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Letters to the Editor
Community activist?
I would like to take this opportunity to share a humorous yet disturbing anecdote with the St. Cloud community, and at the same time serve community activist Jerry Middelstadt a slice of humble pie. A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of living in a house directly behind the Heritage House Bed and Breakfast that Mr. Middelstadt owns. On several occasions throughout the year my roommates and I watched Mr. Middelstadt sneak across the alley to the dumpster that we pay for, and dump loads of his trash from his business there - hoping that nobody would notice. Now don't get me wrong Jerry, this was not a huge crime and I am not always a model citizen myself, but your conduct should be more accurately described as "immature and juvenile college behavior," rather than that of a noble pillar of the community that you try to portray. The truth is out now, sir - you are a pilfer, not a pillar.
Chris Jackson
Senior
Mass Communications
Hunting season open on students
As the unknowing big game begin to settle in for the winter, the upcoming weekends will be a surprise like no other. Sadly, even in the day and age of human intelligence, far past the realization of opposable thumbs, humans will be subjected to a similar season, one in which unbeknown to the hunted, their days are numbered. Beginning Nov. 1, hunters of a slightly different breed, hired by the hunted for protection, take to their three-wheeled hunting machines in an attempt to bag the big one, or, bag as many little ones as possible. Yes folks, Nov. 1 marks the beginning of the season I like to call "parking ticket season."
Without warning, parking patrol hunters take to the streets under the cover of darkness sporting fancy electronic gadgets and pens, attempting to relive stories told by past generations of ticket writers. Hoping to gain tales of the hunt to bring back to the station, these young ticket writers take to the streets leaving trails of tickets. They, however, seem to think the thrill is in the kill, not in the chase.
Don't we hire these people to protect us? A cost to the inhabitants for a return of safety - instead we have a cost to society and still have to pay more, the return on our investment (taxes) yields yet more investment - assuming we haven't feathered our tracks and used the proper cover scent.
Paul Solsrud
Senior
Marketing
Abortion ban unconstitutional
I am writing in response to the staff essay written by Eric O'Link entitled "Abortion bill ends horrible practice" and I feel that he did not exactly do all his research. The decision made by our Supreme Court did ban late-term abortions but there is plenty of deception behind this bill that has been passed.
The bill banned a procedure typically used during the last trimester of pregnancy but it is a procedure that can be used at any time throughout the pregnancy. There is no health exception stated in the bill therefore this bill makes this type of abortion illegal at all times and can't be used in order to save the life of the mother. Without a health exception the bill is unconstitutional. Also the term "partial birth" is a political term and not a medical one, this terminology is used to sway voters toward the anti-choice stance. The American Medical Association is not in favor of this bill, and issues like these should not be left to the politicians to decide for us. They are not physicians and they lack the medical training needed in order to make an unbiased judgment. We need to make sure that it is our right to make any decisions regarding our health, our family, and our doctors are the only people that should be involved in a decision regarding any issue pertaining to our health. I sincerely feel that we need to shift our battles to promote policies geared toward reducing the need for abortion, while letting it be a safe and legal procedure. If the legislators keep shaving away the abortion rights women already have, we will be forced to take unsafe measures in order to induce abortion. Millions of women died as a result of botched abortions and many women unable to pay for a safe abortion still die of these back-alley abortions. Women are the ones that need to make the decision on this issue.
Theresa Kimmes
Senior
College of Elective Studies
Minnesota NARAL Campus Representative
Does life begin at conception?
In response to Kerry Ann Price ("Abortion law passed, but will it stop here?," Monday, Oct. 27). Kerry, you are correct on two very important points. First, you said "It's not that they really disagree on it (partial birth abortion) being outlawed, as I believe many pro-choice individuals and feminists do not agree with the practice." Many pro-choice people do disagree with the disgusting practice of partial-birth abortions. Partial-birth abortion is one small step away from a woman successfully giving birth to a child and then throwing it into a food processor. That is why it was so overwhelmingly defeated in the Senate and the House.
Second, you wrote "The real fear that I and other feminist and pro-choice supports have is that the law will not stop at this one form of abortion." Your fear is justified, because your reasons for being against one type of abortion and for another type are unjustified. In order for anyone to be against partial-birth abortions and in favor of other forms of abortion, she would have to reply to the following scenario:
Suppose you have two women, both five months pregnant. The first goes into labor early and is about to give birth to a premature baby. She decides to kill the baby as it is coming out of her body, which is to say, have a partial-birth abortion. The second woman is proceeding normally with the pregnancy. She decides to kill the child that is still in her womb, or have a regular abortion.
The only difference here is that one is visible and the other hidden. So why is the first wrong, but the second permissible?
Scott Bushee
2003 Graduate
Editor's note:
Several letter writers have taken umbrage at the recent story setting forth one former student's criticism of Richard Lewis, former controversial dean of the College of Social Sciences. The University Chronicle editorial board has decided to investigate the claims of editorializing and biased reporting, which it takes seriously. The matter is being referred to University Chronicle Readers' Advocate Joe Palmersheim for analysis under the guidance of adviser Michael Vadnie. An ombudsman analysis, incorporating the facts and the criticism surrounding the story, will appear in University Chronicle prior to Thanksgiving break.
- Editor Eric O'Link
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