Caution: Opinions Ahead

It's the last day of the Megalesia today.

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Mistake blogged today about the same thing I was going to blog about, and since I'm crazy-busy, rather than explain, I'm gonna redirect you to her excellent entry on the subject of the protests on T-Hall lawn [Link has been removed because the blog was].

Quick summary: Students For Life put up very graphic posters on T-Hall lawn comparing abortion to genocide. Students For Choice protested the comparison and the fact that the posters were so very graphic and in a public forum. What few warnings they had posted were ultimately useless. Big fuss.

I saw the protesters surrounding the display as I left Ham-Smith after English, but I didn't go nearer-- in fact, I averted my eyes. I was tempted to go when I first heard about it, because I don't think it's a legitimate or fair comparison at all and I don't think they should be forcing their views in such a graphic manner on everyone who walks by T-hall. But then it occurred to me that I couldn't go, because seeing pictures of genocide means I have trouble eating for weeks. Because the last thing I think about when I see images of the Cambodian killing fields is abortion (actually it's bubbles, but you get the point). No, I think of slaughterhouses.

I don't eat meat. I also don't stop other people from eating it. It's their choice. I hate it, I think it's immoral, but I know that they don't consider it immoral so I let it pass, because I don't know for certain that all mammals have as much of a soul as humans do. I believe it fervently, but I can't prove it. So I can't prove that it's immoral to kill and consume them. Thus I don't protest or even comment when people eat meat around me.

Actually, that's kind of the same way I feel about abortion. I can't prove if fetuses do or do not have as much of a soul as newborns do. I can't prove when they get that soul-- no one can. Thus I don't feel I have the right to protest or even comment when a woman gets an abortion. I mean, if it's so late that the baby could have survived outside the womb and been fine, that's different, I'd disagree with that. But 64% of abortions happen in the first three months. Brain waves have been detected on 13-week fetuses, but is that higher thought? And before then-- no brain function-- does it have a soul?

I know what I believe, I just can't, in good faith, foist it on other people without concrete proof. So until I can I let them make their own decisions, about abortions or about meat consumption. And I try not to let it get to me if people around me are doing things I disagree with. But every time I see a picture of genocide victims the first thing that pops into my head is images of factory farms and slaughterhouses. Then it won't leave my head for about a week, so every time I eat with someone who is eating beef or worse, pork (pigs are incredibly intelligent), I get nauseous because I remember the slaughterhouses and then I remember the genocide and then the next thing you know I'm thinking of cannibalism and I'm about ready to puke.

So I didn't go to the protest.

And now I feel queasy.