Upon reading David Conard’s editorial, “No conception equals no abortion” in Wednesday’s Northern Star, I felt compelled to write.

This guy is totally clueless. He, along with most of the male population, believes pregnancy prevention is a woman’s job.

I find his suggestions to prevent rape pregnancies appalling! Teach women (girls) self-defense techniques beginning in elementary school?! Why? Girls should not need to learn such things. Girls should not have to go through life always wary of being attacked. Men, beginning in elementary school, should be taught to respect women of all ages. Men should be taught how to control themselves and should be shown appropriate ways to handle rage. Rape is not about sex; it’s about rage and power. To say women must be responsible for preventing rape and rape-related pregnancies is ludicrous!

Next, he thinks women should be taught about birth control pills – pills filled with hormones (some man-made chemicals) taken every day for the rest of your life to prevent pregnancy. That’s a very intrusive regimen. He thinks this is an easy solution for women to prevent pregnancy. But the hormones in these pills can have many bad side effects. And if your religion is pro-life, taking birth control pills is as much of a sin as abortion.

I think men should be taught the proper use of condoms and spermicidal gels.

And if these items are not available at that most exciting moment, men should be taught to control themselves.

And last but not least, Plan B, again for women. Why don’t men just all have vasectomies? I hear the technology used to reverse these operations is getting better everyday. So, when a man is ready to have children he could opt for a reversal of the vasectomy and have all the children he wants, no problem.

Actually, I think it would do more to teach what it costs to raise a child form birth to 21 years – not just in money but also the physical and psychological toll and the time commitment.

As for terminating a pregnancy, the choice should be left up to the individual. I believe no one should be forced to have an abortion. And no one should be forced to have a child.

I also believe pregnancy prevention is the responsibility of two people. Remember, a woman doesn’t get pregnant alone. Men need to take responsibility for their actions, too.

Linda Tri

Senior, design/photo major

Letters reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of the Northern Star staff.