On Thursday, December 1st, the Winthrop College Republicans had the pleasure of once again hosting a Students For Life Action @studentsforlifeaction Campus Tour, this semester’s being the “Abortion is Not Right” Tour. Our goal was to engage students on-campus about abortion, so that they can understand our position better and hopefully be persuaded by it. In this regard, the table was a great success! Many of the students who engaged with us walked away with changed hearts and minds and all of them understood that, even if they disagreed, reasonable discussion was possible, and that we Conservatives are motivated not by hatred, but by love.
Unfortunately, many people on campus are offended by the mere idea of discussion. In response to our table, a crowd of protesters, including students, faculty, and professors, gathered around to harass and intimidate us. In addition to their disruption of all activities in the students’ center that day, including charity events, they defaced our property, tore up our pamphlets, and even followed our SFLA representative to her car afterwards. This was not a peaceful protest: this was organized harassment, and although we have grounds to press charges, we will not, and will allow the university to punish those responsible as they see fit.
In regards to the protests, we are disappointed but not surprised. We hoped for the best, but were prepared for the worst, and so have not been caught off-guard then or since. As a Conservative on-campus, what I hear most often is that those who are Conservative, or even Independent, feel that they cannot speak up or else they will be ostracized by their peers and punished by their professors, and this is why.
But it will not stop us. We will happily continue our relationship with SFLA, and will continue to represent Conservative values on Winthrop’s Campus. Thank you all for your support.
On our Facebook page are some photos and videos of the protest, which were taken by the protestors themselves and posted to social media, including footage used by the Student Union to advertise a wholly one-sided Pro-Abortion event occurring that night which students could receive credits towards graduation for attending.
