing Angel'':

"During the 1980s when [[Planned Parenthood]] shifted its focus from community-based clinics to school-based clinics, it again targeted inner-city minority neighborhoods...Of the more than 100 school-based clinics that have opened nationwide in the last decade [1980s], none has been at substantially all-white schools....None has been at suburban middle-class schools. All have been at black, minority or ethnic schools.” <ref>Green, T.L. (2001, May 10). [https://www.citizenreviewonline.org/special_issues/population/the_negro_project.htm The Negro Project: Margaret Sanger's Eugenic Plan for Black Americans]. ''Concerned Women For America''.</ref>

Planned Parenthood itself reported that its abortions on minorities in 1991 were 42.7% of its total abortions.<ref name=ppracism>Murphy, L.K. (1994, June). [http://www.ewtn.com/library/PROLIFE/PPRACISM.TXT Planned Parenthood's Racism]. ''Life Research Institute''.</ref> However, during that time period, minorities comprised only 19.7% of the U.S. population.<ref name=ppracism />

According to [[Cybercast News Service]]: "An analysis by the Cybercast News Service compared the location of Planned Parenthood abortion clinics with population data from the U.S. Census in 2000. The results appear to bolster the charge that the organization targets black communities."<ref name="cnsnews.com"/>

According to the ''Open Journal of Preventive Medicine'' in June 2016, abortion was the cause of death of 61% of Black Americans.<ref>Williams, Thomas D. (August 4, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/08/04/report-abortion-accounts-for-61-of-black-deaths-in-america/ Report: Abortion Accounts for 61% of Black Deaths in America]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 4, 2018.</ref>

==Political Support of Abortion==

''See also:'' [[Abortion and politics]]

The most powerful political action committee (PAC) is EMILY's List.<ref>http://www.emilyslist.org/newsroom/releases/20070201.html (Link no longer works.)</ref> EMILY's List contributes money to Democratic candidates who support abortion-on-demand, including forced taxpayer funding of abortion. EMILY's List candidates also oppose regulations such as:

* Providing health information to abortion patients;
* Requiring that the abortionist have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital in case there is a complication; and
* Providing parental notification if the patient is a teenager.

Due to the influence of the abortion industry and EMILY's List, nearly every Democratic presidential candidate and senatorial candidate supports abortion-on-demand. "EMILY's List, the nation's largest political action committee, continues to be the dominant financial resource for Democratic candidates," its above-referenced website declares.

There is no comparably funded organization opposing abortion, because there are no monetary rewards to defending human life. Instead, candidates and supporters who oppose abortion are motivated by religious and ethical principles.
===Pro-Life Democrats===
''See also:'' [[DFLA#2009-2010 Obamacare Influence]]

While most Democrats support abortion, a growing number have been affiliating with [[Democrats For Life of America]], also known as Pro-Life Democrats. ObamaCare in 2009-2010 would have passed rapidly if not for their influence, since Democrats had a Supermajority allowing them to pass anything without a single Republican vote. However, 40 Pro-Life Democrats, led by Congressman [[Bart Stupak]] signed a letter refusing to let ObamaCare pass without reforms on the abortion issue, and fought the bill from June 2009 to March 2010, in an attempt to add the Stupak Amendment to the bill (which was added to the House bill but removed in the Senate despite attempts by Sen. [[Ben Nelson]] to add it there as well).
===Politics and Demographics===
''See also:'' [[American atheism]] and [[Global atheism]] and [[Decline of atheism]] and [[liberal]]

The Birkbeck College, University of London professor Eric Kaufman wrote in his 2010 book ''Shall the Righteous Inherit the Earth?'' concerning America:
{{cquote|High evangelical fertility rates more than compensated for losses to liberal Protestant sects during the twentieth century. In recent decades, white secularism has surged, but Latino and Asian religious immigration has taken up the slack, keeping secularism at bay. Across denominations, the fertility advantage of religious fundamentalists of all colours is significant and growing. After 2020, their demographic weight will begin to tip the balance in the [[Culture War|culture wars]] towards the conservative side, ramping up pressure on hot-button issues such as abortion. By the end of the century, three quarters of America may be pro-life. Their activism will leap over the borders of the 'Redeemer Nation' to evangelize the world. Already, the rise of the World Congress of Families has launched a global religious right, its arms stretching across the bloody lines of the War on Terror to embrace the entire Abrahamic family.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/why-are-years-2012-and-2020-key-years.html Why are 2012 and 2020 key years for Christian creationists and pro-lifers?]</ref>}}

==Ultrasound images==
About 80% of women who see an ultrasound of their fetus (unborn child) decide not to abort.<ref>(2005, April 22). [http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/145703/abortion_foes_use_ultrasound__focus_on_the_family_budgets/ Abortion Foes Use Ultrasound ; Focus on the Family Budgets Millions for Pricey Equipment]. ''RedOrbit''.</ref>

*http://www.ob-ultrasound.net/frames.htm
*https://www.flickr.com/photos/drakelelane/388759116/
*http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_information/ultrasound/13_weeks.htm
*http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_information/ultrasound/ultrasound_3d.htm
*http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_information/ultrasound/triple_jump.htm

== See also ==
*[[Abortion and the Bible]]
*[[Abortion and eugenics]]
*[[Abortion Facts]]
*[[Abortion funding]]
*[[Abortion genocide]]
*[[Abortion procedures]]
*[[Abortion rates by US state]]
*[[Abortionist]]
*[[Anti Abortion activism: a personal essay]]
*[[More News/Abortion|Articles about '''Abortion''' from "More News"]]
*[[:Category:Abortion]]
*[[Culture of life]]
*[[Separate Life|Essay on abortion]]
*[[Eugenics]]
*[[Fetus]]
*[[Harvard abortion study]]
*[[Abortion breast cancer studies]]
*[[Homosexual activists and abortion]]
*[[Margaret Sanger]]
*[http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/abrpt/2006abrpt.pdf Minnesota official abortion statistics]
*[[National Right to Life Committee]]
*[[Partial birth abortion]]
*[[Planned Parenthood]]
*[[Right to life]]
*[[Right to life movement]]
*[[Sanctity of life]]
*[[Silent scream]]
*[[Taxpayer-funded abortion]]
*[[Communist China and baby eating]]
*[[Atheists eat babies meme]]

==External links==
* [http://creationwiki.org/Abortion Abortion] by [[CreationWiki]]
* [https://www.abortionfacts.com/ Abortion Facts]
* [http://www.carm.org/abortion.htm Abortion] by [[Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry]]
* [https://www.lifesitenews.com/ LifeSiteNews.com]
* [http://www.ProLifeOnCampus.com/ Pro Life on Campus]
* [http://www.aim.org/wls/category/abortion/ What Liberals Say - Category: Abortion], [[Accuracy In Media]]
* [http://www.investigatemagazine.com/mar3abrt.htm Abortion and breast cancer in New Zealand]
* [http://www.numberofabortions.com/ Real Time Estimation of Abortions Worldwide]
{{Abortion}}
{{Liberalism}}

==Further Reading==
The Choice: The Abortion Divide in America by Danielle D'Souza Gill

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=35em}}

[[Category:Abortion]]
[[Category:Sexuality]]
[[Category:Religion and Politics]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]

Abortion

2021-08-10T15:04:21Z

Amateratsu: /* Public Opinion */ Using more recent statistics.

[[Image:Baby.jpg|right|thumb|250px|An unborn child in the womb. Liberals believe that the unborn child has no right to life.]]
'''Abortion''' is the induced termination of a [[pregnancy]],<ref>American Heritage Dictionary definition, [http://www.bartleby.com/61/7/A0020700.html abortion].</ref> often causing [[fetal pain]]. Abortion has two victims: the unborn child, and the mother who can never forget the loss she caused. Breast cancer rates increase by ''more than six times'' for women who have abortion, according to a recent study.<ref>[http://www.indianjcancer.com/article.asp?issn=0019-509X;year=2013;volume=50;issue=4;spage=316;epage=321;aulast=Bhadoria AS Bhadoria, U Kapil, N Sareen, P Singh, "Reproductive factors and breast cancer: A case-control study in tertiary care hospital of North India," 50 ''Indian Journal of Cancer'' 4, 316-321 (2013)</ref> Additional victims of abortion include after-born children, who have a higher rate of premature birth and birth defects due to the harm caused by a prior abortion.

Abortion is a billion-dollar industry in the [[United States]]. Although [[Planned Parenthood]] likes to claim abortion accounts for just 3% of its services, according to its 2007-08 budget, it received $1.038 billion of revenue, and half to two-thirds relates to its abortion services. (''See [[Abortion#Planned Parenthood.27s Budget|Planned Parenthood's Budget]]'') Dr. George Tiller "estimated that he performed 250 to 300 late-term abortions in 2003, each costing an average of $6,000."<ref>Hegeman, R. (2009, March 25). [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/03/25/kan_doctor_testifies_in_abortion_case_against_him/ Kan. doctor testifies in abortion case against him]. ''Associated Press''.</ref> There have been more than 60 million abortions in the [[United States]] since 1973.<ref name=factsheet>''Number of Abortions''. [http://www.christianliferesources.com/?/library/view.php&articleid=1042 U.S. Abortion Statistics By Year (1973-Current)]. National Right to Life Factsheet, January 2012. (Privacy laws and likely desire to keep this silent holocaust from raising alarm hinders data collection on abortion. CDC researchers have admitted they probably undercount the total number of abortions because reporting laws vary from state to state and some abortionists probably do not report or under-report the abortions they perform. Abortions from CA and NH have not been counted by the CDC since 1998, and reports from other states are also missing for some years.)</ref>

Right to choose is no solace, because doing something so wrong will have devastating consequences. A right to privacy would not permit the taking of life when that life is inconvenient, whether in the privacy of one's own home or own body.
{{TOC right}}
Saying one can't criticize a woman's choice to murder her children is like saying one can't criticize the president without being the president.<ref name=lucente>Lucente Jr., T.J. (2012, January 29). [https://www.limaohio.com/articles/right-78475-privacy-one.html Right to Privacy is Not a License to Kill]. ''LimaOhio.com.'' Freedom Communications, Inc.</ref> Rape or life of the mother are extremely rare circumstances accounting for less than 1% of all abortions, with little bearing on the broader "abortion on demand" issue, particularly since all legislation the Pro-Life movement has been putting out recently has included exceptions for them, and many states had laws allowing abortion for such cases before ''Roe v. Wade'' - abortion was legalized for other reasons. (''See [[Abortion#Arguments On Abortion|Arguments On Abortion]]'')

Ultimately, this debate is about when a fetus becomes a human being worthy of all applicable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness under the [[Declaration of Independence]], for once it is we should not take its life lightly. And when it comes to that, 18,150 abortions occur after the 21st week of pregnancy<ref name=induced>(2011, August). [https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html/ Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States]. ''Guttmacher Institute''.</ref> - the earliest point children can be born prematurely and live.<ref name=tooyoung>Rochman, B. (2011, May 27). [http://healthland.time.com/2011/05/27/baby-born-at-21-weeks-survives-how-young-is-too-young-to-save/ A 21-Week-Old Baby Survives and Doctors Ask, How Young is Too Young to Save?] ''Time Magazine''.</ref> An additional 45,980 abortions occur in the 16th-20th weeks of pregnancy.<ref name=induced /> These are 60 thousand abortions each year that are clearly murder, since the child is at or near the same stage of pregnancy as children born prematurely via C-Section. Furthermore, substantial fetal development occurs within the first 12 weeks (1st trimester) of pregnancy, including brain wave activity at 6 weeks, complete body sensitivity at 10 weeks, and all facial expressions (including smiling) at 11 weeks.<ref name=clowes>Clowes, Brian, PhD. 2001. [https://www.hli.org/index.php/the-facts-of-life/480?task=view The Facts of Life]. Ch. 12. Front Royal: Human Life International.
Also in: Sharing the Pro-Life Message. Chicago: Pro-Life Action League, 2009. Print.</ref> By not erring on the side of caution when potentially infringing on the inalienable right to life given by our Creator, the Pro-Choice movement has brought the blood of countless children on their hands, and on our nation's. (''See [[Abortion#When Does Life Begin.3F|When Does Life Begin?]]'')

