A Long Way Gone- Entry #5

After finishing this book, I was struck by how it is both uplifting and discouraging. For the first two thirds of the memoir, Beah focuses on describing the horrors he was forced to endure in Sierra Leone. However, his escape to New York at the end of the book left me feeling hopeful, as if there really is a light at the end of the tunnel. His choice to end on this note truly says something about Beah's optimistic outlook on the war as a whole. The most interesting element of the end of the memoir was the last couple of pages. During these, Beah digresses into an African folk tale about a monkey who speaks to a hunter. The hunter, moments away from pulling his trigger and killing the monkey, is told by the animal, "'If you shoot me, your mother will die, if you don't, your father will die'" (217). After several paragraphs of discussion as to what his own decision would be if he were to be confronted with this predicament, Beah finally concludes in the last paragraph of the memoir, "I concluded to myself that if I were the hunter, I would shoot the monkey so that it would no longer have the chance to put other hunters in the same predicament" (218). I took this ending as a call to action. Through this folk tale, Beah urges to the reader to do more than merely think about oneself. Despite the danger that may come in confronting terrorist groups such as the RUF, one must consider that the right decision is never one that is solely focuses on one's personal needs. In other words, yes, becoming involved in such a deeply violent issue may not be wonderful for a nation's foreign policy. We must realize though that we are not the only ones who have something to lose. Even if involvement in such an issue results in the initial loss of more lives, the long term benefits would far outweigh the short term costs.

A Long Way Gone- Entry #4

Even though the primary focus of the memoir is on the suffering of a child soldier, this part of the book was refreshingly uplifting. Beah is sent to a rehabilitation center in order to recover from his experiences with the RUF. Despite the massive amounts of violence and aggression Beah was forced to internalize, he finds solace in both music and a counselor named Esther. Beah is thorough in his description of his own rehabilitation process. That is, he makes sure that the reader is aware of his initial anxieties and resistance towards recovery. Even so, Beah shows that with time recovery will always come. He makes clear in the beginning of the book that music has always been a source of immense happiness for him. Therefore, it makes sense that music plays a large role in his recovery process. On page 160 Beah writes, “Esther got me to tell her some of my dreams. She would just listen and sit quietly with me. If she wanted to say anything, she would first ask, ‘Would you like me to say something about your dream?’ Mostly I would say no and ask for the Walkman.” This passage underscores Beah’s initial resistance to Esther’s attempts at helping him, yet his unwavering interest in music. Soon, his relationship with Esther and his love of music blend together. He says, “I began to look forward to Esther’s arrival in the afternoons. I sang her parts of the songs I had memorized that day. Memorizing lyrics left me little time to think about what had happened in the war” (163). Here, his tendency to use music as an escape enables him to recover the trauma caused by the war. As I said earlier in this post, this section of the memoir was very uplifting: it shows that despite any trauma, no matter how severe, there is never a point of no return. Recovery is always possible. 

A Long Way Gone- Entry #3

In the most recent section of the memoir, it has become clear how the children devolve once they have become soldiers. I wrongly assumed that the children, despite their “initiation” still feel immense resistance to fighting and killing. However, Beah shows that while he may have felt this way for a few days, it quickly subsides.  He writes that before his first ‘battle,’ he would get constant migraines and sometime be so petrified that even the smallest of noises would startle him. After his first battle though, he explains that his attitude towards death and killing became almost mechanic, such that he felt no emotion or remorse upon ending a life.

In my research of Invisible Children and the entire issue of child soldiers as a whole, I have come to understand that this issue extends far beyond itself, with problems such as HIV, poverty, and hunger crises stemming from it. A Long Way Gone also explores the role played by drugs in this war. Beah writes about how, in an effort to cope with and simply survive the fighting he was forced to endure, he and the other soldiers would snort cocaine, brown brown (a mixture of cocaine and gunpowder), smoke marijuana, and take powerful painkillers. Although he was only thirteen when he was a child soldier, Beah admits to having been addicted to both cocaine and painkillers at that age, simply because of how readily available they were made to him. When he recounts a particular time when he simultaneously took high amounts of the aforementioned drugs, he writes that his heart would rapidly palpitate and he would break out into heavy sweats. Not only did this section of the memoir make me realize how mentally and emotionally abusive this practice of taking child soldiers can be, but I also noted how many residual effects (ie: drug addiction) are caused by this issue. 

