Dear Editor:

I am writing this letter in response to the angry published outburst over the destruction of the anti-abortion crosses on display near the Recreation Center. It really does not surprise me one bit. Not that I condone the damage, but I have personally heard students who were both troubled and offended by the eerie display of religious guilt on the grounds of our publicly funded institution. The writer recommended that the “coward” should go to the Catholic Center to discuss their anti-abortion movement.

Why? That would not have been enough to remove the crosses, and the offended should not be forced to enter a lion’s den of judgmental opposition and stigmatization. Bottom line: The display was disturbing and inconsiderate. Surely those who preach God’s love and understanding can find a better outlet for their views than stooping to such shock tactics. That tasteless display demonstrated no regard for the emotional responses that their “graveyard” might elicit from kind and caring couples on this campus that have made or will need to make such a decision out of necessity or under the freedom that the United States of America allows. Want a real mission to use the broken crosses for? How about this revision: every other second a person needlessly dies from starvation, waterborne diseases and AIDS.

These people, 85 percent of them children, are already alive, living, breathing and suffering. Why not focus your energy, time and money on something you actually have the power to change? I doubt any of the caring, outstanding young men and women on this campus would take issue or offense to that; of course, then they might need to build more than 26 crosses.

Rachael M. Roache

senior studying psychology