A growing body of evidence increasingly suggests that abortion is linked to Breast Cancer, later premature births, and other health concerns. Millions of women who had an abortion later suffer psychologically or physically from it, and support groups exist to help.<ref>Rodgers-Melnick, A. (2002, January 20). [http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20020120abortion0120p3.asp Groups support those who regret abortions]. ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''.</ref> Many victims of abortion find healing by speaking out against, and discouraging, similar harm to other mothers and their children.<ref>"I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born," observed President [[Ronald Reagan]]. He also observed, "With me, abortion is not a problem of religion, it's a problem of the Constitution. I believe that until and unless someone can establish that the unborn child ''is not a living human being'', then that child is already protected by the Constitution, which guarantees life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to all of us."</ref> "Abortion doesn't solve your problems, it only creates different ones," warned a full-page ad by women who had abortions.<ref>''Anglicans for Life'' and ''Priests for Life''. [http://www.silentnomoreawareness.org/signaturead/ad.pdf We Regret Our Abortions]. ''Orange County Right to Life''.</ref> Abortion always ends the life of the unborn child, typically by dismemberment. Abortion increases the risk of breast cancer, future premature birth, mental illness, and other long-term health problems for the mother, as detailed below. (''See [[Abortion#Health Concerns|Health Concerns]]'')

One of NARAL's founders, [[Bernard Nathanson]], acknowledged that NARAL in the early days of the Pro-Choice movement simply fabricated statistics on back-alley abortions; inflating the actual numbers ten-fold to get abortion legalized. Rather than making abortion rare, the annual number of abortions has increased 1500% since [[Roe v. Wade]].<ref name=nathanson>Kupelian, David (2005, January 20). "[https://www.wnd.com/2005/01/28544/ Blood Confessions: Ex-Abortionists Spill Their Guts]." ''Whistleblower Magazine''. ''Whistleblower Magazine'' (2003, January 2). "[https://www.wnd.com/2003/01/16460/ Ex-Abortionists Expose America's Greatest Scandal]."</ref> (''See [[Abortion#History|History]]'') Gallup polling in 2012 reveals that just 24% of Americans support abortion after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy,<ref name=gallupabortion>''Gallup''. "[https://www.gallup.com/poll/1576/abortion.aspx/ Abortion]." Do you think abortion should be legal in most circumstances or only in a few circumstances?</ref> even though abortion is allowed in all 9 months.<ref name=ninemonths>[http://www.whyprolife.com/is-abortion-legal-all-9-months-of-pregnancy/ Is Abortion Legal All 9 Months of Pregnancy?] ''WhyProLife.com''.</ref> Just 25% believe abortion should be legal under all circumstances, and an additional 13% believe it should be legal under most circumstances. Most Americans believe abortion should usually be illegal save in rare cases.<ref name=gallupabortion /> (''See [[Abortion#Public Opinion|Public Opinion]]'')

[[Abortion in Poland]] declined by 99% after [[communism]] was overthrown (and abortion abolished<ref>''Catholic World News'' (2007, April 11). [http://www.catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=50451 Liberal abortion law takes effect in Portugal]. Trinity Communications.</ref>), and women's health has dramatically improved there due to fewer abortions.<ref>Johnston, W.R., Dr. (2008, October 9). [http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/ab-poland.html Historical abortion statistics, Poland]. ''Johnston's Archive'.</ref>

==Statistics on abortion==

''See also:'' [[Abortion statistics]]

* As of 2012, it is estimated there has been over 59.8 million babies murdered by abortion since the Supreme Court handed down its 1973 ''Roe v. Wade'' decision. After reaching 25 percent from a high of over 1.6 million in the year 1990, the number of abortions performed annually in the U.S. has leveled off at about 1.2 million infants murdered by abortion a year, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI). By 2016, the number of yearly abortions in America dropped to an historic low of less than 1,000,000.<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/17/health/us-abortions-historic-lows-trnd/ Abortions in the US have been dropping. Now it's at a historic low</ref>
* Approximately 22% of all U.S. pregnancies ended in abortion.<ref>Jones RK and Kooistra, K., [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1363/4304111/abstract Abortion incidence and access to services in the United States], 2008, Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2011, 43(1):41-50. (Excludes miscarriages.)</ref>
* Only about 1 percent each year are attributed to rape and incest.<ref name=rare>Johnston, W.R., Dr. (2008, October 9). [http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/abreasons.html Reasons given for having abortions in the United States]. ''Johnston's Archive'.</ref> 40% of women ages 15 to 44 have had at least one abortion. 4 out of 10 teen pregnancies end in murder by abortion. Based on the rate of abortion, it was estimated (2000) that 43 percent of American women would have at least one abortion by the age of 45.
* 7 out of 10 U.S. women are sexually active (usually as fornicators) but do not want to become pregnant.<ref>''Alan Guttmacher Institute'', In Brief: Fact Sheet, [https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html/ Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States], August 2011.</ref>
* Women who have never married and are not cohabiting account for 45% of all abortions. 57% of all women having abortions between 15 and 44 are in their 20's. 36% of non-Hispanic women are abortions were white, 30% are non-Hispanic black, and 25% are Hispanic.<ref name=patients>Jones RK, Finer LB and Singh S, [https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/US-Abortion-Patients.pdf Characteristics of U.S. Abortion Patients], 2008, New York: Guttmacher Institute, 2010.</ref>
* 37% of women killing babies by abortion were Protestant, (include those who identified as “Christian” but who did not specify a denomination) while 28% were Catholic, and 20% identified themselves as born-again, evangelical, charismatic or fundamentalist (in 2000, some 13% of abortion patients aged 18 and older identified as born-again or evangelical before the question was reworded slightly for the 2008 survey), while 27% gave no religious affiliation, increasing from 22% in 2000. (Protestants were under-represented among those committing abortion in proportion to the total number of Protestants nationwide, and the relative abortion rate for this group was lower than the rate for all women.)<ref name=patients />
* Although 66% of women having abortions had some type of health insurance, 57% paid for their abortion out of pocket. Among women with private health insurance, 63% paid out of pocket.<ref name=patients />

==Arguments On Abortion==

''See also:'' [[Abortion arguments]]

The following are some common Pro-Choice arguments on abortion, and problems with the reasoning.
===Rare Circumstances: Life of Mother and Rape===
''BBC News'' has an article called "Abortion in self-defence" arguing that abortion should be allowed in cases where the mother's life and health are at risk, and that this is justifiable self-defense. However, ''BBC News'' acknowledges that abortion is NOT justified for the following reasons: {{cquote|"But supposing the mother is not in physical danger, what then? There are a number of cases where some people argue that a woman should have the right to an abortion, such as: damage to mental health, damage to family, damage to career prospects, damage to financial prospects, damage to plans for her life. The self-defence argument for abortion seems to fail here, because although a threat to life can be a defence to a charge of killing someone, none of the above would be an adequate defence in a case of homicide, nor would they be regarded as reasons that justified euthanasia. But if we don't regard the foetus as a person with a right to live, or if we regard it as a being that doesn't have a full right to life, then these cases of self-defence may be arguable."
-''BBC News''.<ref name=bbc>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/abortion/philosophical/selfdefence.shtml Abortion in Self-Defence]. ''BBC News''. Retrieved July 23, 2012.</ref>}} However, (A) danger to life of the mother, like rape, is a very rare circumstance that accounts for less than 1% of all abortions,<ref name=rare /> (B) all major legislation put out by the Right to Life movement over the past decade has included exceptions allowing abortions for rape and life of the mother (e.g. [[Mexico City Policy]], [[Born Alive Infant Protection Act]], [[Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act]], etc.) and (C) at least 13 states had legislation allowing abortion for rape or life of the mother BEFORE Roe v. Wade<ref>[https://www.nrlc.org/abortion/facts/abortiontimeline.html Abortion History Timeline]. ''National Right to Life Committee''.</ref> - abortion was legalized for other reasons.

The bottom line is that apart from such extremely rare circumstances, ''BBC News'' acknowledges that "''The self-defence argument for abortion seems to fail here, because although a threat to life can be a defence to a charge of killing someone, none of the above would be an adequate defence in a case of homicide, nor would they be regarded as reasons that justified euthanasia.''"<ref name=bbc /> Choosing to kill another person, in other words, is unjustifiable unless the mother's life is in danger or, debatably, if rape occurred. In fact, those who bring up cases like rape and life of the mother are doing so because, deep inside, they themselves know that choosing to murder another human being is justifiable only under such extreme circumstances, and NOT for abortion on demand.

The only way to justify abortion apart from such circumstances is, as ''BBC News'' says, "''if we don't regard the foetus as a person with a right to live, or if we regard it as a being that doesn't have a full right to life''".<ref name=bbc /> You see, this is not about the right to choose at all, and such a slogan distracts from the real issue - the real issue is whether the fetus is a human being deserving of a full right to life. Because if it is a human being worthy of the right to life, then there is no excuse for "choosing to kill" via abortion on demand.

===Right to One's Body===
The Pro-Choice movement likes to say that women should have a right to their bodies. However, such a right should logically not allow one to harm others with that body, including physical assault, murder, rape, or theft, and therefore, this is not an absolute right, but a privilege that is not intended to exceed another's unalienable rights, including the right to life. As Hugh V. McLachlan of ''Glasgow Caledonian University'' pointed out in 1997, there is no entitlement to one's body and "''we have rights duties, liabilities, restrictions and
disadvantages as well as rights concerning our own bodies.''" {{cquote|"Consider the assumption at issue in the abstract: 'That particular X is your X and, therefore, you are entitled to do what you want with it'. As a matter of pure logic, the claim is an absurdity. What if 'X' stands for a Thompson Machine Gun? Should we say: 'That is your machine gun and, therefore, you can do whatever you like with it?' On the contrary, although there might be some things which you and only you can of right do to and with the gun, if that particular machine gun is your machine gun then it is incumbent upon you in particular to ensure that certain things are not done with it. Is the situation any different when 'X' pertains to one's body or to parts of it? I do not think so."
-Hugh V. McLachlan, ''Glasgow Caledonian University''.<ref name=mclachlan>McLachlan, H.V. (1997). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1377347/ Bodies, Rights, and Abortions]. Journal of Medical Ethics. Vol. 23. p. 176.</ref>}}
As McLachlan continues to point out, this emphasis on rights neglects the other side of the coin, responsibilities or duties. He gives on pg. 177 the example of an insurance policy, and how using one's body to commit suicide can invalidate such a contract.<ref name=mclachlan /> Logically, creating another human life should likewise bring responsibly for actions toward that life - how is the decision to create another human life of lesser importance than the decision to sign an insurance contract? Why should one be able to kill a separate person to void the sexual decision to bring about another life, yet not be able to kill oneself without voiding an insurance contract? {{cquote|"Certainly a woman has a right to control her own body, but the unborn entity, though for a time living inside her body, is not part of her body. Hence, abortion is not justified, since no one's right to personal autonomy is so strong that it permits the arbitrary execution of others."
-Francis J. Beckwith, ''Christian Research Journal''.<ref>Beckwith, F.J. (1991). [https://christiananswers.net/q-sum/q-life009.html Doesn't a woman have the right to control her own body?] ''Christian Research Journal''. At ''ChristianAnswers.net''.</ref>}}Ultimately, the real question is whether the fetus in question is another human being to be accorded unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness under the Declaration of Independence, for if so, no right to one's body should give power to infringe on its unalienable right to life. Your right to your body does not include the right, in other words, to kill others using that body to avoid the responsibilities and consequences of a sexual decision to create another life. That is what in the real world is called "murder" and it is reprehensible. Therefore, the real question is at what point a fetus becomes a human being.

