Abortion and Parental Consent: A Reasoning

The morality of this issue lies in the middle ground of moral law. The question is the right of parents to have to parental consent. When do the parents have the right to having their daughter ask them for their consent for an abortion? With regard to abortion does the girl even have to ask her parents for an abortion. Technicality the girl is a minor until she is eighteen, therefore as a minor she is the ward of her parents, who must care and provide for her. But in regard to abortion she has the right to decide what to do with her body. Another side to this argument is who pays for the procedure? Should the girls parents be forced to pay for it even though they might object to abortion on moral grounds? Does the state even have a right to step in and force the parents to pay for the abortion? If the state has no right compel the parents to pay for the procedure, and if the girl then turns to the state for aid it would seem natural then that girl then becomes a ward of the state if the state is asked to pay for the girl. The parents then loose all rights to child since the state must now come in make those choices that parent would normally make for the girl. I must argue that the state has no right to compel the parents to pay for procedure that they might not agree with on moral grounds. Therefor the girl if she decides to continue with having the abortion could turn to the state for aid if the state so agrees to provide that aid, or she must find a way to pay for it herself. If she pays for it herself then she alone bears the burden and responsibility of the act. However if she turns to the state for help then she must agree to become a ward of the state until the date of her eighteen birthday. I suggest advise and consent. The girl should by law advise her parents of her desire for an abortion, the parents have the right to express their objection to the procedure. However the girl has the right to choose for herself. With all this considered what then is the obligation of the state in the case of abortion? Does the state have an obligation to pay for a procedure that one person might want but yet cannot afford? Or is the states place merely to enforce and protect the rights of its citizens? It ought to be in my view the role of government to merely protect and enforce the rights of its citizens and not to pay for something that they cannot afford. Thus the girl has a right to get an abortion and yet the state has no obligation beyond the fact of protecting her right to do so. If people are so concerned that the girl should have the funds made available to her then let them pay for it as a charitable cause and not place that burden on the state. For the state has no place in providing services that not considered essential.