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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2007 PAGE 4 Greek Life vs. Christianity: are you going to hell? By J.A. Scruggs Staff Columnist jscrugg / @my.westga.edu Last year, a controversial note about Greek Life surfaced on facebook.com, and it was brought to my attention by a friend who is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity at another university. He wanted me to get involved in this discussion that was titled “Greek Life vs. Christianity.” The author of the note, who is an ex member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, the same fraternity that I am a member of, claims that Greek Life is Anti-Christ. Not just for black Greek letter organizations, but all Greek letter Reader responds to Scruggs' "What's love got to do with it?" By Whitney Diandra Guest Columnist WhitneyDiandra@gmail.com What does love have to do with it? When 1 had the pleasure of reading Mr. Scruggs's article, 1 asked myself, does he really love misrepresenting an issue? After his “research” was done, he stated that it was “detestable in every aspect,” however he fails to mention that late term abortions are only 1.4 Pro-Freedom: a woman's right to have an abortion By Katheryn Elie Guest Columnist kalelie2oos@yahoo .com I’m blessed to be a woman in America. I am grateful to be a citizen of a country that gives me rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I have the ability to get an education at any level I want, get any job I want, speak what I want, wear what I want; it all depends on my desire of wanting it and my drive to achieve it. However, I believe that as American citizens we are obligated to make this country even greater. We can do this by creating what our Founding Fathers hoped for, a Pro-Freedom Society. That is what our Constitution is about, Freedom. Freedom of belief, freedom of speech, freedom from slavery and persecution, and freedom from what most of the world suffers from. Some try to argue that our great nation is based on Christianity. This is a false notion. Our country is founded on several different factors other than the Bible, such as people fleeing from religious persecution, second sons without an inheritance trying to establish themselves, families trying for a second chance, debtors, and even criminals. Just take a look at our history. Even the core of our Founding Fathers were not Christians, they were mainly Deists, Unitarians, and Universalists. Here are some men and women that are recognized as our founders and great leaders who were such believers; organizations. The author supports his claims, saying that Greek organizations are about themselves even when doing charitable work; they are involved merely for recognition. The bulk of his argument comes from the discussion of rituals practiced by all Greek letter organizations. He says that those who are trying to join will end up on their knees worshiping the organizations before they are allowed to become members. Furthermore, he states being a Christian while joining these organizations is wrong, because we are yoking together with unbelievers, yoking with people who percent of all abortions performed in the United States, according to the Guttmacher Institute that tracks sexual and reproductive health in the United States. In addition, this number does not track the actual reasons why these procedures are performed in the first place. Remember these procedures are performed for viable medical reasons. If Mr. Scruggs would George Washington, Thomas Jefferson. James Madison, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Susan B. Anthony, and many more that have greatly influenced our society. Even the Treaty of Tripoli in 1797 (signed by President John Adams) states that “the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion”. For some reason, some people over the years have tried to convert our country into a “Christian Nation”. For example, the phrase “In God We Trust” printed on our money did not come from the minds of our Founding Fathers during the time of the Constitutional conventions, but rather from the increase in pressure to recognize God on money during the Civil War. Originally “E Pluribus Unum” (From Many, One) was adopted by the Union in 1782; however, on April 22, 1864, Congress passed an amendment authorizing the motto “In God We Trust” to be placed on two cent coins. Slowly it began to appear on every coin until it finally appeared on paper money in 1957 (which was at the end of the Red Scare during the reign of the illogical and overly paranoid tyrant McCarthy). Even in the Pledge of Allegiance to this free country, the phrase “Under God” was inserted in 1954. This is not because the nation finally began to feel the fear of God, but rather it was the fear of being called a Communist. Religious beliefs should not cloud logic may worship in another religion. So according to the author. Christian members of the National Pan- Hellenic Council, National Panhellenic Conference, National Interfraternity Conference, and others alike are going to hell. Now believe it or not, I have no problem with anything that he wrote, because what he stated is what he experienced, and what he experienced is what he allowed himself to go through. But the problem that I do have is when you take your own personal experience and present it as absolute or the same across the board. I believe that I have been involved in my fraternity long enough to know that every have done all the research that accompanies the abortion debate he would have also realized that the type of abortion that was supposedly depicted in the photo was of a procedure known as “Intact dilation and extraction (IDX or intact D&X ).” This procedure is actually banned in the United States under the “Partial Birth Abortion Ban” passed in 2003, which the U.S. Supreme and reason when it comes to passing legislation; legislation regarding subjects such as Gay Rights and Abortion Laws. I was walking to class on Sept. 5 and there was an older man standing in his truck holding a picture of a partial-birth abortion, speaking out against abortion. He is representing the First Amendment very well, the freedom of speech and peaceful assembly. However, I wondered why this man was allowed to do this on our campus. I wondered if other students were unable to stay focused in their classes and on their exams. I couldn’t help but feel a slight discomfort in my chest that turned into rage, thinking about how a man believes that he has the slightest notion that a woman doesn’t have a right over her own body and uterus. Also the fact that he was using inappropriate propaganda to make his statements is beyond ridiculous. Partial-birth abortions are illegal, and using that type of information is almost incriminating. Here is the truth about abortion here in the United States. Abortions started to appear in the United States in the 1820’s, which only forbid abortions after the fourth month of pregnancy. The Comstock Law was then set in place in 1873, causing a ban on all birth control information and devices; it was finally declared