Pro-life group causes stir on campus

Students and faculty members argue about their views on abortion. The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform displayed numerous photos of dismemberment and genocide at Saddleback College on Tuesday and Wednesday. (Nick Nenad/Lariat)

The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform, a self-described pro-life organization, was on the campus of Saddleback College displaying pictures of various abortion-related topics and comparing abortion to other forms of genocide.

The display, which was in the quad area on Tuesday and Wednesday, drew crowds of several dozen’s of students each day, mainly due to its explicit content. Many students got into arguments with the volunteers and other students.

“Someone knocked down one of our signs,” said volunteer Lois Cunningham. “A few people [swore] or called names, but nothing like some campuses. It can get real lively.”

CBR has been to Saddleback in past years, but had never set up as big of a display as they did on Tuesday and Wednesday. The display featured many graphic photos depicting dismemberment and death. There were also photos of genocides that have happened in the past, such as the Holocaust.

When approaching the display, there were signs that read “Warning: Genocide photos ahead.” Director of Student Outreach for the Group, Anna Johnson, explained why she thought so many students were angry at the display.

Signs were posted around Saddleback College’s campus saying “Warning: Genocide photos ahead.” In the background, students and others gather in front of the pro-life display. (Nick Nenad/Lariat)

“We are here to show humanity of the unborn and the inhumanity of abortion,” Anna Johnson, said. “I think that people are upset, because now they are forced to defend the legal reality of dismemberment and decapitation.”

One student, Joey Hammer, voiced his displeasure with the group being on campus, explaining mainly that he did not believe the way they presented the information was correct. Hammer also said that he “kinda lost [his] cool and got a little upset.”

“It’s pretty difficult to have a calm and collected conversation about it when they’re imploying such tactics, comparing it to the Jewish Holocaust, to the lynching of African Americans in the U.S.,” Hammer said. “It’s very hard to have a conversation in which we educate each other and learn and come to a conclusion together, about it, when they employ such tactics as these.”

It was not all negativity for CBR. According to Johnson many people showed their support for the group being on campus.

“We had a couple of post-abortive woman stop by to express their gratitude for us doing this and hoping that maybe some other post-abortive women would get help because of this or that other women that are pregnant change their mind or opinion about their unborn child,” Johnson said. “We’ve had a couple students stop by that would like to start a pro-life student group too.”

For more information on CBR, you can visit their website abortionno.org.

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