<p>I'm working on the optional essay and I want to talk about how after being challenged on my views on abortion or gay marriage, I was forced to do extensive research and come to an even more concrete view.
If you want a hint in what my view is, (shhhh I'm a conservative)
Should I avoid such issues?
I read somewhere that it isn't smart since adcoms can be offended.</p>
<p>i had a similar problem, but im not conservative(shh im from holland)
mine was if there was a god or not(i know fake profound, im so worried about that), but I left the entire word god out. I address the topic, without actually saying the things explicitly. Is that possible in ur essay, otherwise, I would just make it very nuanced, so you dont come across as very right wing crazy conservative, youll be fine then I guess. May i read it, because I want to know what you write(just interested:P)</p>
<p>Do what you will - </p>
<p>But you best hope you don’t get an adcom who is gay, has gay family members, etc. Or one who has had an abortion. </p>
<p>If I were an adcom and I read such an essay, chances are I would see it as bigoted, as many very liberal people do (they might view conservatism on such issues as akin to even racism or sexism, actually, depending on how you wrote this).</p>
<p>A lot is going to depend on how it’s written, but this isn’t merely a controversial issue like, should we have gone to war about X/is X politician good/economic policy/health care. This could potentially be viewed as a direct attack against someone, perhaps even an adcom himself/herself. These issues are, in my mind, far more personal than other conservative/liberal divides, and also less intelligent - they’re “hot button” issues that people talk about because they’re the easiest ones to understand, extensive research or not.</p>
<p>But, that’s just my two cents. I haven’t read it, but this is my gut reaction: you’d be better off writing about something else that sticks to challenging ideas rather than something that could be construed as an attack against certain people.</p>
<p>I’d also be curious to read it as a lot of this is just speculation - just because you’re conservative doesn’t mean the essay would come off as bad, necessarily, though I think chances are it will.</p>
<p>Look, I am a VERY conservative christian, and I am telling you DO NOT LET THEM KNOW YOURE A REPUBLICAN. You will, without a doubt, offend someone…not exactly the thing you want to do when school can afford to reject literally anyone without a second thought.</p>
<p>I don’t think your party affiliation would offend an educated person.</p>
<p>The problem with the essay topic isn’t that it’s conservative, but rather that it discusses an issue that many people feel is personal, that others shouldn’t have judgments about or a say in, and most importantly, that others cannot understand, no matter how much they “read up on it”. And a person in one camp is unlikely to find the other camp’s side intelligent. For example, I doubt a socialist is going to take offense to an essay about the free market or that a more right wing person is going to take offense to an essay about Marxism. But if I were gay, and you were feeding some bullcrap about how marriage in the eyes of the law is only for a man and a woman, I’d probably want to punch you in the face, which wouldn’t translate well into points for your application.</p>
<p>Does this work both ways or not? I’m starting to get worried…I mentioned two liberal things in my essay, saying that I hope to help debunk myths about atheism and help end discrimination against bisexuals. Is it possible that these things would offend conservative adcoms? Or is it different because I’m not attacking anyone?</p>
<p>I talk about facing a liberal teacher and how I learned the importance of consolidating your views with extensive thinking and the importance of discussion. Never really say anything about abortion other than what my liberal teacher said about it and the fact that I am against it.</p>
<p>well i think just because u are consv. you shouldnt hide your actual opinions, but just write a nuanced essay in which you also tolerate other opinions, and value them. according to what i read above, that is what you do, do not worry! but may i read it pleeaase, because im from a country where abortion(and gay marriage but thats not relevant now) is so accpeted and tolerated that I would like to hear another view for ONCE.</p>
<p>There’s a country like that? Where? ;).</p>
<p>hahah well at least where i come from in my country. It is the magical land where weed is sort of legal, gay marriage is everydag business and it rains most of the time, it is holland
<em>jumps up and down and is proud to be dutch</em></p>
<p>I’m sorry it’s not really done… and don’t really feel comfortable showing essays until after the deadline…
But, I will give my opinion on abortion if you really want me to.
The first and the most important factor of the issue is if the fetus is life.
