Anti-abortion protesters urged Florida A&M students against having abortions Tuesday and Wednesday but students here insisted Bio-Ethical Reform was too graphic in their message. Some students wanted them gone.
“This is disrespectful, and this is not a proper way to go about it,” said Prisca Wilks, an African-American studies student. “What if I had just eaten lunch and saw these pictures? I can’t believe FAMU gave them consent to do this…this is too much.”
An organization called Bio-Ethical Reform has toured college campuses since 1997, informing students about abortion statistics, and showing images of abortions and videos comparing abortion to historic genocide. For two days, they erected billboards with images of aborted foetuses and dismembered limbs outside Tucker Hall, warning of “Genocide Photos Ahead” on both sides of the building.
One of the advocates for the campaign, Robert Stewart, said the organization wanted to raise awareness about abortion to black women.
“My mother had me at 16 and got an abortion when I was young,” Stewart said. “Like so many other women, they never leave the same way they came in after getting an abortion. These women are acting out of ignorance and aren’t properly educated on the emotional toll abortions place on them.”
Many students, however, felt the demonstration was an accurate depiction of the horrors of abortion, and agreed with the campaign’s method of conveying its message.
“I totally agree that abortion is the same as these past genocides,” said Conisha Mason, a biology student. “The pictures are real enough to make people realize abortion is wrong, I’m so against aborting babies.”
A crowd of students gathered at the exhibition, looked at and took photos of the images and even display their disgust toward the campaign. Many students debated with the campaign coordinators.
“This is just not right, there has to be a better way to inform students,” said Richard Johnson, a criminal justice student.
Terry Stewart, another campaign member, encouraged students to debate their opinions about the issue and express their anger.
“FAMU’s campus has had one of the biggest crowds for us to interact with,” Stewart said. “The reaction and responses have been great and surprisingly many males have been very interested in knowing more about the issue.”
Stewart said approximately 1,700 black babies are aborted daily because black women don’t understand their alternative options and are specifically targeted by abortion agencies.
For more information on the Bio Ethical Reform on abortion visit the official website.