Invisible Children- Source #4

This article discusses a small Ugandan town called Lira, which has been serving as a place of refuge for those displaced by Joseph Kony's LRA. This article shows that although there may be camps that serve as a place to home displaced victims of the war, there is truly no escape. The article says of Lira, "There is fear and anger, thousands more people are without the services so desperately needed. Hospitals and clinics are without medicine. There is a lack of food and water, medical care. But thousands are flocking in for safety; tens of thousands want to remain near just to be safe." This particular passage underscores the point that the hell Joseph Kony has created is unescapable, especially for the children "night commuters" who hide during the daytime and flock to such camps to find shelter at night. The desperation in Uganda, especially from the children, is staggering. The more I read about this issue and how severe it has become, the more I support the efforts of organizations such as Invisible Children. While their efforts go primarily to helping children of Uganda and other war-torn regions of Africa that struggle with the problem of child soldiers, in helping the children they will be hugely instrumental in the ending the conflict altogether, seeing as how children make up the vast majority of Kony's army (as of 2009, approximately 20,000 children had been abducted by the LRA). In effect, the dismantling of Kony's followers can allow for the more peripheral, yet still grave, issues such extreme poverty, famine, and disease to be addressed and ultimately rectified.

Invisible Children- Source #3

While many articles I have read focus on the issues of the child soldiers and the Ugandan war on a larger scale, the the Washington Post article "A Child's Hell in the Lord's Resistance Army" gave an up-close personal account of what it is like to be an abducted child soldier. The article tells the story of Grace Akallo, who was abducted by the LRA from her school, St. Mary's College. Before reading this article, I assumed that the LRA would mainly abduct boys, as they may prove to be more efficient and effective soldiers. However, in the article Grace explains that she, along with 138 other girls, were marched out of their school by the LRA. After being taken to a forest, the rebels eventually allowed 109 of the girls to go free with one of the nuns, while they kept the remaining 30; Grace was part of the latter group. She recounts how she was forced to beat and kill other children as part of her "initiation" as a soldier. In addition to this, the article explains how many girls who are abducted are taken as "wives" by LRA officers, leading to repeated sexual abuse. This article was very instrumental in helping me to understand the horrors experienced by child soldiers. The fact that this first-hand account was told through the eyes of a young girl reveals that the child soldier issue is not isolated to only young boys, but rather extends, unfortunately, to all of Uganda's children.

Invisible Children- Source #2

The article I read today is entitled "Christian Rebels Wage a War of Terror in Uganda." This article, published in the New York Times, seemed to focus mainly on the supposed aims of the LRA as well as the relationship between the LRA and the Ugandan President and government. The article says, "A year after Uganda's President, Yoweri Museveni, vowed to wipe out the insurgency in the north of this central African country, the bloodthirsty gangs of self-styled revolutionaries and Christian fundamentalist rebels known as the Lord's Resistance Army have not only survived, but are stepping up their campaign of terror." Clearly, the Ugandan government has done little to help this issue and, if anything, has in fact exacerbated its severity. Knowing this, I realize why it is so necessary to gain international involvement with this war, seeing as how the government has no control over the rebel army. Furthermore, the article asserts that the rebels lack the power or organization to actually topple the President, in effect leading to a kind of stalemate. This lack of a just controlling body in Uganda will only lead to the continued use of child soldiers--who make up 90% of the LRA's manpower-- in this war.

Invisible Children- Source #1

Today, I visited Invisible Children's website in order to learn more about the cause and the history of the war in Uganda. On their website, I found one particularly helpful page entitled "Uganda Today" that gave both background and history of the issue, but also outlined the chronology of the war and how it has evolved in the past decade. This article spoke about the Juba Peace Talks, which occured from 2006 until 2008 and were between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and the Government of Uganda (GoU). These talks signified the longest period of peace in Uganda's 23 year war. Although the Juba Peace Talks developed with the hope that they would result in a resolution between the LRA's leader Joseph Kony and Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Kony continually failed to sign the Final Peace Agreement (FPA), eventually resulting in the unfortunate dissolution of any hope for peace. The article explains that since the end of the Juba Peace Talks, LRA violence has only increased in intensity, displacing approximately 1.8 million people. This article really helped me to get a firm grasp on the history of the war that Invisible Children is working to end. This article continues to provide a detailed history of the issue by tracing its development since nearly 1996 until present day. Although it describes many of the atrocities committed by the LRA and Joseph Kony, it is also somewhat encouraging, as it offers information on the many attempts at peace talks, cease fire agreements, and treaties attempted by other nations in an effort to help Uganda. Although this war has the reputation of being largely ignored on the global scale, it appears that awareness is steadily increasing.

