Opinions & Editorials

Horizon Staff A week ago, searching the name “Dr. Kermit Gosnell” on most major news sites would have yielded zero results. Yet, this man allegedly performed scores of late-term abortions with sub-standard equipment and assistance (to water it down) before being caught in 2010 and charged with seven counts of murder. As his trial began on March 18, 2013, media attention on this doctor took a backseat to other news stories as editorial boards and investigative journalists have simply failed to give the case the attention it deserves. Now, this trial has garnered national attention, partly because this is a […] More

Wesley Zuidema Staff Writer To be honest, this season of life is incredibly busy. Mid-terms are coming up, term papers are screaming onto the radar with a vengeance, and some of us have the added stressor of graduating in two months and having to figure out life after the dust of academic Armageddon settles. It is not an easy season to find rest. And yet, ironically, it is also the season of Lent, the season of waiting and fasting and being silent before the Lord. Personally, I have found rest difficult in this season. God seems far, peace unattainable. I […] More

As I read Ms. Postal’s response to Mr. Gruber’s article this week, I couldn’t help but cringe at the sight of the Roe v. Wade facts. This is not due to my pro-life views particularly, but because Roe v. Wade is one of the worst rationalizations for legalized abortions. The string of rationale for writing the right to an abortion has some legitimate points, but in the end is a terrible way to set precedent. Caitlin clearly asserts her right to privacy and does so with the Courts on her side, but where is this right really? In order to […] More

Laura Robinett Guest Writer For the last several years, I have chosen to publicly identify as a feminist. At a place like Westmont, this self-labeling is not always easy. I heard a confession from one young man that, prior to becoming my friend, he believed I hated men. I do not hate men. I do not burn bras or shout obscenities at my male peers. I am not a radical. I am a feminist. I believe that all people are entitled to equal treatment and rights, and that women have been and continue to be treated as unequal to men. […] More

Dear Editor, In his article last week, Branton Nestor made a bold case for staying traditional in just about every hot topic in gay rights (marriage, military, Boy Scouts, etc.) I believe Nestor’s line of thinking is seriously misguided. Perhaps my biggest problem with Nestor’s thought process is his dangerous inability to separate sexual preference from a person’s identity. Nestor argues that the idea of homosexuality being a legitimate, private matter is wrong. While I don’t believe Christians should ignore the Bible’s teachings on homosexuality, the idea of it being more than a private sexual matter shows how far off […] More

Ashley Estebo| Staff Writer If we are talking about preserving the national security of the United States, then anything goes to protect the homeland from any threats. Right? What about the use of drones as a counterterrorism tactic? To what extent will the United States continue violating the rights of other sovereign states? In thinking about the security of both the U.S. and any states that are potentially vulnerable to terrorist attacks, Americans are inclined to agree that the United States should be allowed to patrol the skies of the terrorist-congested states via drones. If a state houses terrorists, then that […] More

Dear Editor, While I respect Seth Gruber’s right to voice an opinion regarding Roe v. Wade and the abortion controversy, I think he proffers a view lacking factual information regarding Roe v. Wade and a woman’s right to choose. I will offer factual information from legislation on Roe v. Wade that I found online at the Legal Information Institute of Cornell University. First of all, the class action lawsuit of “Jane Roe” that was decided by the Supreme Court in 1973 challenged the constitutionality of Texas criminal abortion laws. State criminal abortion laws violate the the 14th Amendment to the […] More

Wesley Zuidema Staff Writer I am convinced that Jesus’ message to humanity is not simply a call to spiritual reflection. It is full of political language and contains a call for social transformation. Jesus addressed a culture buzzing with resentment and bitterness and fear, a people driven by the currents of Jewish nationalism, and dared to tell them to forgive their enemies. He had the courage to speak truth to power, to tell the rich that God did not smile on the way their lifestyles supported and approved of injustice. He had the courage to stand up in front of […] More

Seth Gruber Guest Writer If you are a student, you probably were not even alive when abortion was legalized. In fact, many of your parents had not even met when abortion was legalized. Furthermore, most of your parents probably weren’t even of marrying age when abortion was legalized. Abortion has been around for so long that sadly and unfortunately, it has become an accepted evil, often termed by some as a necessary evil. Tuesday, January 22nd 2013 marked the forty-year anniversary since the legalization of abortion. Since then, over 50 million babies have been killed. These killings have been protected […] More

Ashley Estebo Guest Writer On January 30th, there was an attack made by an Israeli jet on a Syrian convoy along the Lebanese-Syrian border. The convoy had apparently been loaded with weapons. Because of the long-time friction between Israel and her neighbors, especially those neighbors who assist Hezbollah, Israel did not want to take any chances with this convoy. Syria has been known to aid the anti-Israeli group in the past, so to Israel, Syria is an enemy. The trucks that were struck were holding SA-17 missile parts that were Russian-made, a medium-range delivery system, and other weapons that could […] More