Editor,
When I think of all the things a person could say about a woman that would be considered misogynistic, calling one a “slut” is definitely one of them. However, as I read the column “Attacks on Fluke sign of US misogyny” by Jason Darensburg, and then went on to watch the video clips of both Fluke and Limbaugh, I have to say that this is hardly a sign that our country is a place where women are oppressed.
Limbaugh and others like him who share his “special” way with words make a living by being over the top, and a lot of the comments they make are meant to draw an audience. The statements that Fluke made in front of the congressional panel were the right fuel for their fire.
Without sharing his flair, I have to agree with Limbaugh that the statements she made about not being able to afford contraception, and that it should be provided to her by her school’s health insurance plan, are absolutely ridiculous.
There would not have been such a firestorm had she only presented the medical reasons without the recreational ones for using contraceptives.
Another reason for the backlash was that her plea to have a religious institution provide her with contraceptives is just plain unconstitutional. It infringes on the right to religious freedom of such organizations.
As an active Catholic, I would in every way be opposed to such a law because it goes against the Church’s belief of “natural law,” or the design of God built into the human race.
Religious freedom was one of the foundations upon which this country was built and it should not so easily be violated. Fluke riled up a lot of people with her comments and people responded harshly not because they are women haters but because part of her argument lacked significance. Seriously, to say that the cost of birth control was causing a financial burden on her was just not very convincing.
Georgeani Sandoval
UNM student
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