A Long Way Gone- Entry #2

At this point in the memoir, Beah begins to show just how much one can change given the proper conditions. In the first several pages of the book, Beah gives the reader a glimpse into what his life and personality were like before the rebel army came; this functions as a ‘before shot’ of Beah. In these most recent chapters, Beah speaks of fleeing from the rebel army (The Revolutionary United Front, or the RUF) and the experience of living in isolation and constant fear. He writes, “I felt as if somebody was after me. Often, my shadow would scare me and cause me to run for miles” (49). Seeing as how at this point in the memoir Beah has not yet been abducted by the RUF, passages such as these cause me to realize that the issue of child soldiers is not isolated only to those who have actually been abducted. Beah’s accounts of his time spent wandering the forests of Sierra Leone shows that although many children in the region do not fall victim to abduction, they suffer extreme traumas nonetheless. Furthermore, these chapters showed how the issue of child soldiers and forced fighting bleeds into other grave problems such as poverty and hunger. When Beah speaks of the extreme hunger he faced while fleeing from the rebels, he writes, “One evening, we actually chased a little boy who was eating two ears of boiled corn by himself…We rushed on the boy at the same time, and before he knew what was happening, we had taken the corn from him” (30). Beah’s description of this experience shows that problems such as these are never isolated. Rather, they create a domino effect of problems. Also, as I mentioned at the beginning of this entry, Beah’s treatment towards this young boy illustrates how capable humans are of drastic change, given the right situation. Watching how Beah has changed from the gentle, caring boy he was at the beginning of the memoir to the desperate and nearly animalistic child he has become thus far prepares me for the type of terrifying change that will inherently occur within him once he becomes abducted as a child soldier. 

A Long Way Gone- Entry #1

For this quarter, I am reading the memoir A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah. I became interested in this book after watching the film Invisible Children, which shows the horrors endured by Ugandan children who have escaped from abduction or live in constant fear of it. The photograph on the cover of the book seems consistent with the title, as it features a young boy carrying a rifle and a machete on his back. To have those two horribly contrasting ideas--violence and childhood-- blended into one image gives the reader a quick glimpse how truly far gone these children are from any sense of normalcy. Despite this, after reading the first few chapters of the book, I was surprised by how genuinely normal the boys truly seem. Of course there are obvious cultural differences such the names of their towns (Mattru Jong and Mogbwemo), yet the children do not seem any different from those that I see every day here in Deerfield. Beah speaks of listening to cassettes and watching movies, giving his story an eerily familiar feeling, despite the tremendously unfamiliar and violent direction in which it will soon head. Beah writes, "The only wars I knew of were those that I had read about in books or seen in movies such as Rambo: First Blood, and the one in neighboring Liberia that I had heard about on the BBC news" (1). The fact that this sense of calm normalcy is soon replaced a mere twelve pages later with images of rampant violence speaks to the pace of the war and this issue in general. Beah says, "In the back of the van were three more dead bodies, two girls and a boy, and their blood was all over the seats and the ceiling of the van" (13). The acceleration of violence in these first several pages is astounding, and I can only assume what implications it has for the rest of the memoir. While some of the scenes Beah describes are difficult to swallow, I am curious to continue reading and witness exactly how quickly a war such as this one can unravel an innocent young boy's life.

Invisible Children

I had heard of Invisible Children a few years ago, but was never entirely sure of what the organization's mission was or the history of it all. After watching the documentary though, I was very moved to learn more and become more involved in helping the children affected by the war in Uganda. As I was watching the movie, all I could think about was How can  no one care? It seems that children soldiers and displaced Ugandans are receiving a shocking low amount of aid, especially in light of the gravity of the situation. After all, these are children. Not adults who no better, but children. I often hear about situations such as these and feel like it is a different planet and the people affected by these wars are nothing like myself or any of my family or friends. As I watched the filmmakers interview three young boys, I was struck by how similar they were to many students I know. They mentioned popular musicians and smiled when they started singing their songs. I suddenly realized that while this may be happening in a nation that is nothing like my own and may be millions of miles away, people are people no matter where they are. Theses boys' culture does not make them any more or less immune to the horrors they have witnessed. This feeling of connection with the victims of abduction and forced combat inspired me to get more involved. A friend and I hope to raise money for Invisible Children by fundraising at school in hopes to somewhat contribute positively in any way we can to an overwhelmingly negative situation.

