The Wichitan - Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls Texas

MIDWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY | January 25, 2006

VIEWPOINTS

Roe v. Wade in jeopardy of being over-turned
Cassie Daley | Opinion Editor

I remember watching the first Bush election on television; it was my very first experience with voting. I remember being disappointed as I watched, read, listened to and discussed the entire fiasco unfold. It felt in the end, as if the first time I’d ever gotten to vote, I had to witness the president of the United States of America being appointed to his position rather than elected. I voted against him, so naturally I was disheartened.

As we went through his first term in office being disheartened transformed itself into borderline anger. The next election hit much closer to home. There were many issues I saw being gambled with which would directly affect my own life as woman, a lesbian and a student. I found my mind dreamily mulling over what my feminist idol Alice Paul would do or how she would feel.

I honestly thought Bush would lose this time around. I was bitterly disappointed that for the second time in American history our president was appointed, more so than he was elected. Compounding this, is the fact that now this president has the power to appoint two Supreme Court judges. Two men that will carry his conservative, close-minded, unprogressive torch long after his presidency ends.

Most prevalently in the news is the ominous possibility of over-turning the 33-year-old ruling of Roe V. Wade, which marked a tremendous triumph in women’s right for productive freedom in a man-saturated political system. Now that all judges responsible for this victory no longer on the bench and the often liberal court’s swing vote Sandra Day O’Connor is being replaced by Bush’s conservative choice of Samuel Alito, Roe V. Wade is in grave danger of being over-turned. This would lift the federal ban on states making abortion illegal.

It is a fact that 20 million women are injured each year in countries that abortions are illegal, by trying to perform unsafe procedures. Although not all people agree with abortion, I myself would probably never have one; I don’t believe how many women are standing back and watching the feminist movement take such a monumental step backward. This issue does not belong to politics, it belongs to women, and it is our right to chose. Alice Paul would probably be rolling over in her grave – or more likely pitching a total fit.

It’s sad to me how such a controversial president got to make such important changes and decisions for our country. Decisions that will change history – affect not just our freedoms but those of our children as well. So many women stood out in the cold, endured jail time, and were force-fed during hunger strikes to take the first step in a movement that our grandmothers and mothers have continued – only to get this far and let it go.

'Don't ask don't tell' policy unfair solution
Adrian Hager | Staff Reporter

A good friend of mine is in the Army, and I would have to say this person is the best solider the military could ask for. Loyal, hard working and has pride in the military, all good qualities a solider should have, right?

There is only one problem. My friend is homosexual. It is OK though, because there is the ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ policy. My friend is allowed to serve in the military as long as no one asks and my friend does not speak of her sexual orientation.

Everybody is happy: homosexuals can fight for our country like everyone else, and the United Sates can sleep at night because we don’t have to openly acknowledge homosexuals serve in the military.

Here is my problem with this “fair” policy. Since when does sexual orientation come into play when defining a good solider? Homosexuals shouldn’t just be allowed to serve in the military. They deserve the exact same right to serve that everyone else has without the pressure of hiding a part of himself or herself.

When a solider is in a life or death situation, should they really care if the person by their side is attracted to the same sex or should they take comfort knowing the person is a good solider?

In the early 1900s women were in a fight for equality against men. Back then, I’m sure there were many critics who felt men were superior, and women were wasting their time. Decades later look how far women have come. Granted, equality among men and women isn’t perfect but it is possibly the closest it will get. The Civil Rights movement in the 60s followed the women’s suffrage movement. I am sure, separate but equal looked great in writing, but did it really solve anything? Was it separate, yet equal? This answer is obvious, of course not. Susan B. Anthony and Martin Luther King, as well as many other leaders, made great strides for equality in the United States. Did we as Americans take anything away from it?

Every American should be treated equally regardless of skin color, gender, religion or sexual orientation. That is why the United States is so great. Ideally, we have the freedom of choice. George Bush says this war is protecting freedom. However, it is freedom not all of Americans are fully receiving. Americans can talk the talk, but as a society we cannot seem to walk the walk.

My friend is serving in Iraq, a task most Americans would not attempt, and yet has to hide a part of her life in fear of losing the job most Americans would not want.

This society forces one solider to hide her sexual orientation, while another can openly discuss theirs. My friend’s army buddy can hang a picture of his wife above his bed without persecution. Seeing his wife's smile gives him strength to carry on another day. Yet, my friend has to conceal any mementos and pictures she has of her significant other in fear. My friend needs that exact same strength, yet she is denied that freedom. Where is the equality and freedom in this equation?

For a person wearing rose-tinted glasses, ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” is a situation where everybody wins. However, it is intolerance bundled up in a nice and neat little package with a red, white and blue bow on top.