Population changes should not be feared
Dillon Mahoney
senior
This is in response to Professor Rice's article entitled, "Reconsidering contraception," which gives a summary analysis of Pat Buchanan's new book, "The Death of the West."
Am I the only one who disagrees with Buchanan that a reduction in birth rate because of contraception use is not a result of atheism but because individuals have overcome ideologies that challenge an individual's right to choose whether or not to bear children? There are huge numbers of people in this country — yes, even at Notre Dame — who are very religious people but who choose to use contraception because they would like to live their lives a little longer before making new ones.
A glaring theme throughout Professor Rice's column is a fear of change and a future that is not controlled by individuals of European origin. "In 1995 the populations of Europe and Africa were equal. In 2050 Africans are likely to outnumber Europeans by more than 3 to 1." Why this fear that people of non-European origin will have a larger population? It is painfully typical to hear these notions of fear directed not at an increasing African population but at the increased ratio of non-European to European populations. (Has anyone every noticed how tiny Europe is compared to the other continents?)
"This country is in a similar fix [to Europe] ... In 2000, for the first time, there were more Muslims in the world than Catholics." Why do so many fear the reproduction of certain groups of people? Could it be a fear that past crimes against humanity might catch up to them? It is hard to believe that people of the West cannot comprehend that non-Western countries have much more to fear from us then we do from them.
"Americans of European origin are losing their dominance." Buchanan refers to this as "race suicide." Seeing race so rigidly has only led us into the absurd racial pall that we live under in this country. Races do not disappear as species become extinct. They are absorbed, changed and enculturated. Since this is Black History Month, we should be appreciating what we have gained from non-European cultures, not fear them.
To quote Ben Harper: "My choice is what I choose to do, and if it's causing no harm it shouldn't bother you." If it means that people of European origin will slowly disappear as their birth rates decline, as the article suggests, this should not cause any fear.
Dillon Mahoney
senior
off-campus
Feb. 12, 2002
All Viewpoint Stories for Thursday, February 14, 2002
