Abortion discussion heated

---

by Elizabeth Egle

---

"The turnout [for the event] was really amazing," said Laura Mize, co-president of Rice for Life.

According to the presidents of both organizations, the issue of abortion had never before been discussed in an academic setting at Rice. Klineberg said the purpose of the evening was "to get beyond the issues of `I'm right, you're wrong.'" According to the participants, the unanimous goal was to get information out, not to remain at a stagnant middle ground.

The debate began with a presentation of the background of each candidate and personal opinions about their organization and the opposing organization.

From there, the panelists began countering each other and at some points trying to disprove one another. The floor was then opened for audience questions.

The six members of the panel are at the forefront of the local abortion debate. Jennifer Griffin, co-president of Rice for Life, said, "We got the panelists through divine intervention."

Panelists for the pro-life side included Joseph Graham, professor of philosophy at the University of St. Thomas and president of Right to Life; Sheila Heimbinder, who is involved with Project Rowhouse; and Sue Baumgarten, a housemother at Lifehouse, a Christian maternity home.

The pro-choice side was represented by Jeanne Sommerfeld, the president of the Texas chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW); Susan Nenny, director of communications for Planned Parenthood; and Scott Ramsey, a practicing attorney and member of the Board of Directors of the Texas Abortion Reproduction Rights Action League.

Tensions rose between the two sides when they began to contest each others' statistics, such as the number of abortions before and after the United States Supreme Court's 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision. However, Klineberg steered the conversation away from these skirmishes and most of the debate centered around morality issues and women's rights.

The audience was very responsive to the discussion and asked many questions. The pro-life side fielded questions about rape and incest, and the pro-choice side worked their way around questions concerning the dangers of abortions and the pressures young women undergo to get abortions. Nevertheless, they did address many other issues.

Audience members reacted positively to the event. "It was quite well thought out," Jones College sophomore Sheva McQuown said. "I'm glad that a number of the panelists were for once not just talking about abortion but about society."

Those involved believed that the evening was a success. "This has been one of the most enlightening discussions on this issue," Klineberg said.

Organizers hoped that the event would encourage members of the audience to get involved in the issue.

Rice for Choice Co-President Liana Gefter said, "We hope this will spur some interest and students will know both groups are active."

This item appeared in the News section of the November 1, 1996 issue.

Copyright © 1996 The Rice Thresher. All Rights Reserved.
This document may be distributed electronically, provided that it is distributed in its entirety and includes this notice. However, it cannot be reprinted without the express written permission of:
The Rice Thresher, Rice University, 6100 Main, Houston, TX 77005-1892, USA.