They have set up huge panels. Almost the size of those fake rock walls for climbing. They have aborted babies, babies growing through stages and just gross abortion pics..
This is in the very center of the 1604 campus.
I don't think this is an appropriate venue for something of this nature.
Any thoughts?
It's appropriate. Courts have ruled in favor of the group. I forget their name, but they had a court battle with UT Austin last year.
I don't mind. Abortion is a horrible thing, and people need to be aware of what it is instead of relying on it for birth control.
Why is it inappropriate?
Yeah, I had read that they were going to be here. I still don't think it is appropriate. The pics are pretty gross. I just walked by quickly.
Some people are against pros ution, but you don't see them posting pictures of men sleeping with pros utes posted everywhere..
I'm for free speech, and that means for everybody. The only thing that concerns me is the accusations of false information.
I find it ironic that people woudl be offended by this but then go watch a movie where someone gets their head cut off.
Graphic anti-abortion exhibit to be shown next week at UTSA
Web Posted: 03/18/2005 12:00 AM CST
Karen Adler
Express-News Staff Writer
A graphic anti-abortion exhibit that led to lawsuits against two Texas universities will go on display at the University of Texas at San Antonio next week.
The outdoor exhibit includes 16-to 18-foot-high panels that offer information about human development and photos of aborted fetuses.
"This exhibit is meant to make people stop and think," said James Spencer, chief counsel of Justice for All, an anti-abortion group based in Wichita, Kan. "I think the purpose of this is to show what abortion really does."
The panels will be erected near Sombrilla Plaza, a high-traffic area where many students eat lunch and gather between classes on the Loop 1604 campus. The exhibit will be on display Monday and Tuesday and then will move to UT-Austin.
To counter the exhibit, Ladies Incensed by a Patriarchal Society has invited other student groups to participate in a march to celebrate women's rights Tuesday, said Denise Rodriguez, event organizer.
"It's an anti-choice exhibit and it gives a lot of false information," she said of the Justice for All display.
Justice for All has brought the traveling exhibit to college campuses all over the nation, but the display has generated the most controversy at UT-Austin in 2001 and the University of Houston in 2002. In both cases, the universities faced federal lawsuits alleging they violated free speech rights.
At the University of Houston, the Pro-Life Cougars, represented by the Alliance Defense Fund, filed a lawsuit after school administrators tried to restrict where the exhibit could be displayed on campus.
A court order forced the university to allow the display on Butler Plaza, and as part of a settlement with the anti-abortion group, the University of Houston agreed to change its free speech policy and pay $93,000 in attorney fees.
The Alliance Defense Fund sued UT-Austin, claiming it restricted free speech. Many of the contentions in the original lawsuit have been dropped, but the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has yet to issue a decision about how student groups distribute leaflets, Spencer said.
In 2002, UT regents approved several recommendations from the university's Task Force on Assembly and Expression.
Justice for All's Spencer said UTSA initially delayed approval of Students for Life's request to use facilities. The request eventually was approved for the campus group, which is the sponsor of the exhibit.
"UTSA did the right thing," Spencer said.
UTSA spokesman David Gabler said Students for Life was not treated differently from any other student group, though this is the first time the university has had an exhibit of this nature.
"We're committed to a safe and secure environment for our students to express themselves regardless of the issue and we have worked with both Students for Life and Justice for All to accommodate their requests," he said.
David Martinez, president of Students for Life, said he hopes the exhibit sparks dialogue. The traveling exhibit can be viewed at www.jfaweb.org.
"We have a diverse student body," the 20-year-old kinesiology major said. "There's going to be a lot of different reactions from different types of people. What I've been praying for is students approach this with an open mind."
[email protected]
I don't really have a problem with it from an appropriateness standpoint, but I question it from an effectiveness standpoint. I think it simply promotes the view many people have that the Pro-Life movement is made up of radical extremists.
I don't like having that up. It is about as appealing as graffiti. Why do they have to my nice sunny walk to class with their disgusting pictures. And if you let one, you have to let them all. So, now there are a bunch of tables with both sides littering the campus with brochures.
For many abortion is out of sight out of mind. Those images apparently strike a nerve with some people.
Free speech is wonderful, when used wisely and appropriately. This is probably a display that some do not need to see (like, small children). Would it have been better to limit this to a less con uous place?
nope
I am Pro-choice but I do believe in free speech, not in Designated "free speech zones" (underhanded jab at bush) but everywhere. The wonderful thing about free speech is I can express my views, and the other wonderful thing is I dont have to listen to others views if I dont want to.
