The aftermath of Northwestern Students for Life's 3,700 American flag display finally caused some long coagulated bad blood to run on campus. The group has squared off with the emotionally super-charged College Feminists, who were utterly "disgusted" at the display.NSFL displayed 3,700 flags to represent the 3,700 aborted each day. Said NSFL President Mike Briedenbach, "It is important for students to realize the magnitude of abortion in our country." The College Feminists took issue to this realization quickly, calling the American flags an "anti-choice" display.
The feminist group decried the event in letters written by the group's co-leaders, Katie Write and Kamardip Singh. Write explained in her letter that the group was "pissed" and forced to play the "stereotypical" angry feminists. They did this rather well, calling the NSFL exhibit "disgusting," "hostile," and "anti-American." Further, the group found it their responsibility to prevent NSFL from creating "baby-making machines out of women" (perhaps by inseminating them with American flags?) NSFL called the Fem's "extreme sensitivity" into question, and also pointed out that most early feminists ardently opposed abortion.
Said one NSFL member, "I think the feminist group feels like they have to be 'pissed off'." Andrew Bowen, a pro-choicer, posted a comment on Myspace asking that the feminist group not "get offended just for the sake of being offended." Singh maintained that such a protest was unfathomable in "the current year, 2007." Others applauded the minority group's effort to protest and raise awareness.
The two groups exchanged letters in the Daily, frightening Editor in Chief Ryan Wenzel and pushing the paper to "abort" the inflow of future letters on the topic.
The Fem's claimed NSFL "mourned for fertilized eggs." The group asserts that "pro-lifers" devalue women by overvaluing a fetus (Latin for "baby.") NSFL insists that the "right to life" isn't a bogus right, using scientific evidence for the early beginning of human life to argue that Due Process protection of "life and liberty" applies to unborn children.
The Fem's then claimed the American flags "intimidated" their views and were "anti-American." NSFL didn't think they "seemed very intimidated," didn't see what was anti-American about an American flag, and explained that "an American flag often represents the loss of an American life."
In a funny factual slip, the Fem's said abortion wasn't a moral issue until sexist politicians made it so in reaction to feminism. NSFL pointed out that abortion was first barred by the Hippocratic Oath in 500 B.C.
NSFL thinks the "feminist group cannot pretend that pregnancy ruins the life of the mother." They cite the fact that 98 percent of abortions are performed for personal choice (not for health or rape exceptions) as evidence that feminists have much more work to do in "empowering women."
The Fem's in turn bemoan the existence of NSFL's "sickening, moralistic view that tries to keep women 'in their place' by devaluing their very lives" and feel that the future of abortion debate on campus is tainted beyond repair because of the display.
Many continue to hash out this controversial issue on campus with hopes of an upcoming debate between the two groups. Since more Northwestern students must deal with surprise and recalcitrant pregnancies than politicians' wives, the abortion issue is always ripe for deliberation on campus.
