*Due to the subject of the article, all sources have requested to stay anonymous
Last week a controversial memorial was set up in between St. Rita’s and Alumni Hall. The Villanovans for Life organization set up a memorial with multiple crosses and a sign that stated each cross represented the 100 abortions that happen in the U.S. every day.
“October is Respect Life Month, so we thought it was fitting to have a memorial which recognized the lives lost to abortion,” Villanovans For Life President Eileen Sceski said. “It was an opportunity to spark dialogue and conversation among students regarding a difficult issue.”
The memorial sparked a lot of debate on campus with many students disagreeing with the way it was presented.
“I do think that the way the memorial is being put up and presented is very disrespectful towards students on campus who may have had to get an abortion for different circumstance,” a student who requested anonymity said. “Whether it’s a life saving measure, whether they were sexually assaulted and needed to get an abortion, and it could be very triggering to just be walking to class and seeing something like that so out in the open.”
The student also mentioned how it was unfair for the memorial to be set up with no representation allowed on the other side.
“I do think that the school is in a hard position where we are a Catholic school,” the student said. “It makes it a little bit harder for them to outwardly support both sides. However, I do think that at the same time, since free speech does exist in the world, it’s a little bit unfair to censor one group while allowing another.”
While Villanovans for Life is able to proudly express its views, it is not the same for all organizations on campus. The Space is an organization with the goal of creating a safe space on campus to advocate and educate students on reproductive health. It is not strictly a pro-choice club, as its main focus is education surrounding reproductive health.
Despite also being a student club on campus, the Space is not allowed to have demonstrations in the same way as Villanovans for Life.
The Space was asked whether the University welcomes free speech from all sides.
“No, not always,” the representative from The Space who requested anonymity said.” There have been instances where we have set up tables on campus to educate students about our organization and we have been asked to leave or alter our word choice. We have hosted events on campus and students from other organizations brought nonmembers of the Villanova community to actively disrupt and oppose our events.”
Villanova, as a Catholic University, is allowed to have certain limitations and restrictions on how some views can be presented.
The University directed The Villanovan to the Student Handbook for information. “Some assemblies and demonstrations may support and defend positions that differ from Catholic Church teaching,” the Handbook reads. “The expectation is that they will do so in a responsible fashion, be open to questions and challenges from members of the community, and respectfully acknowledge, and not disparage, Church teaching. If, in the judgment of University officials, an assembly or demonstration presents a serious risk of violating these principles, the university may impose provisions and restrictions.”
Religion does play a very prevalent role in almost everything on the University’s campus. However, another student who requested anonymity believes it is not a fair argument when speaking about abortion.
“I think that using your own religious beliefs and pushing them upon other people is not fair in any sense and is literally against the Constitution,” the student said. “I do understand that people are entitled to their own viewpoint and if you are against abortion especially because of your religious beliefs, I respect that and understand that. However, at the same time, I really just don’t think that it’s fair to push your belief on another person.”
Despite falling under Campus Ministry, Sceski believes that Villanovans for Life is not officially a religious club.
“We believe you do not need to be religious to be pro-life, because all people have the capacity to recognize the dignity of human life, regardless of their religious affiliation,” Sceski said.
The Space is also a non-religious affiliated club.
“We are accepting of all opinions, religions and identities,” the representative said. “We all have complex opinions that come from our backgrounds that affect our view on certain policy areas.”
The Space also gave its remarks about the memorial set up by Villanovans for Life.
“Every student organization is entitled to their own opinion and expression,” the representative said. “We just wish the University honored every student organization’s passion to represent themselves.”
Despite the Space and some student reactions respecting Villanovans for Life having its own viewpoint, some students decided to engage negatively with the memorial, going as far as taking the signs and knocking down a couple crosses. Scezki and the group responded with frustration, making clear they are open to a free discussion over their viewpoint.
“We are disappointed with the action of taking down and defacing the signs, but we understand the topic of abortion is a hurtful and misunderstood topic,” Sceski said. “As a pro-life group, we love every person not for their actions, but simply because they have human dignity. We would be more than happy to talk to anyone about the memorial or abortion in general.”
The memorial brought along a lot of controversy surrounding religion, women’s rights and free speech. With students from all over having different viewpoints and the upcoming election, the subject of abortion was not taken lightly on either side. It opened up a lot of productive conversations around a topic that will not be done discussion anytime soon.