Hidden Bias

When I received my results from the simulation, I was not entirely neutral-- I had a slight bias towards white, European Americans, and a slight prejudice against African Americans. Because I have grown up in a predominantly white neighborhood,  and therefore do not have any black friends, I was not surprised that I favored people who I identified with. After all, I have never met an African American with whom I have become close; I simply have not had the chance. This is precisely why I believe that diversity is so important in schools, neighborhoods, and communities of any kind. In doing so, people of different races and ethnicities become more aware of one another's cultures and customs, inherently making them more accepting of individuals who may different from themselves. If one is exposed to only people of one race, as I largely have been by growing up in Deerfield, it can result in being unfamiliar with people who may look different those you are used to, and this can unfortunately often translate into fear and prejudice. Nonetheless, I was certainly not please that this prejudice existed within me, and since taking the simulation I have become more conscious of it and have been working to rectify it. For example, I recently visited a college and when I was waiting at the train station to go back to the airport, I was acutely aware that I was the only white person on the platform and because of this, felt very uncomfortable. However, I was able to catch myself and recognize that my discomfort, my "hidden bias", was unmerited and wrong. 

What's Going On in the World?

Starting at the end of January, the people of Egypt began to hold protests rallying against unemployment, the high rate of poverty in the nation, and most importantly, their corrupt then-president Hosni Mubarak. The most prevalent opposition group is the Muslim Brotherhood, who have in recent years been gaining fame and recognition via the internet (Twitter, blogging, etc.). Because of their large presence both on the internet and in the Muslim and Egyptian political realm, they were able to gain supporters to protest against Mubarak's government using the Internet. I read a particularly interesting article that discussed how the entire overthrow of the Egyptian government was indeed started by the internet. Since Mubarak's corrupt government would not stop short of harming its own citizens, the people of Egypt were, for decades, forced to remain silent despite their unhappiness with the government. Therefore, with the popularization of websites such as Facebook they were able to organize protests silently and anonymously, avoiding the risk of being prosecuted by the government. Because of this, the citizens of Egypt eventually overthrew the government in mid=February, prompting Mubarak to resign from his post as President and allow the Egyptian military to step in as an interim government, which many believe is going to turn into a democracy. I greatly admire the actions of the Egyptian citizens, both for their bravery and ingenuity in using the mediums such as the internet to ensure that their goal of freedom would be met.

Race in America

After exploring CNN webpage on race, I was particularly struck by the article that discussed the tension caused in a church because of fluctuations in the races of the churchgoers. Prior to reading the Wise and Hacker articles, I believe that I may have read this most recent article and dismissed as being a kind of case study, something that is not a widespread issue. However, both the Hacker and Wise articles opened my eyes to the reality and presence of racism in modern America. In light of the two aforementioned race articles, as I read this most recent CNN article, I did not find myself to be particularly surprised by the content. Of course it was still striking, but after hearing some of the harsh statistics and rough truths offered by Hacker, I cannot say that I was shocked that churches are dealing with integration issues. Something I was not expecting to read though was the repeated mention of battles and tensions that sparked because of an increasingly interracial parish. I would think that one's faith would (hopefully) supersede in importance one's feelings towards people of a different race. Therefore, I found it odd that such hostility has been sparked in a place where faith is the primary concern. The fact that the issue has become so prominent that ministers have left interracial parishes out of sheer frustration speaks to the gravity of the issue. Not only is modern day racism taking precedence over faith-- and in churches nonetheless-- but it is resulting in outright racial tensions and battles.

Mock Trial Recap: Sexual Harassment and Date Rape

The first case revolved around the issue of sexual harassment. Just as the class discussed after the verdict had been delivered, it seemed to be a very straightforward case, with the stipulated facts alone presenting enough evidence to convict Kevin Murphy of sexual harassment. Therefore, it seemed very fitting that the verdict delivered was one of “guilty.” A main issue of concern in this case was intent vs. impact. It was made clear from the beginning of the case that Kevin Murphy did indeed make comments to Elise Roberts that had sexual undertones and could be perceived as inappropriate. So, the goal of the case did not seem to be an issue of whether or not Murphy said such comments—it was confirmed that he did—but instead and issue of which individual, Murphy or Roberts, had a flawed perception of acceptable behavior. Because of this, I found the testimony of Kenneth Puma most compelling because of the way in which he changed the way in which Kevin Murphy was perceived. In Puma’s testimony he painted Kevin Murphy has a man who liked to joke around, but often crossed the line. An example that comes to mind is when Puma testified that Murphy made some comment in court about Elise and another woman. Puma said that he recognized this comment as very inappropriate and seemed to take mental note of it. I found Puma’s testimony most compelling because, while he was testifying on behalf of the plaintiff and therefore meant to paint Murphy in a poor light, his testimony seemed relatively well-balanced and neutral, in effect making it believable and credible. His position as a fellow co-worker who seemed to have a vastly personality than Elise yet still found Murphy’s comments unacceptable certainly helped to show that while Elise may have perhaps been a ‘high strung’ and sensitive woman, this sensitivity was not the reason behind her accusations. In other words, Kevin Murphy’s harassment was also recognized and deemed offensive by another relatively uninvolved party, ultimately legitimizing her complaint against Murphy. In this particular case, I do not see how a verdict other than “guilty” could have possibly been delivered. The only way that Kevin Murphy could have reasonably been acquitted of these charges was if the defense presented an incredibly strong case supporting the theory that Elise Roberts was so unusually emotionally fragile and had such a severely skewed perception of others that her personality allowed her to perceive Murphy’s comments as offensive harassment when they indeed were not. However, I do not think there was ample evidence available in the case to support said theory, which is why I certainly support and agree with the outcome of the trial and believe that, based on the testimonies and facts of the case, it was the correct decision.

In the second case, David Jones v. United States, I do not necessarily agree with verdict of the case. I, as a defense attorney for the case, was of course pleased with the results but still do not believe they were the correct decision. Although overall this case seemed to offer more room for deliberation than the sexual harassment case, it still seemed to me that there were many explicit stipulated facts that alone were enough for a guilty verdict. For example, in David Jones v. United States, it is stipulated that Susan Williams explicitly said “no” several times. To me, that fact alone qualifies Mr. Jones as a rapist in this case. After witnessing resistance from Ms. Williams in both physical and verbal forms, he still proceeded to have sex with her. I found the most compelling witness in this case to be David Jones. Since the prosecution seemed to have such a strong case against Jones, I found his testimony to be very interesting, as it painted him as a very innocent man who was a victim of unfortunate miscommunication.

Without trying to diminish the trauma faced by any rape victim, I feel that in some ways it may be more traumatic to be a victim of date rape rather than a victim of a random, anonymous rape. Both cases are tremendously traumatic in their own ways, but the personal aspect of date rape seems that it would have an especially scarring impact on the victim. It seems that date rape is not only violent, but also violates the trust of the victim, as victims of date rape usually know their attacker. Another prevalent issue with date rape is the element of confusion, which was witnessed in this trial. With date rape, the victim not only has to deal with the trauma of what has happened to her, but also often has to confront self-doubt and a sense that her feelings of violation and victimization are illegitimate—something that only worsens an already terrible crime.

I have never heard of a girl at Deerfield High School being a victim of date rape. Although I’m sure it has happened, it is not an issue that I believe occurs frequently enough to be considered a real problem at this school. I think the reason behind the absence of date rape is that we have been so thoroughly educated on the dangers of it. As we all saw from the case, because the issue of date rape is so delicate and can be subjective, one must look at it through a strongly black and white lens and simply follow the creed of “no means no.” I believe this mentality has, fortunately, been engrained in the minds of most students at DHS, resulting in date rape becoming an essential non-issue at our school. Unlike date rape, I do feel that sexual harassment is slightly more common. Perhaps it is merely ‘teenagers being teenagers’ and throwing around thoughtless comments, but I do think that sexual harassment does occur on a small level. While comments may be made, I have yet to witness a student who seems to be legitimately bothered or threatened by the comments. It seems that any comments that could be construed as “sexual harassment” are all obviously made in jest, with the ‘harasser’ usually knowing when to draw the line and stop. 

The State of the Union Address: Math and Science Make a Comeback

During President Obama's State of the Union Address, he made a point to emphasize the importance of children's involvement in math and science. As part of his plan to jumpstart the nation's progression in science and technology, he encouraged young people to pursue careers in education, mentioning that the nation will be needing hundreds of thousands of new educators in the coming years. I think Obama's push for an increase of interest in these fields is a wise one because it will inspire a new wave of technological progression similar to that which was occurring during the space race. Obama spoke about how the United States has lapsed into a period of technological and scientific stagnancy and think there is a fair amount of truth to his statement. The United States is no longer the clear world leader in science and technology and is instead becoming eclipsed by China. This seems like a particularly wise agenda because although the United States seems to have so many resources, it does not appear that its young people have been truly taking advantage of them. In fact, Obama made a point to mention that just recently China-- not the United States-- engineered the world’s fastest and most sophisticated computer. The way that Obama approached this subject was wise. His tone was not scolding, that is, he was not attempting to voice disappointment in the nation and convey a feeling that our current, rather sluggish position is permanent. Instead, he was very encouraging and used various anecdotes and positive language to inspire a new age of change in the coming years. He reminded American citizens of the time during the Space Race to show the benefits the United States was able to reap when the United States had adopted a fiercely intellectually competitive attitude—something that I believe needs to return.

