John BrownâÄôs Monday column on the âÄúexhaustedâÄù abortion debate encouraged all of us to divert our attention from âÄúan important debate in contemporary American politicsâÄù to more petty matters such as the price of higher education. I have to disagree with BrownâÄôs argument that the abortion issue is something about which we ought to shut up. First off, if âÄúhalf the citizenry interprets abortion as an individual rights issue and the other half interprets it as murderâÄù is it not reasonable to assume that a shocking display, like GAP, would spur students into passionate debate? It seems that issues concerning human rights and murder are naturally more significant than our squabbling over finances. We should be focusing more of our time and energy on such issues. It would be impossible for me and many others on both sides of the issue to simply sit back and forget about abortion. Brown believes that because you donâÄôt âÄúactually have the power to affectâÄù the abortion issue, you should give it a rest and move on to smaller issues. Does it make sense to surrender on any issue just because it may be unpopular with a significant segment of society? No. I think we should fight for what we believe is right, regardless of how many people pat us on the back for doing so. What would have happened if Martin Luther King Jr. had agreed to back down and focus on smaller issues when a large portion of the citizenry argued that blacks did not deserve basic human rights? John Brown, if you are tired of reading our letters and guest columns, maybe you should get a new job, because the people who care about important issues arenâÄôt going to sit down and shut up, and they shouldnâÄôt. Mallory Gary University student