Whether or not banning it will lead to back-alley abortion or the imprisonment of doctors are very minor issues considering the fact that 50 million fetuses are aborted each year. If that 50 million is considered life, then abortion becomes the greatest genocide in history of mankind.
So… how do we define human life?
-Scientifically, the fetus is human, with 24 pairs of chromosomes, and it has just not developed yet. It is only a stage in development just like a toddler develops into a teenager.
-Culturally, we have the tendency to think that life starts at birth (birthday not conception day…lol), however, this originates from a primitive culture. Very comparable to the fact that we say sun “rises” when it is actually the earth moving, not the sun. (Thanks aristotle!)
-In Roe v. Wade, 9 justices defined human life. (9 people not elected by the public) That is an immense amount of power in 9 unelected people in a democratic country.
-Let’s say it is still up to debate if the fetus is life at all. Isn’t it logical to give the benefit of the doubt to life?
-Poorer women tend to have more abortion… does that mean that poorer babies have a smaller opportunity to live? (Liberals?)
-Dec. of Independence states “created equal” not “born equal”
-People who talk about raped women or poor women in support for abortion, have they ever tried to reach out and help them? Try to talk to them and give them options? What about the effort against rape? Why are they not out working for prevention of rape? because it is easier to support abortion…
sorry for the rant… you asked for it 
None of these are included in the essay and if you find any of my views offensive, then I am sorry, you can always pm and I will always listen. I’ve had countless discussions, which is why I wrote this up in 5 minutes.</p>
<p>haha well I understand your points, I really do. Also I am against abortion in most cases, like it would be used as a voorbehoedsmiddel(idk the english words, like the pill and condoms are “voorbehoedsmiddelen”) However, in a fair amount of the cases, and not just rape( it seems silly that you oppose abortion in rape cases, of course we should focus on prevention, but what if they get pregnant, what are these other “options” you speak of, adoption? the woman basically gets screwed over(literally)) it is justifiable. It really does depend on the situation, it should be legal, but it should have some restrictions. But I find it very hard to discuss this over a forum, so never mind:P. I wonder though, where in ur princeton app are you going to discuss this? Also do you not understand any of the pro-choice arguments?</p>
<p>ooooh right. Doesnt it make sense to you that poorer women have adoptions. Honeslty dont you think that a child that would have no future, no chances to begin with is better left unborn. How I put it seems very blunt, but really try to think of that objectively. Also your argument states that it is life, as it has 24 paris of chrom. Im not sure bout this one, but doesnt the morning after pill kind of kills a zygote(which also has 24 p of chr)? And then, are you against morning after pills also? (im not attacking just asking:P)</p>
<p>abortion cant be genocide, fetuses are not a cultural, ethnic, religious or national group. Thats more of a technical thing though:P</p>
<p>Back on topic – abortion is NOT the topic.</p>
<p>As an adcom, I might also be concerned about what you think is acceptable discourse or topics or conversation in various scenarios. Does the essay give the impression that you would simply verbally abuse students of different beliefs? Does it convey the idea that you are homophobic, versus simply opposed to gay marriage, and you would have no problem affronting people about this? </p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry so much about the views as the presentation and the personality with which they are affiliated, i.e. yours.</p>
<p>For the record, I am very conservative.</p>
<p>I agree with Baelor, dont think of the adcoms opinion (okay that sound weird as they will decide wether you will go to the university or not) but focus on getting your point across in a nuanced way, so you will not sound narrow minded.</p>
<p>Thank you for your comments. Much appreciated
@JJ: if you’d like you can pm me for a discussion of abortion.</p>
<p>@ jjavdm; the word you were looking for is “contraceptive” ^^ i speak german, so i understood what you meant when you wrote voorbehoedsmiddel, the german word is verhütungsmittel, which sounds kinda similar, when you say it aloud =)</p>
<p>haha yeah, i knew the word, but couldn’t think of it and far too lazy to look it up, thank you:P where in austria are you from?</p>
<p>Don’t say you’re against gay marriage, because to put it quite simply, you’re wrong. </p>
<p>Whether or not that’s fair is irrelevant. It happens to be the way I feel. It’s also very likely that that’s how people who are going to read your application feel. Hence, don’t put it. I doubt it will ultimately mean much in terms of whether or not you’re admitted, but still.</p>