Students Fight Back after University of Alabama Crushes Free Speech of Pro-Lifers
TUSCALOOSA, Ala., Feb.17, 2014 /
Christian Newswire/ -- Today,
Students for Life of America is calling for the University of Alabama to reverse their decision to tear down a pro-life bulletin board and issue an apology to Bama Students for Life.
2 weeks ago, the University removed a pro-life display, without notice after it had been up for several seeks, citing it was "offensive and graphic." In justifying their decision, an administrator told the group they were "lucky" to have their display up as long as it was. See the video here:
https://vimeo.com/86336027
The display featured several abortion-related facts, pictures of women who died as a result of having an abortion, and two small pictures of aborted babies, was among numerous other student group displays.
Bama Students for Life have retained Alliance Defending Freedom as legal counsel and plan 2 days of public events to address this troubling loss of First Amendment rights and discrimination.
The activities will be on February 19-20, with more details to follow.
The keynote speaker at the Wednesday, February 19, evening rally will be Students for Life of America Campus Advisor and well known free speech advocate, Rev. Patrick Mahoney.
Kristan Hawkins, President of Students for Life of America, commented:
"University administrators all over the country need to know that they cannot bully pro-life students and trample on their constitutional rights. The more than 800 pro-life student groups in our national network stand with Bama Students for Life in calling on the University of Alabama to respect their students' rights to free speech."
Claire Chretien, President of Bama Students for Life, added:
"Bama Students for Life is very concerned about the University's censorship of our pro-life display. We have a right to express the truth about abortion and its devastating effects on the defenseless humans it kills and their mothers. We are looking forward to Rev. Mahoney's visit and hope that the University will right this wrong."
Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Students for Life's Campus Advisor and Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, stated:
"Sadly, the University of Alabama has trampled on the First Amendment by censoring the views of pro-life students and rejecting the time honored tradition of intellectual diversity and freedom on America's college campuses. As I travel down to Alabama, I will be calling on University officials to end their discrimination of pro-life students and immediately reverse this decision and issue a public apology."
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Kristan Hawkins
