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Save humans with potential
JL. he kind of disrespect
and oppression we afford women in
our society surely ranks near the top of
any just person's list of the despicable.
The frequency and types of crime that
American women are victims of are
well beyond alarming. The ridiculous
pay disparity between the sexes is not
ridiculous — it's sobering.
In fact, I suppose I'll never really feel
the crap the average woman must face
from half-witted good ol' boys and
sleazy urbanites. Even so, it is not
necessary for me to be a woman to
declare such abusive prejudice and
institutional violence to be shocking to
the conscience and wholly unjustified.
One historical rallying cry of the
woman's movement has been "Biology
Is Not Destiny." I don't agree with the
way the slogan has been bastardized in
meaning to support abortion on
demand.
Legalized abortion on demand, I
expect, would be opposed by the true
feminists. The reflective persons who
want real solutions to the underlying
problems of our society (promoting the
violence which plagues their lives)
would shun the abortion mentality,
one which advocates a retreat to
senseless violence and convenience to
deal with a complex problem they are
not wholly responsible for creating.
In fact, it's no longer a matter of
women's liberation when it comes to
abortion on demand. It has derailed
from such a noble cause.
Since the 1973 Roe case, Americans
have facilitated a climate which subtly
promotes and, more often the case,
virtually demands the destruction of
nearly a third of all babies conceived
(over 1.5 million babies a year).
Every child a wanted child. What a
notion! Does our "wantedness"
determine the value of our lives? The
idea that an unborn baby is to be
weighed like a thing or an object that
either is desired or disposed of is no
less than sickening. A fetus is a human
with potential — just as a two, 12 or 20
year old is — not a potential human.
I hardly am able to discuss in this
forum the incredible number of
undeniably rational reasons that
codified (and more important,
culturally aquiesced) abortion upon
demand is senseless, destructive and
does a tremendous disservice to our
Andy Yung
Columnist
morality and sense of value as a
people.
I simply wish to add my voice to the
ranks of the compassionate people who
have realized what utter madness this
country is whirling toward. Instead of
addressing real structural and
substantive problems (by extinguishing
racism and sexism, ameliorating the lot
of the poor and ensuring justice), we
choose to engage in the greatest
devaluation of humanity possible —the
killing of innocents.
Many of the most important social
reforms are pushed to the side, when
we still have hope that someday all the
poor and all the handicapped and all
the learning disabled and all the
(artificially labeled) undesirables have a
100 percent rate of abortion.
64 We must stop the
desensitization of empathy for
our fellow humans that abortion
necessarily entails.... They
(abortions) are not done for medical
reasons; they are a matter of
convenience. ^ ^
No, please no ... NO, we have got to
stop this absurd assault on our
compassion as a people and start
practicing real compassion to these
troubled women by making this a
world worth coming into and one
where the simple notion of birth
control is discussed openly. But we
cannot achieve such a state without
recognizing all humans as valuable and
ending convenience abortions.
It need not be a religious matter at
all. I am opposed to all you fools and
parent/child killers who go out to the
Chicken, get drunk and drive. This is
not a religious issue — it's a human
issue.
We must stop the desensitization of
empathy for our fellow humans that
abortion necessarily entails. Some 60
percent of all abortions are repeats.
They are not done for medical reasons;
they are a matter of convenience.
Abortion is used as a birth-control
device.
But we can't stop it, you say. Well,
more than 1 million cars are stolen each
year, and theft is illegal. Ergo, legalize
it. Non sequiter, friends, just like the
abortion advocate's reasoning.
Furthermore, the idea of wholesale
abortion "rights" (my stomach turns)
due to the dangerous back-alley
alternatives has been noted as being on
par to saying: Armed burglary is a
dangerous endeavor that can lead to a
shoot out, and blood and you know.
Thus, we must legalize it and make it
safe.
As is said, you can't get rid of an evil
by legalizing it.
Finally, this is what I leave you with:
The Supreme Court seems to be saying
that fathers have no right to save their
child from a woman who wishes to
have an abortion, theoretically,
because it is the woman's body.
What does this mean? Biology does
determine specific rights? Like the right
of parenthood? Here is what every
gosh-awful pro-choice woman and
man must support. The right of the
father of a child to go to the local
courthouse anytime during the first
two trimesters of pregnancy and sign
away his legal, societal and financial
responsibilities to the child.
This is the Male Abortion. Hell,
Biology Can't Be Destiny, right?
