As Nielson said, Betty Friedan did good things for women. However, Friedan made one major mistake. She believed Larry Leder, the founder of NARAL, when he told her that if women wanted to be paid and promoted like men, they shouldn’t expect employers to deal with motherhood. He said women had to be able to become “unpregnant” whenever necessary. When she accepted this credo, Friedan derailed the entire feminist movement.

The feminist movement then began the fight to be treated like men and abandoned the hope for women to be appreciated for being feminine. Nielson’s article is just one example of how the feminist movement has turned on women. Why are women looking down upon the essential role of a mother? Giving birth is what women do. It is insulting to say women cannot bear children and still contribute to society.

The feminist movement should start looking at what women really need. A study done by the Alan Guttmacher Institute found the biggest reasons women get abortions are financial need, need for emotional support and fear of interference with school or work. It’s not because they don’t want their children. There are solutions to these problems that don’t involve putting women through heart-breaking procedures. When will feminists start looking for ways for women to stay in school and have their children?

Elizabeth Dole introduced the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Pregnant and Parenting Students Act to Congress. This bill would set up grants for universities to build resources like childcare, affordable family housing and a one-stop resource office.

Who is the true feminist: One who fights for a procedure that leaves women abandoned for the convenience of others, or one that fights for her to live out her dreams of love, family AND education?

Jessica LankfordChemistryJunior

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I agree with Kenneth that honesty is a very important trait and that as Americans we are seriously lacking in this regard. I think we need to ask ourselves some deep questions on why we as a society take honesty so lightly. Just look at our leaders in the government and you will see what a poor example they provide for us citizens. You have Bush exaggerating the case about Saddam’s imminent threat and his so-called weapons of mass destruction to the United Nations so he could start a war in Iraq — which has mostly been more of a failure than any good for either Americans or the Iraqis. Then, the previous president lied to the grand jury about his extra marital relationship –which I think is very irrelevant in regards to other national issues, but you are not supposed to lie under oath.

And finally, you hear about high school and college students finding ways to cheat on exams to get easy ‘A’s. No wonder our country is quickly falling behind to China and India in science and technology. We have a big problem with honesty in many aspects of our lives. Just imagine how our country would be in the future if the majority of people were dishonest! We need to instill honesty as one of the central virtues in children today, and teach them they and society will benefit from honesty. And we first need government and authority figures who don’t twist the truth in regards to any situation in life.

Praveen SriramSeniorAccounting Information Systems