 

How the Pro-Choice Movement Saved America: Final Entry

Overall, this book intensified my belief that the pro-choice movement has had a positive impact on society as whole while also guaranteeing women the right to their own bodies. Nonetheless, Page's consistently strong and intelligent argument are occasionally marred by her tendency to ignore the nuances of the pro-life movement. It seems that, at times, a more fitting title of the book would have been How the Pro-Life Movement Destroyed America-- Page sometimes seems a little too intent on cruelly bashing her opposition rather than showing why her own position is correct. On more than one occasion, Page allows the reader to believe that every pro-life activist is a devout right-winger who is a strong subscriber to a fundamentalist religion. Clearly this is not true, and by giving the reader the illusion that this fallacy is fact, Page makes her job a bit too easy.

My reservations about her style of argumentation aside, she offers astute and original points that are rarely considered in the arena of abortion. These considerations include the effect abortion has on poverty on both the global and domestic scales, the eradication of abortion leading to dangerous self-abuse, and the effect the opportunity for abortion has had on marriage satisfaction. Above all else, Cristina Page makes sure to reiterate that outlawing abortion does not fulfill pro-life activists' supposed ultimate goal: to decrease the number of abortions.

How the Pro-Choice Movement Saved America: Entry #5

In the closing chapter of the book, entitled "A World Without Roe" Page gives the reader a glimpse into some of the ramifications of a world without the right to abortion. She writes, "The day after Roe is overturned, the right to abortion will be threatened, if not quickly made illegal, in no fewer than twenty-one states" (145). To underscore the massive effect outlawing abortion would have on the nation's women, Page says, "In 2000, approximately 400,000 women from these states has abortions" (146). This particular statistic really resonated with me. When Page had previously brought up abortion as a legitimate means of population control, I was not sure how large of an effect abortion really had on the overall population of a country. However, this statistic showed me how profound the change could be if abortion becomes banned. Several pages later, Page brings up the issue of women who choose to abort the fetus because of risks to the fetus's health. An example that Page gives is the condition anencephaly, in which the fetus develops without a forebrain or cerebellum. Because this horrible birth defect would obviously lead to a severely sub-par and stressful quality of life for both the mother and child, most mother who are told that their fetus has anencephaly choose to terminate the pregnancy. Without Roe, that would be an impossibility.

Furthermore, Page elaborates more on the argument that in the absence of legal abortion, women do not completely abandon the idea but instead choose other, more dangerous methods of aborting the fetus. To illustrate this point, Page tells the the story of a pre-Roe woman who found herself in an unwanted pregnancy. Certain that she could not have the child, she attempted methods of aborting the fetus that included drinking large amounts of Everclear alcohol, squatting in scalding water, and when those methods failed-- beating her abdomen with a meat pulverizer. In this last chapter, Page paints a bleak picture of what the world may look like in the absence of legal abortion: dangerous, unethical, and irresponsible.

How the Pro-Choice Movement Saved America: Entry #4

I was particularly impressed by the discussion Page into which page now enters, which she calls “pro-lifers abroad.” She brings up points that extend beyond the scope of abortion in the United States and similarly privileged nations. She presents her argument on a global stage, showing how the issues of birth control and abortion are not purely moral issues, but economic and cultural ones as well. She opens this section of the book with a powerful statement: “In reality, one of the most pro-life things to do is to give people the means to plan their pregnancies” (122). The simplicity of this statement struck me. If one can put aside the nuances of the abortion debate, it becomes clear that both sides simply desire children to be given the opportunity to live good and healthy lives. I realized that the sides are more alike than I’m sure either of them would like to believe. Also, this statement helped Page’s argument—grounds it in a sense—by reminding the reader that the pro-choice movement is not aimed at haphazardly terminating pregnancy after pregnancy for women who do not and will not ever desire children (in fact, Page mentioned a statistic earlier in the book that declared nearly 61% of all women seeking abortions are already mothers). Instead, its focus can, and should, be painted much sunnier. By putting a pro-life spin on it, Page underscores how the pro-choice movement simply seeks to provide women with the option of being able to have children when they are willing and ready to give the child the best life possible.

Page continues on, speaking of countries where abortion is either unavailable or inaccessible to many and the negative economic impact it has had on the nation. To reinforce this point, Page includes a quote from economist Jeffrey Sachs’ book The Poverty Trap. He says, “One reason for the poverty trap is the demographic trap. When impoverished families have large numbers of children, the families cannot afford to invest in each child…Rapid population growth also puts enormous stresses on farm sizes and environmental resources, thereby exacerbating poverty” (123). Not only does Sachs’ comment show how inapplicable the pro-life argument is to women in third world countries, but it also suggests what might be the fate of any nation that outlaws abortion, An argument frequently used by pro-lifers is that abortion is not the only option for a woman who does not desire a child; adoption is always an alternative. If abortion were to be outlawed, the nation would be facing a potential crisis in population growth, in effect leading to inflation of the poverty crisis. As harsh as it may seem, abortion is a form of population control and this facet of abortion must be carefully considered by its adversaries. 

