• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1989-02-02_Vol54_No17_07

The Western Carolinian Page 7 Thursday February 2,1989 Abortion Pate Continued From Page 6 Court taking it upon itself to define what a lives of babies is very effective, as is its darker side, calling people who are pro-choice baby killers. But as in many cases the implications of such a policy are not seriously considered. Abortion did not spring into being with Roe vs. Wade, and outlawing abortion will not stop it. What it will do is take it back to the bad old days when if you wanted to have an abortion you went out of the country if you had the money, and took your chances with amateurs otherwise. The pro-life forces seem to think that having a baby is no more than a minor inconvenience to a woman who doesn't want to have one. Apparently they do not consider the cost, physical and psychological problems, loss of income • and the myriad other d Bush has stated that he is for adoption instead of abortion, but there are enormous practical difficulties with such a policy. Adoption agencies cannot place many of the children they have now, to say nothing of an influx of new babies. In addition, many of these same people are opposed to sex education and information about birth control; some are even opposed to the idea of birth control. Their answer to problems arising from sexual activity is that people shouldn't engage in it. Unfortunately for these people, sex is not going to go away. Face it, people enjoy sex, if they didn't they wouldn't put so much effort into it. The argument that a woman has brought the situation down on herself and deserves whatever happens to her seems a bit self-righteous to me. It also ignores the fact that the male involved suffers no consequence from this action. This argument is based on the premise that sex is wrong, but even if you accept that argument it seems to me that a bit more compassion is in order. People make mistakes all the time, if a woman makes one of this nature, her life can be ruined, which is patently unfair. Human beings come equipped with a sex drive, it's necessary for the survival of the race, and its wrong to punish people for giving in to it. The idea that seems to underlie the pro-life position is also flawed, namely the idea that life of any kind is preferable to death. Why is it better to bring a child into the world who will be trapped in a cycle of poverty, will quite likely be regarded as a burden by his parents, and who will have to live with the idea that he was unwanted all his life? One must consider that death in the electric chair or in war is just as final as abortion, yet Bush and many on the pro- life side are firmly for the death penalty and the use of military force. Life is either inviolate or not, if abortion is the murder of babies then war is sanctioned mass murder and execution is murder by the state. Abortion is a thorny legal and moral problem, and I do not pretend to have all the answers. I do not claim that abortion is a good thing, if there was never another abortion performed anywhere because they were no longer necessary, I would be perfectly happy. No one I know of is trying to sell abortion or promoting it as an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. All I am saying is that should the need arise, a woman should be able to obtain one. If she can't afford it, the government should be willing to help her out just like it does for other medical needs. Finally, whatever side of this issue you're on, kindly remember that this is often a very painful thing for a woman to face. The last thing a woman going through such a trauma needs is a bunch of self-righteous idiots calling her a murderer. (Don't forget ZlncCeSam-- Jilt those ta?ces!! 11 Illogical Abortion11 By Colin Burch STAFF WRITER A large part of the decision upon the students of our Supreme Court Justices concerning abortion is no longer a question of the beginning of life, but rather a dilemma about the back-street, illegal abortions that become popular when abortion becomes unlawful. Legalization of abortion is considered, by many, a deterent against the bodily injury and infection that may be caused in back- street, unsanitary, and unprofessional conditions. Of course we realize now, as a nation, that the removal of a fetus to avoid pregnancy and the raising of a child is not a question of legality, but of common sense. When the sperm hits the egg, boom, we have growth. Growth is life. What, then, is the taking of life? But the basis which makes abortion inhumane and illogical—conception, that is—is not what I want to take about. I would like to address the issue that keeps many people who are personally opposed to abortion from opposing it actively and politically: the healthe problems that may occur with illegal abortions. You can't right a wrong to avoid another wrong. This is to say that abortion is inhumane, and that abortion in unsanitary and unprofessional conditions is unsafe as well as even more inhumane. Making abortion legal to stop unsafe measures taken illegally is blateltly idiotic. How so? Well, do we make the use of narcotics legal to sidestep such crimes as the murder of police officers and DEA officials by drug lords? To avoid the thefts by junkies with no money to support their habits? No way! It is obvious, as the validity of Roe vs. Wade once again rises on the agenda of the Supreme Court, that the murderous implications of abortion are now seen and understood by the educated. The primary concern is the fact that people will not stop getting abortions, no matter how unsafe the potential, even when it is illegal. I feel strongly, though, that any infection or bodily harm that comes to a woman in the coarse of an illegal abortion should be considered a small price to pay for not only the infraction of the law, but the taking of a life. FREE CATALOG of Government Books Send for your copy today! Free Catalog Box 37000 Washington DC 2001S-7000 Anyone interested in contributing editorials to the voices page contact Martha McAfee at 227-7267 or submit to: the Western Carolinian, Old Student Union. Editorials must be received by Friday prior to the upcoming issue. Venture '89 Provides Access to National Audience Of Investors University faculty and researchers who are developing unique products or services, or who have developed processes with commercial applications and who will be seeking capital to start or expand a company in the next twelve months are being sought by the Venture '89 Selection Committee. Ski Slopes are Focus of February Breaks North Carolina High Country ski resorts will be settling for a number of special events during the month of February, but not all of them will center around