Celebration of Death by Elizabeth Andrew

[This op-ed first appeared in the ??/??/02 edition of The New Hampshire, the UNH campus newspaper]

I am writing on behalf of UNH Student for Life in response to the invitation to the "Commemorating of Roe v. Wade," posted in the letter to the editor in the Friday Jan. 31 issue of The New Hampshire. To commemorate Roe v. Wade, is to commemorate the deaths of millions of human beings as well as the oppression of women. UNH Students for Life finds this unacceptable.

UNH Students for Choice, the UNH Women¹s Department, and NARAL-NH are sponsoring the event. Interesting, since UNH Students for Choice is not an official student organization. Further, why is the Women¹s Studies Department siding on such a divisive issue? Is this academic department providing an objective education at UNH, a research university, while sponsoring an event along side the National Abortion Right¹s Action League?

While the "celebration" takes place, "Roe" herself will be fighting to reverse the court decision! Norma McCorvey, "Roe," is now unwaveringly pro-life! For more information on McCorvey, check out her biography, "Won by Love."

Feminist Elizabeth Cady Stanton stated in a letter to Julia Ward Howe, "When we consider that women are treated as property, it is degrading to women that we should treat our children as property to be disposed of as we see fit." Stanton was not alone in this feminist sentiment towards abortion. Alice Paul, author of the original Equal Rights Amendment, stated, "Abortion is the ultimate exploitation of women."

Countless contemporary pro-life feminist organizations go unnoticed by academia. Patricia Heaton, "Debra" on Everybody Loves Raymond and honorary chair of the thriving pro-life organization, Feminists for Life, (www.feministsforlife.com) states on the Web site, "Every 36 seconds in America, a woman lays her body down, forced to choose an abortion out of a lack of practical resources and emotional support. Abortion is a reflection that society has failed women."

When women sense that they or their child is unwanted by society, that society has failed women. Does UNH provide a realistic life option for a pregnant student? How is the environment for an expecting father? Do you perceive that a pregnant student¹s life is ruined? What happened to accepting and celebrating our bodies?

The scientific community has verified human existence at the moment of conception. The human heart begins to beat by 22 days after fertilization and an electroencephalogram can detect brain waves at six weeks! Historically, personhood has been politically redefined several times. Now, in 2003, personhood is not politically granted to pre-born humans. Be informed. Investigate the abortion procedure as well as where a deceased embryo/fetus goes after an abortion.

The notion that legal abortions are somehow "safe" is faulty. Medical risks for women include blood clots, hemorrhaging, infection, cut/torn cervix, perforated uterus, pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility and death. Risk of breast cancer? Investigate: www.abortioncancer.com. Psychologically, Post-Abortion Syndrome is rarely discussed, yet is serious and affecting millions.

UNH Students for Life challenges the UNH community to compassionately consider abortion in concern to the mother, the father and the child. We are a non-religious organization that affirms life from conception through natural death. We recognize that abortion is an "inadequate response to women¹s impregnability." (Juli Wiley) UNH Students for Life does not support actions or words that are violent in manner or fueled by hate. Our mission is to promote the pro-life ethic through educational means within the UNH community.

UNH Students for Life does not support a woman¹s right to choose to terminate the life of another living human being. Anti-choice? No. Anti-choice to kill? Yes!