CUSA revoked the club’s status to promote its anti-discrimination policy, but in doing so, is discriminating against people like me who are against abortion. What about my freedom of speech?

While banning the pro-life club violates fundamental rights — freedom of speech and expression — it is also a violation of freedom of religion.

The pro-life stance is strongly supported by the Catholic Church and our nation’s Catholics. Therefore, putting restrictions on pro-life campaigns in an indirect way is discrimination against Catholics on campus.

For example, say there is a party. But the invitation says those who have any relics or who are wearing crosses aren’t allowed to attend. Obviously, many Catholics either carry or possess a cross. While the invitation did not explicitly say that Catholics are uninvited, it is clear that is what the invitation is implying. Having a cross at home or on us is the representation of who we are and what we believe as Christians. Likewise, being anti-abortion is who we are: the representation of ourselves through our support of the pro-life cause. Thus, pro-life supporters at Carleton must gain their rights back in order to freely speak up about what we believe and who we are.

We are Catholic. In this fast-paced and selfish world, we will face more and more obstacles that interfere with our Christian beliefs. We have already entered a world where birth control pills, sex before marriage, excessive alcohol and occasional drug use are common. Moral views are shifting as the social norm is slowly driving us away from God and manipulating the world into secularism.

For example, our shifting value system is made clear to me Sunday mornings. I always run into more people hung over from the night before than those who go to Mass. And at schools and in the media, the “cool” kids are portrayed as rebels who party every weekend, drink, smoke and have sex.

However, despite what the rest of the world supports, we should keep in mind that life is God’s plan and a gift to us.

As Catholic youth, we must appreciate this gift and remain firmly pro-life. As should Carleton Lifeline. We must keep telling ourselves that since the moment God breathed life into each one of us, we are His creation. Pope Sixtus V said, “Abortion is homicide regardless of the stage of pregnancy.” It is no one’s right to decide to destroy another’s life and gift. God is a loving God, He has plans for us and it is not in our power to take a life away.

(Park, 19, is a communications and political science student at Carleton University in Ottawa.)