I'm not talking about limiting people to certain areas to express their views. I'm talking about people maybe having a little sensitivity about where they do it.
Well, they are putting it up at a college campus. I think that's pretty much out of sight of most small children.
I think it's a very appropriate place for it, and I don't even share the views of the group putting it on!
People need to be confronted with reality in many things, including abortion.
Can't be any uglier than the Sombrilla itself.
I support a woman's right to choose, but I have absolutely no problem with a display like that. How are you going to tell people not to stand up for what they believe in?
We had a similar group here a few years back.
I wonder if they're coming to State.
actually, i see a lot of young kids at utsa. many parents take their kids to class with them.
what next though? all the ing vegetarians are going to put up pictures of slaughterhouses and ?
Why not? Whats so revolting about the truth?
Actually, the free speech zone (at least at State) is for anybody to use at anytime so as not to cause congestion and class disruption in an already congested Quad.
Our free speech zone is about 200 feet from the center of The Quad at the outer edge of the Quad (still in a center position between buildings) at the Fighting Stallions statue.
There's a good picture with this story showing our free speech zone.
http://www.universitystar.com/curren...le.php?aid=159
I was making an underhanded jab at bush for his free speech zones that are miles away from where he will be at any of his speeches. If anyone holds up a dissenting sign along where he and the media will be they are dragged away by cops
would you want the pictures posted in your workplace? billboards? all over tv? school?
no!
i don't care to have to see aborted fetuses if i don't want to. but when a group puts up huge 2 story pictures in the middle of your campus you are forced to see it.
Thats the whole point.
It's a public place. My workplace is not.
This is all about what Clandestino wants as opposed to what a groups rights are.
This was the article from the group that was here on 11 November 2003.
------
http://www.universitystar.com/03/11/11/rally.php
Anti-Abortionists Rally In The Quad
Photos by Andy Ellis
Story by Kirsten Crow
Special to The Star
The Missionaries to the Preborn protested Thursday in The Quad among counter-protesting students and University Police Department presence.
Drew Heiss and Adrian Horien, members of the Milwaukee-based, anti-abortion group, displayed posters with pictures of third-trimester aborted fetuses next to photographs of Holocaust victims while they railed against abortion, certain kinds of birth control, fornication, alcohol consumption, masturbation and sexuality.
Children from MTP passed out fliers led "The American Holocaust Photo Display: Why We Show the Bloody Photographs of the Murdered Preborn," which depicted aborted fetuses in the first-, second- and third-trimester states.
The protesters held signs showing pictures of Holocaust victims led "Hitler's Holocaust" next to pictures of aborted fetuses led "Planned Parenthood's Holocaust."
Some students threw trash, attempted to take down the posters and spit on the group's members as the protesters proclaimed that the audience was going to , sodomy should be a capital crime and "women should stop opening their legs." Students grew irate when the protesters called them " s," " mongers," "sinners" and "fornicators," drawing tears, shouts and heckling from students.
Ron Guzman, English junior, disapproved of the group's tactics.
"I am actually pro-life, and I am actually Christian," Guzman said. "I don't believe you can scare a woman into not having an abortion. I don't believe that the pictures of aborted fetuses are anything but shock tactics and will not change anything."
While many students expressed repulsion to the photographs, the MTP flier said they displayed the photographs because "the media has censored the preborn child from the 'abortion debate' ... We are simply attempting to bypass that media blackout by going to the streets and displaying these photographs ... Most believe the myth that abortion is just the removal of some benign tissue. These photographs expose just how mythical such thinking is."
Heiss said he came to campus to warn students about the repercussions of their actions. He said he felt his mission was accomplished.
"Generally, we speak for the little babies. We look at the Bible and address sins," Heiss said. "Today was excellent; we had good interaction (with the students) and good questions."
Horien said the group's mission was to provide a voice for the preborn.
"We speak on their behalf because they can't," Horien said. "They are innocent victims of what we call the American Holocaust."
Stephanie Pryor, psychology senior, said the protest did not change her abortion-rights stance.
"Before I saw them, I was pretty moderate on the issue," said Pryor. "After seeing them, it made me more pro-choice."
Paul Molina, College Democrats vice president and public administration senior, took the opportunity to encourage voting.
"If you're a woman and you believe you have the right to choose, this is how you choose," Molina said while handing out voter registration cards. "With this registration card, you can make a difference forever."