===Right to Privacy===
To get abortion legalized, the Pro-Choice movement had to argue that women should have a "right to privacy".<ref>Levin, M.R. (2005, March 14). [http://old.nationalreview.com/levin/levin200503140754.asp Death by Privacy]. ''The National Review''.</ref> However, logically, if the fetus is a human being and thus murder would be committed, privacy is no excuse for such murder. Logically, killing someone in the privacy of one's own home should no more be an excuse for murder than killing them in the privacy of one's body. Furthermore, as Judge Henry J. Friendly pointed out in the nation's first major abortion case, [[Hall v. Lefkowitz]], abortion is actually a complete violation of privacy when you look at it, requiring intervention in a woman's most private areas by a physician and variety of medical personnel.
{{cquote|A holding that the privacy of sexual intercourse is protected against governmental intrusion scarcely carries as a corollary that when this has resulted in conception, government may not forbid destruction of the fetus. The type of abortion the plaintiffs particularly wish to protect against governmental sanction is the antithesis of privacy. The woman consents to intervention in the uterus by a physician, with the usual retinue of assistants, nurses, and other paramedical personnel, indeed the condition calling for such intervention may very likely have been established by clinical tests... Yet, even if we were to take plaintiffs’ legal position that the legislature cannot constitutionally interfere with a woman’s right to do as she will with her own body so long as no harm is done to others, the argument does not support the conclusion plaintiffs would have us draw from it. For we cannot say the New York legislature lacked a rational basis for considering that abortion causes such harm. Even if we should put aside the interests of the father, negligible indeed in the many cases when he has abandoned the prospective mother but not in all, the legislature could permissibly consider the fetus itself to deserve protection.<ref name=friendly>Randolph, A. Raymond. [http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol29_No3_Randolph.pdf Before Roe v. Wade: Judge Friendly's Draft Abortion Opinion]. ''Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy''. Vol. 29.</ref>}}
===Women Choose, Not Men===
The Pro-Choice movement likes to say men and fathers should have no say in the abortion debate, only women. However, as Thomas J. Lucente Jr. points out, this is similar to saying one can't criticize the President unless one is the President. {{cquote|"The pro-abortion crowd will argue that because I am a man, I should not be allowed to have an opinion on abortion, unless, of course, I support the mass murder of 50 million babies in the last 39 years. That's akin to saying I can't criticize the president unless I have been the president."
-Thomas J. Lucente Jr.<ref name=lucente />}} As [[Alan Keyes]] has pointed out, the Pro-Choice movement essentially is arguing for the baby's rights to be dependent on the mother's desire for it, making women slave-owners, essentially - this is very different from the [[Declaration of Independence]] which says the Creator gives us our unalienable rights, rather than them being dependent upon other people.<ref>Jefferson, T. (1776, July 4). [http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm The Declaration of Independence]. Retrieved from ''USHistory.org''. Independence Hall Association.</ref> {{cquote|"Either you can subscribe to the American creed which says that God endowed us with our rights, or you can subscribe to the abortion creed which says that those rights are the consequences of our mother's will."
-Alan Keyes, speech at Southern Methodist University, Feb. 24, 1997.<ref>[http://www.abortiontv.com/Words/Slavery.htm Former Presidential candidate, Alan Keyes shares his views on the commonalities between abortion and slavery]. ''AbortionTV.com''.</ref>}}
{{cquote|"... abortion is to our time what slavery was to the 19th Century, and if anyone of conscience went anywhere in the 19th Century and did not confront the American people with the evil of slavery, then they were not doing what statesmanship required... Well, it's a part of her body utterly dependent on her body, not viable apart from her body. She has, therefore, absolute power over this being, and given that absolute power she has the absolute right to dispose of it according to her will. We don't recognize what that's saying? What that's saying is that power makes for right. Might makes for right. If I have you in my power, I may dispose of you and your life according to my will. And if that argument is now accepted, and we have embraced it as a fundamental principle of law, then we have rejected the right principle. For if our right, our most basic and conditional right, the right to life itself comes to us not from God but from our mother's choice, then there is no human right that transcends in its claim, human choice and human power. Abortion is the paradigm, the ultimate paradigm of despotism, tyranny, oppression, slavery, holocaust."
-Alan Keyes, speech in San Francisco, March 3, 2003.<ref>[http://www.notable-quotes.com/a/abortion_quotes.html Abortion Quotes]. ''NotableQuotes.com''.</ref>}} Ultimately, every American has a responsibility to stand up for the rights of other Americans when they are being murdered - regardless of gender. And to say a mother should be able to murder her children whenever she feels like it, apart from the father's opinions, is simply wrong.

== When Does Life Begin? ==

''See also:'' [[When does life begin?]]

Logically, one ought to be erring on the side of caution when potentially infringing on another person's inalienable right to life, rather than seeing how close we can come to committing murder without doing so. Abortion in the U.S. is legal in all 9 months (36 weeks) of pregnancy.<ref name=ninemonths />
===Premature Birth===
Even though children can be born as early as 21 weeks after pregnancy<ref name=tooyoung /> the Guttmacher Institute, Planned Parenthood's research arm, reports that 1.5% of the 1.21 million abortions in the United States occur after the 21st week of pregnancy.<ref name=induced /> Therefore, 18,150 abortions occur each year after the earliest point that children can be born prematurely and live. An additional 3.8% occur 16–20 weeks after pregnancy, an additional 45,980 abortions each year that are most certainly murder given proximity to time of premature birth.<ref name=induced /> Why is a baby considered human outside the womb, yet nothing more than a fetus to be aborted at or near the same point in pregnancy if still inside the womb? And what will abortionists argue? That this is "only" 50-60 thousand innocent lives being taken each year?

===Fetal Development===
{{cquote|"Modern biology instructs that the genetic code that will dictate the entire future of the fetus is formed as early as the ___ day after conception; the fetus is thus something more than inert matter. The rules of property and of tort have come increasingly to recognize its rights."
-Judge Henry Friendly, [[Hall v. Lefkowitz]].<ref name=friendly>Randolph, A. Raymond. "[http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol29_No3_Randolph.pdf Before Roe v. Wade: Judge Friendly's Draft Abortion Opinion]." ''Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy''. Vol. 29.</ref>}}
According to Brian Clowes, Ph.D,<ref name=clowes /> as cited by the Pro-Life Action League,<ref>(2009). [http://www.whyprolife.com/life-in-the-womb/ Sharing the Pro-Life Message]. "Life in the Womb." Pro-Life Action League. Chicago.</ref> fetal development occurs as follows after conception:
* 2 weeks: First completed brain cells appear.
* 3 weeks: Heart begins beating, eyes form; brain, spinal column, and nervous system virtually complete.
* 4 weeks: Muscle development, arm and leg buds visible, neocortical cells appear, blood flows in baby's veins separate from mother's blood.
* 5 weeks: Pituitary gland forms, mouth, ears, and nose take shape.
* 6 weeks: Brain waves can be detected.
* 7 weeks: Cartilage skeleton completely formed, umbilical cord complete, brain coordinates voluntary muscle movement and involuntary organ movement, lips sensitive to touch.
* 8 weeks: Based on nervous system development, a fetus can likely feel pain, teeth present, all organs present save lungs, taste buds and fingerprints forming, responds to tapping on amniotic sac.
* 9 weeks: Fingernails form, can bend its fingers around an object and suck its thumb.
* 10 weeks: All parts of body sensitive to touch; can swallow, squint, frown, and pucker brow.
* 11 weeks: Breathing amniotic fluid and does so until birth, urination, all facial expressions (including smiling) possible, taste buds complete.
* 12 weeks: Can kick, turn over, make a fist, hiccup, cry, open its mouth, press its lips together, and practice breathing.
* 13 weeks: All senses are present, including vocal chords.
* 20 weeks: Can be surprised by loud external noises.
* 23 weeks: A fetus demonstrates REM (Rapid Eye Movement).
* 4 months: Can grasp, swim, and turn somersaults.
* 6 months: Hair growth on head and eyebrows, eyelashes form.
* 7 months: A fetus' hands can support its entire weight.
* 8 months: Fetus weighs more than 4 lbs., all body systems present.
* 9 months: After this point, the fetus gains a half lb. each week and 41 of the 45 total generations of cell replication have already taken place.

Given this, it is small wonder that 76% of Americans in 2011 disapprove of abortion after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
 (''See [[Abortion#2nd Trimester|Public Polling]]'')

Objectively and logically speaking, based on a large amount of evidence, abortion is a form of murder.<ref>Taylor, Paul F (May 2, 2014). [https://answersingenesis.org/sanctity-of-life/abortion/is-it-really-a-matter-of-life-and-death/ Chapter 12: Abortion: Is It Really a Matter of Life and Death?]. ''Answers in Genesis'' (from ''The New Answers Book 3''). Retrieved January 22, 2017.</ref> as well as child sacrifice.<ref>Ham, Ken (October 26, 2015). [https://answersingenesis.org/sanctity-of-life/abortion/abortion-and-child-sacrifice/ Abortion and Child Sacrifice]. ''Answers in Genesis''. Retrieved January 22, 2017.</ref>

==Health Concerns==

''See also:'' [[Abortion health risks]]

===Mental Health Risks From Abortion===
A comprehensive review of literature, published in the ''British Journal of Psychiatry'' suggests that "there is a significant increase in mental health problems after abortion."<ref name="BJP">{{cite web|url = http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/199/3/A11.full#sec-3|title =Abortion, mental health and dental disease|publisher = British Journal of Psychiatry|quote=A comprehensive review of the literature suggests that there is a significant increase in mental health problems after abortion. Coleman (pp. 180–186) suggests that these risks need to be reflected in the delivery of abortion services, and raises the thorny issue that 90% of UK abortions are justified on the presumption that abortion actually reduces the risk to mental health associated with continuing the pregnancy. There is an increasing awareness of increased comorbid physical illness in patients with severe mental illness. Kisely and colleagues (pp. 187–193) found that the levels of advanced dental disease were increased threefold in patients with severe mental illness. The authors suggest that there needs to be improved recognition of this problem – reflected in a more proactive approach to dental hygiene in these patients.|accessdate = 1 September 2011}}</ref><ref name="DavenportMD">{{cite web|url = https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/09/major_study_links_suicide_and_other_mental_health_problems_to_abortion.html|title =Major Study Links Suicide and Other Mental Health Problems to Abortion|publisher = [[American Thinker]]|quote=An important meta-analysis published today in the prestigious British Journal of Psychiatry demonstrates that nearly 10% of mental health problems in women are directly attributable to abortion. "Abortion and mental health: quantitative synthesis and analysis of research published 1995-2009," by Priscilla Coleman of Bowling Green University, shows that women with an abortion history have an 81% increased risk of mental health problems and 155% increased risk of suicide. This meta-analysis combines 22 studies of 877,181 women, 163, 831 of whom have had abortions. A meta-analysis is an especially powerful type of study because it includes a large number of subjects, and by combining studies is much more reliable than a single study.|author=Mary L. Davenport, MD|accessdate = 1 September 2011}}</ref>

