Some advice for abortion protesters
I just walked through the Quad, where I witnessed an elderly man holding a sign and debating with students.
The sign was comparing Hitler’s Holocaust to today’s aborted babies. OK, first of all, the man sounded like he was on serious psychotropic medication the way he was ranting and raving. Screaming and yelling is not the way to get a point across. Most of what a person is saying is communicated in the tone of their voice, not the actual words.
Secondly, if he wants to discourage women from getting abortions … I suggest he offer some options. It’s not like a pregnant woman wakes up one morning and thinks, “Hey, today is beautiful; I think I’ll get an abortion after my manicure.”
To the man in the quad: 1. Don’t judge (you don’t know the circumstances), 2. God is LOVE, 3. Check your intention before carrying a big sign on campus and yelling and screaming and 4. People don’t care what you know until they know you care … if your diatribe about abortion is not coming from a place of love … NO ONE WILL HEAR IT!
Carmen Guy
Sophomore — Studio Art
Police violated protester’s rights
I am writing in regard to the man who was in the Quad on Feb. 26. He stood among a large group of people, holding a poster with pictures of the Jews who had been killed by Hitler and compared it to the picture of an aborted baby. A few moments later, he was confronted by the LSU police force, which told him to leave the area.
I do not care what he was protesting, but what I do care about is the way he was forced to leave the Quad area. Under the Constitution of the United States, the people of America have the right to say what they wish and to peacefully protest. That man was not given his rights. He was forced to be quiet and to leave that area. As far as I am concerned, his rights were infringed upon. He was not given the opportunity to say what he wanted without fear of being forced to leave.
Who has the right to take someone’s freedom of speech away? No one. In fact, freedom of speech is one of the things that made our country. We must have the right to stand up and say what we wish without fear of being arrested or fear of being silenced. Why is it that when someone wants to say something they have to go to Free Speech Alley? All Americans have the right to say what they wish, where they want, as long as it is in a peaceful manner. This man did not.
Forget the issue of abortion for a moment and look at what happened. The police violated his right to say what he wanted to. He was simply having a one-man, peaceful protest. His rights were stomped on by the police. And in return, the Constitution was stomped upon as well.
Tyler Comeaux
Freshman — Speech Communication
Prevent aggressive abortion displays
Today, as I was walking to class, I was accosted by an 8-year-old kid with a five-foot-tall picture of a dead baby. Well, kind of a dead baby, but more like pieces of a dead baby. I had just eaten breakfast, and it turned my stomach. What looked to be his mother chased me down and all but forced a very disturbing and macabre pamphlet about the evils of abortion into my closed hand. As I walked into my economics class, I honestly felt violated.
I have been going to LSU for more than three years now, and I am all but too familiar with the Bible thumpers in Free Speech Alley who like to tell me that I’m going to Hell. I’ve walked my dog down to the Parade Ground for some Frisbee countless times only to realize half of it was covered in little white crosses.
I am all about the freedom of speech. But I do not like it when people try to force their opinions on me. I have opinions too, but I don’t walk around shoving pamphlets at people’s faces and showing them images unfit for network television. Apparently, these people have nothing better to do at 9 a.m. on a Wednesday morning than infest our campus with their filthy images and pamphlet-toting children. I pay a lot of money to attend this University, and I would very much appreciate it if LSU did something to prevent these people from ever coming back.
William Andrepont
Junior — Forestry
Parents should send children to school
Did anyone see the Anti-Planned Parenthood protest today? Did anyone see those horrifying pictures of half-developed dead fetuses they were passing out? DID ANYONE NOTICE THERE WERE TWO LITTLE KIDS PASSING OUT THESE BROCHURES??? Little kids — as in one of the boys could not have been older than 10 years.
Speaking of PARENTHOOD … Shouldn’t these kids be in school? I didn’t find any information that said school was out — it’s not a holiday and there weren’t any cancellations. Where the hell are their parents, and why do they have their YOUNG children pushing a religious political agenda on the street in a cold mist of rain instead of getting an education?
