The “”Abortion: From Debate to Dialogue”” exhibit returned to the UA on Wednesday.
The exhibit features blown up images depicting what happens to fetuses during and after an abortion.
Justice For All is a non-profit, educational anti-abortion organization based in Wichita, Kan., that brought the campaign to the UA. Justice For All’s mission is to “”train thousands to make abortion unthinkable for millions, one person at a time.””
Maureen McKinley, a spokesperson for Justice For All, said they are here to “”share with the campus what abortion looks like.””
The goal is to “”start dialogue about abortion,”” McKinley said.
Those passing by were asked to write their stance on abortion on large boards.
Elizabeth Braeley, a pre-nursing freshman, said after she signed as for abortion rights, she was bombarded with questions.
Braeley said that it did not seem fair “”to take advantage of freedom of speech and then suppress someone else’s when he or she chooses to sign against that personal choice.””
“”The images are crude and insensitive,”” Braeley said.
Braeley also said she didn’t “”believe anybody chooses to get an abortion because they want to ‘murder.'””
“”Accidents happen, and to those girls who are not prepared to be mothers and to the women who can’t emotionally, financially or physically raise a child, abortion is available to them,”” Braeley said.
McKinley said some students misunderstood the goal of the images.
“”Many students are offended by seeing the pictures of abortion violence and not by the violence itself,”” McKinley said.
Aureil Overall, a veterinary science junior, said they do this campaign every year and it’s “”getting old actually.””
“”The controversy is not really changing,”” Overall said.
John Netherton, a physiology freshman, said he is “”all about pro-life.””
“”Most people don’t understand what happens with an abortion and the lack of understanding determines how people react to it,”” Netherton said.
Vox, a campus group connected with Planned Parenthood, offered a counter display with a different point of view.
Zoe Warren, from Vox, who studies pre-nursing and Spanish at the UA, had a clipboard asking passers to sign a petition to list birth control as a preventative medicine that allows it to be purchased without a co-pay.
Warren also said they are handing out condoms to prevent abortions from happening; the same reason Justice for All came to the UA campus.
Emily Herrell, the advocacy coordinator for Planned Parenthood, said “”people are thanking us for a counter display.”” Herrell mentioned that the reaction has been pleasant overall.