Next week, our campus will be the target of a grotesque exhibit of billboards displaying dismembered fetuses alongside actual genocide victims. The displays are sponsored by a group called the "Genocide Awareness Project," (GAP), which is organized by the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform (CBR). To begin, any vibrant university campus must encourage a diversity of opinions, and must protect the expression of those opinions, particularly if they are controversial or unpopular.  But, when a gross (mis)education campaign comes to our community to scare us, shock us and twist facts, we are no longer in the realm of reasonable ideas.

When the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform uses"genocide" in an attempt to characterize the very private and complicated decisions of millions of individuals, they distort the issues and demean those who are making the difficult decision to undergo a legal medical procedure -while simultaneously trivializing the very real, persisting crime of genocide, the slaughter of actual living and breathing women, men, and children, losses that should be honored respectfully, not watered down with irresponsible analogies.

And speaking of irresponsible, even though comprehensive sex education and universal access to birth control have been found to delay the onset of sexual activity in teens, increase use of contraception among sexually active teens, women and men, and thus reduce the need for abortions, CBR is opposed to both of these preventative strategies. That's right, they oppose birth control and factual education about it.
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