Pro-life students, as well as faculty, often feel the pro-choice pressure in higher education and in the public forum.
Pro-life students often find themselves in difficult situations—having to decide whether or not to take a stand for what they believe in, even if it is unpopular, or to passively sit back and watch.
This happens in classrooms, on campuses, and in activism events, and also in communities.
This means that you need to know your rights regarding freedom of speech.
In several cases, students have been restricted from certain kinds of activism.
On one Minnesota campus, students were even arrested for displaying graphic images on the campus’ main thoroughfare [1].
Another student was arrested for disorderly conduct for simply silently praying outside of an abortion clinic. The charges were later dropped as there was no basis for the charges [2].
Obviously, it is important to respect laws and regulations, but sometimes schools’ policies are absurd and go against the very freedoms established in the United States Constitution.
In these cases, it is important to remember that the Constitution is a document that far supersedes the authority of any set of policies a particular university may try to set.
The importance of taking a public stand against abortion cannot be overstated. You should never feel afraid to speak up and make sure the pro-life view is heard, especially when you are in class.
It is your right as well as your responsibility to share your thoughts and values!
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References
[1] Lewis, Charles. (2010). “Prolife Students at Carelton University Arrested.” National Post, http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/10/04/pro-life-students-at-carleton-university-arrested/
[2] Macedo, Diane.(2010). “Praying Outside Clinic Gets Man Disorderly Conduct Charge.” Fox News,
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/31/pub-chicago-man-charged-disorderly-conduct-praying-outside-planned-parenthood/
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Image from Minnesota Public Radio
Stand Alone
Stand for something,
Or you stand for nothing.
Never fear to take a stand,
You may need to strike up the band.
Pray for all the little girls and boys,
Don’t hesitate to make some noise.
Not important if no one will follow,
Mired in lies, never wallow.
If you want your spirit to soar,
Never worry about keeping score.
Always walk through the Door,
Remembering Who you work for.
You may need to stand apart,
Stand for every tiny, beating heart.
Between heaven and hell, stand in the gap,
Show people the Way, be a road map.
It may chill you to the bone,
You just may need to stand alone.
Many Tears Ago
One forever damaged, one forever dead,
Writing on the wall needs to be read.
On her mother a child’s hopes are pinned,
Yet mom has cast her fate to the wind.
Abortion is truly not about choice,
It is all about a tiny voice.
Protecting this eternal creation,
The only hope for a fallen nation.
Never knew there was a heart that beat,
Should have looked at tiny hands and feet.
I wonder if she knew her life was for sale,
And understood the ultimate betrayal.
I wish I could say it wasn’t so,
But that was many tears ago.
Child’s Lament
Does someone keep track of my sorrow,
Count my tears today and tomorrow?
Does it matter what I do,
Does anybody really care,
Pierced through and through,
I see my heart start to tear?
A life never allowed to live,
Never an opportunity to give.
Not permitted to have a say,
Oh, if only I could pray.
Mother, how can it be,
You’ll never allow me to see?
What crime requires my execution,
There is always another solution?
Adoption a viable alternative,
Let me be, let me live.
The gift of life give to another,
I could be a sister or a brother.
Your chance for peace and rest,
I might just be America’s best.
A SONG NEVER SUNG
A song never sung,
Dead before they were young.
Though just a grain of sand,
It’s beyond time to take a stand.
Invisible they must be,
People look but just do not see.
At times I long to give up the fight,
But ending abortion is so right.
Innocent blood should not be shed,
American children waking up dead.
We will never know how much it cost,
Millions of children forever lost.
Our conscience should never rest,
We just may have killed America’s best.
I close my eyes but still see the sight,
This is way too sad to write.
Dylan’s words I wish were not true,
“It’s all over now, baby blue.”
I hear a whisper and see a knife,
“Mom, take my hand, not my life.”