===Abortion and Breast Cancer ===
The vast majority of scientific studies have shown that abortion causes an increase in breast cancer, including 16 out of 17 statistically significant studies.<ref name=trumped>Malek, K. (2003). [http://www.jpands.org/vol8no2/malec.pdf The Abortion-Breast Cancer Link: How Politics Trumped Science and Informed Consent]. ''Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons'', 8(2), 41-45.</ref> "A new study coming from researchers in [[Sri Lanka]] finds women who had abortions ... [had a] 3.42 [increased risk] ... compared with those who kept their baby. ... The Sri Lankan study is the fourth epidemiological study in fourteen months to report an abortion-breast cancer link, including studies from the U.S., China and Turkey."<ref>Ertelt, S. (2010, June 22). [https://www.lifenews.com/nat6451.html Study Confirms Abortion Triples Breast Cancer Risk Among Sri Lanka Women]. ''LifeNews.com''.</ref> LifeNews also reported in 2009 that a [[National Cancer Institute]] researcher admitted there was a link between abortion and breast cancer.<ref>Ertelt, S. (2009, January 1). [https://www.lifenews.com/nat5850.html National Cancer Institute Researcher Admits Abortion-Breast Cancer Link True]. ''LifeNews.com''.</ref> Studies showing that abortion increases breast cancer predate the political controversy.<ref>(2002). [http://www.bcpinstitute.org/brochure.htm Breast Cancer Prevention Institute Online Brochure]. ''Breast Cancer Prevention Institute''.</ref> A study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center published in 2009 confirmed a 40% increase in risk in breast cancer from abortion.<ref>Byrne, D. (2010, January 11). [http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/dennis-byrne-barbershop/2010/01/breast-cancer-oral-contraceptives-abortion-and-lies.html Breast cancer, oral contraceptives, abortion and lies (?)] ''ChicagoNow''.</ref><ref>It is undisputed that childbirth protects against breast cancer, and thus early termination of pregnancy must increase the risk of cancer for the mother compared to carrying that same pregnancy to birth.</ref> Yet the abortion industry conceals this increased risk, just as the tobacco industry concealed its cancer risk for decades.<ref>Addison, T.E., M.D. (1998, July). [http://www.mindfully.org/Industry/Tobacco-ChronologyJul98.htm A Chronology of Tobacco in the Civilized World], ''San Francisco Medicine''.</ref>
[[Image:Abortion Hurts Women.jpg|thumb|275px|right|Walk for Life rally]]
A new study on breast cancer in Turkey published in April 2009 in the peer-reviewed World Journal of Surgical Oncology found, through a surveying process, that induced abortion was a statistically significant cause of breast cancer risk. The study concludes, “Our findings suggest that age and induced abortion were found to be significantly associated with increased breast cancer risk….”<ref>Ozman, V. et al. (2009, April 8). [http://wjso.com/content/7/1/37 Breast cancer risk factors in Turkish women – a University Hospital based nested case control study]. ''World Journal of Surgical Oncology'', 7(37). doi:10.1186/1477-7819-7-37</ref>

Specifically, the study found that Turkish women who received one or more induced abortions had a 66% higher risk of breast cancer than women who never had an abortion.<ref>Baklinski, T.M. (2009, July 29). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/jul/09072903.html Study: Breast Cancer Risk 66% Higher in Turkish Women with Abortions]. ''LifeSiteNews.com''.</ref><ref>Malek, K. (2009, July 28). [http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/press_releases/090728/index.htm Study: Turkish Women with Abortions Have Statistically Significant 66% Increase in Breast Cancer Risk / Researchers Likely Underestimated the Risk, Reports Scientist]. ''Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer''.</ref>

Dr. Janet Daling, who considers herself supportive of a right to perform abortions, brought the abortion-breast cancer link into the mainstream with her federally funded research on the topic. Her report, released in 1994, found a 50% increase in breast cancer risk due to induced abortion.<ref>Janet R. Daling et al., "Risk of Breast Cancer Among Young Women: Relationship to Induced Abortion," 86 Journal of the National Cancer Institute; (1994);1584</ref><ref>(2001, March 28). [http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/032801.htm Women's Organization Accuses MAMM of Misleading Public About Abortion-Breast Cancer Link]. ''Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer''.</ref> She said, "I have three sisters with breast cancer and I resent people messing with the scientific data to further their own agenda, be they pro-choice or pro-life. I would have loved to have found no association between breast cancer and abortion, but our research is rock solid and our data is accurate."<ref>L.A. Daily News, Sept. 1997.</ref> Similarly, an early study published in Japan in 1957 showed that women who have abortions have a much higher risk of breast cancer than those who decide to keep their baby.<ref>Segi M, et al. An epidemiological study on cancer in Japan. GANN. 1957; 48:1-63.</ref>

In a peer-reviewed medical journal, Karen Malec observed that:<ref name=trumped />

:Thirty-eight epidemiological studies exploring an independent link [between abortion and] breast cancer have been published. Twenty-nine report risk elevations. Thirteen out of 15 American studies found risk elevations. Seventeen studies are statistically significant, 16 of which report increased risk.

Dr. Angela Lanfranchi, M.D., F.A.C.S., a specialist in breast cancer an a clinical assistant professor of surgery at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, has explained the physiology and epidemiology of the abortion-breast cancer link. She made the following observation:<ref>Angela Lanfranchi, M.D., F.A.C.S, "The breast physiology and the epidemiology of the abortion breast cancer link," 12 Imago Hominis, No. 3, 228 (2005) (emphasis added).</ref>

:This past August in Minneapolis, Patrick Carroll, director of the Pension and Population Research Institute of London, presented a paper to the largest gathering of statisticians in North America. '''He showed that abortion was the best predictor of breast cancer in Britain.''' Breast cancer is the only cancer in Britain which has its highest incidence and mortality rate among the upper rather than lower social classes. Abortion before a full term pregnancy and late pregnancy were the best explanations for this incidence. He also found that there had been a 70% increase risk of breast cancer between 1971 and 2002 and that for women between 50 and 54 years of age incidence was highly correlated with abortion.

Demographic evidence of abortion causing breast cancer includes the following. Breast cancer rates are far lower in Western countries that prohibited abortion than in those that promoted it. Ireland, which virtually bans abortion, reportedly has a lifetime rate of breast cancer of only 1 in 13, nearly half the rate of 1 in 7.5 in the United States.<ref>"Probability of breast cancer in American Women," National Cancer Institute (Apr. 15, 2005); K. O'Flaherty, R. Oakley, "Self-checks 'useless' in breast cancer fight," Sunday Tribune (Ireland), at 8 (Oct. 6, 2002).</ref> The rate of breast cancer increases steadily as one travels from Ireland, where abortion is illegal, to Northern Ireland, where abortion is legal but rare, to England, where abortion is common.<ref>R. O'Reilly, "New weapon in war against breast cancer," The Press Association Limited (Dec. 17, 1998); "Portugal-abortion referendum," Associated Press Worldstream (June 27, 1998).</ref>

In Romania, abortion was illegal under two decades of rule by the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, and the country enjoyed one of the lowest breast cancer rates in the entire world during that time, far lower than comparable Western countries. Romania's breast cancer rate was an astounding one-sixth the rate of the United States.<ref>A. Khan, "The role of fat in breast cancer," The Independent (May 18, 1998).</ref> But after the execution of Ceausescu on Christmas Day, 1989, Romania has taken the opposite approach, embracing abortion to the point that Romania now has one of the highest abortion rates in the world.<ref>N. Abdullaev, "Russians are quickest to marry and divorce," Moscow Times (Dec 8, 2004).</ref> One Romanian observer decried, "The liberalization of abortions in Romania in 1990, the significant increase of the number of abortions at relatively short intervals, determined a rise in the incidence of breast and uterine cervix cancer in my country."<ref>Information packet, Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) World Conference on Breast Cancer (July 1997).</ref>

Studies on rats, which are an accepted method for identifying causes of cancer in humans, further confirm that abortion does indeed increase the risk of breast cancer. As Dr. [[Joel Brind]] observed, "Researchers also widely admit to the biological plausibility of abortion as an independent cause of breast cancer, through the estrogen-mediated stimulation of breast growth in the absence of differentiation. This was demonstrated experimentally in rats in the landmark experiments of Russo and Russo."<ref>[[Joel Brind]], "[http://www.jpands.org/vol10no4/brind.pdf Induced Abortion as an Independent Risk Factor for Breast Cancer: A Critical Review of Recent Studies Based on Prospective Data]," J. of Am. Physicians & Surgeons 105 (Winter 2005) (citing Russo J, Russo IH. Susceptibility of the mammary gland to
carcinogenesis. 1980;100:497-512).</ref> Additional scientific information on the abortion-breast cancer link is available at [http://www.bcpinstitute.org BCPInstitute.org].

An expert (Dr. Lynn Rosenberg) hired to defend abortion felt compelled to admit, under cross-examination, that a woman increases her risk for breast cancer by having an abortion compared to carrying her pregnancy to childbirth:<ref>[http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/rosenberg's_testimony.htm Rosenberg's Testimony]. ''Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer''.</ref>

:Question by the attorney: 'So in other words, a woman who finds herself pregnant at age 15 will have a higher breast cancer risk if she chooses to abort that pregnancy, than if she carries the pregnancy to term, [is that] correct?'

:Dr. Lynn Rosenberg: 'Probably, yes.'

:Question: 'Looking at that another way, let's compare two women. Let's say both got pregnant at age 15-- one terminates the pregnancy, but the other carries the pregnancy to term. And both women go on to get married and have two kids, say, at age 30 and age 35. Is the risk of breast cancer higher for the woman who had an abortion at age 15 or the woman who had a baby at age 15, all other things being equal?'

:Dr. Lynn Rosenberg: 'It's probably higher for the one who had an abortion at age 15.'

Despite the overwhelming evidence—and inescapable logic—for abortion increasing breast cancer, promoters of abortion cite flawed articles in an attempt to deny the link. The flaws in these articles are exposed in the [[Harvard abortion study]] and "Legal Implications of a Link Between Abortion and Breast Cancer" by Andrew Schlafly in the ''Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons''.<ref>Schafly, A. (2005, Spring). [http://www.jpands.org/vol10no1/aschlafly.pdf Legal Implications of a Link Between Abortion and Breast Cancer]. ''Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons'', 10(1), 10-14.</ref>

As Dr. Lanfranchi has explained:<ref>Lanfranchi, A. (2008, Spring). [http://www.jpands.org/vol13no1/lanfranchi.pdf The Federal Government and Academic Texts as Barriers to Informed Consent]. ''Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons'', 13(1), 12-15.</ref>

:Well-documented breast physiology accounts for the fact that oral contraceptives and abortion are risk factors for breast cancer. There is an effort to suppress this information by federal agencies and those in academic medicine. Without this information, women cannot make a fully informed choice about their method of fertility control or about whether to maintain an unplanned pregnancy. Medical ethics demands that they be informed.

Pro-choice should include ''informed'' choice.<ref>The Archdiocese of St. Louis, for example, remarked about abortions and increased risk for breast cancer: "To dismiss that link is irresponsible." http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5620863.html (Link no longer works)</ref> Yet efforts continue to suppress awareness that abortion increases breast cancer. Pro-life scientists were almost entirely barred from the National Cancer Institute's "study" of the link, and its resulting statements were fatally flawed as explained in [[National Cancer Institute on Abortion]].

Just as organizations denied or failed to disclose the connection between smoking and lung cancer, many organizations aligned with [[liberal]] politicians deny the correlation between abortion and breast cancer despite numerous studies published in peer reviewed journals indicating a likely connection.

[[File:Smelliesdoublecrochet.jpg|right|thumb|250px| The Smellie's double crochet abortion tool was used to grab and forcibly remove the fetus from the womb.]]

