Craziness on the Quad
This article was written by Todd Romero
A plethora of students were upset Monday morning as the TFP (The American Society for the defense of Tradition, Family, and Property) visited the campus quad. The TFP came to protest abortion on campus by toting big signs and passing out pamphlets to students. The organization reportedly sought to push the end of abortion in America through protesting on campuses. However, when students actively engaged in reading these pamphlets some were appalled by what they read. Some students even described the pamphlets as well as the organization as extremely radical.
Kyle Herr, a freshman and digital forensics major from Lancaster, Pennsylvania said, “their comparisons were over exaggerated, and unrealistic; especially the comparison of abortion to Nazi Germany”. The student’s reaction to the pamphlets as well as the rhetoric that was perpetrated by the organization was not positive for many. Many students even questioned the different statistics within the pamphlets. Aaron Dressler, also a freshman at the university claims that “most of their arguments seemed opinion based.” Other students such as Blake Wolfgang from the Bloomsburg area claimed, “they made a lot of claims with very questionable sources.”
In response to the TFP being on campus, many student led organizations set up camp on the quad directly next to the organization. Some students held up a signed that read “pro-choice,” and held LGBTQ pride flags plastered with the colors of the rainbow. Other students wore angel costumes similar to those worn in the documentary style film The Laramie Project in protest of the organization.
One on campus organization in particular that took a stand against the TFP was the Women’s Resource Center. The Coordinator of the center, Albra Wheeler maintains that it was very important for them to be present during the TFP’s visit. When asked about the importance of free speech on campus she states that “it is absolutely important,” and that “it serves well to present opposing opinions” to the students. However, she also claims that organizations that make false statements and spew hate should be confronted. In addition, she says that the TFP were “spreading lies about when abortions occur, and have spewed homophobic rhetoric to students in the past.”
Although she believes that “everyone has the right to their opinions and ideals,” she also finds it imperative to stand for women’s rights in conjunction to issues like these.
Although the TFP’s message might not have been widely accepted by students on campus, they TFP will continue to fight for their cause as well. According to their website, the TFP will remain “an organization of lay Catholic Americans concerned about the moral crisis shaking the remnants of Christian civilization.”
