The George Washington University chapter of the Young America’s Foundation recently held its annual pro-life display, planting crosses in the grass of the university’s student plaza. However, the peaceful display was met with a counter-protest by pro-choice activists.
Adjacent to the YAF display were pro-choice protesters holding signs such as: “Hangers are for clothes.” When asked if any of the protesters knew someone who received an abortion, one of the group leaders said, “You don’t need to have a personal case. It’s called empathy.”
Another protestor cited a misleading statistic from the Advocates for Youth: One in three women will have an abortion by the age of 45.
According to the Washington Post, this statistic is from 2008, and the abortion rate has significantly declined since then. The Guttmacher Institute found the abortion rate for women ages 15 to 44 dropped by 13 percent between 2008 and 2011.
YAF member Alec DiFrusica defended the conservative Christian student group.
“I would say that we are not trying to control a woman’s body,” he said. “We are simply standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. That child has a right to live just as each of us have a right to live.”
“It worries me that many women see abortion as a way out, when in fact there are many resources offered, like adoption, that can avoid abortion,” DiFrusica added.
GW YAF President Tory McClintock brought up another negative impact of abortion, which is not often discussed.
“While one-third of women have an abortion, allegedly, one-third of women suffer from post-abortion depression,” she said. “It’s a serious issue we want to shed light on that no one wants to talk about, especially not Planned Parenthood.”
Despite strong differences of opinion, students on both sides showed respect towards the opposite camp.
“The pro-choice protest represents everything that is great about our country,” DiFrusica said. “We can have differing beliefs yet still respect one another.”
A protester, who asked to remain anonymous, said, “As a liberal I have my own voice and believe that its important to stand up for what you believe in, and who am I to deny another person’s right to say people can’t display their thoughts or emotions. Freedom of speech applies to all people even if you disagree with them.”
