Anti-abortion advocates spark heated debate at GAP display

Peaceful conversation exploded into confrontation at the site of the Genocide Awareness Project Tuesday afternoon.

Once every spring the Catholic Newman Club at Cal State Long Beach invite the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform onto campus to advocate against abortion on the free speech lawn in the middle of campus.

“The purpose is to start conversation,” Beach Newman officer Rhea Moreno said.

Students walking through campus high-fived Safe Space CSU and other abortion rights advocates and some even stopped to make posters and join the cause for abortion rights.

Other students stopped to ask Beach Newman and CBR questions. Some avoided the display altogether, turning back the way they came before facing the photos on the GAP display full on.

The peaceful environment, casual conversation and idle curiosity quickly escalated into hostility and anger, however, as “Sister Pat” and the “Radical Reverend” aggravated protesters and passers by.

“I just showed up, saw the display and wanted to advocate for pro-life,” Radical Reverend said. “I even drew up a bit of a crowd here.”

Sister Pat and the Radical Reverend are affiliated with Campus Ministry USA and are frequent visitors at CSULB.

Leading the charge, Sister Pat first engaged with a group of female students protesting the GAP display. She advised the girls that if they did not want to have abortions, they should stop having sex with their boyfriends.

Monica Kinney, a junior studio art major and member of Beach Newman, appeared to be frustrated and politely asked the reverend and other members of Campus Ministry to return to the opposite side of the lawn where they had come from. Radical Reverend did not respond.

“We’re just peacefully protesting against abortion and so we allow people to come and talk to us and converse, but it’s all in a peaceful manner and loving to one another,” Kinney said.. “[Campus Ministry USA] triggered this negativity and that’s not what we wanted. I did ask them to move and they might move, but I don’t know.”

Divided by the pathway leading down to lower campus, anti-abortionists and abortion rights advocates stood facing each other on opposite sides of the sidewalk. Attention from Beach Newman quickly shifted to members of Campus Ministry USA as members began aggravating abortion rights advocates.

As voices grew louder, Victoria Villa, president of Safe Space CSU, tried to keep the situation under control.

“If you feel that it’s not good for you, you don’t have to engage with them,” Villa said.

Immediately after Villa made this statement, the female students turned their backs on Sister Pat.

Soon after, abortion rights advocates were having a loud debate with Campus Ministry and chanting for them to remove themselves from campus.

As the Radical Reverend “preached” to students, they responded to defend themselves.

“Any women that have sex outside of marriage hate themselves,” Radical Reverend said. “I blame the men for all the whores on this campus.”

Much of the female crowd responded with cursing and provocative body gestures such as pelvic thrusts, spread legs and shaking their butts in a dance commonly referred to as twerking. 

“I think he’s just adding a lot of hate and ignorance, and I honestly don’t think what he’s doing is progressive to the conversation. I don’t think he’s offering anything that the CSULB community can use productively in a positive way,” Villa said. “On our side, our students, they are not touching, they are staying on this side of the lawn. They’re yelling but that’s their right as students to make sure their voices are heard. It’s just freedom of speech, right?”

CBR and Beach Newman said the GAP display is meant to spark conversation among students. However, once Campus Ministry got involved it turned into a scene.

Catherine Palanca, a junior liberal studies major, said she understands that people are passionate about what they believe and that they are free to express themselves however they like. She doesn’t think campus is the place for it, however.

“I always stop and watch when the Bible people [are] around and people are yelling at them,” Palanca said. “I think it’s dumb. I don’t think this should be on campus at all. I don’t care what people believe but I don’t want it in my face like this.”

GAP and CBR will be returning to campus tomorrow.