===Abortion Causes Future Harm with Premature Births===

"At least 49 studies have demonstrated a statistically significant increase in premature births (PB) or low birth weight (LBW) risk in women with prior induced abortions (IAs)."<ref>Brent Rooney and Byron C. Calhoun, "Induced Abortion and Risk of Later Premature Births," 8 J. Am. Physicians & Surgeons 46 (Summer 2003). [http://www.jpands.org/vol8no2/rooney.pdf]</ref> Premature birth tragically causes brain damage, and an array of other severe, lifelong injuries ranging from Cerebral Palsy to blindness, or even death, and few mothers would knowingly increase the risk of that happening. "There are at least seventeen (17) studies that have found that previous induced abortions increase preterm birth risk” and thereby increase debilitating Cerebral Palsy in children."<ref>Brent Rooney, Letter, 96 European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 239 (2001) (citations omitted).</ref>

In 2008, the generally pro-abortion British medical journal, ''The Lancet'', admitted that a procedure often used in abortion increase the risk of premature birth:<ref name=lancet>Dr, Jay D. Iams, Dr. Robert Romero, Jennifer F. Culhane (PhD), Dr. Robert L. Goldenberg. [http://www.v2020la.org/pub/PUBLICATIONS_BY_TOPICS/ROP/Primary,_secondary,_and_tertiary_interventions.....pdf] Primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions to reduce the morbidity and mortality of preterm birth. Lancet 2008;371:164-175. While the text of this article conceals the connection with abortion, it cites as support for its claims two studies showing how abortion increases risk of premature birth: the 2004 'Ancel' study of ten European countries and the 2005 'Moreau' study that used French subjects. Ancel P-Y, Lelong N, Papiernik E, Saurel-Cubizoilles M-J, Kaminski M. [http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/content/19/3/734.full History of induced abortion as a risk factor for preterm birth in European countries: results of the EUROPOP survey]. Human Reproduction. 2004;112:734-740. Moreau C, Kaminski M, Ancel PY et al. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15777440 Previous I induced abortions and the risk of very preterm delivery; Results of the EPIPAGE study]. British J Obstetrics Gynaecology 2005; 112:430-437.</ref>

:"For example, greater public and professional awareness of evidence that repeated uterine instrumentation--eg, uterine curettage or endometrial biopsy--is associated with increased risk of subsequent preterm birth might over time influence decision-making about the procedure."

Researchers Rooney and Calhoun observed:<ref name=lancet />

:Large studies have reported a doubling of [early premature birth] EPB risk from two prior IAs. Women who had four or more IAs experienced, on average, nine times the risk of [extremely early premature births] XPB, an increase of 800 percent. These results suggest that women contemplating IA should be informed of this potential risk to subsequent pregnancies, and that physicians should be aware of the potential liability and possible need for intensified prenatal care.

Demographic evidence of how abortion increases premature birth includes the following:

:* The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): "[T]he abortion rate for black women has been approximately '''three times''' as high as that for white women (range: 2.6--3.1) since 1991"<ref>https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5407a1.htm (emphasis added)</ref>
:* ''Science Daily'''s report on a study by the Washington University School of Medicine: "African-American women are '''three times''' more likely to deliver babies three to 17 weeks prematurely than Caucasian women"<ref>Washington University School of Medicine (2007, February 12). [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070209074144.htm African-American Mothers]. (emphasis added)</ref>

In 2002 an article entitled "Preterm Birth: A Continuing Challenge" noted that premature births are abnormally high in the United States, citing a study that observed that a previous abortion is a "risk factor for both infertility and preterm birth."<ref>Moore, M.L. (2002, Fall). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1595132/ Preterm Birth: A Continuing Challenge]. ''The Journal of Perinatal Education'', 11(4), 37-40. doi: 10.1624/105812402X88948</ref>

The rate of premature birth is elevated by the same amount as the abortion rate, as expected if abortion increases the risk of premature birth.

===Other Health Risks from Abortion===

The [[U.S. Supreme Court]] ruled in 2007 that:<ref>''Gonzales v. Carhart'', 127 S. Ct. 1610, 1634 (2007).</ref> {{cquote|"While we find no reliable data to measure the phenomenon, it seems unexceptionable to conclude some women come to regret their choice to abort the infant life they once created and sustained. See Brief for Sandra Cano ''et al.'' as Amici Curiae in No. 05-380, pp 22-24. Severe depression and loss of esteem can follow."}} A study published in the Southern Medical Journal observed that there are higher death rates associated with women who have abortion, and that these higher death rates persist over time and across socioeconomic boundaries.<ref>D.C. Reardon, P.G. Ney, F.J. Scheuren, J.R. Cougle, P.K. Coleman, T. Strahan, "Deaths associated with pregnancy outcome: a record linkage study of low income women," 95 Southern Medical Journal 8, at 834-41 (August 2002).</ref>

In [[England]], the "Royal College of Psychiatrists says women should not be allowed to have an abortion until they are counselled on the possible risk to their mental health." The medical royal college warned that women who have abortions may be at risk of mental health problems.<ref>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article3559486.ece (Link no longer works)</ref> A New Zealand study found that abortion in young women may be associated with increased risks of mental health problems.<ref>Fergusson, D.M., et. al. (2006, January). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16405636 Abortion in young women and subsequent mental health]. ''The Journal of Child Psychology andPsychiatry'', 47(1), 16-24. PMID 16405636.</ref> The researcher in this study, who was not pro-life, was shaken by the study and had to go to four journals before he could find one who would publish it.<ref name=gilson>Gilson, T. (2006, February 24). [https://www.thinkingchristian.net/C1148465919/E20060224082323/index.html Abortion and Mental Health]. ''Thinking Christian''.</ref>

The study concludes with the following statement:
{{cquote|These findings are inconsistent with the current consensus on the psychological effects of abortion. In particular, in its 2005 statement on abortion, the American Psychological Association concluded that “well-designed studies of psychological responses following abortion have consistently shown that risk of psychological harm is low...the percentage of women who experience clinically relevant distress is small and appears to be no greater than in general samples of women of reproductive age” (American Psychological Association, 2005). This relatively strong conclusion about the absence of harm from abortion was based on a relatively small number of studies which had one or more of the following limitations: a) absence of comprehensive assessment of mental disorders; b) lack of comparison groups; and c) limited statistical controls. Furthermore, the statement appears to disregard the findings of a number of studies that had claimed to show negative effects for abortion (Cougle et al., 2003; Gissler et al., 1996; Reardon & Cougle, 2002).<ref name=gilson />}}

Professor David Fergusson, lead author of the New Zealand study stated:
{{cquote|It borders on scandalous that one of the most common surgical procedures performed on young women is so poorly researched and evaluated. If this were Prozac or Vioxx, reports of associated harm would be taken much more seriously with more careful research and monitoring procedures." <ref>Throckmorton, W. (2006, January 20). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2006/jan/20/20060120-091648-6456r/?page=all#pagebreak Abortion and Mental Health]. ''The Washington Times''.</ref>}}

Another study published in the OB/GYN Survey detailed long-term physical and psychological health consequences of induced abortions.<ref>J.M. Thorp, Jr., K.E. Hartmann, and E.M. Shadigian, "[content.silaspartners.com/156/41045/156_41045_shadigian.1.pdf Long-Term Physical & Psychological Health Consequences of Induced Abortion: Review of the Evidence]," 58 OB/GYN Survey 1, at 67-79 (2003)</ref>

Suicide rates among women who had abortions are six times higher than women who gave birth in the prior year. Overall, deaths from suicide, homicide and accidents were 248% higher after an abortion, as found by a 13-year study in Finland of its entire population.<ref>http://www.abortionrecoverycounseling.com/Page8.html (Link no longer works)</ref>

In the United States, only one state (Missouri) requires that the abortionist have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the abortion.<ref>Mo. Rev. Stat. § 188.080 prohibits an abortion by a physician "who does not have clinical privileges at a hospital which offers obstetrical or gynecological care located within thirty miles of the location at which the abortion is performed or induced."</ref> In the other 49 states, an abortion patient can and often is left without prompt medical care by the treating physician.

One of the largest abortion providers in the United States, the Metropolitan Medical Associates of New Jersey, was shut down in 2007 by state health officials after one of its botched abortions left a 20-year-old woman in a coma for more than four weeks. She "became severely ill following the abortion and was transferred to Newark Beth Israel Medical Center where she needed blood transfusions and had her uterus removed. She also suffered a stroke due to the serious blood loss and had one of her lungs collapse." The State of New Jersey had shut down the same facility in 1993 also.<ref>Ertelt, S. (2007, March 1). [https://www.lifenews.com/state2137.html Woman Comatose for a Month After Botched Abortion Caused Center’s Closing]. ''LifeNews.com''.</ref>

== Communist China and the consumption of powdered baby flesh from abortions ==

''See also:'' *[[Atheists eat babies meme#Atheistic China and baby eating|Communist China and the consumption of powdered baby flesh]] and [[Atheists eat babies meme]] and [[Atheism, Chinese doctors and baby eating]]

[[File:China on globe.png|right|thumb|250px|In 2014, ''The Washington Times'' reported: "China’s one child policy, baby trafficking, and sex trafficking of [[North Korean]] women aren’t the worst human rights violation happening in the country. Aborting innocent and healthy unborn children and eating them to boost one’s stamina and sexual health is.<ref name="washingtontimes.com">[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/31/chinese-cannibalism-infant-flesh-outrages-world/ Chinese cannibalism of infant flesh outrages the world], ''Washington Times'', 2014</ref>]]
In 2014, ''The Washington Times'' reported:
{{Cquote|China’s one child policy, baby trafficking, and sex trafficking of North Korean women aren’t the worst human rights violation happening in the country. Aborting innocent and healthy unborn children and eating them to boost one’s stamina and sexual health is.

South Korean customs officials recently seized thousands of pills filled with powdered human baby flesh arriving from China. Since August 2011, South Korean officials have intercepted more than 17000 pills smuggled from China.

South Korean officials became aware of a horrific practice of eating aborted fetuses after Seoul Broadcasting System showed a documentary on Chinese doctors who performed abortions and then ate the fetuses. One Chinese doctor on the documentary took out fetuses from his refrigerator.<ref name="washingtontimes.com">[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/31/chinese-cannibalism-infant-flesh-outrages-world/ Chinese cannibalism of infant flesh outrages the world], ''Washington Times'', 2014</ref>}}

For additional information, please see:

*[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2140702/South-Korea-customs-officials-thousands-pills-filled-powdered-human-baby-flesh.html Thousands of pills filled with powdered human baby flesh discovered by customs officials in South Korea], ''The Daily Mail'', 2012

*[https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/05/horrifyingly-ground-baby-pills-are-real-thing/328490/ Horrifyingly, Ground Baby Pills Are a Real Thing] by Alexander Abad-Santos, ''The Atlantic'', May 7, 2012

*[https://abcnews.go.com/Health/chinese-made-infant-flesh-capsules-seized-korea/story?id=16296176 Chinese-Made Infant Flesh Capsules Seized in S. Korea], ''ABC News'', 2012

==History==
[[Image:115523-004-FA619CA3.jpg|thumb|right|250px| The perverse and cruel [[atheism|atheist]] [[Marquis de Sade]] advocated induced abortion.<ref>https://jme.bmj.com/content/6/1/7.abstract</ref>]]
''Please also see:'' [[History of abortion]]

Abortion was an extremely harsh '''''punishment''''' in the [[Old Testament]], imposed against those who have "rebelled against" God:

:"Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb." (Hosea 9:16)

:"Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up." (Hosea 13:16)

:"Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up." (2 Kings 15:16)

The father of [[medicine]], [[Hippocrates]], expressly prohibited abortion in his ethical [[Oath]] long before [[Christianity]].

