In Joe McMurray's April 3 column "Freedom of speech for all, no matter how tasteless," he mistakenly referred to First Right as pro-choice when in fact it is the oldest of the University's pro-life organizations. First Right's main objective is to promote the values of life and love with the understanding that life begins at conception. We are called First Right because we promote the first inalienable right of life.
McMurray as well as Elizabeth Managan ("Seeking a better way to debate," March 27) accosted First Right for not condemning pro-life displays on the grounds of tastelessness. It is unfortunate that exposing an ugly reality should be so tasteless. We question whether or not it is the reality of abortion that is offensive and revolting rather than the plastic fetus display, that steered away from bloody pictures or accounts of how awful and painful the "procedure" is. Not as tasteless and utterly revolting perhaps as having condoms shoved in one's face by Planned Parenthood while on the way to class on Valentine's Day. Nor as tasteless as the first week of first year when, at a mandatory meeting, RAs tossed free condoms through the air and people scrambled for them like peasants scrambling for money from some magnanimous elite. By the same logic, the Holocaust Museum, which is deeply disturbing, and far more graphic, would be considered tasteless. It is, however, necessary to sometimes expose reality for what it is in order to bring forth justice.
To women who are suffering as a result of having lost a child and felt offended at the pro-life display, we are deeply sorry. Please understand that our intent was not to offend but to demonstrate a painful reality to a culture that is antithetical to the values of life and true love.
|
While we agree with McMurray's viewpoint that "the move to silence the pro-life movement is analogous to the Southern movement to suppress discussion of slavery in antebellum America," he failed to mention that the pro-choice activists on Grounds systematically did exactly that. The "move to silence the pro-life movement" has been an ongoing strategy of pro-choice activists here for years. In the past, those advocating legal abortion have done everything from painting over and defaming pro-life messages on Beta Bridge, to scribbling over chalkings, to tearing down fliers and posters. Since we are pro-life, we believe that a human life is terminated through every abortion. It is, therefore, incumbent upon us as our moral duty to actively commit ourselves to protect human life and justice for both child and mother.
We often are moved to tears thinking of how tragic abortion is and the lives it destroys. We are angered at how abortionists have imposed their values on others for profit, making a business out of manipulating young women to kill their offspring. How will women who have chosen abortion feel when they see another woman's baby, about the same age as the one theirs would be? How will they feel when they witness the joy of life in children, perhaps 10 years down the road, and know that they were involved in the termination of a life equally precious? Will Planned Parenthood or Campus for Choice be there then to help pick up the pieces and aid in the healing process? First Right aims to prevent what we believe in our hearts to be the wrong decision by providing women with information on all alternatives to abortion and support available to them that most are unaware of when facing a crisis pregnancy. First Right members understand that in making the difficult decision to abort, many women struggled to find the moral and responsible choice. We understand that they may have felt trapped or that there was no way out, that they needed it to prevent ruining their own lives or that of their lover, their career - or avoiding the unfortunately stinging stigma and challenge of being a single or young mother. First Right categorically does not judge individuals but seeks to provide information and support in our hope for the tragedy of abortion to end. Our outrage concerning abortion is not against women but for them and their children, and ultimately all of us, a generation of shadows, missing a third of our cohort, our would-be friends, perhaps even our true loves.
(Gloria Dolenc is a first-year College student and the current president of First Right. Brian Noonan is a fourth-year College student and a former president of First Right.)
Read More
PATEL: Personal development courses support students beyond the gradebook
By Heer Patel | YesterdayThe University must rethink its approach to education beyond traditional major-specific requirements and mandate personal development courses.
EDITORIAL: Commercialization threatens U.Va.’s educational mission
By Editorial Board | 2 days agoAfter all, measuring the University’s worth in terms of accrued capital, operational efficiency and numerical rankings molds this space into just another cookie-cutter institution.
YOUNIS: Why every U.Va. student should say yes to English
By Ayat Younis | 6 days agoEvery student at the University, regardless of their primary field of study, can professionally and academically benefit from engaging with the English department.
