Posted on 05/01/2003 9:34:30 AM PDT by NorCoGOP
LAWRENCE, Kan. -- I have been writing this column in my head now for four years, since I first saw the gruesome and sensationalized photos of aborted fetuses that anti-abortion activists adorned our campus with.
Now, after a lovely spring day has been ruined by these photos and the offensive comments that accompany them, I have decided to exercise my First Amendment right.
The purpose of this column is not to get into some sort of argument over semantics, to debate the definition of the term "baby" or "life" or to debate the morality of abortion. I only wish to defend the group of people on this campus who have been arguably the most devastated by these anti-abortion demonstrations: women who have had abortions.
I have no statistic as to how many young women on this campus have had abortions, but I am willing to bet that it is in the hundreds or perhaps even the thousands. Think for a minute the effect these billboards have had on these women.
The abortion protesters I spoke with this week had one horrible misconception. They assume that women who have had abortions had some sort of malice towards the pregnancy they terminated. This is pure ignorance. I have several friends who have had abortions. It was not by any means an easy decision to make. These women had to make an excruciating choice that will affect them for the rest of their lives. That's not to say that they regret the choice they made; however, having an abortion was a frightening ordeal for them, one they surely do not wish to relive while attempting to cross the campus so they may receive an education.
Fact: Abortion is legal in the state of Kansas. Fact: The University of Kansas is a public university. Is it a forum for people to enact moral judgment on someone who did something entirely within the realm of the law? Since when has it been appropriate to express glaring public disdain toward someone for making a choice she had every legal right to make? What is the purpose of these protesters? Is it their goal to make those who have had abortions feel guilty by posting words such as "kill" and "genocide"? (Whoever first equated this term with abortion has surely never opened a dictionary.) They assured me that their only aim was to put an end to abortion. Why must they accuse hundreds of young women of murder while trying to make a point?
We all have the right to make moral judgments. We all have the right to decide whether a woman who has had an abortion is a murderer. These abortion protesters have a right to their platform. However, just because a woman has had an abortion does not mean she has to endure this. This is a state school. At a religious institution it might be acceptable to post billboards condemning peoples' actions; but this university is not such an institution. Maybe this wasn't the intent of these protesters; however, it disgusts me that any one young woman on this campus has to tolerate such blatant disdain of a choice she legally made.
I do not expect these protesters to realize my point. After having several discussions with them during which they uttered unconvincing mantras, I realized that arguing with them was useless. My question is, which university official thought it appropriate for young women on this campus be harassed for exercising their legal right? I am horrified that our beautiful campus was polluted with these horrific displays, and I am dumbfounded that it was permitted.
I recall that at one time slavery was perfectly legal in the US. By this reasoning, it was morally acceptable.
Fact: Slavery is legal in the state of Kansas. Fact: The University of Kansas is a public university. Is it a forum for people to enact moral judgment on someone who did something entirely within the realm of the law? Since when has it been appropriate to express glaring public disdain toward someone for making a choice he had every legal right to make?
Any questions?
MD
I wonder if she would make as passionate a defense for legal activity over ...
smoking ...
owning a firearm ...
owning an SUV ...
eating meat ...
cutting down trees on your property ...
wearing a Cross or a Star of David ...
... somehow, I doubt it.
I prefer to think of what the pictures do to women who might reconsider having an abortion. If it causes some who have already had abortions discomfort, so be it; it may deter them from getting into the same situation again. The author presumes that since someone has already done something, and may be uncomfortable if you mention it, that we should sweep it under the rug. That's like not reporting murder/rape/robbery because it might make murderers/rapists/robbers uncomfortable.
That's the idea, isn't it?
She is dead wrong.
It is to this type of people.
Sorry, but I can't shed even one tear for these "hundreds or perhaps even the thousands", for you see, my eyes are full of tears for the babies these living "hundreds or perhaps even the thousands" had butchered for the sake of convieniece and as blood sacrifices to their god satan.
That's two more "lives" than the kid got.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.