Last Thursday, anti-abortion
protesters displayed large pictures of aborted fetuses, many bloody and mangled, at various locations on
campus. The Hatchet asked students whether it was appropriate for
protesters to display these images.

“It is appropriate. The only way to get their message across is to show reality. What you see in the pictures is almost surreal, that this type of thing is actually occurring. These fetuses are living things that can feel the things that the doctors do to them.”

-Sean Williams
Freshman, International business

“No, it’s a low-blow tactic. In a society that responds to things like that very negatively, it’s just an appeal to emotion. It’s not a way to make a point, and it’s not showing the reality that brutal abortions are pretty rare.”

-Ralph Samuel
Freshman, International affairs

“It’s their right to do so. We have our freedoms of speech protected. And it’s an accurate representation of what happens. I’ve worked in a hospital and seen that sort of thing – it’s true. I wouldn’t like to see those images as I walk to get my lunch, but that’s their right, and if they are passionate about it, no one can stop them.”

-Alex Graham
Freshman, International business

“I didn’t have a problem with it, but I don’t agree with it. It could be offensive to others, but not to me. I really think protesting in front of dorms was a stupid idea, and a waste of time. But if you ban those kinds of images, you have to ban all images – it’s a freedom of speech thing.”

-Cliff Shapiro
Sophomore, Undecided

“It’s really their own opinion, but showing pictures of partial-birth abortions is not legally accurate. Third trimester fetuses, which is what were shown, cannot be legally aborted anymore. So it’s fine to show those type of pictures, but they should be more representative of reality.”

-Melissa Tyborowski
Senior, Economics and criminal justice