Abortions are not genocide, regardless of moral implications
“Genocide: n. The systematic and planned extermination of an entire national, racial, political or ethnic group.” – The American Heritage Dictionary, Third Edition.
By this definition, the abortions occurring in this country are not genocide unless it is being applied systematically and overwhelmingly against one ethnic, political, national or racial group. But just because abortion is not genocide does not mean that it is a good thing or even something that should be legal. Many terrible things are not genocide – rape, child abuse, lynching and murder. Being morally heinous and illegal does not automatically make something genocide.
I disagree with the opinion stated by the Students for Life in Wednesday’s issue of The Diamondback: I do not believe that great discussion has been spurred by their tactic of using extreme (and inaccurate) terminology. Certainly, their forum has been expanded this week, and letters on both sides have been produced, containing opinions everybody has heard before. In a discussion, however, both sides are supposedly listening. The people involved on both sides of this exchange seem only interested in being heard, as evidenced by the interaction between Adena Raub and Pamela Brozowski reported in the Diamondback on Dec. 1.
I think this semester has shown that extreme statements, whether made in this debate or by Soulwinners Ministries, do not encourage discussion, but alienate even those who might support the main idea being presented. I have opinions about the morality and legality of abortion, but the recent exchanges have made me far less willing to discuss them anywhere near this campus, as I do not want to hear genocide being redefined or be associated with any of those who are trying to redefine it.
Katherine RandleUniversity of Maryland Biotechnology Institute
The truth about textbooks: publishing industry is to blame
The Dec. 6 article, “Textbook trends break the bank,” identified only a few of the issues behind the rising costs of textbooks. The article incorrectly placed most of the blame on faculty members. While there are steps faculty members can and must take to reduce the burdens on students, much of the change needs to come from the publishing industry.
In the past year, the Student Government Association and the I’d Rather Be Studying Campaign have solicited faculty members to turn in booklists sooner. The faculty have responded and currently 95 percent of booklists are in for the spring semester – amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional money for students during the buy-back period. Melissa Morales and the Academic Affairs Committee of the SGA are working with the provost on a system that would automatically remind faculty about outstanding booklists in the future. Public interest research groups have been working on an online textbook swap to make it easier for students to trade textbooks. Now, our groups plan to educate faculty members about the costs to students of selecting new editions frequently.
But there are much larger problems. Students are not paying $1,000 per year for textbooks solely because faculty are selecting new editions. Rather, the high costs of textbooks result from the publishing industry. Publishers push faculty members to adopt new editions and dazzle them with CDs and study guides. They bundle their textbooks so the “extras” are not optional.
Our state government must address these issues for the University System of Maryland as a whole. This spring, the SGA will push legislation in Annapolis that would require publishing companies to disclose the final list price of textbooks to faculty before booklists are approved. This policy will make faculty more aware of the costs of textbooks and hopefully discourage the use of newer, more expensive editions and expensive frills. Additionally, we will push the state legislature to consider guidelines for publishers requiring them to sell CDs, study guides and other extras separately from textbooks.
It is clear that we, as students, are paying far too much for textbooks. Now it is time for us to demand real changes.
Emma SimsonSGA President
Colleen SpiveyDirector of Maryland PIRG
John PeaseI’d Rather Be Studying Campaign
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