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In
response to Tori Durst's Nov. 15, 2002, column "Welcome Adolf Hitler
to Campus":
Dear
Tori:
Comparing a duly authorized campus organization to Hitler is a
terrible thing to do. Those of us who are members are really upset
that you would do something like this. We do not believe in "killing
the innocent" and do not know where you got this idea.
We believe that young people should be aware of and protect their
reproductive rights. Here are two mind-blowers: until 1970, it was
illegal in many states across the U.S. for unmarried couples to use
birth control. In fact, it wasn't until 1965 that the U.S. Supreme
Court in Griswold v. Connecticut guaranteed the right of married
couples to use birth control. We have had reproductive rights in the
U.S. barely 30 or so years.
Tori, you owe us an apology. Just because we believe in young people
having all the facts so they can make responsible decisions does not
make us like Hitler. The right to choose an abortion is legal in the
U.S. and has been for 30 years. But we believe that if people have
all the facts and have access to birth control, there wouldn't be
much need for abortion. The majority of Americans agree that
abortion should be available in cases of rape, incest, life of the
mother or viability of the fetus. Beyond that, the decision to
terminate a pregnancy is a very private and personal one, according
to the Supreme Court. Is the Supreme Court like Hitler, Tori?
The right to control our fertility is a critical reproductive right
that VOX supports. That does not qualify for being compared to
Hitler.
Jaron Loera
computer information systems
Letter
to the Editor:
It is hard to believe that an Amarillo College student editor would
write an opinion piece so inflammatory and hate-filled toward a
legitimate campus organization, as Tori Durst did last week, without
so much as talking with the officers or spending the time to find
out about that organization.
To put it bluntly, Ms. Durst does not know anything about the VOX
group or what it stands for or believes in. It was very unfair and
dishonest of her to misrepresent what our organization believes in
when she doesn't know what our mission is and didn't try to find
out. More important, it is also irresponsible for someone who is a
journalist and in a leadership position to behave so
unprofessionally.
VOX: Voices for Reproductive Rights is part of a national "program
that educates young Americans about threats to reproductive health
rights and mobilizes them in support of reproductive freedom." Ms.
Durst didn't even get our name right, and that's unforgivable for a
journalist! Our mission statement and constitution are on file in
the Student Government office for anyone to read.
Our mission statement does not even vaguely resemble what Ms. Durst
said our organization believes. On what basis does Ms. Durst say we
believe in ethnic cleansing and compare us to Hitler? There is no
basis for her extremist position and statements.
As president of VOX, I believe Ms. Durst owes the VOX organization,
the student body and the faculty an apology. It's one thing to have
an opinion and to share it. Purposefully distorting and
misrepresenting facts under the name of opinion is quite another
thing.
Amanda Bullard
President of VOX:
Voices for Reproductive Rights
Editor's Note: Our research shows that documentation signed by
the VOX sponsors refers to the organization as Voices for Choice.
Past and current sponsors referred to it as Voices for Choice in
Ranger interviews.
I am
generally not one to condemn someone's opinion, because we are all
entitled to believe whatever it is we want. Perhaps it is naive of
me, but I expect the same courtesy in return.
That is why, Ms. Durst, I am so agitated at your editorial from the
Nov. 15 edition of The Ranger, "Welcome Adolf Hitler on Campus." You
obviously have no respect whatsoever for the opinions of others.
People who do not share your thought on abortion are deemed immoral,
unethical mass murderers, to sum up your article briefly.
I think you have mistaken VOX for something it is not. They are not
telling girls to abort because it is an "easy out" of difficult
situations. I believe what they are trying to say is, "Hey, there
are three choices: abortion, adoption or keeping it. Now, weigh your
options and choose what is best for you. One choice is no better or
worse than the others." After all, we do have the freedom of
personal decision.
And think about this: there are more children stuck in the system
than there are homes for them. Adoptive families have dwindled in
number as rapidly over the years that most children will end up
staying in government property until they reach age 18. I'm sorry,
but that seems like a worse thing to do to a child than aborting it
before it even knows it exists.
Finally, I must add that I am outrageously offended by your
comparison of pro-choice activists to Hitler. As a pro-choice
activist born into a Jewish family, I must say that not only do I
disagree, but you are pathetically wrong in your accusation. Hitler
hated Jews and anyone he saw as imperfect. Pro-choice activists do
not hate babies. They simply believe in the freedom of choice. There
is an enormous difference in murdering millions of people because
you think you are a superior race and removing a seed that has yet
to develop.
You are welcome to believe what you wish, Ms. Durst, but there is no
need for personal attacks on people's character.
Hillary R. Bunce
English major
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