May 21, 2009
Anti-abortion Genocide Awareness Group to visit Red Square
On May 26 and 27, the anti-abortion group Genocide Awareness Project will bring an exhibit to Red Square. The exhibit consists of large panels with graphic photos of genocidal events in history such as the Holocaust and the Cambodian killing fields, as well as aborted fetuses.
The group says on its Web site that its display “compares the contemporary genocide of abortion to historically recognized forms of genocide. It visits university campuses around the country to show as many students as possible what abortion actually does to unborn children and get them to think about abortion in a broader historical context.”
The display was approved by the Use of University Facilities Committee. “The University of Washington is dedicated to maintaining a climate that encourages freedom of expression,” said Gus Kravas, chair of the committee. “At times, those expressions may offend and disturb. I believe this is one of those times. Because these particular images may be difficult for some people, the committee felt it was important to let the community know in advance of the visit. To make certain it is a safe event, we have also begun working with the campus police.”
Kravas said the Genocide Awareness Project last visited the UW in 1999, and that that visit generated a lot of controversy. Since then, the University has been visited by another group, called Show the Truth, with a similar display. That group has been here three times without incident.
However, given previous experience with the Genocide Awareness project, Kravas said he wanted to make sure that people knew it was coming.
The Genocide Awareness project is sponsored by The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform (CBR), which is described on the Web site as “working to establish prenatal justice and the right to life for the unborn, the disabled, the infirm, the aged and all vulnerable peoples through education and the development of cutting edge educational resources.”
Of its displays, the group says, “It is our policy to treat everyone who approaches the . . . display with respect. We do not yell or use amplified sound. CBR holds staff and volunteers to strict rules of engagement.”
Red Square is one of the UW’s free speech areas, Kravas said. Anyone wishing to exercise that right can do so as long as they respect the University’s guidelines regarding time, place and manner that are designed to protect the institution’s ongoing academic activities.
Click here for more information about the exhibit.
