Letter reduced abortion debate to political issue

TO THE EDITOR:

I was stunned when I read Julia Etter's Sept. 16 letter (""Cartoon shows how little students value democracy"") charging members of this campus with not respecting democracy. Her argument has nothing to do with democracy and everything to do with her desire to suppress the pro-life position.

Etter implies the anti-abortion protest is simply a political smoke screen for Republicans and that no one on campus will be swayed by this ""sensationalism."" Yet to reduce the abortion debate to purely a political phenomenon is to belittle the gravity of the issue itself. Being anti-abortion does not make one pro-tax cuts"" anti-environment or anti-gun control. There are pro-life Republicans and Democrats. The real matter is human rights.

Etter worries a pro-life position will victimize members of campus in an ""aggressive"" hateful manner"" when the real victims are the second trimester fetus burned with saline or the third trimester fetus whose skull is pierced with scissors.

Moreover"" the baffling assertion that pro-lifers want to ""drown the masses in misinformation"" ignores the abortion industry's own tactics of misinformation. It plants the idea in the public consciousness that abortion is painless and easy and presents it as men's attempt to restrict women" despite ample evidence to the contrary.

I do believe in hope and change. I believe changes should be made to our barbaric abortion laws. I hope for a better future one in which our nation truly provides all its citizens — no matter how small — with life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.



Shaun Blanchard

Senior

History Religious Studies