Graphic Obama-Themed Abortion Display Clashes with Strong Pro-Abortion Presence at UC Berkeley

LifeSiteNews ^ | 10/28/09 | Kathleen Gilbert

[wagglebee]

BERKELEY, California, October 28, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The University of California Berkeley campus erupted into a hotbed of controversy earlier this week after the Genocide Awareness Project set up an immense two-day display of graphic abortion images in the midst of what is considered one of the most liberal universities in America.

The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform teamed up with the on-campus group Berkeley Students for Life on Monday and Tuesday to set up the large images of aborted children, juxtaposed with the images and words of President Obama.  The huge billboards quickly attracted curious onlookers and angry local abortion supporters. (See pictures of the billboards here)

Opponents, in large part assembled by students from the Gender Studies Department and the local chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW), held various signs, linked arms and loudly chanted "our body, our choice" for hours.

The UC Berkeley campus also reportedly hosted a debate over abortion on Monday between University of San Francisco philosophy professor Raymond Dennehy and UC Berkeley Department of Public Health professor Malcolm Potts.

Nicholas Velasquez, a second-year student at UC Berkeley, told LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) that Berkeley's hosting of the traveling display was "especially meaningful" because Berkeley is considered the birthplace of the free speech movement in the 1960's. 

"The display incited honest debate and rational argument, even in spite of the protesters who attempted to block access and hinder communication by shouting slogans," said Velasquez.

Berkeley's administration defended the free speech rights of the pro-life display against critics objecting to its graphic nature. 

Dean of Students Jonathan Poullard said that the school only holds such demonstrations to state and federal regulations on free speech, in addition to a requirement that it be sponsored by a campus-affiliated group.  "We don't regulate content," he said, noting that the pro-choice activists were allowed to exercise the same right to free speech and assembly.

The GAP display evidently took by surprise area pro-abortion activists, who immediately gathered support to push back against the display.

"Seemingly out of nowhere, a horribly ugly assault on women and reproductive rights is happening right now at UC Berkeley," wrote an anonymous contributor to the liberal San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center on Tuesday.

According to the contributor, local pro-abortion activists "were texting everyone they know to get down to the campus, where they formed a line & locked arms in front of these creeps, chanting 'Our bodies, Our choice' for hours."

"People hurried to bring signs they had at hand - 'Abortion Doctors Are Heroes' - enlargements of a Revolution newspaper centerfold, 'A Fetus Is Not A Baby' - and joined in," the writer noted.  "The situation was very tense."

CBR's Robert Fletcher reported that the "vigorous" counter-protest was highly beneficial for conveying the message of the display.

"It was awesome, because it attracted an enormous amount of attention to the display," wrote Fletcher.  "While they chanted, we engaged thousands and thousands of students with the images of abortion. Several hundreds wanted to talk about abortion with our crack team of pro-life apologists!"

Popular pro-life blogger Jill Stanek called the event "a landmark day for abortion awareness," as it marked the end of the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform's struggle to show the Project on the extremely liberal campus.

"The 1st hurdle was getting a brave student to sponsor GAP, which after years and years CBR finally did in Alberto Gonzalez, president of Berkeley Students for Life," wrote Stanek.  But the bigger hurdle, she said, was the Berkeley administration itself - Stanek said she had been privy to a long string of "hardball legal wrangling between CBR and Berkeley."

CBR director Gregg Cunningham pointed out the irony that the Obama-themed display was hosted on the same Plaza that once saw a huge celebration of President Obama's inauguration.

"We are about to host a very different sort of Obama event on Sproul Plaza," Cunningham wrote the day before the display was unveiled.   

"Same audience, same subject, different message."

[wagglebee]

"Seemingly out of nowhere, a horribly ugly assault on women and reproductive rights is happening right now at UC Berkeley," wrote an anonymous contributor to the liberal San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center on Tuesday.

TWO THOUSAND AMERICAN WOMEN are MURDERED in abortuaries EVERY DAY -- what about their reproductive rights?

[wagglebee]

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[hellbender]

Wow. Praises are due to the pro-life groups for carrying the battle into the home turf of the anti-life, anti-human Left—Berkeley, CA!

[Rodebrecht]

Should’ve made a graphic of Obamababy being aborted.

[wombtotomb]

Bring it. I have said this for years. Pray- yes, march-yes, but a picture is worth a thousand words.

Your reward is in heaven, folks. Great job!

[GOP Poet]

Wow. Just wow. Talk about an effective display and stand. I am in awe of the brilliance (those pictures are just just devastating and to contrast them against Obama’s own works and stands . . . works so well.) and courage these pro life students took. Thank you Jesus. Thank you for each and every one that stands up against abortion.

[DemforBush]

“Berkeley’s administration defended the free speech rights of the pro-life display against critics objecting to its graphic nature. ...Dean of Students Jonathan Poullard said that the school only holds such demonstrations to state and federal regulations on free speech, in addition to a requirement that it be sponsored by a campus-affiliated group.”

It may be “broken clock” syndrome, but the administration got this one right. Kudos.

Of course, in all likelihood Madame Speaker Pelosi is probably working on rewriting those pesky federal regulations that allow such onerous dissent. /semi-sarc.

[boatbums]

a horribly ugly assault on women and reproductive rights is happening right now

How sad they could not see the horribly ugly assault on unborn human beings as evidenced by the graphic, but accurate, pictures displayed behind them. They felt they had to block anyone from seeing the truth...why's that? It's just a "blob of tissue" right..oh, geez, the blob has a hand, and a, a face...10 weeks along???!!!

[GOP Poet]

it broke my heart and made me weep to see those pictures as it should anyone who has not steeled their heart and even some who have. The students are wisely trying to reach both.

[Sister_T]

Good job, pro-lifers!

Got those death ghouls worked up and scrambling, didn’t it?

[HarleyD]

"Seemingly out of nowhere, a horribly ugly assault on women and reproductive rights is happening right now at UC Berkeley,"

Showing pictures of what happens in abortions is not a assault. Cockroaches can't stand the light of day.

[Noumenon]

What was that advice from 0bama?

“Get in their faces.” I think it was...

[nascarnation]

Wow what a stunning display.
Using Baraq’s quote makes it even better.
Political jujitsu.

[wagglebee]

Showing pictures of what happens in abortions is not a assault. Cockroaches can't stand the light of day.

Unfortunately too many have been conditioned to believe that that abortion is nothing more than the removal of a "worthless clump of cells", basically an unnecessary cyst. As far as abortionists are concerned a woman should give more thought to changing her hairstyle than killing her baby.

Pictures of aborted fetuses DESTROY this satanic illusion.

[christianhomeschoolmommaof3]

bookmark

[nahanrac]

amazing display ping

[kimoajax]

Had the GAP founders stay at our house years ago when they were in the Portland Oregon area. Really smart, sweet and fearless folks who body and soul committed themselves to this cause.

[norge]

What’s making a difference, I believe, is the fact that there are groups who are hitting back with the charge of genocide.

The facts are clear...more black babies are being aborted than white, in overwhelming numbers. That’s genocide.

[TChad]

local pro-abortion activists "were texting everyone they know to get down to the campus, where they formed a line & locked arms in front of these creeps, chanting 'Our bodies, Our choice' for hours."

Your bodies, your choice? Pregnant women and their mates already chose what to do with their bodies: they had sex. Pro-choicers want the right to choose to destroy SOMEONE ELSE'S BODY without moral or legal consequence.

Let's hear the protesters chant

We have the right
The right to kill
Healthy human fetuses!

A little honesty for a change.