On Sunday, Oct. 5, Saint Xavier University’s Students for Life organization decorated the sidewalks of the Schmitt Quad with chalk-written messages.
The chalk messages ranged from a variety of quotes from famous people (one quoted Pope Francis) to opinions made by the students to statistics that all centered around one topic: a pro-life stance.
It is also to be noted that the views expressed in this article are those of the individuals interviewed. These views in the article are not indicative of The Xavierite as an organization or necessarily that of the individuals that comprise the staff at The Xavierite.
According to the club’s president Marie Hackert, this club event was prompted by October being a month of pro-life awareness.
She said, “It was just a form of peaceful protest. We’re a pro-life club, and this was just a way to raise awareness towards abortion.”
Another purpose for this club event was to get the new members of Students for Life involved.
Writing pro-life messages on the Schmitt Quad sidewalks is an annual tradition that the club does every year.
The messages are sprawled across the sidewalks of the quad at Saint Xavier.
Many of the messages themselves were written in bright chalk in bold lettering.
Many who left there dorms the days following October 5th were greeted with these chalk messages. Each message holding a pro-life stance.
The messages remained written on the quad until they were washed away by the elements.
There were no reported incidents of anyone attempting to remove the chalk messages.
Besides the messages written in chalk there also was a display of dozens of tiny flags planted in the ground.
The flags planted were meant to represent the numerous lives lost from abortion based on a certain rate of time that passes on a daily basis.
The display was meant to be a visual of the lives lost.
While many took notice of the written messages, many mixed feelings became apparent on campus. A variety of students voiced their pleasure and anger over what had been written on the public space.
One anonymous student said, “I find it sickening that words like this are written on the quad, students who had to live through an abortion now are forced to face the trauma of it again.”
Besides this opposition the yearly event continues to be held and supported by many on campus who label themselves as pro-life.
For messages to be written on public spaces on campus the Students for Life had to be sure to gain university approval. The messages to be written had to be evaluated and appoved before posted in these public spaces.
Abortion in the United States has been one issue that has caused divide in the opinions of American citizens.
Statistics show that half of the pregnancies among American women are unintended, and four in 10 of these pregnancies are terminated by abortion.
Eighteen percent of U.S. women obtaining abortions are teenagers. Those aged 15–17 years old obtain 6% of all abortions, 18–19 year olds obtain 11% of all abortions, and teens younger than 15 years old obtain 0.4% of all abortions.
Recently in 2011, 1.06 million abortions were legally performed.
Statistics also indicate that from 1973 through 2011, nearly 53 million legal abortions occurred in the United States.
These facts and statistics are something that the Students for Life are fighting to lower for the future, by raising awareness toward this cause and demonstrating their protest.
According to Hackert, the club’s belief is that all life is worth protecting and should not be terminated.
“We believe in protecting life from birth to natural death, so we are really trying to push that,” Hackert states.
Students for Life aims to raise awareness and promote the gift of life.
They believe that any human life, whether unborn, unwanted, or close to death, has worth.
Hackert continues by saying, “Also, we are trying to grow more with humanitary organizations and ideas. So we are collaborating and doing stuff with MSPJ (Mercy Students for Peace and Justice) and Eco Club.”
As well as spreading their views and protest against abortion, the Students for Life Club are also collaborating with these humanitarian clubs and organizations to form an event that will be hosted next week.
The event, a showing of a Fair Trade documentary, will be on Thursday, Oct. 23, in McGuire Hall at 7 p.m.
This event is focused on the fair trade certification in the coffee growing market. The Fair Trade event itself does not relate to the debate on abortion.
The event is open and free to the public and to any Saint Xavier student who wishes to attend.
For more information regarding the Students for Life club or other on-campus organizations and events, please contact Campus Life (located at WAC L-103) at 773-341-5060.
Gisselle Lopez
News Editor
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