Insight

YOUR OPINION

Re: Abortion

Since men are equally responsible for abortion, this letter applies to men just as much as it does to women. It is women, however, who are left in a situation where they feel alone and helpless. Isn't the child also alone and helpless? We must remember that all of us were once an infant in the womb. To forget that, is to deny who we are. Would we have wanted our mothers to have an abortion if it was us inside her?

It makes sense that we would save ourselves, but how about thinking about others for once? The fact that babies are not on an equal level to defend themselves or vocalize their beliefs does not justify the action of abortion. They lack the ability because of their age and environment. And so did we as babies. We cheat them out of their own lives for rationalizations.

Abortion goes against the very beliefs of the people who advocate it. They state that they have inalienable rights, but they forget that others do, too-even babies! If they truly believe they have those rights, why is it only for them? Why can't the rights be for all humans of all life stages? Abortionists rely on rationalizing the reasons they can't have a baby, because they simply don't want one. We must get what we want when we want it because life would be difficult if we can't.

By buying into the concept of abortion, we shortcut our decisions to those that are only easy and convenient, and reflect our desires to make decisions based only on how it affects us. It is not always easy to make the right decision. It may involve sacrifice, poverty and commitment. Sometimes the difficult choice is making the right decision.

~Isaac Lucero

Re: Zoë Williams' Sept. 8 column

I don't know how to write this letter to express concern for Zo‰ Williams and other women who get harassed.

I suspect the men who harass her and other women have been abused by TV news, newspapers, bosses, and other men and women with ideas that suggest "a man, to be a manly man, has to be aggressive and hostile and mistreat women."

But these men don't know they've been abused and have been given bad ideas, and haven't had the strength, thoughts and guidance to throw off bad ideas and learn and adopt good ones.

Zoë might've met one or more of them on the bus.

Some men watch TV news, see lots of stories every day about rapists, murderers, spouse abusers, thieves, drug dealers, and few stories about ways to avert violence, and so men are violent.

A lot of men have been abused by men and women whose words or conduct suggests that women want men who are aggressive and uncaring and show toughness and manliness by acting badly, and these men don't know they've been abused and don't know any better.

If Zoë or another woman decides to be brave and/or compassionate, the next time she gets harassed, she could say something like "I'm sorry. It looks like you've been abused and have learned bad ideas about good conduct, and maybe should talk with counselors about it, maybe at Denver Health or men's groups or church or clergy, or a Rape Crisis Center."

If she becomes scared, I hope she talks about it before she becomes terrified of all men, and to write about it and do discussion about a toxic culture with men and/or women who abuse emotions which induce some men to get wrong ideas of what women want.

~Marc Gordon