Spring Break
Groups protest GAP project, pictures
Anti-abortion display will continue in MU Quad from
Kate Welter
Issue date: 6/4/09 Section: News
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Surrounding the large exhibit were metal fences that were constructed to prevent students and other members of the public from destroying the presentation, which the Center of Bio-Ethical Reform - the organization in charge of the GAP - said has happened in the past.
Volunteers for the GAP passed out pamphlets and brochures, which stated that "simply put, the unborn are human beings and abortion is an act of violence that kills them."
One particular brochure, titled "Why Abortion is Genocide," defined genocide, according to the Webster's New World Encyclopedia, as "the deliberate and systematic destruction of a national, racial, religious, political, cultural, ethnic or other group defined by the exterminators as undesirable."
The GAP believes that this definition of genocide relates to the abortion of unborn fetuses, the "undesirable" target group.
"We're not trying to say that abortion is just like all genocide, but there are striking similarities," said Darius Hardwick, the Northwest regional director for the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform, which is based out of Salem.
"College campuses are a marketplace for ideas. Our main purpose is to educate people on the pro-life side of the issue and who a baby is and what an abortion does to them. This cannot be done adequately without pictures."
The Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance group was also present to protest the GAP and the way it chose to present disturbing pictures of fetuses as well as victims of historical genocides.
Volunteers for the FMLA held signs that read "Abortion is not genocide" and "Do not manipulate history for your own political agenda." They also requested that students walking by sign a petition, which would ultimately prevent the GAP from returning to OSU next year.
"Our message is that abortion is not the same thing as genocide," said Elise Abranmson, an Honors College senior in business and psychology and the president of the FMLA.
Abortion has been an especially hot topic in national news after last Sunday's assassination of Dr. George Tiller, a physician of Wichita, Kan., who performed abortions after the 21st week of pregnancy. Tiller was shot and killed while serving as an usher during a worship service at the Reformation Lutheran Church by a pro-life abortion protester.
"Abortion is a personal choice. It's about privacy and is a very difficult decision," said Samantha Pride, a senior in sociology and international studies, as well as the communications officer for the FMLA.
"[The GAP] is taking a complicated issue and making it black and white, but it's not that simple, and they're using hateful, distasteful images to do so."
Other OSU student groups - including the College Democrats - were there to help lend their support to the FMLA by picketing and passing out stickers to the public. Many students were extremely offended by the vulgar images.
"I take a lot of offense to the racial and ethnic comparison the GAP uses to [a] woman's right to choose. They're really just apples and oranges," said Jordan Hunt, a sophomore double-majoring in chemical engineering and education and an active member of the College Democrats.
Students with no affiliation to any student groups were also present to help protest the GAP.
"I wanted to speak my piece. I think that the correlation between abortion and genocide is incredibly inappropriate," said Kasey Kuppenbender, a sophomore in apparel design.
The FMLA wanted to emphasize that it is not protesting the pro-life view itself, but rather the way the GAP chooses to present its argument through the use of uncomfortable images.
An unaffiliated third party was also present in the MU Quad to speak on the behalf of abortion's relation to the Bible.
George "Jed" Smock, the founder and president of Campus Ministry USA and a former professor at the University of Wisconsin, directed a warning - with a cross in hand - toward those protesting against the GAP to "flee from the wrath of God."
"These people say they are for pro-choice. Why not choose life? Life is better than death. Make the right choice, which is always life," Smock said.
Smock is an evangelist who currently lives his life by traveling to university campuses across the country, "proclaiming holiness with the Holy Bible."
The GAP will continue to be displayed today from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Kate Welter, staff writer
news@dailybarometer.com, 737-2231
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