alpine skiing. The Jose Cuervo Snow-Volleyball Tourney at Ski Beech on Feb. 4 will see co-ed teams of three spiking their way to fame and glory. On Feb. 5, during the Heartbeat of America Chevrolet Truck Challenger Series, also at Ski Beech, competitors will get the chance to win the lease of a new Chevrolet truck for a year. Cross country skiers will gather at Ski Hawksnest on Feb. 19 for a clinic and races co-sponsored by High South Nordic Guides and Edge of the World Outfitters. Hawksnest will also be the scene of the Feb. 25-26 Suzuki Snowboarding Safari Tour and Race, a weekend extravaganza designed to let the uninitiated test ride a Burton snowboard free of charge and to pit the uninitiated against each other in a Sunday afternoon modified slalom race. (Snowboarding, a sport that combines the technology of skiing with the turning mechanics of surfing and the acrobatics of skateboarding, is the hottest new pastime on the slopes. Already local teenager J.J. Collier, an Avery High School senior, has distinguished himself in the sport by winning a national junior competition last year at Stratton Mountain, Vt.) There will be plenty of alpine ski events as well during the month: Sugar Mountain's 12th Annual Pro-Am on Feb. 2, is an invitational dual-format race for southeastern ski pros; Sugar's Stewart Smith Memorial Sugar Cup Slalom, open to everyone on Feb. 5, raises money for the children of Sugar's late assistant ski school director, killed a few years ago in a hang gliding accident. Two "Hometown Advantage" races for locals only (at Hawksnest on Feb. 12 and at Sugar Mountain on Feb. 16) are co-sponsored by the Mountain Times newspaper. Sugarbear's Birthday Celebration, on Feb. 26 at Sugar, focuses on kids and the mountain's mascot. This year's party (feature event is the Great Bear Race) was selected by the Southeast Tourism Society as one of the month's Top Twenty events. Co-ed teams of three will ski for a cause on Feb. 19, when the Jimmy Heyga USA Express whistles into Beech Mountain. The event, part of a national fundraising effort to benefit a non-profit research center for victims of multiple sclerosis, will see teams competing nonstop from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. But the slopes aren't the only place anything's happening in the High Country during the month. The Appalachian State University Performing Arts and Forum Series will import the Budapest Symphony Orchestra with pianist Leonard Pennario for a performance at Farthing Auditorium in Boone on Feb. 15; another program in that series will bring harpist Harvi Griffin Broyhill Concert Hall on Feb. 1. Celebrated singer Jo*"' White Jr. will perform at the Club Candlelight at the ASU Student Union Pub on Feb. 3 at 9 p.m.; and John O'Neal will present a one-man drama, "The Life and Writings of Junebug Jabbo Jones," at Broyhill Concert Hall on Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. O'Neal's drama is also part of the ASU performing arts series. . Appalachian University Theatre will present multiple performances of "Once Upon a Mattress," a musical adaptation of the story of The Princess and the Pea, in Chappel Wilson Auditorium at 8 p.m., on Feb. 22-25 and 27-28. For more information about these and other special events occurring in the North Carolina High Country during the month of February (ski events listed here are only a sampling), call N.C. High Country Host at 1-800- 222-7515 in N.C; 1-800-438-7500 in Eastern U.S.; or 264-1299 locally. The office is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Working Students May Owe Taxes Many students with summer or part- time jobs can not claim exemption from federal income tax withholding, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Because of changes made by the Tax Reform Act of 1986, anyone who may be claimed as a dependent on another person's return is not entitled to a personal exemption on his or her own return. Therefore, many students who can be claimed as dependents on their parents' or another person's tax return cannot claim exemption from withholding for 1989, especially if they have investment income, such as interest on savings accounts. Generally, students not exempt from withholding should claim one withholding allowance if they have only one job at a time. Or, if they need or want more tax withheld, they should claim zero allowances. See the Form W-4 instructions for more details. Students whose wages for the year are very low and who have no investment income generally will be exempt from withholding. Venture '89, the sixth annual venture fair sponsored by the Council for Entrepreneurial Development is currently accepting applications from entrepreneurs with unique products or services who would like to present their funding needs to an audience of venture capitalists, investment bankers, and private investors from throughout the U.S. and Canada. The conference will take place on May 17-18, at the Fuqua School of Business. It is co- sponsored by the Council for Entrepreneurial Development, Fuqua School of Business and American Airlines. Application deadline is March 24, 1989. Over 250 venture capitalists, private investors, and investment bankers from throughout the U.S. and Canada attended Venture '88, held in May 1988. Guides for preparing a business plan and a sample executive summary are available from the CED office, Research Triangle Park. They may be requested along with the application by calling Gwenn Vena at CED's office—(919) 544-4926 (Durham, RTP and non-NC callers) or 1- 800-537-9114 (other NC locations.) Selection is competitive and submissions will be reviewed as received by the selection committee. Applicants are urged to submit their materials prior to the March 24, 1989 deadline to allow for a thorough evaluation. Glenn Rose, managing partner of the Raleigh office of Price Water- house is chairman of the Venture '89 conference. Students can claim exemption trom tax withholding on their Form W-4, "Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate," only if last year they had to pay no federal income tax and this year they expect to have to pay no federal income tax, the IRS said. If exempt status is claimed, it remains in effect until February 15 of the next year. See the Form W-4 instructions for more details. Form W-4 is available from employers or from IRS by calling 1-800-424-3676.

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University’s student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1989-02-02
  • Date digitized: 2019-09-12
• Extent
  • Dimension: 22.75" x 14.25"
  • Pages: 20 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1989-02-02_Vol54_No17
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library