Editor, Daily Nexus:
In response to Kristi Maso’s opinion column, (Daily Nexus, “Women Receive Stubborn Dogma, Cold Shoulder From ‘Jane Roe,’ ” April 3). Kristi had a lot of intelligent things to say in her column regarding Norma McCorvey. She attacks hypocrisy and criticizes the speaker’s disrespect for the audience. For these points, I applaud Kristi. However, there are some things she says that I do not agree with. I think it is less logical to “applaud people who genuinely believe in someone or something,” than to try to find truth. Would you applaud me for believing in the power of a turnip to reverse the direction that the earth spins? I hope you wouldn’t – in fact, I hope you would kindly point out to me the massive mistake I’m making.
The issue of abortion is not decided by the attitude or verbal skill of the person arguing for or against it. I agree that McCorvey was often tactless in the way she responded to questions. But her disrespect, callous as it may have been, does not necessarily make her wrong. A polite person could argue my above turnip example and be rudely opposed by another (more logical) person, but again, the politeness of the former figure doesn’t mean that turnips are superpowered. I apologize for McCorvey’s demeanor; Kristi is completely justified in being both upset and offended by it.
But neither of us would be justified in believing that gravity doesn’t exist or that cheese is intelligent, no matter how kindly these follies could be argued. The issue of abortion revolves around the humanity of the embryo, fetus, etc. in question. If it’s a person, like I believe it is, it has got all of the rights of a person (regardless of its age or location). If it’s just a lump of atoms, like some other people believe it is, then it has the same rights as any other inanimate object. But these debates don’t rest on the personality of the person arguing them.
And in response to Kristi’s argument about illegal abortions becoming more common if abortion is declared illegal: that is a tragedy. Please don’t think that Christians don’t care about mothers or families. The Jesus of the Bible has passionate concern for those who are downcast, rejected by society, and in pain. But would you suggest that heroin be legalized? For the time being, it’s sold in back alleys and cut with dangerous chemicals. However, the fact that people are hurt doing something illegal doesn’t mean that we should legalize it to make it safer. The point of declaring an action illegal is to stop people from doing something harmful, not to cater to people’s endless drive to disregard the law. I could never argue that heroin should be legalized just because people do it regardless of current laws. Likewise, I can’t condone abortion just because it happens in back alleys. I don’t want to force it into back alleys, where the mothers are put in jeopardy; I want it never to happen at all. If you believed, like I do, that embryos are people, you would agree that every abortion, no matter where or when or how it takes place, is by definition unsafe – it’s ending a life.
Lastly, Kristi is commendable in her attack on hypocrisy. In fact, she is almost quoting Jesus himself (“do not be like the hypocrites,” Matthew 6:5). It is the biggest problem in the history of Christianity, hands down. Kristi, I beg you and the many people who share your point of view, to read the Bible for yourselves! If you are really dedicated to understanding the issues we’re discussing, read the gospels of Luke or John and see how Jesus deals with issues of feminism and hypocrisy. You are right in suggesting that a lot of Christians act in ways contrary to their beliefs. That is why I don’t trust Christians; I trust Jesus. Examine him, test him and see if he ever does anything contrary to what he says he stands for and whom he says he is.
BRIAN LARSON