Whitney Weyer, international studies junior, said she felt the group unduly targeted women.
"There was a lot of blame and responsibility put on women," she said.
Joy Cukierman, English senior, said she also felt the group was unfair toward women.
"This is more about people trying to control women and using women's bodies as political platforms," said Cukierman. "More often than not, it's fanatical Christian men."
Several students joined the protesters on the Fighting Stallions statue with their own makeshift signs reading "pro-choice" and "keep your laws off my body."
Eric Dietel, exercise and sports science freshman, made his own abortion rights sign.
"We give the right to life. You should give people a chance for life," Dietel said. "But they're pulling people in the wrong way."
When students challenged the right to take away a woman's choice, Horien answered, saying: "We can do anything. We're Americans. We're indomitable."
UPD Chief Ralph Meyer estimated the top count of the crowd at 250-300 students, although students were coming and going from The Quad throughout the day.
Paul Chapa, UPD captain of operations, did not express concerns about violence at this particular demonstration.
"Any time there is a demonstration situation there is a concern about violence, but having a police presence counters that," Chapa said. "It's always important to take a proactive stance than a reactive stance."
While Otto Glenewinkel, UPD police officer, said the protesters were nonviolent, their Web site, found at www.missionariestopreborn.com, contains vague statements that suggest the organization does not condemn the use of violence.
Matt Trew a, Mercy Seat Church pastor and MTP leader, has gone on the record saying he does not condone violence but does not condemn it either.
"When an abortionist is shot, I don't believe it is murder," Trew a said in an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.
The Web site also claimed that "fourteen abortionists have stopped murdering babies" since the founding of the organization. On the Web site, Trew a said Paul Hill, convicted of murdering an abortion doctor, will one day be considered the "sanest and bravest man of our age."
"It has long been established in law, not to mention Holy Scripture, that it is legitimate to use force in order to defend other persons from bodily harm," Trew a said. "Therefore, this idea that the use of force or violence on behalf of the preborn is 'unthinkable' or 'wrong' is nonsense."
Also on the Web site, Trew a has claimed the organization is nonviolent.
"For those who may be wondering, we here at Missionaries to the Preborn remain committed to nonviolent action on behalf of the preborn, but that does not mean that we will disparage those who use force, for to do so is to repudiate the humanity of the preborn," Trew a said on the Web site.
Another affiliate of MTP, Rev. Michael Bray, has referred to Hill as "God's prophet."
University attorney Bill Fly said even if the group has made implications of violence, the university may not bar them from campus.
"Unless there is an imminent threat of violence on campus, violence in other contexts doesn't matter as long as (protesters) are going about their business in a nonviolent way," Fly said.
Texas State was the fifth school of MTP's two-week "Texas Campus Tour." The demonstrators visited Baylor University and North Texas State University before arriving in San Marcos. However, MTP was removed from the University of Texas and UT-Arlington campuses.
Ron Stedler, UT Police Department lieutenant, said the 14-member MTP group was at UT's South Mall and were charged with criminal trespassing.
"They were neither a registered student organization or sponsored by a student organization," Stedler said. "If they don't meet that criteria, it is trespassing."
Horien disagreed with UT's and UT-Arlington's choices to remove them from campus.
"This is a classic First Amendment question," Horien said. "There should be a federal case opened up regarding this exact issue."
Although Dean of Students John Garrison received complaints from students, he said he did not have a choice in deciding whether MTP could speak at Texas State.
"We had a number of students who complained about the activity. They were offended by the means this group chose to exercise their freedom of speech," Garrison said.
"What we did was reserve the free speech area. We don't approve or disapprove based on content. As long as (demonstrators) abide by our rules, they have a right to be here," he said.
He said the rules include that demonstrators do not disturb classes, prevent students from going to class or litter.
The fliers did not need to be approved since it is also a freedom of expression issue, Garrison said.
The crowd cheered and shouted obscenities when UPD escorted the protesters off campus, though they reappeared on Hopkins Street later Thursday.
Some photos from that 2003 rally.
I don't agree with their stance but I support their right to peaceable assembly. The only issue I have (and its with both sides of this debate) is when they cross the line. You have a right to voice your beliefs on an issue. You do not have the right to impose those beliefs on me. That happened to me once with an anti-abortion protester and she almost got slapped, if it wasn't for the fact that I do not hit women and was extremely hungover.
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