If you were walking by Florida State University’s well-known Landis Green this past Monday from 10 am to 2 pm, you were faced with some very graphic images, videos, and messages.Â
The topic was abortion and the climate was rough. The presentation was a major buzz through campus on Monday and throughout this week.Â
Courtesy: The Tab
Above are some of the images that were blown up and displayed to the students, faculty and other visitors of FSU by a controversial anti-abortion group, Created Equal. Created Equal is based out of Ohio and they stand by the argument that abortion is an “injustice fueled by ageism.” The organization has become such a controversial activist group because of the tactics they use in getting their message across, which includes enlarging graphic images of dead babies post-abortion on jumbotrons in large public spaces. It is important to note that this is not the only way in which pro-life activists promote their beliefs. Evangeline Dunn, a member of Created Equal said, “We come to college campuses because this is the generation that’s often getting abortions, so they need to hear this message but also they’re voting for this too.”Â
The organization is not endorsing any particular candidates, but their presentation is in anticipation of the November 6th mid-term election. Their idea stems from believing that young voters need to be aware of the pro-life’s stand before making those decisions.
The presentation on Monday was challenged by members of Planned Parenthood who put up signs that read, “Keep Abortions Safe and Legal.”
Courtesy: Planned Parenthood Generation Action: FSU ’s Facebook Page
The members of Planned Parenthood took to Facebook to thank those who showed them support throughout the counter-protest and posted, “We are so grateful for everyone who stopped by to support us on Landis Green today. Your support makes a difference to so many people on our campus, and we could not do the work we do without you. We received over 200 signed supporter cards from students today. Thank you so much for your continued support and for being the reason why we do what we do.”
Many students were confused as to how the Created Equal group was allowed on campus, but FSU’s Vice President of Student Affairs, Amy Hecht, noted that the organization visited our campus beforehand and obtained the correct permit in August on Landis Green under the Freedom of Expression guidelines.Â
Needless to say, this presentation caused a lot of backlash and discussions. Whether students identify as pro-life or pro-choice, this really brought up a lot of different issues apart from the obvious one being abortion topics. Abortion is a complex subject that has a lot of different layers. These layers and issues are in relation to religion, society, government, and feminism and have plenty of valid points on both ends. There is no clear answer when it comes to all of these moving parts and factors.Â
Another Presentation by Created Equal Group at Ohio University
The rally begged a lot of questions about freedom of speech and how far these methods can go. It was a testament to how people react to this type of imagery. Is it an effective way to make people visualize what abortions look like or did it just make people, regardless of their views on abortion, uncomfortable?Â