 "Photo: David Kohl / The Associated Press")
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American statesman and reformer Carl Schurz said, "If you are to be free, there is but one way; it is to guarantee an equally full measure of liberty to all your neighbors, there is no other." This month's back and forth dialogue about women's reproductive rights has taken a repulsive turn for the worse. For some, our arguments have become irrational and unsubstantiated and for others we have not made clear the exact implication of our line of reasoning. Regardless, we cannot explicitly make evaluations impertinent and offensive and expect to be respected or even taken seriously. It is my belief that college is a place to unearth your identity; a cultured encounter of how to deal with others' convictions that may vary from your own, a chance to teach and be taught and an opportunity to holistically become a well-rounded individual who is willing to compromise and sacrifice even if it is just a small piece of ourselves for the betterment of humanity. Have we become so meddling and uncompromising that we think it's our responsibility to interfere in other people's private matters and condemn them according to our limited knowledge of their way of life? We can voice our opinions generously, giving out as much advice as is welcomed or not welcomed in some cases, but we cannot forget that ultimately it is the entitlement of a single person to choose what is best for their lives. No matter what amount of philosophy, ethics or logic we doctor our opinions up with it is merely a judgment, it does not suffice to merit complete certainty, nor does it make us experts on any matter vital or dismissive. This section of the newspaper has become a haven for rants and raves that amuse, offend and encourage. Some read the paper simply for the personal view, attitude and appraisal of the opinion writers and the students bold enough to write letters to the editor. We crave drama. The back and forth of people's various assessments either excites us because we have the same opinion or outrage us because we disagree wholeheartedly. As it has been noted in former articles, this month celebrates the 90th anniversary of Planned Parenthood who have provided reproductive healthcare to families around the world for 90 years. Like with so many other facets of life, we often have pre-conceived notions about matters we are unfamiliar with. Planned Parenthood has, to some, become the face of abortion, but abortion is only one of its many services. Whether you are pro-choice, pro-life, anti-choice or pro-abortion Planned Parenthood offers a service that almost anyone can take advantage of. Family planning is something that most of us will attempt to do in our lifetime. As suggested in its name, Planned Parenthood does just that along with pap smears, colposcopy and cervical biopsies, cryotherapy and cancer screenings. Some anti-abortionists will choose to seek reproductive healthcare at a center that is not associated with abortion and as stated earlier that is their personal decision to make. I don't think any pro-choice advocates will lose sleep over their preference in healthcare providers, as it is their business. But "the anti's" should have the same respect for women who opt to associate with healthcare providers who do perform abortions. It is their choice, and it should be appreciated. On Tuesday, I had a healthy debate with a few of my peers who are abstinence advocates. I adamantly explained to them that while I respect and support their stance on not having pre-marital sex, only a small amount of people follow and adhere to abstinence. After they have made the decision to not be abstinent, there needs to be more options. Options give people hope that they have independence and sovereignty in their lives. The next comprehensible option is contraception; some radicals argue that contraception inhibits life. Contraception is merely a way of strategically planning a pregnancy or preventing an unwanted one. The abstinence advocates and I agreed that those two steps are in accord, we obviously disagreed when the second step failed and pregnancy occurred. I, believing in a woman's right to choose, and they, believing that after conception a woman loses her right to choose. This is where opinions attempt to inhibit the freedom and liberty of women. It is simply not your business. If you don't believe in abortion, don't have one. A substantial number of anti-abortionists are men, none of whom will ever be pregnant; although entitled to their opinion, it should be left at that. I am not a scientist; I only just received B's in biology and slept through most lectures, nor am I a historian. But how dare we even begin to compare women's reproductive choices with the unprovoked and atrocious genocide of millions of innocent people? There have been several holocausts, none of which were abortion.
----- Contact Shanelle Mattews at smatthews@lsureveille.com
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