The First Amendment states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or restrict freedom of expression or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. This amendment to our Constitution guarantees citizens of the United States of America the right to live according to their belief system and values ​​and not let the government step in and dictate their conduct. This amendment gives us the freedom to do whatever we want as long as it remains within the bounds of the law. If the activity is illegal, we obviously have to face the consequences of our actions. Throughout the abortion debate, many divergent opinions have been expressed regarding a woman's right to choose to terminate her pregnancy. Abortion is one of those rights that the Supreme Court has ruled is protected by the United States Constitution. One aspect I hadn't thought about before researching a topic for this article is the doctor's right to refuse to perform an abortion. While researching this issue, I discovered some people who would like to limit doctors' First Amendment rights. With the United States Constitution to back them up, doctors should have the right to refuse to perform an abortion because it might be contrary to their moral beliefs and their Hippocratic Oath, even though people tend to think that A woman's right to have an abortion trumps the doctor's right because of the doctor's social status. First, doctors should have the right to refuse to perform an abortion because it goes against their moral beliefs. According to Kaveny, The Church Amendment (1973) protects the right...... middle of paper ...... retrieved (March 20, 2010) from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocratic_OathMay, T. and Aulisio, M. (2009). Personal morality and professional obligations: rights of conscience and informed consent. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 52(1), 30-8. Retrieved March 3, 2010, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1635642341).http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1635642341& sid=1&Fmt=3&clientId=74379&RQT=309&VName=PQDMorts for medical schools. (2008). Retrieved from http://www.studentdoc.com/medical-school-loans.html Meyers, Christopher and Woods, Robert D. (1996). An obligation to offer abortion services: what happens when doctors refuse? Journal of Medical Ethics, 22(2), 115. Retrieved March 7, 2010, from ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Source. (Document ID: 9580975). http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=9580975&sid=4&Fmt=3&clientId=74379&RQT=309&VName=PQD