How the Pro-Choice Movement Saved America: Entry #1

For my outside reading book, I chose to read How the Pro-Choice Movement Saved America: Freedom, Politics, and the War on Sex by Cristina Page. Although I identify as being a supporter of the pro-choice movement, I have been somewhat disappointed by Page's representation of the opposing pro-life movement. Since I am only about sixty pages into the book, I understand that she may continue on to explore more facets of the pro-life argument, but at this point it appears that she has obviously chosen to only share the more archaeic, extreme, and religious views that some pro-lifers hold. The topic of my book convienently coincides with what we are currently discussing in class, so I know that every she is writing in the book is not true. For example, Page writes, "The pro-life movement may, through repetition, hope to convince us that contraception is abortion. Where are the facts? Is there really no difference between abortion and contraception?" (21). After reading articles and watching films in class that discuss viewpoints of the pro-life movement, I know the idea that contraceptives are a form of abortion is a view held by mostly radical pro-life activists. For example, one of the films had interviews with employees at a crisis pregnancy center, a place for women to go who are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and would like to be educated on their options. At these centers, run by less forceful and radical pro-life advocates, the women are educated on forms of birth control as a means to avoid having another unplanned pregnancy. If anti-contraceptive idea was held by all of those who object to abortion, their argument would not have much power. How are they to realistically say that women should not be able to terminate a pregnancy if they also object to all methods aimed at protecting against pregnancy?

Despite her partial misrepresentation of the pro-life movement, Page does make an interesting argument in the second chapter of the book, titled "Love (and Life) American Style." After citing statistics taken in the mid-1950s along with the same statistics taken from the late 1970s- when birth control became legal and available to unmarried individuals- it became apparent that the couples from the 1970s overwhelmingly reported more happiness in their marriage than the couples from the 1950s. Although it is impossible to solely attribute this to the legalization of abortion and birth control, Page brings up a unique argument. She writes, "Part of the reason for unhappiness in fifties marriages was that many couples didn't really want to be married in the first place. They were trapped into marriage by unintended pregnancy. With no sex ed, no birth control, no legal abortion..." I had never heard the point brought up before, and it was refreshing to hear a new argument on a more of a larger, holistic scale.

How the Pro-Choice Movement Saved America: Entry #3

Delving beneath merely abortion itself, at this point in the book Page discusses how the pro-life movement’s attitude toward condom use further hinders their cause. She writes, “For pro-lifers, condom use, like contraception, is anathema. Abstinence is the acceptable form of safe sex. To advance this goal, they’re willing to trounce good science, or make up their own” (84). While she supports many of the claims she makes in this section with plausible research results and evidence, she nonetheless seems to make big assumptions about those who do not support abortion. She touts them as being “religious fundamentalists” who distort all evidence and essentially have no case. While I agree with Page’s basic point that condom use is an effective means to prevent pregnancy and should not be considered a form of abortion, in my opinion she greatly hurts her argument by painting her opposition as unilateral, uneducated religious fanatics.

In this chapter, “The Condom Hoax,” Page offers some very interesting information on some of the worldwide implications of the pro-life movement. For example, she discusses how the Vatican, who she says is “another believer in the condom cover-up,” attempted to halt efforts of condom distribution in African countries ravaged by AIDS, under the premise that it offended pro-life ideals (87). Clearly, an institution as influential as the Vatican spewing anti-contraception ideas will lead, or has already led, to the death of many. I found this argument particularly compelling because Page is not directly discussing the flaws of being against abortion, but rather the illogical ideals held by those who do not support realistic means of pregnancy prevention—the root of the entire abortion debate. It is in sections, sections such as these where she brings a new dimension to the abortion argument, when I believe Page makes up for her often-obnoxious treatment of those who are pro-life. 

