Abortion and Schools...

[Faith The Fanpire]

Earlier this year, well, in the fall, myself and all other students going into the school were visually (and in some cases, verbally) attacked with anti-abortionists' (pro-lifers) and shier beliefs. They were carrying big banners with pictures of baby dolls broken apart with ketchup on it. I'm being literal, that is exactly what the banners looked like. We have two schools, and there a street between them. Though I do not cross the street for my classes, I have been told by many students that the people were handing out leaflets and talking to students as they made their way to their classes about how abortion is wrong, and it's God's will/law for babies to be born, etc...

I found this not only offensive but completely...illegal, I guess. I really can't see how the school board let people protest (that's not really the right word, but..) on school grounds DIRECTLY to students.

I"m just wondering what you guys think. Should pro-and-anti-abortionists be able to make gatherings like this on school grounds during school hours and attempt to force their information on students? I personally thought it was a huge invasion of privacy and highly offensive. Do you think that it matters what age group they submit to their gatherings? What if it was an elementary school? Or a preschool?

I think they're trying to force their beliefs on our "impressionable" (not really, but some think so) high-school minds.

PS-The day after, there was a crowd of pro-abortionists gathered around the streets too. I noticed some people I knew. ;D

So what do you guys think of this?

Also, I found it very misleading that they had pictures of "dead" baby dolls. That is not the result of an abortion looks like. It's not like the chop the baby into pieces! It's not even a baby at that point. Do you guys think that by showing these sorts of images they were trying to win over those students who may be less informed than others?

[Emily H]

I just get it on facebook, and last time I was in Ottawa (like two years ago) there was a man just quietly sitting with a pretty graphic pro-life poster.
Then I make comments like "No one has the right to enforce religious practises on an entire population!"

If I was at your school I would have screamed. I straight up would have verbally attacked them.
Religious freedom is why people came to the United States and Canada. Gahhh!

[Faith The Fanpire]

I know right! 99% of my friends are crazy relgious republican freaks, and they're all crazy pro-life. I really cannot deal with them anymore. I really only have my two democrat friends left lol. Like, they think Palin was smart and had good ideas. *stabs someone*
I reluctantly went to my friend's birthday party a couple weeks ago--I would've gone happily, but my sole democrat friend that was invited couldn't come, so I was stuck with them. Obviously, the conversation turned to abortion. I just kept my mouth shut because I knew I could not change their parent-guided minds and I wouldn't have any backup. My one friend was watching Juno with her mom and her and her mom had this conversation:
her mom: I really like this movie, it sends such a good message.
my friend: Well, the girl gets pregnant and she's in high school!
her mom: Yes, but still, she didn't get an abortion. You can get pregnant in high school, but I will disown you if you have an abortion.
She was legit serious. I was gonna like start screaming when she said this. I actually was--silently into my pillow (it was dark so no one noticed).
And then she went on to say how her parents would literally disown her if she said she was a democrat. I really am FED UP with religious people. The POINT of this country is to have religious freedom; don't go forcing your beliefs onto your kids and everyone else without letting them think for themselves.

God, this kind of stuff makes me so pissed off!

[capt. cockatiel]

I don't want to start something, but I have to say that "religious people" are not all pro-life, they are not all republican, and they are not all religious/have their views because their parents told them it was right.
Anyways, I would have been pissed if people were outside my school like they were at yours. I mean, protest things all you want, but at a school?? I'm all for debate classes, government classes, religion classes, etc, at schools as an option, but having to walk past people with signs like that isn't an option at that point... :/ I don't even know what else to say. Gahhh people just need to realize that they do not have the "right" beliefs. >.< Everyone is always saying "it's not black and white" but over half the time I don't think they understand what they're even talking about.

[Kenny]

"Protesting is okay good... protesting directly to kids who have no stake in the issue is not."

just thought I'd edit that.

[mikyle]

Also you can not have the protest be religious on school grounds

[Kenny]

SWEDEN!!!

its where i plan on moving if religion completely takes over America. They've got like 20-25% atheist population there.

[Joseph/Nerdylation]

Iceland went Bankrupt last October so I would just cross that off the list if I were you.

[Matt]

Hah, then by what is currently in my wallet I will have TWO dollars.

[Faith The Fanpire]

ah thank you. i like the people who act sensible. i was raised to believe in god, but have given up on it many years ago in light of all the shit about it going on in this country. like seriously, people need to stop bringing jesus into every conversation or political issue.

[Brittney]

Um, okay. So you're implying that every other country is a shit place to live then?

[BSmith]

The ability to participate in legal protests is a very important right that we have in the US. The fact that a protest occurred on or near school property without it being broken up by the cops probably means the protesters had permission to be there.

Also, the abortion issue is not intrinsically tied to religion. The question comes down to how you define when an unborn child/fetus becomes a person whose rights need to be protected. It would be incorrect to assume that someone's definition of when someone is a "person" is due to a religious doctrine. Most religions that I know of don't really address this issue in a concrete way.

As far as the posters are concerned, I would bet that the school/whoever permitted their protest barred them from using graphic pictures of actual aborted fetuses. Had they used actual pictures, the shock value would have been much higher.

Finally, if someone's moral convictions/definitions can be swayed by someone with a sign and a pamphlet without serious thought and internal debate, then they probably are not mature enough to be sexually active in the first place.

[Joseph/Nerdylation]

Why did they pick the school?

"I'm really angry about abortion. So angry I'm gonna yell at teenagers for a day."

the only "logical" reason, I could see, is if they suspected the school nurse of performing the operation in her office.