Sunday, June 1, 2008

Seriously

hyp-o-crite: (noun) a person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, esp. one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie his or her public statements.

This pisses me off. I mean, really pisses me off. "York U to ban funding for anti-abortion groups" - what the hell is that? I went to York for three years and even dated a (rather crazy and slightly unstable) poli-sci student so I was very aware of the political nature of York, of the ideas behind freedom of speech and the rights of students to not just publicize their views but protest them and shove them down the throats of anyone within shouting distance. And even when I felt it was over-the-top, even when I really didn't agree, even when I felt it had gone too far and there was no point to be made, it was still their right. The ability to be able to speak your mind and share your opinions and not be afraid of being shut down is a great thing and freedom of speech is an absolute necessity. Even when you don't agree.

So they go and shut down anti-abortion groups?! Holy bloody hypocrites!!! Honestly. Honestly. I will go on record right now and say I am pro-life (and don't dare call me anti-choice because, to me, the antithesis of that is anti-life; would you like me to call you anti-life?) but I completely respect it when people have a differing viewpoint and are pro-choice. But for York, a school that puts on airs of being so open and free and accepting, will go so far as to do this?!?! I am honestly ashamed to be an alumna now. This is just terrible. Because I will bet you any money that the pro-abortion groups will still be funded. So much for freedom of speech. So much for freedom of expression. So much for anyone who dares to have a viewpoint that is not so radical, so out-there, so protest-until-we're-arrested.

Religious or otherwise, pro-life and pro-choice groups have the right to exist. Just because not everyone will agree with you doesn't mean you can't share your ideas. I mean, what would happen if we didn't share ideas or think differently? What would happen if we weren't able to freely express ourselves? What would happen if one viewpoint was forced upon us by the institutions (ahem, York) that profess to be places of openness and diversity?

I know exactly where we'd be: 2 + 2 = 5.

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