How the Pro-Choice Movement Saved America: Entry #2

At this point in the book, Page begins to outline what is wrong with the very root of the pro-life movement. However, she first brings up the point that past bans on abortion have not resulted in actually curbing abortion rates. Instead, the abortions were performed illegally. She writes, "To begin with, criminalizing abortion may be a sacred pro-life goal. But in practice, bans have failed to curb the rates of abortions. Many countries that have outlawed abortion have higher abortion rates than countries where abortion is legal"(57-58). I found this evidence to be very interesting. I know the argument of banning abortions leading to more unsafe, "coat hanger" abortions has been used time and again by pro-choice advocates in defense of keeping abortion legal. I think the evidence that Page presents adds another dimension to this argument by showing that not only could outlawing abortion logically lead to an increase in dangerous abortions, but also simply an increase in abortions overall. With this point, Page made me realize how counterproductive some pro-life ideals truly are.

Page continues on to unearth the root of the abortion debate: both sides' approach to sex and sex education. While I understand that some of Page's assertions may be spun to best support her argument and therefore are not a precise representation of the reality of the issue, her words are generally based in fact and are generally truthful. For example, Page gives the impression that all pro-lifers are devoutly religious and believe in abstinence-only programs. While I am sure this is true for a significant portion of pro-life advocates, I myself know of many people who are against abortion yet are not particularly religious or believe in only educating young people by teaching abstinence only. Page points out the major flaws in teaching children and teenagers that abstinence is the only way to prevent unplanned pregnancies. She does this when she says, "Abstinence-only programs offer the worst of both worlds: kids are not convinced about chastity, yet are completely uninformed about protection, which the programs refuse to teach" (67-68). Once again, Page reveals how counterproductive some pro-life ideals are. How are teenagers-- and Page offers a statistic that reveals half of all 15 to 19 year olds are sexually active-- expected to avoid unintended pregnancies, and therefore the dilemma of a potential abortion, if they are not sufficiently educated on various ways to prevent pregnancy? To me, it seems like it would benefit pro-lifers, if their real aim is to eradicate abortion, to embrace the concept of birth control.

A New Kind of Women's Rights

After reading both the pro-life and pro-choice websites, it seems that the pro-choice movement has better arguments than its pro-life counterpart. The arguments presented by the NARAL website are rooted in reality and practicality rather than personal, moral convictions and emotionally charged opinions. The NARAL website presents the information in a "problem- solution" format: They present the issues that are on the table regarding abortion, birth control, sex education, etc. and then continue to show how their cause combats these problems. Furthermore, none of their arguments infringe on the rights of others. They never make any claims such as "all teen pregnancies should be terminated" or "women must take birth control." All of their options are just that-- they are options. Not obligations that everyone must follow. They recognize that not all women feel that abortion is right and therefore advocate for the availability of birth control and abortion for those who find the option appealing. On the National Right to Life website they, unsuccessfully in my opinion, use emotions to try and sway people. When they describe abortion, they go into intense detail about exactly how the fetus is terminated, clearly trying to change people's opinions by inspiring sympathy for the fetus as well as fear surrounding the procedure of abortion. On their "Get the Facts" page, they describe abortion as a decision that will inspire, "a lifetime of potential physical and mental health problems." Although the decision to terminate a pregnancy is not one to be taken lightly, the website does seem to overdramatize the act of abortion. Overall, the pro-choice movement seems to be winning the battle. They present themselves in a less emotional and more pragmatic way than many pro-life advocates. Also, the pro-choice movement in no way hurts those who do not support it. If abortion does not appeal to a woman, she is under no obligation to choose it. The flexibility and accommodating nature of this side of the argument is where it truly surpasses the pro-life movement. 
As a 17 year old who considers herself to be a strong supporter of the pro-choice campaign, I still believe that it is necessary that a parent is notified if his or her daughter is a minor and considering receiving an abortion. I think, to a degree, an abortion must be treated like any other medical procedure, with a parent signature needed for the process to be completed. Even though I think it is a woman's right to choose, the rights of minors are restricted and I think it is only fair that the restrictions apply across the board, including abortion. 
However, the issue of consent is slightly different in the case of notifying the father. Since a child is just as much the mother's as it is the father's, I think that the father should definitely be notified before the abortion takes place because he has the right to know if his child's life is being terminated. Even so, the father of the child has no legal control over the mother (if the mother is a minor or not) and ultimately has no right to control what the mother does to her body. Therefore, I think the father should be notified, but consent in unnecessary. 
I was pleasantly surprised by the Illinois abortion laws. Even though I disagree with some of them such as the spousal consent law and the TRAP law, I thought most of the laws were very reasonable. I also agreed with a few of the laws that fell under the "anti-choice" category, such as the law that prevents taxpayers from paying for abortion. I think this law is very justified because it is unfair to make Illinois taxpayers pay for a procedure that, while very significant in a woman's life, is largely based on personal choice. Furthermore, I think it would detrimental to the pro-choice movement as a whole if it was forcing those who do no believe in abortion to fund abortion.