The ''Journal of Medical Ethics'' article declared concerning the [[atheism|atheist]] and [[sadism|sadist]] [[Marquis de Sade]]:
{{cquote|In 1795 the Marquis de Sade published his La Philosophic dans le boudoir, in which he proposed the use of induced abortion for social reasons and as a means of population control. It is from this time that medical and social acceptance of abortion can be dated, although previously the subject had not been discussed in public in modern times. It is suggested that it was largely due to de Sade's writing that induced abortion received the impetus which resulted in its subsequent spread in western society.<ref>Farr, A.D. (1980). [https://jme.bmj.com/content/6/1/7.abstract The Marquis de Sade and induced abortion]. ''Journal of Medical Ethics'', 6, 7-10. doi:10.1136/jme.6.1.7</ref>}}

[[Population control]] is based on [[pseudoscience]] and ill founded [[economics|economic]] assumptions.<ref>Egnor, M. (2010, November 30). [http://www.evolutionnews.org/2010/11/pz_myers_on_abortion040971.html P.Z. Myers on Abortion]. ''Evolution News and Views''.</ref>

=== Adolf Hitler and Abortion ===
''For more information see:'' [[Abortion and Adolf Hitler]]
[[Image:Hitlerspeech.jpg|thumb|290px|right|[[Adolf Hitler]]]]‎In 1942 [[Adolf Hitler]] declared:
{{cquote|In view of the large families of the Slav native population, it could only suit us if girls and women there had as many abortions as possible. We are not interested in seeing the non-[[German]] population multiply…We must use every means to instill in the population the idea that it is harmful to have several children, the expenses that they cause and the dangerous effect on woman's health… It will be necessary to open special institutions for abortions and doctors must be able to help out there in case there is any question of this being a breach of their professional ethics.<ref>Hoffman, M.C. (2007, September 7). [Israeli Doctor Exposes Nazi Abortion Program https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/sep/07090708.html]. ''LifeSiteNews.com''.</ref>}}

After [[World War II]], the War Crimes Tribunal indicted ten [[Nazi]] leaders for "encouraging and compelling abortion," which the tribunal considered a "crime against humanity."<ref>Wilke, J.C., Dr., et. al. (2006). [https://www.abortionfacts.com/online_books/love_them_both/why_cant_we_love_them_both_25.asp#But%20didn%E2%80%99t%20Hitler%20oppose%20abortion? Why Can't We Love Them Both: Chapter 25, Euthanasia]. ''AbortionFacts.com''.</ref>
===Hall v. Lefkowitz===
[[Hall v. Lefkowitz]] was a court case on November 4, 1969<ref>"[https://www.leagle.com/xmlResult.aspx?xmldoc=19691335305FSupp1030_11150.xml&docbase=CSLWAR1-1950-1985 Hall v. Lefkowitz]." 305 F.Supp. 1030 (1969). www.Leagle.com.</ref> during which Roy Lucas, an assistant professor at the University of Alabama Law School, and his self-founded James Madison Constitutional Law Institute, sued to challenge New York's abortion laws. A three-judge court presided which included famous judge Henry Friendly. Friendly wrote a draft opinion in the spring of 1970 declaring government had right to regulate abortion and protect a fetus, contrary to the later [[Roe v. Wade]] ruling. However, shortly thereafter the New York legislature amended state abortion law to allow abortion within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, and Hall's case was dismissed as unnecessary.<ref name=friendly>Randolph, A. Raymond. "[http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol29_No3_Randolph.pdf Before Roe v. Wade: Judge Friendly's Draft Abortion Opinion]." ''Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy''. Vol. 29.</ref> [[Hall v. Lefkowitz|Read some of Friendly's arguments]] made years before Roe v. Wade.

===NARAL's Lies About Back-Alley Abortions===
Bernard Nathanson, one of NARAL's co-founders, described how he and the organization fabricated abortion statistics and used slogans to sway the public during the early days of Roe v. Wade.
{{cquote|I remember laughing when we made those slogans up. We were looking for some sexy, catchy slogans to capture public opinion. They were very cynical slogans then, just as all of these slogans today are very, very cynical. We persuaded the media that the cause of permissive abortion was a liberal, enlightened, sophisticated one. Knowing that if a true poll were taken, we would be soundly defeated, we simply fabricated the results of fictional polls. We announced to the media that we had taken polls and that 60 percent of Americans were in favor of permissive abortion. We aroused enough sympathy to sell our program of permissive abortion by fabricating the number of illegal abortions done annually in the U.S. The actual figure was approaching 100,000, but the figure we gave to the media repeatedly was 1,000,000. Repeating the big lie often enough convinces the public. The number of women dying from illegal abortions was around 200-250 annually. The figure we constantly fed to the media was 10,000. These false figures took root in the consciousness of Americans, convincing many that we needed to crack the abortion law. Another myth we fed to the public through the media was that legalizing abortion would only mean that the abortions taking place illegally would then be done legally. In fact, of course, abortion is now being used as a primary method of birth control in the U.S. and the annual number of abortions has increased by 1,500 percent since legalization.<ref name=nathanson />}}

=== Roe v. Wade ===
Prior to 1973 abortion was illegal in most of the United States, though a few states (such as Hawaii and New York) allowed it with restrictions.<ref>''A Timeline of Reproductive Rights'' [http://ecampus.bentley.edu/org/wc/reproductiverights.html The Women's Center]</ref> The U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 [[Roe v. Wade]]<ref>Online text of [http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=CASE&court=US&vol=410&page=113 Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973)]</ref> decision ruled that abortions are lawful under the [[U.S. Constitution]] up to the point at which the fetus becomes able to survive outside the womb, and an accompanying decision issued the same day captioned [[Doe v. Bolton]] essentially legalized abortion in the unlimited discretion of the abortionist at any time during pregnancy, up to and including birth. Conservatives immediately criticized these decisions as examples of [[Judicial Activism]]. Ironically, Norma McCorvey, also known as "Jane Roe," only sought an abortion for herself. She did not wish for her personal battle to result in a nationwide "legalization" of the procedure. The only reason the case bore her name was because of her pro-abortion [[feminist]] lawyer, Sarah Weddington, who sought to have Texas' abortion ban overturned.<ref>https://www.lifenews.com/2017/02/18/norma-mccorvey-jane-roe-of-roe-v-wade-passes-away-she-never-had-an-abortion-and-became-pro-life/</ref> Even more importantly, Roe became pro-life and sought to have the Supreme Court's decision overturned.

===Present Day ===
In 2008, worldwide there were approximately 115,000 abortions done per day.<ref name=abortionno>[https://www.abortionno.org/Resources/fastfacts.html Abortion Facts]. ''The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform].</ref> In 2008, approximately 83% of all abortions were performed in developing countries and 17% occurred in developed countries.<ref name=abortionno /> From 2006 to 2015, the number of abortions in the U.S. fell 24% to 638,169, still a very large number.<ref>Multiple references:
*Freiburger, Calvin (November 21, 2018). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/us-abortions-drop-to-record-low-since-roe-v.-wade-cdc-reports US abortion rate drops to record low since Roe v. Wade, CDC reports]. ''LifeSiteNews''. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
*Sullivan, Peter (November 21, 2018). [https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/417876-number-of-abortions-in-us-drops-24-percent-from-2006 Number of abortions in US declines to lowest level since 2006]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
*Leonard, Kimberly (November 21, 2018). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/healthcare/us-abortions-hit-record-post-roe-v-wade-low US abortions hit record post-Roe v. Wade low]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved November 21, 2018.</ref>

States may regulate abortion, such as requiring a 24-hour waiting period and parental consent for minors. Abortion clinics often fail to comply with the health standards of surgical facilities, and States can require compliance (but often do not, resulting in discomfort and harm to the victims of abortion). Many abortionists lack hospital admitting privileges at nearby facilities, so women having complications must go on their own to emergency rooms to see physicians unfamiliar with what actually happened. For any other operation the cost of treating complications is included in the cost of the operation, but for abortions the abortion clinics take their money and typically do not pay for the care of complications.

The more pro-abortion the State regulations are, the larger the number of abortion clinics it will have. [[Arizona]], though a pro-life State, has a regulatory system that results in twelve abortion clinics operating within its borders. In contrast, [[Mississippi]] has only one abortion clinic, and [[Missouri]] has only two.

====Abortion and Eugenics====
{{See also|Abortion and eugenics}}
Abortion and eugenics are often very strongly related. Abortion is commonly used to kill those babies who happen to suffer from [[Down Syndrome]]<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10521836</ref><ref>Bilger, Micaiah (February 7, 2017). [https://www.lifenews.com/2017/02/07/european-nations-are-using-abortion-to-create-a-down-syndrome-free-world/ European Nations are Using Abortion to Create a “Down Syndrome Free” World]. ''LifeNews.com''. Retrieved February 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Gee, Alison (September 29, 2017). [https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-37500189 A world without Down's syndrome?] ''BBC News''. Retrieved February 20, 2017.</ref> and other physical and mental issues, to remove said physical and mental issues from the human race. [[Eugenics]] is essentially the unethical removal of those with physical and mental issues to "purify" the human race.

[[Iceland]] has very pro-abortion policies and nearly 100% of babies with Down Syndrome are aborted.<ref>Multiple references:
*Quinones, Julian; Lajka, Arijeta (August 14, 2017). [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/down-syndrome-iceland/ "What kind of society do you want to live in?": Inside the country where Down syndrome is disappearing]. ''CBS News''. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
*Williams, Thomas D. (August 15, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2017/08/15/iceland-approaches-100-percent-termination-rate-down-syndrome/ Iceland Approaches 100% ‘Termination Rate’ of Babies with Down Syndrome]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
*Desanctis, Alexandra (August 16, 2017). [https://www.nationalreview.com/article/450509/down-syndrome-iceland-cbs-news-disturbing-report Iceland Eliminates People with Down Syndrome]. ''National Review''. Retrieved August 17, 2017.</ref> According to Dr. Peter McParland, an obstetrician from the National Maternity Hospital, and Anne Trainer:<ref>[http://liveactionnews.org/legal-abortion-leading-downs-syndrome-free-world/ Quote of the day: Legal abortion is leading us to a ‘Down’s syndrome-free world’]. ''Live Action News''. February 6, 2017. Retrieved February 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Trainer, Annie (February 4, 2017). [https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/the-eighth-amendment-protected-my-son-3217231-Feb2017/ 'Abortion is leading us to a 'Down's Syndrome-free' world. I can barely type the words']. ''thejournal.ie''. Retrieved February 20, 2017.</ref>

{{cquote|'In Britain, 90% of babies with Down’s Syndrome are aborted before birth. In Iceland, every single baby, 100% of all those diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome, are aborted. There hasn’t been a baby with Down’s Syndrome born in Iceland in the past five years.'

Denmark is following suit, and is expected to be “Down’s Syndrome-free” by 2030 and these cold and chilling statistics show us exactly where legal abortion is leading the rest of Europe.}}

==Reasons Given For Abortions==

[[File:AbortionReasons.jpg‎|thumb|400px| Primary reasons women reported for undergoing abortions]]

''See also:'' [[Reasons given for abortion]]

The Alan Guttmacher Institute, which is not a [[conservative]] or [[pro-life]] organization, conducted a poll of more than 1,200 patients undergoing induced abortions at 11 large-scale [[abortion facilities]] in the United States. The women were asked to identify reasons for seeking abortions, and identify the primary motivation. An additional 38 women at four sites were interviewed in-depth.<ref name="agiSurvey">[https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/psrh/full/3711005.pdf Lawrence Finer, et al., "Reasons U.S. Women Have Abortions: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives", ''Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health'', September 2005]</ref>

The poll omitted any reference to whether the women were able to see an ultrasound of their unborn children before choosing to have an abortion. For the vast majority of women who have abortion, the reason is a lack of knowledge about the unborn child as displayed by an ultrasound. Because a large part of their campaign funds are bankrolled by the abortion industry, liberals are frequent opponents to laws making available ultrasound treatment for patients not certain of the decision. Some physicians have been reported intimidating and pressuring patients to continue with an abortion after the patient has had a change of heart, either on the operating table or before surgery. One doctor, who was also employed as a spokesman for a prominent liberal pro-abortion think tank, reportedly forced a patient to undergo the procedure in order to fill a quota on insurance claims.

