Debating Abortion rights

In a vote of 21-15, a group of NYU students decided that abortion is not a "miscarriage of justice" last night at a debate held by the new political group Political Union and Review.

The debate, held in the Eisner and Lubin Auditorium at the Kimmel Center, is now a weekly event in which the Political Union and Review hopes to "bring together people in a mature way that wouldn't be brought together," according to Michael Wood, a member of the PUR and Executive-at-Large of the College Democrats.

PUR at NYU is an umbrella organization whose mission "is to increase the level of political discourse on campus," according to Ed Cadmus, president of PUR and moderator of the event.

The debate began with opening speeches from four speakers. Jill Filipovic, a law student and a former WSN opinion editor, represented the Democrats and held up the pro-choice argument. Sarah Chambers, the former president of the College Republicans, spoke on behalf of the Republican point of view.

"Abortion is the ultimate exploitation of women," Chambers said. "All it leaves them with is wounded bodies and dead babies."

Alec Wright, the Party of the Left chairman for PUR, said a human is never an egg and a sperm, and if that were true, "masturbation would be murder."

After opening remarks, the floor was open to all audience members to say speeches, ask questions or reply to previous statements.

"I think about the independence of women. I couldn't imagine having sex with a pro-life woman," one student said.

He went on to say that his mother had talked to him about abortion and told him she had one before he was born.

A priest in the audience then asked, "What if your mother had aborted you?"

The question of when life actually begins was also debated.

"The moment an egg is fertilized, a person's unique characteristics are determined," Chambers said.

Others said if you do not have the funds to support a child, you should modify your sexual activity.

"If you can't support a child, don't have sex," GSP freshman Annie Peck said. "Keep your legs closed."

Woods, who identifies as a pro-life Democrat, said, "I realized pro-abortion was inconsistent with the principles that led me to be progressive in the first place."

PUR hopes to hold a similar debate each week; next week's debate resolution is "The welfare state promotes American liberty."

Michael McCormack is deputy campus editor. E-mail him at mmccormack@nyunews.com.