Ric Dugan stands outside the Student Union while holding a cross to protest abortion Wednesday afternoon. Dugan and others later made multiple passes in a van emblazoned with the phrase "STOP ABORTION NOW!" and depicting an aborted fetus.
Students received a shock yesterday as a moving truck bearing a giant photo of an aborted fetus made several circles in front of Free Speech Alley.
Colin Sallinger, music education sophomore, organized the demonstration consisting of several Catholic students touting signs and chanting, "Abortion is murder," and "Pray for Virginia Tech."
The driver of the truck, anti-abortion activist Rich Mahoney, said he was told about the demonstration by a representative from Students for Life, an anti-abortion student organization.
Sallinger said he organized demonstrations to "bring the rosary to people" and to inspire more students to take action for their beliefs. He said that although students currently hold prayer meetings in the Quad at night and hand out pamphlets, "it’s much more intense when you’re out here in the daylight."
"Faith without works is dead," he said. "Even if we don’t affect one person, we’re still out here for God."
Sallinger said the signs were intended to help onlookers make a connection between a modern tragedy and an ongoing struggle. The shootings at Va. Tech and abortion, Sallinger said, are related because "they are both murder."
Many students said they were appalled by the graphic image of the fetus.
Joseph Bridge, international studies senior, said the image was "shocking and disturbing."
"For most people whose minds are already made up, it was just tasteless," he said.
My minds made up – don’t challenge me with reality! I do wonder how many of those who were shocked and disturbed also went out to watch torture porn like Hostel? Of course there can be true debate about the prudence of using these images, but I pretty much don’t believe in this culture that these images are truly so shocking to them – other than having to fight back their conscience from popping back up
Update: Paul at Alive and Young has more.
