This letter is in reference to an Oct. 5 article written by Alex Archambault, “Planned Parenthood protesters should be respected by Syracuse community.” I am disappointed to see such a hateful, misogynistic, and dangerous group of people defended in Archambault’s article.

Those who protest Planned Parenthood and access to safe abortions are fueled by the idea that their opinion trumps a woman’s right to make choices about her own body. By denying this fundamental right, anti-abortion activists are dehumanizing women and hindering gender equality. Making abortion illegal doesn’t stop abortion; it just forces women to turn to dangerous and often life-threatening alternatives.

The article claims the protestors “spoke of god and life” and wanted to “show girls that they had other options such as adoption.” Where is their concern for the lives of women? Carrying an unwanted pregnancy to term can have devastating physical and mental effects on a woman and suggesting adoption as an alternative to abortion completely ignores the well-being of women in that situation.

People who don’t support women’s reproductive rights have no respect for women. People who would rather see women die from unsafe, illegal abortions than allow for legal ones hate women. Articles that sugarcoat anti-abortion protestors as harmless people entitled to their opinions further reinforce the absurd notion that one person’s belief is more important than another person’s rights.

As a woman and former member of the Syracuse community, I wholeheartedly disagree that these people deserve our respect. They don’t respect women and other people who support women’s rights, so why should we respect them?

Jes Siart
Environmental Studies ‘12
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry