Pro-contraception means fewer abortions
This letter ran Oct. 2 with an error.I appreciated Andrew Jenson’s Sept. 24 column, “America’s Abandoned Morals.” It was refreshing to see someone call abortion what it is: murder. As a fellow pro-lifer, however, I took exception with a couple of his points.
He said, “when (counseling) goes in the direction of abortion or contraception, it is completely wrong.” Contraception prevents pregnancy. Abortion takes a life. Contraception is a personal choice. Abortion is a choice that kills a tiny, defenseless human being — making it a social issue, and not just “between a woman and her doctor,” as so many pro-choicers claim. If we want to prevent abortions, we need to expand access to affordable contraception and services for women facing difficult circumstances.
Jenson also said abortion occurs “while the child is still a part of (the mother’s) body.” That is a scientifically inaccurate statement. The unborn baby has his or her own distinct DNA, blood type, body parts and gender. He or she is inside, but not “a part of” the mother’s body.
Nonetheless, thank you, Jenson, for speaking out for those who cannot speak for themselves.
–Cheyenne Smith-Sarkkinen
UI Alumna
Honor the right to vote
This is a response to the article “Get Out and Vote,” which was published on Sept. 6. The article claims that it is important to vote in the upcoming presidential election, especially as a young person. The author uses several effective facts and statistics to support this claim and appeal to the intended audience, which is college students. Students everywhere are developing a newfound freedom. They are spending some of their first years away from home, away from the influence of their friends and family. This is supposed to be the best time of our lives, the time we develop our own opinions and decide our futures. To be honest, the future of our country is in our hands and it is our job to see to it that it is a good one.
Young Americans tend to take for granted the wonderful and safe country we live in. There was once a time when voting was not so simple. There were so many restrictions, and it took years of hard work and snail speed progress to get to where we are today. There were so many brave Americans before us who made it possible for us to even have this right, and that is something we don’t always remember. Voting is not a privilege, but a right that those before us had to fight for. The future is what we make of it, and we should not let those people down. Voting is not just our right, it is our duty.
This is the time your voice can finally be heard: Vote in 2012.
–Jordan Eby
Vocal Performance Major
Depression doesn’t lead to mass killings
I am writing in response to the article “Not Deranged, Depressed,” published on Aug. 30 by Brian Marceau.
Marceau’s argument of linking depression to mass murder is erroneous. There is no outstanding evidence that reveals a correlation between depression and mass killings. From “Psychology Today,” Katherine Ramsland argues that depression is not the cause of violence, nor are depressed people more likely to murder. She also provides insight that no two people are alike. Therefore, we cannot plaster a label on one shooter and generalize it for everyone. Consequently, one person cannot brand the several million people diagnosed with depression as having the potentiality for becoming a mass killer. In all honesty, anyone has the means and potential of murder.
I do, however, agree with Marceau that the nation must do something to prevent more mass killings from happening. Although what that action should be is uncertain. One area of Marceau’s article that I completely disagree with is the commonality of mass shootings. “Common” is too simple of a word to be used to describe such horrific events. History has shown that mass shootings are in fact not common, but sporadic, occurring every few decades.
Likewise, Marceau’s comment on the lack of political involvement or awareness of the mass killings is false and ultimately callous. Shortly after the devastating Aurora shooting, President Barack Obama personally addressed the incident and gave his condolences to the victims. Marceau’s link between depression and mass murder is based on opinion rather than concrete evidence. Therefore, it isn’t viable to generalize the psychological ailment of depression to mass murderers, nor is it accurate
–Susana Ruiz-Gallegos
Sociology-Criminology
Outdoor recreation access is a privilege
I am writing in response to the article written by Brian Mahoney entitled “Wilderness Access a Privilege.” I agree with Mahoney that having access to these wilderness areas for outdoor recreation is a privilege and that we need to do a better job of treating those areas with respect.
In his article, Mahoney points out that because of all the littering and property destruction, wilderness access areas are beginning to become harder to find because many of them are being closed off to the public. I believe that this is true because the people who own the property where these access areas are located, are getting tired of people disrespecting their land and destroying their property. If people would treat these areas with respect and take care of them like they were their own property, then maybe these areas would remain open for more people to enjoy.
Another point Mahoney makes is that there are already many people involved in volunteer efforts and activities to make recreational access areas better. He used the specific example of the Illia Dunes cleanup. Service groups like these are a great asset to the community. It is good to see that there are still people who care enough to go the extra mile and participate in service cleanup projects. If people did a better job of taking care of the environment and picking up after themselves, there would not be such a high need for these types of projects. It would be as simple as taking a few trash bags with you to clean up your garbage when you go out to use these various access areas.
–Brandon Bowcut
Fire Ecology & Management