SPEAKING FREELY
Posted by Professor Genelle
Gertz
Dear
Allison, Domnica, and Women's and Gender Studies Colleagues,
As
Allison's advisor in the English Department, I feel compelled to respond to
Prof. Radulescu's impassioned defense of feminist
values. While I myself support choice, I come from a background where, for very
deeply-felt reasons, women do not support the right to an abortion. Namely,
they do not support it because they believe that the fetus is a life and
therefore should be sustained. I have known several families who, because of
this philosophy, make commitments to already-born children. They have adopted
babies who were abandoned by parents and suffering from the effects of their
mother's drug addictions. I have watched these adoptive families struggle with
the long-term effects of their children's background, such as battling extreme
forms of ADHD and other behavioral/psychological disorders,
that can be very taxing on parents and families. It is therefore not
always the case that people who disapprove of abortion neglect to take care of
underprivileged children.
I
also support Allison's desire to invite people who hold different views to come
to this event. Surely respectful disagreement and debate is a good thing, and
the heart of university life. It may in the future be helpful to invite two
speakers at once who hold opposite views on the issue. That way both sides
would be given equal representation.
Respectfully,
Genelle
Gertz