U of C Abortion protests

[metallicat]

Why can't people just go to school, to go to school? Why does anyone join these stupid fringe groups, on either side of the arguments?

[PsYcNeT]

I love how they interviewed Barry Cooper for the article, like he's some impartial bystander or something, and not a Fraser Institute shill.

[BlackEleven]

Originally Posted by Bagor

Sounds like they're trying to goad the university into doing something that they can use.

Totally agree. They could stage their protest almost anywhere, and in most places perfectly legally, but instead go back to the one place that's already charged them with trespassing. Now they're just trying to look like martyrs.

Honestly, I don't see this accomplishing anything for them aside from additional legal problems. Do they actually think this will win them new sympathizers for their cause? If anything, this will likely just polarize people's opinions more so than they are already.

[Bagor]

Out of curiosity.

Who pays their legal fees? The clubs and societies, SU funding?

Originally Posted by BlackEleven

Totally agree. They could stage their protest almost anywhere, and in most places perfectly legally, but instead go back to the one place that's already charged them with trespassing. Now they're just trying to look like martyrs.

Yep, 100% confrontational and antagonistic.

[valo403]

They've been doing this for years, and it's always been an idiotic display. I actually rather enjoyed it, usually made a point of walking by. Gave me a good chuckle before I had to go grab an hour of sleep in class.

[Rathji]

Walked by them on the way to class and it was very obvious that they were being very careful to not pester people. Maybe they will become more brazen as people cause them grief.

Originally Posted by Bagor

Out of curiosity.

Who pays their legal fees? The clubs and societies, SU funding?

Private interest groups I would assume.

Club funding is pretty small unless your club is huge, and even then most of it is directed in the form of supporting events ie paying for pizza for an event that 100 people attended, and not simply cutting a cheque based on membership.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Bagor

Sounds like they're trying to goad the university into doing something that they can use.

I'd just call the transport cops and tell them they're immigrants.

Those transport cops are serious. You call them in and these protesters will never see the light of day again.

[Rathji]

"Tickets or transfers please."

[burn_this_city]

Its cold enough out that the university should use a firehose and soak them off the property.

[enthused]

The thing that annoys me the most is that they aren't even protesting to get their message out anymore, they are doing this to just stir up controversy. They're in a pissing contest with the university and its getting stupid.

I'm going to try to avoid the area they set up in because I really don't feel like having people get in my face and tell me that if I were to get an abortion it would be like exterminating all the Jews.

[Big Pom]

I had the misfortyne of walking by the protest on between class and it was absolutly gross. It's one thing to protest for the rights of unborn children, but what I saw had nothing to do with that. Most of the images they were using had nothing to use with abortion. They had several very racist images, pictures of hanging Jews, and kids hacked to death with machetes. I was very offended by the protest, not by abortion or any kind of pro-life message but by the actual protest. I have several friends from the towns where the nazi death camps were actually built and they were totally horrified by these "protesters". What they did was not acceptable in such public place, it would have been more suitable if they had used the upstairs ballroom in MacHall or another more private setting because none of the images were even remotly suitable for youth or children to see. You can be pro-life without being an ass.

[Boblobla]

Would this be grounds for expulsion? I would hope so.

[Kipper is King]

As I have mentioned previously in this thread, I am wholeheartedly pro-life.

That being said, I am concerned that the Pro-life group is not helping their argument doing this a second time this year. This reeks of "pouting", not encouraging a constructive debate.

Ideally, I wish cooler heads would prevail, and realize this is going to backfire. I agree with an anti-abortion stance, but their philosophy with how to present that stance is possibly doing more harm to the movement than good. It's not level-headed anymore.

[DementedReality]

im anti abortion and pro choice ... thats to say, i would never consider an abortion as an option, but respect others right to make their own choice and suffer their own consequence.

why cant people just mind their own business anyhow?

[Kipper is King]

Originally Posted by DementedReality

why cant people just mind their own business anyhow?

I have studying to do. I can't deal with opening this "can of worms" again!

I think for the remainder of this thread, let's try and keep away from the whole "pro-life" "pro-choice" debate. We've done that dance already! For now, I say let's try and confine the thread to the issue of the protest at the U of C for a second time, as much as possible.