Among reasons provided to the women as part of the poll, the two most common selections were "Having a baby would dramatically change my life" (74%) and "I can't afford a baby now" (73%).<ref name="agiSurvey"/> Concerns about their own health were mentioned by only 13% of the women, while only 12% mentioned concerns about the baby's health, though only 3% and 4% respectively gave those as their primary reason for seeking abortion.<ref name="agiSurvey"/>

Interestingly, only 14% indicated "[[husband]] or partner wants me to have an abortion" as a reason, down from 24% in a previous survey in 1987.<ref name="agiSurvey"/> This contrasts with research on women post-abortion, among whom 64% reported feeling pressured by others to abort, and may indicate pressure to abort comes not so much from husbands now as other relationships.<ref name="reardon">[http://www.theunchoice.com/pdf/FactSheets/ForcedAbortionFactSheet.pdf David Reardon, "Forced Abortion in America", April 2010]</ref>

What is often ignored in studies of why women submit to abortions is an ambivalence by some in early pregnancy. Such ambivalence typically resolves when the mother becomes more aware of her unborn child, as displayed by an [[ultrasound]].<ref>Lederman, ''Psychosocial Adaptation in Pregnancy'', 1984</ref><ref>"The Unwanted Pregnancy," ''Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology'', 1970, Cited in Gardner, ''Abortion: The Personal Dilemma'', 1972</ref><ref>Nichols and Humenick, ''Childbirth Education: Practice, Research, and Theory'', 1988</ref>

Less than one percent of all abortions are due to rape. Abortion does not liberate women. It liberates men from the responsibilities of raising children, as well as responsibility for their sexual behavior, including emotional and financial support. Here is a comparison. The founding feminists Susan B. Anthony and Liz Stanton were pro-life. The radical feminists (feminazis) believe that pregnant women are inferior to non-pregnant women. The biggest financial contributor to abortion rights is the Playboy Foundation, which is supportive of the philosophy of uncommitted, anonymous sex without consequences; women are reduced to the status of a consumer item which, if “broken” by pregnancy, can be “fixed” by abortion. A large majority of women who got an abortion said that they did so because they felt pressured by others. This is why before abortion became legal in the US, women who got an abortion did not receive jail time, but instead, get treated as a second victim while the abortionist gets punished. Instead of legalizing abortion in cases of rape, overturn the 1977 US Supreme Court case of [[Coker v. Georgia]], in which the Supreme Court struck down the death penalty for rapists as a violation of the eighth amendment.

Disability does not do anything to take away happiness. Eugenics is a waste of lives and delays the research needed to treat disabilities. We need to help the disabled live independent lives. There eventually be a cure for them as technology advances. In July 2013, scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester have learned to shut down the extra chromosome that causes Down's syndrome.<ref>
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/jul/17/downs-syndrome-cells-fixed-chromosome-therapy</ref>

==Public Opinion==
''See also:'' [[Views on abortion]]
Public polling, as seen below (sourced from Gallup<ref name=gallupabortion/>), reveals that Americans are almost evenly split between identifying as Pro-Life or Pro-Choice, with most believing it should be legal only in a few circumstances (48%) such as rape (77%) and life of the mother (83%).

===Legal or Illegal===
According to Gallup's most recent poll (May 3–6, 2012), 20% of Americans believe abortion should always be illegal, and 39% believe it should be legal only in a few circumstances, a combined 59% that believe it should always or usually be illegal. 25% believe abortion should always be legal, and 13% believe that it should be legal in most circumstances, a combined 38% that believe it should always or usually be legal. 4% hold no opinion. The percentage of Americans which believe abortion should always or usually be illegal has varied from a low of 51% (Sept. 6–7, 1994, and Sept. 22–24, 1995) to a high of 62% (May 2–5, 2005). Gallup has polled the question 33 times since it began asking in 1994.<ref>''Gallup''. "[https://www.gallup.com/poll/1576/abortion.aspx/ Abortion]." Do you think abortion should be legal in most circumstances or only in a few circumstances?</ref>
===Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice===
Currently, 50% of Americans describe themselves as Pro-Life, 41% describe themselves as Pro-Choice, and 4% as Mixed/Neither, as of the most recent poll (May 3–6, 2012). The percentage of Americans describing themselves as Pro-Life has varied from a low of 33% (Sept. 3–6, 1995) to a high of 51% (May 7–10, 2009). Gallup has polled the question 41 times since it began asking in 1995.<ref name=gallupabortion/>
===By Trimester===
Gallup has asked the following question four times from 2003 to 2011: "Thinking more generally, do you think abortion should generally be legal or generally illegal during each of the following stages of pregnancy. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?"<ref name=gallupabortion/>
====1st Trimester====
The following results were given for "In the first three months of pregnancy" (1st Trimester):
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Polling Date
! Should be legal
! Should be illegal
! Depends (vol.)
! No opinion
|-
| 2011, June 9–12
|align="center"|62%
|align="center"|35%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|1%
|-
| 2003, January 10–12
|align="center"|66%
|align="center"|29%
|align="center"|3%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| 2000, March 30-April 2
|align="center"|65%
|align="center"|31%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| 1996, July 25–26
|align="center"|64%
|align="center"|30%
|align="center"|4%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}

====2nd Trimester====
The following results were given for "In the second three months of pregnancy" (2nd Trimester):
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Polling Date
! Should be legal
! Should be illegal
! Depends (vol.)
! No opinion
|-
| 2011, June 9–12
|align="center"|24%
|align="center"|71%
|align="center"|3%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| 2003, January 10–12
|align="center"|25%
|align="center"|68%
|align="center"|4%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| 2000, March 30-April 2
|align="center"|24%
|align="center"|69%
|align="center"|4%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| 1996, July 25–26
|align="center"|26%
|align="center"|65%
|align="center"|7%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}
====3rd Trimester====
The following results were given for "In the last three months of pregnancy" (3rd Trimester):
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Polling Date
! Should be legal
! Should be illegal
! Depends (vol.)
! No opinion
|-
| 2011, June 9–12
|align="center"|10%
|align="center"|86%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|1%
|-
| 2003, January 10–12
|align="center"|10%
|align="center"|84%
|align="center"|4%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| 2000, March 30-April 2
|align="center"|8%
|align="center"|86%
|align="center"|3%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| 1996, July 25–26
|align="center"|13%
|align="center"|82%
|align="center"|3%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}
===By Circumstances===
According to the most recent Gallup poll (June 9–12, 2011), the following percentages of Americans say abortion should be legal under each circumstance:<ref name=gallupabortion/>
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Circumstance
! Should be legal
! Should be illegal
! Depends (vol.)
! No opinion
|-
| When the woman's life is endangered
|align="center"|83%
|align="center"|13%
|align="center"|1%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| When the woman's physical health is endangered
|align="center"|82%
|align="center"|15%
|align="center"|1%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| When the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest
|align="center"|75%
|align="center"|22%
|align="center"|1%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| When the woman's mental health is endangered
|align="center"|61%
|align="center"|35%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| When there is evidence the baby may be mentally impaired
|align="center"|51%
|align="center"|46%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| When there is evidence the baby may be physically impaired
|align="center"|50%
|align="center"|45%
|align="center"|2%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| When the woman or family cannot afford to raise the child
|align="center"|36%
|align="center"|61%
|align="center"|1%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}
===Pro-Life Initiatives===
According to Gallup's most recent poll (July 15–17, 2011) these proposals by the Pro-Life movement have received the following public support levels. Those marked "(2005)" were polled most recently on November 11–13, 2005. Those marked "(2003)" were last polled on January 10–12, 2003.<ref name=gallupabortion/>
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
! Proposal
! Favor
! Oppose
! No opinion
|-
| (2003) A law requiring doctors to inform patients about alternatives to abortion before performing the procedure
|align="center"|88%
|align="center"|11%
|align="center"|1%
|-
| A law requiring doctors inform patients about possible risks of abortion before performing the procedure
|align="center"|87%
|align="center"|11%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| A law requiring women under 18 to get parental consent for any abortion
|align="center"|71%
|align="center"|27%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| A law requiring women seeking abortions to wait 24 hours before having the procedure done
|align="center"|69%
|align="center"|28%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| A law making partial birth abortions illegal except for life of the mother
|align="center"|64%
|align="center"|31%
|align="center"|5%
|-
| (2005) A law requiring that the husband of a married woman be notified if she decides to have an abortion
|align="center"|64%
|align="center"|34%
|align="center"|2%
|-
| A law requiring women seeking an abortion be shown an ultrasound image of her fetus at least 24 hours before
|align="center"|50%
|align="center"|46%
|align="center"|3%
|-
| A law letting pharmacists and health providers opt out of medicine/surgical procedures resulting in abortion
|align="center"|46%
|align="center"|51%
|align="center"|4%
|-
| (2005) A constitutional amendment to ban abortion in all circumstances, except to save the life of the mother
|align="center"|37%
|align="center"|61%
|align="center"|2%
|-
|}

==Abortion Alternatives==

''See also:'' [[Abortion Alternatives]]

[[Optionline]] provides consultants that connects individuals to nearby pregnancy centers that offer the following services: free pregnancy tests and pregnancy information; Information about the risks of abortion and the morning after pill; medical services, including [[STD]] tests; early ultrasounds and pregnancy confirmation. In addition, some of these centers provide information regarding free housing to women who are facing housing concerns.<ref>[http://www.pregnancycenters.org/ OptionLine]. ''OptionLine.org''.</ref>

The primary alternative to abortion is adoption. [[Liberty Godparent Foundation]] is a [[Christian]] organization focused on improving the lives of unwed pregnant teens, babies and adoptive families by providing two alternatives, The Liberty Godparent Maternity Home and Family Life Services Adoption Agency.<ref>[http://www.godparent.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=59 Family Life Services]. ''GodParentFoundation.org''.</ref> [[Catholic Social Services]] provides adoption assistance to people of all beliefs in addition to supporting families in need.

==Planned Parenthood's Budget==

''See also:'' [[Planned Parenthood's budget]]

[[Planned Parenthood]] likes to claim that abortion accounts for just 3% of its services.<ref>[https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/who-we-are/planned-parenthood-glance-5552.htm Planned Parenthood At a Glance]. ''Planned Parenthood''.</ref> However, an examination of its finances reveals that much if not most of its [[income]] relates to abortion.<ref>Barto, N. & Musgrave, M. (2012, July 29). [http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2012/07/27/20120727womens-health-care.html Diverting Funds Betters Women's Health Care]. ''The Arizona Republic''.</ref> According to Planned Parenthood's 2007-08 budget, it received $1.038 billion of [[revenue]] from the following sources:<ref>[https://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/AR08_vFinal.pdf Annual Report 2007-2008]. Pg. 18. ''Planned Parenthood''.</ref>
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="center"
!
! Revenue (millions)
! %
|-
| Health Center Income
|align="center"|$374.7
|align="center"|36.1%
|-
| Govt. Grants & Services
|align="center"|$349.6
|align="center"|33.7%
|-
| Contributions & Requests
|align="center"|$244.9
|align="center"|23.6%
|-
| Other Operating Revenue
|align="center"|$68.9
|align="center"|6.6%
|-
|align="center"|'''Total Revenue'''
|align="center"|'''$1,038.1'''
|align="center"|'''100.0%'''
|-
|}
Planned Parenthood's reported $374.7 million of revenue from "Health Center Income". Given that it reported performing 305,130 abortions,<ref>Page 9.</ref> at an average cost of $450 (which lines up with statistics from the [[National Abortion Federation]]<ref>Dudley, S. (2003). [http://www.prochoice.org/about_abortion/facts/economics.html Economics of Abortion]. ''National Abortion Federation''.</ref>), approximately $137.4 million of that $374.7 million Health Center Income came directly from performing abortions per analysis by [[Live Action]].<ref>Schmidt, D. (2010, May 14). [http://liveaction.org/blog/data-36-7-of-planned-parenthoods-health-center-income-is-from-abortions/ DATA: 36.7% of Planned Parenthood’s 'Health Center Income' is from Abortions]. ''Live Action''.</ref>

Since much of its money comes from Government Grants and Services or Contributions and Requests ($595.5 million) likely related to abortion, in addition to this $137.4 million of direct abortion revenue, it appears probable that as much as half to two-thirds of Planned Parenthood's revenue relates to abortion.