It’s a great thing to be brave enough to stand up for what you believe, but doesn’t anyone see a problem when the ones sent out to “push the agenda” are barely old enough to know what belief is? Somebody please get these kids back in school. These organizations may want their help, but without an education, these kids barely will be able to help themselves.
Matisha Jenkins
Senior — Biological Sciences
Parenting advocates should parent
There are few things I dislike more than finishing off a school day by being accosted by pictures of abortion remains on three-foot placards. One of them, however, is the irony of watching these pro-lifers harass students with these grisly photographs of aborted children, while totally ignoring their own.
When I passed by the Union, I watched in absolute amazement as these kids played totally unattended on the street. Those who were apparently old enough had been enlisted to hold up signs as well. I won’t get into the sort of effect gigantic pictures of mutilated children could have on those kids later in life, but some of those kids had to be school aged, at least! Why weren’t they in class? Or, more importantly, why is it that these champions of the rights of unborn children can’t pay enough attention to keep their own out of the way of oncoming traffic?
Rachael Upton
Sophomore — Mass Communication
‘Disgusting’ display won’t change minds
I am sure almost everyone reading this saw the disgusting anti-abortion displays in Free Speech Alley and other places on campus. (And yes, I said disgusting!)
Let me start by saying I am a conservative, and like most conservatives, am completely against abortion. I know many people do not feel the same way, but that does not mean I have to have images of crushed and mangled fetuses flaunted in my face. One thing that really got to me was that not only were older men holding huge signs, but a little boy who could not be more than 10 years old handed me a pamphlet of a bloody, dismembered aborted baby. Maybe they could say, “Hey, you’re in college and mature enough to handle these things,” but is a 10-year-old? What are they doing to these children?
I don’t plan on getting pregnant or having an abortion anytime soon, but if I did, I can assure you these demonstrations would do nothing more than aggravate me and further reinforce my decision.
Caroline Domecq
Freshman — Mass Communication
Anti war activists are patriotic
Mr. Marks, you are correct. There was no mention of the United Nations in the Constitution, and yes, the commander of the United States Armed Forces is not Kofi Annan. The purpose of going to the U.N. is simple. We live in an uncertain and volatile world. The U.N. is an instrument of peace that tries to calm the storm of international relations and is the only hope for many conflicts to be peacefully resolved. Of course the U.N. is not “in charge” of the United States. It is simply trying to prevent a conflict which could do serious damage to international stability. The U.N. is working to facilitate a peaceful resolution to this possible bloody conflict and I applaud it! In today’s global community, the cooperation the U.N. symbolizes is a beacon of hope.
Another issue I would like to address is your insinuation that all the protesters are “hippies.” I guess you just haven’t been reading reports on the protest, etc. Sure, there are some radicals, but in general these protests have been very different from the Vietnam era ones. At these protests, you see people from all walks of life (veterans, doctors, soccer moms, grandmothers, and yes, “hippies”). The “hippies” you speak of are just one of the diverse types of people which make up the anti-war movement.
Finally, I would like to suggest the idea that the protestors are not un-American, but deeply American in the most fundamental way. Our country was founded on the voices of those who dissented from the views of their government. I propose the protesters are extremely patriotic because they are going out in force to try and stop a war that will hurt our country by encouraging more terrorist attacks. They are protesting because they have not forgotten Sept. 11. If you wish to live in a country where citizens blindly follow whatever their leaders tell them is right, then perhaps you are the unpatriotic one. GOD BLESS AMERICA.
Erin Green
Senior — Political Science
Flashers, not society, to blame
I am writing in response to Christina Stephens’ “Overexposed” column.
It is not the society’s fault; it is the flashers who provoke the thought women are men’s sex toys. If you flash your breasts, you deserve to be on film in front of millions. If every girl knew that was the consequence, maybe they wouldn’t do it in the first place.
Women, if you don’t want to be on video for every guy to see, save your breasts for the bedroom. It is your fault if you end up on “Girls Gone Wild,” not the pervert filming you.
Jennifer Hatch
Junior — Mass Communication