[alltherage]

I understand where many of you are coming from, that you are disgusted by the graphic and obnoxious nature of this protest but the comments on here about having them move inside or to somewhere else are just ridiculous. What kind of protest moves inside and away from where it gets the most exposure? What would be the point of that? What are they going to do, send invitations to already pro-life people?

Get real.

Also, I do see why they continue to display these things. People react to emotion and having the ugly pictures out there are the most effective. Having a picture of a cute baby and saying something like "this is what could have been" is redundant, because people know that. Most people I know do not know the violent nature of abortion and choose to ignore that the "fetus" looks just like a "real" baby, only smaller.

I don't agree with harassment if that's what they are doing, but for people to feel harassed just by walking by is a little bit crazy. I don't get all up in arms when there are "God doesn't exist so enjoy your life" posters on the side of busses... just because I don't agree with something doesn't mean I have the right to attack it.

This has turned in to a freedom of speach thing, and as much as some of you would hate to admit it or perhaps just don't agree, if these protesters just packed it in, they would be failing on two fronts. They would not be exposing a message they see as life and death, and they would be succombing to the bullying from the University.

The best way I can put this, is that these protestors may not believe what you believe. They believe that fetuses are human. Ask yourself:

If you saw a complete stranger about to be hit by a car, If you KNEW you could save them, would you not yell to them to jump out of the way?

They want to save lives, and they believe it's more important than people's comfort level with the message itself.

I'm probably coming off as a defender, and from the sounds of things this could probably be toned down and reach a medium, but I'm just trying to present the other side of the argument and I hope I shed some light on it.

[BlackEleven]

Originally Posted by alltherage

I understand where many of you are coming from, that you are disgusted by the graphic and obnoxious nature of this protest but the comments on here about having them move inside or to somewhere else are just ridiculous. What kind of protest moves inside and away from where it gets the most exposure? What would be the point of that? What are they going to do, send invitations to already pro-life people?

Get real.

Also, I do see why they continue to display these things. People react to emotion and having the ugly pictures out there are the most effective. Having a picture of a cute baby and saying something like "this is what could have been" is redundant, because people know that. Most people I know do not know the violent nature of abortion and choose to ignore that the "fetus" looks just like a "real" baby, only smaller.

I don't agree with harassment if that's what they are doing, but for people to feel harassed just by walking by is a little bit crazy. I don't get all up in arms when there are "God doesn't exist so enjoy your life" posters on the side of busses... just because I don't agree with something doesn't mean I have the right to attack it.

This has turned in to a freedom of speach thing, and as much as some of you would hate to admit it or perhaps just don't agree, if these protesters just packed it in, they would be failing on two fronts. They would not be exposing a message they see as life and death, and they would be succombing to the bullying from the University.

The best way I can put this, is that these protestors may not believe what you believe. They believe that fetuses are human. Ask yourself:

If you saw a complete stranger about to be hit by a car, If you KNEW you could save them, would you not yell to them to jump out of the way?

They want to save lives, and they believe it's more important than people's comfort level with the message itself.

I'm probably coming off as a defender, and from the sounds of things this could probably be toned down and reach a medium, but I'm just trying to present the other side of the argument and I hope I shed some light on it.

It's not a freedom of speech issue. It's a private property issue.

Disagree? Then please provide me with your address so I can hold a protest and practice my right to free speech on your front lawn.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by alltherage

What kind of protest moves inside and away from where it gets the most exposure?

One that is illegal? One that is considered trespassing?

[valo403]

Originally Posted by BlackEleven

It's not a freedom of speech issue. It's a private property issue.

Disagree? Then please provide me with your address so I can hold a protest and practice my right to free speech on your front lawn.

Categorizing University property as absolutely private is incorrect. The Supreme Court has held that places such as airport terminals are essentially public forums for the purposes of freedom of expression. That's not to say that the decision would be the same here, there are many factors that can change the way a location is categorized, but it's certainly not a clear case of private property.

[alltherage]

Originally Posted by BlackEleven

It's not a freedom of speech issue. It's a private property issue.

Disagree? Then please provide me with your address so I can hold a protest and practice my right to free speech on your front lawn.

When you pay tuition to come to my front lawn, and when you actually pay to come live on site at my house, then please feel free to give'er.

Universities are not private property... that's the major loophole in this whole legal dispute.