University of Virginia Library

Letters To The Editor

Abortion Article Lacks Facts

In recent years, the problem of
abortion has been the focal point of
increasing concern and much
intense public discussion. This in
itself is a good thing.

However, discussion without
knowledge of the relevant facts
produces not the intelligently
arrived at conclusions desired, but
instead, a lot of prejudice,
confusion and misinformation.

A clear-cut example of such
foundationless bias was provided
for us by Mr. Michael Russell in the
article he wrote for The Cavalier
Daily (Wednesday, 13 October,
1971).

In the hope that he is a man of
good will, I shall assume that the
obviously far-fetched and indeed
absurd implications and accusations
he made were the result of falsified
reports which he, for some
unfortunate reason, mistakenly
believed he could accept on good
faith.

Knowing the people most
actively concerned and involved in
the Charlottesville Right to Life
Committee, and also presuming
that Mr. Russell is neither a stupid
nor an irrational man, it is clear
that his misinformation must have
come either from someone as
misinformed as himself, or from
someone who was deliberately
falsifying the facts, for it could not
possibly have been inferred from
any statements made by the
Charlottesville Right to Life
Committee, or from any accurate
knowledge of the people associated
with it. However, 1 admit that any
more statements on his part with a
content similar to that of the above
mentioned article would clearly
prove all my assumptions as to his
mental competence to be seriously
erroneous.

Regarding the content of his
article, first of all, let us all hope
that Mr. Russell spoke in jest when
he stated that "Sex is the
problem". This seems equivalent to
saying that "Breathing is the
problem" in a discussion of
tuberculosis.

If he did not mean this to be a
flippant remark, then I feel very
sorry for him. Sex is not only a
biological necessity of reproduction
but one of the most beautiful and
complete expressions of love
between two individuals. If sex
were eliminated from human
activities not only would we not
have a population problem, but
very soon we would not even have a
population!

As to Mr. Russell's statements
that "We no longer have a need for
people" and the procreative sex is
an activity 'with no purpose". I
suggest he quickly check his facts
once again, for his admittedly brief
analysis of the population problem
seems to be either grossly simplistic
or unbelievably naive. To the best
of my knowledge there is not a
country in the world that no longer
has a death rate.

It was indeed good to learn,
however, that Mr. Russell is, at least
according to him, one of the few or
perhaps the only man around who
is non-psychotic, secure, and
certain of his virility, and who is