Comments on: Those wacky kids baffle The New York Times http://www.turntheclockforward.org/2007/03/those-wacky-kids-baffle-the-new-york-times/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:10:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Bill Samuel http://www.turntheclockforward.org/2007/03/those-wacky-kids-baffle-the-new-york-times/#comment-190 Bill Samuel Tue, 27 Mar 2007 18:46:31 +0000 http://www.turntheclockforward.org/2007/03/those-wacky-kids-baffle-the-new-york-times/#comment-190 Academia tends to be overwhelmingly hostile to the right to life. Students are basically taught that it's anti-woman, right wing, etc. to be pro-life. Most of them aren't that, so they go with the program they're taught, which is being "pro-choice" is part of the package with other things they believe. A big counter to that is the knowledge we have today that wasn't around when I was in college. With ultrasound, operations being done in the womb, etc., the old argument that it was just a blob of tissue doesn't fly anymore. The other side keeps getting forced to try to find new arguments. But it's not their arguments that mostly draws people into their camp; it's the package it's portrayed as being a part of although logically it doesn't fit it all that well. Academia tends to be overwhelmingly hostile to the right to life. Students are basically taught that it’s anti-woman, right wing, etc. to be pro-life. Most of them aren’t that, so they go with the program they’re taught, which is being “pro-choice” is part of the package with other things they believe.

A big counter to that is the knowledge we have today that wasn’t around when I was in college. With ultrasound, operations being done in the womb, etc., the old argument that it was just a blob of tissue doesn’t fly anymore. The other side keeps getting forced to try to find new arguments. But it’s not their arguments that mostly draws people into their camp; it’s the package it’s portrayed as being a part of although logically it doesn’t fit it all that well.

]]> By: Jen R http://www.turntheclockforward.org/2007/03/those-wacky-kids-baffle-the-new-york-times/#comment-90 Jen R Wed, 21 Mar 2007 06:43:22 +0000 http://www.turntheclockforward.org/2007/03/those-wacky-kids-baffle-the-new-york-times/#comment-90 Jonathan: yes, good point about people tending to become more pro-choice during college. I have several theories about that, one of them being that it's simply the time when many people become sexually active, and they look around them and see how disrupted their lives would be if they conceived a child. This is where programs like FFL's College Outreach can help, by showing people that they don't have to give up their own lives and hopes if a pregnancy occurs. I think college is also a time when a lot of people are questioning the beliefs (including religious beliefs) that they grew up with. It's really helpful to have non-religious arguments against abortion so that people don't, ah, throw the baby out with the bathwater. So to speak. John: be a trendsetter! :) Matt: it is interesting. I've noticed that it was trending this way for the last two or three years at least, but this is the first time I've seen any press about it. Jonathan: yes, good point about people tending to become more pro-choice during college. I have several theories about that, one of them being that it’s simply the time when many people become sexually active, and they look around them and see how disrupted their lives would be if they conceived a child. This is where programs like FFL’s College Outreach can help, by showing people that they don’t have to give up their own lives and hopes if a pregnancy occurs. I think college is also a time when a lot of people are questioning the beliefs (including religious beliefs) that they grew up with. It’s really helpful to have non-religious arguments against abortion so that people don’t, ah, throw the baby out with the bathwater. So to speak.

John: be a trendsetter! :)

Matt: it is interesting. I’ve noticed that it was trending this way for the last two or three years at least, but this is the first time I’ve seen any press about it.

]]> By: Matt http://www.turntheclockforward.org/2007/03/those-wacky-kids-baffle-the-new-york-times/#comment-86 Matt Tue, 20 Mar 2007 04:53:12 +0000 http://www.turntheclockforward.org/2007/03/those-wacky-kids-baffle-the-new-york-times/#comment-86 I'm pro-gay rights, and tend to lean more towards the pro-life side. Interesting poll results. I’m pro-gay rights, and tend to lean more towards the pro-life side.

Interesting poll results.

]]> By: John http://www.turntheclockforward.org/2007/03/those-wacky-kids-baffle-the-new-york-times/#comment-84 John Mon, 19 Mar 2007 20:56:45 +0000 http://www.turntheclockforward.org/2007/03/those-wacky-kids-baffle-the-new-york-times/#comment-84 Well, I've never been ahead of the curve before, but, yay! It pleases me to no end to see these trends. Keep up the good work, Jen. Well, I’ve never been ahead of the curve before, but, yay! It pleases me to no end to see these trends.

Keep up the good work, Jen.

]]> By: Jonathan http://www.turntheclockforward.org/2007/03/those-wacky-kids-baffle-the-new-york-times/#comment-66 Jonathan Thu, 15 Mar 2007 06:35:04 +0000 http://www.turntheclockforward.org/2007/03/those-wacky-kids-baffle-the-new-york-times/#comment-66 Good news. Hopefully this generation won't buy into either party line. Not to dampen the importance of this: one thing that may skew these statistics is that I hear polls show that many young people tend to shift their views from pro-life to pro-choice during college. The objects of this study were right in that age range. So it is possible part of the pro-life group in this poll won't stay Pro-life. Of course, we can hope that some of the pro-choice group might change their minds as well. But, hey, if even a minority of this generation starts thinking for themselves about violence and human rights without the Republican or Democratic parties we are making progress. Who knows someday we might see a Consistent Life candidate beat the two parties? Now I might be getting too optimistic. Great work you are doing here. I'm glad I found your site. -JD Good news. Hopefully this generation won’t buy into either party line.

Not to dampen the importance of this: one thing that may skew these statistics is that I hear polls show that many young people tend to shift their views from pro-life to pro-choice during college. The objects of this study were right in that age range. So it is possible part of the pro-life group in this poll won’t stay Pro-life. Of course, we can hope that some of the pro-choice group might change their minds as well.

But, hey, if even a minority of this generation starts thinking for themselves about violence and human rights without the Republican or Democratic parties we are making progress. Who knows someday we might see a Consistent Life candidate beat the two parties? Now I might be getting too optimistic.

Great work you are doing here. I’m glad I found your site.

-JD

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