By Julius Calasicas
A dozen student members of Voice for Life, a pro-life group sponsored by Campus Ministry, protested against abortion outside Planned Parenthood last Thursday and Saturday as part of national pro-life mobilization. The event, called 40 Days For Life, runs from Feb. 6 to March 16, during Lent.
Voice For Life meets every Thursday at 3:15 p.m. and Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Pilot House to drive to the locations of their peaceful vigils at a Planned Parenthood site on Northeast 15th and Fremont streets and a proposed site on Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Pro-life advocates in Portland will join those in 50 other cities to participate in 40 days of praying, fasting and community outreach, in addition to the vigils.
"We have about a dozen active members," said sophomore Christina Radmacher, a student co-leader for Voice For Life. "We hold prayerful and peaceful vigils and have signs that say 'Abortion kills Children,' 'Adoption is a loving option,' and 'Choice is a lie; babies don't choose to die.'"
Radmacher has been pro-life since she was about nine years old and went to vigils with her mother as a child. She hopes that Voice For Life expands to form committees to help pregnancy centers and to promote awareness about abortion on campus.
Voice For Life received mixed reactions at the Planned Parenthood sites, according to Radmacher.
"We get flipped off a lot. Some people give us positive feedback. This last Thursday we received almost all positive feedbacks like nods, smiles and friendly honks," she said.
Audrey Brown, who works at Wild Oats (a grocery store located next to Planned Parenthood on 15th and Fremont), has heard negative reactions from customers.
"A lot of people are annoyed by (the vigil)," Brown said. "Personally, it bothers me because I disagree with their opinions. A lot of cars with positive reactions drive by and honk at them."
Brown said that some demonstrators hold giant pictures of fetuses. Radmacher said that Voice For Life has non-graphic signs and that the signs with pictures of fetuses belong to Precious Children of Portland, a group unaffiliated with UP.
The pro-life presence outside of Planned Parenthood has drawn some unfriendly attention. Junior Andrew Gill recalls an unpleasant experience he had during a vigil with an upset resident.
"A guy who lived across the street came out and told us that we had no opinions of our own, politically or religiously," Gill said. "I was offended at how openly hostile he was. I would expect people who disagree with us treat us as people with respect over different opinions."
Senior Joanna Sanders, a co-leader for Voice For Life, also felt verbally assaulted by the resident.
"The guy had a sign that said 'We support religious terrorism,' as if he was a part of our group" she said.
According to Sanders, the positive and negative reactions during the protest vigils are about equal. She hopes to stop abortions through informing students of the negative effects terminated pregnancies have on society and on the individual.
In accordance with the pro-life position on abortion, members of Voice For Life advocate the rights for an unborn child to live. Gill and Sanders believe that the only exception to this right is when the life of the mother is in danger.
Contrary to the pro-life stance on the issue of Planned Parenthood and abortion, sophomore Pearl Williamson values the organization's work with the community.
"I've been to Planned Parenthood for checkups and pap smears before because I didn't have insurance," Williamson said. "They do checkups for women for free. I've had an older female roommate ... go to Planned Parenthood for STD tests and other checkups. Planned Parenthood is not only used for birth control and abortions."
Williamson identifies as pro-choice and sees the need for Planned Parenthood.
"I would never judge a 12-year-old who was raped by her uncle who felt like she was unable to carry a child to full term," Williamson said. "That is a reality in our society. I want those children to have options."
Williamson thinks that a human spirit does not yet exist within a cluster of cells, contrary to the Catholic Church's belief in life. She thinks that it is valid and important for one to practice one's faith, but Planed Parenthood's provision of services to women without insurance should not be challenged.
"Before abortions were legal," Williamson said, "many women died from unsafe, illegal abortions."
The religious background of 40 Days For Life is acceptable to senior Mary Hannon.
"I think it's within (Voice For Life's) right as Americans as long as they're not harming other people or being violent in their protest," she said.
Hannon is conflicted in how she feels about abortion.
"I'm Catholic, which has shaped how I feel, yet at the same time I'm also a woman and I'm obviously for women's rights," Hannon said. "I think Planned Parenthood is helpful because they provide people who are low-income or people who want a level of anonymity to receive services."
Director of Campus Ministry, the Rev. Bill Dorwart, C.S.C., explained the Catholic Church's stance on abortion.
"The Church's position is that life begins from the moment of conception," he said. "This individual person or child of God has a right to life. The choice is made for life when you decide to have sex. (You and your partner are) participating in the power of creation. That is where the choice is."
According to Dorwart, two people engaging in intercourse open themselves up to the creative power of God at work and procreation is at the heart of sexual union.
Planned Parenthood officials could not be reached for comment.
