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Bloomington pro-life advocates prepare to make an impact

By Scott Tibbs

IU Students for Life is preparing for an active year in 1997-98, hoping to spread the pro-life agenda on the IU campus. IUSFL began it's official activities August 27 with its first meeting of the year, and followed up by joining Monroe County Right to Life the morning of August 28 for a demonstration in front of Planned Parenthood in Bloomington. IUSFL and Right to Life demonstrate every Thursday morning at Planned Parenthood, which performs abortions at this time of the week.

The demonstration was peaceful and quiet, with right to life advocates holding signs and distributing literature when possible. The pro-life demonstrators were not there simply to oppose abortions, but to attempt to convince those going into the clinic to go to the Crisis Pregnancy Center, which helps women choose other options such as adoption. The quiet pro-lifers were contrasted by people shouting disagreement as they drove by and flashing obscene gestures. There were about as many positive reactions, however, with many people giving a "thumbs up" while driving by.

The clinic staff reacted negatively, taking pictures of the demonstrators and writing down descriptions, apparently expecting trouble. Clinic security ushered the women in, hoping they would not notice the pro-life demonstrators. If the clinic staff and security expected trouble, they were mistaken, as the pro-life demonstrators remained polite and calm throughout the morning.

IUSFL plans to continue its activism on campus, with a meeting scheduled for September 10 at 7:30 P.M. in the Indiana Memorial Union, and by distributing literature via tables in the IMU.

For more information on IU Students for Life, send them an e-mail at iusfl@indiana.edu.




Mike Trotzke


Sean Frick


Eric Seymour