unconstitutional to ban medical devices in 1936 and the ban was lifted on birth control. By 1965, all 50 states banned abortions chapter is different and operates differently, so what one may experience does not mean that all will experience the same. What this individual hasexperienced is not what fraternities and sororities were built on. But many times what happens is that as time goes on and organizations get older, people who come into these organizations lose sight of what the goal is, much like the church today. There are many churches today that have rallied behind this condemnation and prosperity gospel. God is about salvation, redemption and stewardship. ft is not about who he can send to hell first, who drives Court upheld in Gonzales v. Carhart (2007). I actually believe that Mr. Scruggs is against abortion all together, but used this photo to tip toe around the issue by latching on to the late-term abortion debate without doing his research. So I challenge him to research what he believes, before he jumps on the “anti-late term abortion” bandwagon, because 1 am sure a with the exception of allowing an abortion if the mother’s life is in danger. This simple fact only proves that the life of the woman is more important than that of the fetus. In 1973 the Supreme Court declared in Roe v. Wade that most existing state abortion laws were unconstitutional. This decision ruled out any legislature interference during the first trimester (the first three months) of pregnancy, and also put limits on what restrictions could be passed on abortions in later stages. This decision was based on the 9th Amendment, that "the enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people”—in other words, not violating the right of a woman's privacy of her own body. This is the emergence of the two groups know n as “Pro-Life” (Anti-Abortion) and “Pro-Choice”. Most of the time, the two groups have debated and protested without too much chaos, but violence has occurred. In 1984 on Christmas Day, three abortion clinics were bombed. Some called these bombings “a birthday gift for Jesus.” This can’t help but sound similar to a jihad: destruction and violence in the name of God? The legal definition of abortion is “the use or prescription of any instrument, medicine, drug, or any other substance or device with the intent to terminate the pregnancy of a female known to be pregnant.” In the state of Georgia, the female must the biggest Mercedes, or who lives in the biggest house. He states that we should not be yoked together with an unbeliever, which is true. But as Christians, how can we be fishers of men as God calls us if we only hang with other Christians? Jesus said himself while sitting at a table with sinners in Matthew 9:12 “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” Not saying that all people in fraternities and sororities don’t know Christ, because there are many notable ministers that belong to these organizations, and God has used them to do great pro-life advocate could post numerous graphic photos that depict women performing “home-made abortions” with kitchen knives, and wire clothes hangers on themselves. There is one aspect I do agree w ith Mr. Scruggs on. I do not believe that we should be spending money on a senseless war. We should spend that money on education, public works, and a widely based sex be 18 years of age (or an emancipated minor, or have a legal guardian present), and only a physician licensed by the State of Georgia to practice medicine and surgery may perform an abortion. No abortion can be performed afterthefirsttrimesterunless the abortion is performed in a licensed hospital or in a health facility licensed as an abortion facility by the Department of Human Resources. After the second trimester, no abortion can be performed unless the physician and two consulting physicians certify that the abortion is necessary in their best clinical judgment to preserve the life or health of the mother. In 2003,President Bush signed a ban on partial-birth abortions. Partial-birth abortions are abortions that occur after the 20th week gestation period. The Supreme Court recently upheld the ban on partial birth abortion last April, but also upheld the rights of states to have power to regulate abortions. Georgia pro-life groups have declared that they will pursue a total abortion ban during the next session of the state legislature. This means that the new legislation would ban all abortions, including not allowing an abortion in an event where a woman’s life is in danger. This will take away all rights of a woman, even if her life is in danger. This raises a question, what if this child is bom, who will care for it if the mother is dead? Perhaps the unraveled and extremely THE WEST GEORC ilA\ things for the body of Christ. For those who wish to join Greek letter organizations, if you are looking for these organizations to define you and make you into something, and then I must say that these organizations are not for you. Because what happens is if people begin to believe that these organizations have made them into men and women, they will begin to worship these organizations because they believe that these organizations have made them into who they are. Now that is wrong because if you are Christian you should understand not to put anything before God. education program, that could prevent unplanned pregnancies all over the United States. People have to real ize that many times women use abortion procedures as a last resort, because they never had access to proper education and proper health care. So next time Mr. Scruggs, research what you believe, because there are more aspects to this debate than the photos of a dead fetus. under-funded foster care circuit will place the child in the system, which would just cause more problems than solutions. Maybe that is the answer for drawing the much needed attention to that overw helming problem that is continuously being swept under the government’s rug of denial. What is actually terrifying is that there are possibly enough votes in the legislature then there were seven years ago for this total abortion ban to be sent to Governor Sonny Perdue, who is Pro-Life. I fear for the future of freedom in our state with this type of dooming fact looming over the heads of Georgia women. I am not Pro-Choice, I am Pro-Freedom. That is what America is all about, freedom to decide what to do with our lives and our bodies. Of course, just like every choice in our lives, there are rewards and consequences. I am not suggesting that everyone do what they want to do with no repercussions, I am just suggesting that there be a choice. A choice to turn left or right down a street, the choice to be Christian or Muslim, the choice to be gay or straight, the choice to eat at McDonalds or Wendy's, or even the choice to have an abortion or not. We have the freedom to be an American, the freedom of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Let’s continue down the trail of freedom that our Founding Fathers have set for us. Making abortion illegal is not only unconstitutional, but criminal. Let’s stay free.