Because, we men have no right to
choose whether to have an abortion,
we ought not be straddled by the
choices of women to have a child. This
is a logical counterpart of the right to
privacy, and it will definitely come to
light in the near future.
I grant that if abortion is a
constitutional right, male abortion (a
denial of child support preceding birth)
is one too. Guaranteed. However, we
must not think Constitutional rights
are sacrosanct because they are
Constitutional.
We must instead insure HUMAN
RIGHTS. To do otherwise is to just put
too much pressure on our already-
threadbare societal fabric.
Andy Yung is a junior political science
major.
Mail Call
The Battalion is interested in hearing from its readers and welcomes all letters to the editor,
Please include name, classification, address and phone number on all letters. The editor reserves
the right to edit letters for style and length. Because of limited space, shorter letters have a better
chance of appearing. There is, however, no guarantee letters will appear. Letters may be brought
to 216 Reed McDonald or sent to Campus Mail Stop 1111.
Join in Earth Day celebration
EDITOR:
Earth Day is a time to celebrate what our home has given us and a time to
look back at what we have done for our environment, the achievements as
well as that which we should have done differently. This year, TEAC will host
the Earth Day Celebration. The event will include activities for children, local
bands performing and organic produce for sale.
Recycleable items (glass and aluminum) will be accepted (the aluminum
will be purchased) and donations of clothing and other items will be collected
to benefit the Twin City Mission.
The Earth Day Celebration, held at Hensel Park, is free. Local groups
wanting to participate can call 846-6767.
Earth Day is to look toward the future because there still is so much we can
do to save and preserve our home.
Bang Huynh '94
A&Mstudents condone discrimination
EDITOR:
I would like to voice my utter disgust for the display of ignorance that 1
just overheard coming from several students riding the bus.
Their discussion was prompted by one's comment that "Those damned
homos are complainin' now over that new discrimination policy." This indi
vidual continued his assessment by stating that "The homos deserve to be
discriminated against," which was answered by another's declaration that
he's glad Texas A&M is a close-minded school if being dose-minded includes
not protecting the "fags."
Being a believer in freedom, equal rights and equal protection for all peo
ple, I found myself an obvious minority in this group.
It's no surprise to me that students from other universities have referred to
Aggies in general as "hicks" or "backwards rednecks" (comments I have
heard for myself) after witnessing this display.
I love A&M and I think it's a sad day when the students of an "institution
of higher learning" not only allow, but condone the discrimination and perse
cution of other sodal groups.
Comments like these that I heard today make me wonder if there aren't
students in our population that would like to see black students sitting at the
back of the classrooms and shuttle buses and condone the public banishment
of gay students from the campus.
I can only hope my words will make others stop and think about how ar
chaic and truly ignorant these acts of discrimination really are.
If you don't like the way someone conducts themselves serially or sex
ually, that's your prerogative.
When those opinions are allowed to perpetuate and extend into A&M pel
icies, it truly has reached a very low point in its history.
Michael Kellett'91
Congrats to President Bush
DEAR PRESIDENT BUSH:
I want to congratulate you for the beautiful war you have so elegantly con
ducted. It was an impressive achievement which taught the whole world how
strong, organized and powerful the United States is.
I was really dazzled in January by the beautiful lights over Baghdad: It re
minded me of the Fourth of July. It was fun to be able to watch television in
the privacy of my own home. After a long day of study and work, I could fi
nally sit down and be entertained by modern technology. The bombs were
precisely falling through the chimneys of military installations: The only thing
that worried me was the safety of our pilots. It was really crowded up there
and they had to be extremely careful about not hitting each other during their
heroic missions.
I praise the U.S.' moral integrity and that of its allies for not interfering in
the internal affairs of a foreign country. This has been a consistent policy
which makes every single American proud. For example, I want to congratu
late you for not getting involved in Iraq. The Iraqi people should solve their
own problems: I am sure that with a little effort and some hard work, the
Kurds and the Hussein Regime can reach an agreement. It will take time, no
doubt about that, but eventually (and with a lot of praying), they will live
happily together.
Again, violence is not the answer. So President Bush, congratulations for a
policy which has human beings as its first priority.
Andrea da Conturbia
graduate student
Thanks to A&M Sailing Team
EDITOR:
I would like to take the time to thank the Texas A&M Sailing Team and all
of the other sponsors who hosted the First Annual Surfenniigen Regatta, a
windsurfing extravaganza. I would like to extend congratulations to all win
ners and to the survivors of the second race. I hope that this will become an
other Aggie tradition. I had a blast!
SeanP. Phillips'91
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