==Targeted Demographics==

''See also:'' [[Abortion and various groups]]

===Women in China===
Forced abortion caused by China's One-Child Policy leads to deaths of mothers,<ref>Bo Gu, B. (2012, June 14). [http://behindthewall.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/06/14/12222877-gruesome-photos-put-spotlight-on-chinas-one-child-policy?lite Gruesome Photos Put Spotlight on China's One-Child Policy]. ''NBC News''.</ref> as well as "gendercide".<ref>Hayes, A. (2012, April 30). [http://articles.cnn.com/2012-04-30/asia/world_asia_china-forced-abortions_1_reggie-littlejohn-china-s-national-population-abortions?_s=PM:ASIA Activists allege forced abortions, sterilizations in China]. ''CNN''. Littlejohn, R. (2012, April 27). [https://www.lifenews.com/2012/04/27/the-real-war-against-women-forced-abortion-gendercide/ The Real War Against Women: Forced Abortion, Gendercide]. ''LifeNews''.</ref> Because men tend to be higher wage earners, many families choose to abort their female children, opting instead for males.<ref>Ling, C. [http://www.allgirlsallowed.org/category/topics/one-child-policy-china One-Child Policy Statistics]. ''AllGirlsAllowed.com''.</ref> Photos in 2012 of these forced abortions led to national outrage and calls to end China's One-Child Policy.<ref>Riviera, G. (2012, June 14). [https://abcnews.go.com/International/chinas-forced-abortions-child-rule-hits-women/story?id=16558428 How China's Forced Abortion Policy Hits Two Women]. ''ABC News''. Wong, E. (2012, July 22). [https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/23/world/asia/pressure-to-repeal-chinas-one-child-law-is-growing.html?pagewanted=all Reports of Forced Abortions Fuel Push to End Chinese Law]. ''New York Times''. MacLeod, C. (2012, July 24). [https://www.usatoday.com/news/story/2012-07-25/China-forced-abortions/56465974/1 Pressure mounts to stop China's forced abortions]. ''USA Today''. Sudworth, J. (2012, June 15). [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-18453995 Chinese officials apologise to woman in forced abortion]. ''BBC News''.</ref> The sex-selective abortion policy has led to a huge gender disparity in China, 122.66 boys for every girl born, the highest ratio in the entire Asia Specific region,<ref>(2010, March 9). [https://www.un.org.cn/cms/p/news/27/1346/content.html Gender Inequality Persists in China]. ''United Nations in China''. Ward, C. (2011, August 12). [https://abcnews.go.com/International/chinas-census-shows-growing-gender-gap/story?id=14288216 China's Preference for Boys Shows Growing Gender Gap]. ''ABC News''.</ref> and resulted in 32 million single males.<ref>LaFraniere, S. (2009, April 10). [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/11/world/asia/11china.html Chinese Bias for Baby Boys Creates a Gap of 32 Million]. ''The New York Times''. AFP (2010, January 12). [http://news.discovery.com/human/china-birth-rate-single-men.html China's Gender Gap Leaves Millions of Single Men]. ''Discovery News''.</ref> Logically this is a driving force behind human trafficking, prostitution, and the female slave trade which occurs near China.<ref>Weisenthal, J. (2010, April 12). [http://articles.businessinsider.com/2010-04-12/news/30049254_1_boys-and-girls-selective-abortions-village-hall Amazing First-Hand Account Of The Massive Gender Disparity In China]. ''Business Insider''.</ref> In 2015, the one-child policy was scrapped and by new year 2016, the two-child policy took effect. Now there are discussions to scrap child limits altogether.

===Minority Communities===
[[File:4287336112 d3f9126c99.jpg|right|thumb|325px|According to [[Cybercast News Service]]: "An analysis by the Cybercast News Service compared the location of [[Planned Parenthood]] abortion clinics with population data from the U.S. Census in 2000. The results appear to bolster the charge that the organization targets black communities."<ref name="cnsnews.com">https://www.cnsnews.com/ViewSpecialReports.asp?Page=%5CSpecialReports%5Carchive%5C200502%5CSPE20050207a.html (Link no longer works.)</ref>
 
(photo obtained from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/muriel215/4287336112/ Flickr, see Creative commons license agreement)] ]]
"Each day '''1,786''' African American children are aborted." According to the [[U.S.]] Census of 2006, African Americans are at 1.96 birth rate which is beneath the replacement level of 2.1.<ref>[http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/1685410938.html African American Pro-Life Group Holds Protest at NAACP] Christian News Network, July 13, 2009</ref> At the continued rate, [[racism]] by abortion will decimate the black population of the U.S.

According to writer George Grant, the author of ''Killing Angel'':

"During the 1980s when [[Planned Parenthood]] shifted its focus from community-based clinics to school-based clinics, it again targeted inner-city minority neighborhoods...Of the more than 100 school-based clinics that have opened nationwide in the last decade [1980s], none has been at substantially all-white schools....None has been at suburban middle-class schools. All have been at black, minority or ethnic schools.” <ref>Green, T.L. (2001, May 10). [https://www.citizenreviewonline.org/special_issues/population/the_negro_project.htm The Negro Project: Margaret Sanger's Eugenic Plan for Black Americans]. ''Concerned Women For America''.</ref>

Planned Parenthood itself reported that its abortions on minorities in 1991 were 42.7% of its total abortions.<ref name=ppracism>Murphy, L.K. (1994, June). [http://www.ewtn.com/library/PROLIFE/PPRACISM.TXT Planned Parenthood's Racism]. ''Life Research Institute''.</ref> However, during that time period, minorities comprised only 19.7% of the U.S. population.<ref name=ppracism />

According to [[Cybercast News Service]]: "An analysis by the Cybercast News Service compared the location of Planned Parenthood abortion clinics with population data from the U.S. Census in 2000. The results appear to bolster the charge that the organization targets black communities."<ref name="cnsnews.com"/>

According to the ''Open Journal of Preventive Medicine'' in June 2016, abortion was the cause of death of 61% of Black Americans.<ref>Williams, Thomas D. (August 4, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/08/04/report-abortion-accounts-for-61-of-black-deaths-in-america/ Report: Abortion Accounts for 61% of Black Deaths in America]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 4, 2018.</ref>

==Political Support of Abortion==

''See also:'' [[Abortion and politics]]

The most powerful political action committee (PAC) is EMILY's List.<ref>http://www.emilyslist.org/newsroom/releases/20070201.html (Link no longer works.)</ref> EMILY's List contributes money to Democratic candidates who support abortion-on-demand, including forced taxpayer funding of abortion. EMILY's List candidates also oppose regulations such as:

* Providing health information to abortion patients;
* Requiring that the abortionist have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital in case there is a complication; and
* Providing parental notification if the patient is a teenager.

Due to the influence of the abortion industry and EMILY's List, nearly every Democratic presidential candidate and senatorial candidate supports abortion-on-demand. "EMILY's List, the nation's largest political action committee, continues to be the dominant financial resource for Democratic candidates," its above-referenced website declares.

There is no comparably funded organization opposing abortion, because there are no monetary rewards to defending human life. Instead, candidates and supporters who oppose abortion are motivated by religious and ethical principles.
===Pro-Life Democrats===
''See also:'' [[DFLA#2009-2010 Obamacare Influence]]

While most Democrats support abortion, a growing number have been affiliating with [[Democrats For Life of America]], also known as Pro-Life Democrats. ObamaCare in 2009-2010 would have passed rapidly if not for their influence, since Democrats had a Supermajority allowing them to pass anything without a single Republican vote. However, 40 Pro-Life Democrats, led by Congressman [[Bart Stupak]] signed a letter refusing to let ObamaCare pass without reforms on the abortion issue, and fought the bill from June 2009 to March 2010, in an attempt to add the Stupak Amendment to the bill (which was added to the House bill but removed in the Senate despite attempts by Sen. [[Ben Nelson]] to add it there as well).
===Politics and Demographics===
''See also:'' [[American atheism]] and [[Global atheism]] and [[Decline of atheism]] and [[liberal]]

The Birkbeck College, University of London professor Eric Kaufman wrote in his 2010 book ''Shall the Righteous Inherit the Earth?'' concerning America:
{{cquote|High evangelical fertility rates more than compensated for losses to liberal Protestant sects during the twentieth century. In recent decades, white secularism has surged, but Latino and Asian religious immigration has taken up the slack, keeping secularism at bay. Across denominations, the fertility advantage of religious fundamentalists of all colours is significant and growing. After 2020, their demographic weight will begin to tip the balance in the [[Culture War|culture wars]] towards the conservative side, ramping up pressure on hot-button issues such as abortion. By the end of the century, three quarters of America may be pro-life. Their activism will leap over the borders of the 'Redeemer Nation' to evangelize the world. Already, the rise of the World Congress of Families has launched a global religious right, its arms stretching across the bloody lines of the War on Terror to embrace the entire Abrahamic family.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/why-are-years-2012-and-2020-key-years.html Why are 2012 and 2020 key years for Christian creationists and pro-lifers?]</ref>}}

==Ultrasound images==
About 80% of women who see an ultrasound of their fetus (unborn child) decide not to abort.<ref>(2005, April 22). [http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/145703/abortion_foes_use_ultrasound__focus_on_the_family_budgets/ Abortion Foes Use Ultrasound ; Focus on the Family Budgets Millions for Pricey Equipment]. ''RedOrbit''.</ref>

*http://www.ob-ultrasound.net/frames.htm
*https://www.flickr.com/photos/drakelelane/388759116/
*http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_information/ultrasound/13_weeks.htm
*http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_information/ultrasound/ultrasound_3d.htm
*http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_information/ultrasound/triple_jump.htm

== See also ==
*[[Abortion and the Bible]]
*[[Abortion and eugenics]]
*[[Abortion Facts]]
*[[Abortion funding]]
*[[Abortion genocide]]
*[[Abortion procedures]]
*[[Abortion rates by US state]]
*[[Abortionist]]
*[[Anti Abortion activism: a personal essay]]
*[[More News/Abortion|Articles about '''Abortion''' from "More News"]]
*[[:Category:Abortion]]
*[[Culture of life]]
*[[Separate Life|Essay on abortion]]
*[[Eugenics]]
*[[Fetus]]
*[[Harvard abortion study]]
*[[Abortion breast cancer studies]]
*[[Homosexual activists and abortion]]
*[[Margaret Sanger]]
*[http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/abrpt/2006abrpt.pdf Minnesota official abortion statistics]
*[[National Right to Life Committee]]
*[[Partial birth abortion]]
*[[Planned Parenthood]]
*[[Right to life]]
*[[Right to life movement]]
*[[Sanctity of life]]
*[[Silent scream]]
*[[Taxpayer-funded abortion]]
*[[Communist China and baby eating]]
*[[Atheists eat babies meme]]

==External links==
* [http://creationwiki.org/Abortion Abortion] by [[CreationWiki]]
* [https://www.abortionfacts.com/ Abortion Facts]
* [http://www.carm.org/abortion.htm Abortion] by [[Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry]]
* [https://www.lifesitenews.com/ LifeSiteNews.com]
* [http://www.ProLifeOnCampus.com/ Pro Life on Campus]
* [http://www.aim.org/wls/category/abortion/ What Liberals Say - Category: Abortion], [[Accuracy In Media]]
* [http://www.investigatemagazine.com/mar3abrt.htm Abortion and breast cancer in New Zealand]
* [http://www.numberofabortions.com/ Real Time Estimation of Abortions Worldwide]
{{Abortion}}
{{Liberalism}}

==Further Reading==
The Choice: The Abortion Divide in America by Danielle D'Souza Gill

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=35em}}

[[Category:Abortion]]
[[Category:Sexuality]]
[[Category:Religion and Politics]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]