“I want any young men who buy a gun to be treated like young women who seek an abortion. Think about it: a mandatory 48-hour waiting period, written permission from a parent or a judge, a note from a doctor proving that he understands what he is about to do, time spent watching a video on individual and mass murders, traveling hundreds of miles at his own expense to the nearest gun shop, and walking through protestors holding photos of loved ones killed by guns, protests who call him a murderer.” - Quote made popular by Gloria Steinem
Let that quote sink in and have a moment of silence for the horror women all around the world face when getting an abortion, which isn’t even murder! I remember looking through _________’s phone and seeing an album of anti-feminist memes. One of them mentioning how crazy liberals are for supporting abortion, but being against guns when both are murder. For those who think you’re killing a baby or that the fetus experiences pain, “the overwhelming majority of abortions are performed in the first trimester of pregnancy,” according to Planned Parenthood. It’s also only by the end of the first trimester that the fetus begins developing the neural tube. Just imagine young women doing all that work for an abortion and someone who wants to buy a gun that has the ability to kill thousands doesn’t. Abortions, unfortunately, are sometimes crucial to survival. Many women have to terminate their pregnancies because it could be fatal, they may not be able to complete school, maybe it’s financial reasons, or it’s a result of rape - they still have to walk through a tunnel of protesters calling them murderers. If you want to buy a gun that could potentially lead to another history-making mass murder, then you can just walk into your local pharmacy a few blocks away and you’ve bought a gun. A weapon. A piece of machinery that can kill hundreds. A tool used to affect the lives of thousands. I still find it difficult to wrap my head around the simplicity of that. To people who believe it’s the person, not the gun, it’s both. If a person is so mentally unstable that they want to open fire upon hundreds of people, they shouldn’t be allowed to own something that could carry that out. Stephen Paddock didn’t just kill 50 people all alone, it was the bump stock added to his semi-automatic rifle. The gun, the bump stock, and Paddock are all to blame for impacting thousands of lives. Thousands of sisters, brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles, moms, dads, partners, loved ones, and more. It wasn’t just Paddock or the person who is in control of the gun. It’s the law that allows guns to be sold and it’s the law that allows innocent lives to be destroyed in an instant. Although this quote is powerful and shines a light on two important issues, there are some flaws. It may be different for others, but I interpret it as a quote about gun control. I agree with everything stated, but I wish it continued more on the change we need to see in abortion laws, not just gun control. Additionally, it’s very gendered. The author seems to think of men with guns and women with unwanted pregnancies. Most mass shootings are carried out by white men, but there are still plenty of women who believe in the right to bear arms and are anti-choice/ pro-life. If after reading this, you’ve been left feeling like you want to change the laws, then look no further! Here some things you can do to help: - Start a conversation! Ask your friends or family what they think of the quote, abortion, gun control, or anything! - Donate to Planned Parenthood - Call our government! ~ My amazing friend, Sonia, started a website titled Teens Resist, where you can find scripts and numbers to help call your Senators and Representatives and make your voice heard. It updates weekly, but everything is archived, so it’ll still be easy to find the scripts regarding abortion and gun control. ~ You can look up the numbers and addresses for anyone in government, so you can always make up your own script!
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FEMINISMthe advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes |