Taking it a step further
Anti-abortion group aspires to point out procedure’s toll
How would you react if one-third of your biology class did not show up for class tomorrow?
Or, what if the University population went from upward of 30,000 to 20,000 in the blink of an eye?
According to Family Planning Perspectives magazine, one out of every three pregnancies from the college-aged generation ended in abortion.
These reasons have caused many campus religious organizations to fight for making abortions illegal.
One in particular, Students For Life, is taking extra strides.
Working with Rock For Life, another anti abortion organization on campus, and Christ the King Catholic Student Center, Students For Life was responsible for the “One Dead, One Wounded” rally that commemorated the historic Roe vs. Wade case, which made abortion legal in the United States.
“We can make this a banner year for the pro-life movement on campus,” said Greg Stanek, president of Students For Life and a graduate student in mathematics.
Rock For Life, the associate organization of Students For Life, sits in front of the Union every Friday to increase awareness about abortion and the toll it takes on both the baby and the mother.
“I think that we are making an impact with the Free Speech Alley campaigns,” said Jaci Cole, a political science and mass communication freshman. “It is cool to see people learn something about a topic that is so serious. We are actually changing people’s lives and saving others.”
Students For Life focuses on both abortion and other controversial topics concerning death, such as euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research.
“Students For Life and Rock For Life are not concentrating on the political aspects of the fight for life,” said Emily Clancy, assistant chapter leader and a landscape architecture junior. “We are focusing on our youth so that we can educate them about the violence of abortion and stem cell research as well as give them information about contraception and the ways to control the number of unwanted pregnancies.”
Formed in Spring 2001, LSU’s chapter already has made a significant impact on the national organization with Clancy’s attendance at the March For Life, a national anti-abortion protest that took place on Jan. 22 of this year.
“It really helped me to see how much support the pro-life movement has,” Clancy said. “To see young adults feel so passionately about the pro-life movement is really inspiring and uplifting.”
Tim Basilica