Pro-choicer ‘shocked’ that young man reacted violently at pro-life display — but I’m not

It seems to be a frequently reoccurring story: a pro-life group lawfully organizes a display on a college campus, and someone else (calling himself “pro-choice,” naturally) comes along and decides that the free speech of pro-lifers is a choice too far.

Texas State University junior Emma Brockway filmed an exchange today between an older pro-lifer and a younger man who became enraged after seeing a display which featured images of fetal development as well as images of abortion victims. Brockway later told The Tab, “I was shocked, but I have to admit I admire [the younger man] in some ways because I think he did what we were all wanting to do. I am a supporter of free speech, but again, I think everyone was secretly wanting to do what he did.” (Warning: profanity.)

“Shocked,” Ms. Brockway? Well, pro-lifers have seen these sorts of over-the-top, knee-jerk outbursts of rage fairly frequently from those who support abortion, so we’re not all that surprised anymore.

Remember when UC Santa Barbara professor of feminist studies Mireille Miller-Young accosted a young pro-life woman on campus and stole her pro-life sign? Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust described the incident on their YouTube page, writing:

Miller stole Short’s sign, and encouraged a group of students to violence, inciting an angry mob. Miller then took the sign into an elevator, where she repeatedly pushed, and even pulled Short, who was attempting to hold the elevator doors open until police arrived.

UC Santa Barbara Professor Assaults Young Pro-Life Activist

Remember when one “pro-choice” woman took it upon herself to stage what she called a “citizen’s arrest,” tearing down Created Equal’s pro-life banners from an overpass (only to be later told by police that she was in the wrong)?

"I'm Doing a Citizen's Arrest" | Pro-Abortion Woman Cuts Down Free Speech Display

One post-abortive mother left her children unattended in her car to come and rip down Created Equal’s banners displaying images of abortion victims (warning – profanity):

Mother leaves kids unattended after seeing victims. What happens next will surprise you.

Last year, a “pro-choice” individual attacked a Created Equal display at Ohio University with a club, threatening violence against at least one pro-lifer present. The vandal’s friends simply stood there, looking amused:

Masked Thug Attacks Pro-Life Display with Club, Threatens Activist

In yet another incident last year, a man left his vehicle to accost Created Equal’s pro-life activists, who had erected a display near a high school (note: high school students can legally obtain abortions, but apparently that’s not as appalling as having to actually look at what abortion does):

Madman assaults Created Equal team member at Ohio high school

And here’s another incident, in which a woman who left her car to come and verbally attack Created Equal pro-lifers who set up their display across from a high school. After asking, “Are you gonna adopt my baby that I can’t take care of?” she knocked over their display (warning — profanity):

Abortion Advocate Attacks Pro-Life Display

I could post more, but you get the idea. Thankfully, while these occasions are rare on the whole, they do happen. Most people choose not to react violently to images of abortion victims or to pro-life displays with which they disagree, but others do. Some speculate that such visceral and violent reactions may come from those who are either post-abortive or who have had some sort of involvement with abortion.

While some are “shocked” that people would react so angrily to abortion images, pro-lifers know that abortion itself is the ultimate violence against the most innocent and helpless human beings among us, and our society allows it.

So the question remains: should our society allow something it can’t even stand to look at?

Editor’s Note: If you are making a decision about abortion, see Clinic Quotes, 10 Reasons Not to Have an Abortion, Abortion Procedures, and What to Do if Your Boyfriend (or Anyone) is Pressuring You to Have an Abortion. You can also check out Stand Up Girl and Option Line or Pregnancy Line to find local resources, help, and trained people to talk to in your area. If you’ve begun an abortion and are regretting your decision, the 24-hour, nurse-staffed hotline at Abortion Pill Reversal may be able to give you information on reversing your abortion. Men involved in a pregnancy situation can check out Abortion and Men and Abortion Exploits Women.