Leaving personal morals at the door is best
This is a letter to the editor.
I would like to pose some questions in response to last week’s Letter to the Editor written by Channa Kalsow.
First, if all life is sacred, why are issues like immigration, healthcare, veteran’s affairs and foster care not included in the conversation? These issues, and the policies surrounding them, directly impact people’s lives for the better or worse, so why shouldn’t they be included? It is important, whether anyone considers themselves pro-life or not, to discuss these issues based on trying to make people’s lives better. Discussing and advocating for reforms in these areas is another way to advocate for another person’s life who may not be able to have their voice heard in our current political landscape.
Second, why is the definition of pro-life primarily based on Catholic and Christian ideology? I understand that we go to a Catholic institution, but not every student who attends follows that faith. Therefore, the definition described in the previous Letter to the Editor is not applicable to all.
There are many people who consider themselves pro-life but do not follow the Christian faith, or any faith at all. And there are many Catholics and Christians that consider themselves pro-choice. There needs to be a broader definition that is not primarily based in faith that is more inclusive to those who don’t follow the Christian faith, or any faith at all.
When discussing abortion, I believe that personal morals should be left ‘out of the ring.’ Bringing personal morals into highly politicized and heated issues can cloud judgement and block our ability to listen with the ears of our hearts. Many of the new laws and policies surrounding abortion and other aspects of healthcare are directly impacting people’s lives today. As a community, we should be working to better the lives of those in both our community and in our country.
Lastly, I pose these questions to the broader CSB/SJU community in the pursuit of critical thinking and expanding knowledge. Please discuss with your friends, roommates, teammates and anyone else. These are important questions to answer (or attempt to) in order to have more productive discussions within our community. Also, please remember to register to vote! Your voice matters and voting is a way that you can influence politics.