Debating a different perspective of the statue
Each person makes their own choice
I did not read the article, "Remove the Trojan Horse," and this letter will not in any way be a defense of that letter. My problem lies in the classification set forth by the morally upstanding member of the Knights of Columbus. In his judgement placed upon others, he deemed anyone who considered themselves to be pro-choice ignorant and immoral. He also gave a ridiculously biased description of what abortion counselors do for women suffering with the decision of abortion. In writing this letter I accept the fact that I will offend the majority or our ultra-conservative campus. However, before you judge me as Godless and immoral, please read what it is that I have to say.
Throughout my life I considered myself pro-life. I based this on the belief that if my girlfriend, daughter (if I had one), good friend or any other close female came to me asking my opinion as to whether they should have an abortion, I would vote with a resounding no. I thought this was enough to place me in the pro-life column.
However, my views changed when two close friends of mine came up against the difficult decision of abortion. They were both high school seniors at the time and for different reasons they both decided to go forward with the abortion. At the time I advised both of them to have the children and put them up for adoption. They both decided this was not in their best interest. Through these two friends, I realized that I truly was not pro-life. I may have disagreed with their decisions, but at the same time I realized it was their decision. It was not mine, it was not a member of the Knights of Columbus and it was not God's, it was singularly each girl's. How can I or anyone else tell a female that she must keep a child in her body that at anytime could kill her. That in my opinion is immoral. I have no right to tell anyone what they are allowed to do with their bodies.
Whether we as a university like it or not, our morals are not the morals of our society. Does this make our society ignorant or immoral as our holy Knight of Columbus would have us believe? No it does not. It means that his entire argument is based around religion, an argument that has no true standing in our society. A large part of our nation is based around the freedom of religious persecution so how can we now turn around and persecute those who do not go along with our religion.
Somehow the Knight went on to say that it was, "… not a theological dictate, it is a premise of philosophy. We must do good and avoid evil."
Somehow, without using theological principles, you have decided what is good and what is evil. The fact that you say it is not theological is ridiculous. Every argument that arises based on abortion comes down to religion. And based on one's religion (or lack there of) they must decide individually what is right for them. This does not make them ignorant or immoral, it makes them different. The final statement of the letter definitely shows that the arguments are set up on a philosophical basis, "Pray until your hearts are converted."
An even larger problem with the Knight's argument lies in his gross misrepresentation of an abortion counselor's role in an abortion. Abortion counselors stress the finality of the decision that women make when they choose abortion. They emphasize the alternatives there are to the abortion. In fact, they also advise on the difficulties and problems that arise with an abortion, not with a child. Abortion is possibly the toughest decision and process that a human can go through and to take a counselor's job and trivialize it saying they simply, "… find out what is driving the woman to abort, and they magnify it …," is an ignorant statement.
I just want to reiterate that I am not attempting to say people who are pro-life are ignorant. I understand the urge to preserve life. I just think that the judgements passed by the member of the Knights of Columbus are unfair. Saying that those who feel differently than you are ignorant merely shows that you cannot handle intelligent dialogue in which one's views are not like yours.
Corey Timlin
sophomore
O'Neill Hall
February 27, 2001
All Viewpoint Stories for Thursday, March 1, 2001
