Courtney Brooks Professor Lee Public Topics Writing Essay 4: Abortions, Smoking Bans, and Hate Crimes: Catalysts for Social Change There have been numerous events throughout history that have been harbingers of social change. Crimes ranging from petty theft to murder have given humanity the motivation needed for social revolution. Without crime as a part of everyday life, the many issues often overlooked by those in authority would continue to go unnoticed and worsen over time. The consequence of this hidden misconduct is social disorder, resulting in defiance. This rebellion brings members of society to a crossroads that will give them the chance to review or support current social policies. Issues such as abortion, smoking bans and hate crimes have, sooner or later, become catalysts for social change in progressive societies. Whether it was initially believed to be a crime or later turned into one, each of these issues required some level of reevaluation in order for society to move forward and prosper. Abortion is not a new concept. The first known abortion dates back to 1550 BC in Egypt. However, it was not until the 19th century that abortion laws were enacted. In the mid-1800s the law stated that abortion was illegal and in most cases considered a criminal act (History of Abortion, 2010). The ban on abortion in the United States stems from the fear that recent immigrants will become the dominant ethnicity over those of European descent (National Abortion Federation, 2010). Despite laws prohibiting abortion, there were still a number of women who sought doctors to perform the operation behind closed doors. These secret procedures are…half of paper…science. Crime is an inevitable part of any advanced society and helps to enforce moral boundaries and foster necessary social change. Crimes, or topics involving crime or the law, that help describe this characteristic are abortion, smoking bans, and hate crimes. Many people feel like there is no good in crime and think that all crime does is make those involved restless and scared. This, however, is not the case because without crime to tell a society what changes need to be made, be they social, economic or political, there would be no need for any progress and many of the everyday devices that people have grown accustomed to could not exist. Therefore, societies should limit the amount of crime but also realize that it was once a crime somewhere in history that gave people today the freedom to walk around without fear..