Today was Breast Cancer Awareness day...
Have you ever wondered if perhaps free choice had gotten a bit too... free? This week campus has been a political war-zone. People have always stood on street corners waving thier bibles, preaching of the carnal sins of my generation. And like all the rest I have simply passed them by thinking them, poor, bored, radicals with no better way to spend a tuesday or a Thursday.
Things changed this week. First, on Monday there was a lady I'd say about 27 who stood on the corner of Main street in the middle of campus' busiest intersection with her 6 foot sign that read "Obey Jesus or Perish" She informed us all that hurricanes Katrina and Rita are just the first of the wrath that God will rain down on this nation of sinners. Silly me, I thought them natural weather phenomenon, and their strength perhaps a biproduct of global warming... How could I not have known it was rather, the work of our lord Jesus. For the first time students berated her back shouting "wacko" "nut-job" etc. She eventually made her way up to the student commons where she was informed she was on school property and was forced back down to the street.
Tuesday was a rather uneventful day it would seem. Today on my way to class, however ,the fun began. I saw that there was some breast cancer awareness stuff set up near the compass by the library so when someone handed me a pamphlet I thanked them, only to look down and discover the anti-obortion literature I had accepted. As I made my way towards campus I caught site of the signs. Oversized images of mangled aborted fetuses and a man with a megaphone lecturing as always. I largely ignored it once again but later in the afternoon as I sat near the commons I became entranced. The man was still lecturing and I began to realize there were signs everywhere some of them held up by children, most likely those of the man with the megaphone. Then entered shouts of the girl with her own petition "Support freedom of Choice sign the petition today to save Rowe vs. Wade..." Oh shit I thought, now things are getting interesting.
The man with his megaphone was pushed across the street and taunted from afar by two very open very out there very liberal young ladies from the "Radical Cheerleaders" who proceded to dance and shout about everything from free choice to gay marriage to the war in Iraq and of course told megaphone man where him and all his far right compadres could stick it. "I wonder why it's only men holding anti-abortion signs huh? You're not going to get pregnant easy fucking decision for YOU!" she shouted across the street.
I left the chaos to take my exam and the walk home only got more interesting and then... rather sad. As I cut past where I'd come this morning someone tried to hand me something again but this time it was a small pink ribbon to support breast cancer which i gladly excepted and then was pointed to a trailer by a nice older woman who told me inside there were computer tutorials about how to give yourself a self breast exam. And a banner to sign in support. What a truly good cause. Then as I kept walking I saw them, there on the other side of the compass. Anti-abortionist, Pro-choicers, and anyone else who wanted to make a point. People holding signs, people waving wire hangers...people undermining and showing no respect for the good cause right beside them.
My favorite people of the hour where these two guys holding this sign in the middle of the fray. "Breast Cancer, it deserves your attention"
And to their right, people trying to save lives and promote awareness
And to thier left...Freedom of speech gone a little too far
Pro-choicers in the middle of the anti-abortion protesters (signs read: God loves me, and my choice; stop the war on women; my body my choice, and By the Way... it's Breast cancer Awareness day)
At the end of it all, I signed my name on the breast cancer banner, and walked away with a small pink ribbon on my chest... because today, that should have been the only thing that mattered.
Things changed this week. First, on Monday there was a lady I'd say about 27 who stood on the corner of Main street in the middle of campus' busiest intersection with her 6 foot sign that read "Obey Jesus or Perish" She informed us all that hurricanes Katrina and Rita are just the first of the wrath that God will rain down on this nation of sinners. Silly me, I thought them natural weather phenomenon, and their strength perhaps a biproduct of global warming... How could I not have known it was rather, the work of our lord Jesus. For the first time students berated her back shouting "wacko" "nut-job" etc. She eventually made her way up to the student commons where she was informed she was on school property and was forced back down to the street.
Tuesday was a rather uneventful day it would seem. Today on my way to class, however ,the fun began. I saw that there was some breast cancer awareness stuff set up near the compass by the library so when someone handed me a pamphlet I thanked them, only to look down and discover the anti-obortion literature I had accepted. As I made my way towards campus I caught site of the signs. Oversized images of mangled aborted fetuses and a man with a megaphone lecturing as always. I largely ignored it once again but later in the afternoon as I sat near the commons I became entranced. The man was still lecturing and I began to realize there were signs everywhere some of them held up by children, most likely those of the man with the megaphone. Then entered shouts of the girl with her own petition "Support freedom of Choice sign the petition today to save Rowe vs. Wade..." Oh shit I thought, now things are getting interesting.
The man with his megaphone was pushed across the street and taunted from afar by two very open very out there very liberal young ladies from the "Radical Cheerleaders" who proceded to dance and shout about everything from free choice to gay marriage to the war in Iraq and of course told megaphone man where him and all his far right compadres could stick it. "I wonder why it's only men holding anti-abortion signs huh? You're not going to get pregnant easy fucking decision for YOU!" she shouted across the street.
I left the chaos to take my exam and the walk home only got more interesting and then... rather sad. As I cut past where I'd come this morning someone tried to hand me something again but this time it was a small pink ribbon to support breast cancer which i gladly excepted and then was pointed to a trailer by a nice older woman who told me inside there were computer tutorials about how to give yourself a self breast exam. And a banner to sign in support. What a truly good cause. Then as I kept walking I saw them, there on the other side of the compass. Anti-abortionist, Pro-choicers, and anyone else who wanted to make a point. People holding signs, people waving wire hangers...people undermining and showing no respect for the good cause right beside them.
My favorite people of the hour where these two guys holding this sign in the middle of the fray. "Breast Cancer, it deserves your attention"
And to their right, people trying to save lives and promote awareness
And to thier left...Freedom of speech gone a little too far
Pro-choicers in the middle of the anti-abortion protesters (signs read: God loves me, and my choice; stop the war on women; my body my choice, and By the Way... it's Breast cancer Awareness day)
At the end of it all, I signed my name on the breast cancer banner, and walked away with a small pink ribbon on my chest... because today, that should have been the only thing that mattered.