IUS Students for Life participated in the Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity on Oct. 22 in the Student Involvement Center.
The event, which was held nationwide at other college campuses, promoted an awareness of pro-life stance against abortion, as well as human rights.
The group gave out red Duct Tape bracelets with “life” written on them for students to wear, showing their support for the cause.
While the title, Day of Silent Solidarity, assumes the event will be a silent protest, the event was mainly concerned with the clarification of terms when it comes to the pro-life and pro-choice stances.
“We’re here to bring awareness and create conversation about the topic,” Rebecca Yeager, English senior and vice president of IUS Students for Life, said. “We are pro-life as well as pro-woman and we want to share that idea with others.”
The group, which became official on campus in March 2008, addressed pro-life issues, such as help for mothers in need of assistance and the overall respect of human life.
“We’re talking about something that is very fundamental,” Michael Atkinson, political science and international studies senior and president of IUS Students for Life, said. “This is a life-and-death conversation.”
The group said they wanted to reach out to not only students with a pro-life background, but also any with an entirely different background to create conversation about the topic on campus.
While the topic is often controversial, the group said they did not experience any aggressive conflicts with students of an opposite stance.
“Everyone has been very receptive about this,” Yeager said. “We don’t want to scream about this.”
Yeager said she hoped to create a more open platform about the topic and hoped more students would respond to having an event for open discussion on the issues.
IUS Students for Life group are planning a box drive in November to collect baby clothes and supplies for women who are in need of assistance to support their choice.
The donations will be given to women’s help clinics which support the mother’s well-being during pregnancy and after giving birth.
Prior events from the group have included a showing of, “Juno,” and discussion afterward about pro-life issues.
By JESSICA MEYER
Staff Writer
jessmeye@ius.edu