By
Hillary Davis
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Pro-lifers demonstrate alongside women's reproductive rights advocates
About 200 people gathered on the UA campus yesterday for a pro-choice rally that remained peaceful, even though pro-life activists demonstrated alongside people advocating a woman's right to an abortion.
The rally, which included speakers and informational tables from supportive organizations, ended with a march around the University of Arizona Mall and Old Main.
Lydia Hallay, a women's studies and creative writing sophomore who helped organize and emcee the event, stressed the need for activism.
"Women's fundamental rights to their own bodies are in jeopardy," she said. "It's extremely important to show it won't happen.
"We're gonna raise hell, basically."
Pro-choice proponents took aim at President George W. Bush and his conservative, anti-abortion administration - including Attorney General John Ashcroft, an outspoken foe of abortion, and Bush's decision to end U.S. funding for abortions performed overseas - calling him "public enemy number one."
About 20 counter-demonstrators - a mix of men and women - came with the UA College Republicans. The group, which waved red signs stating "Stop abortion now" and distributed pro-life literature, was stationary and quiet, except to object to Bush administration criticisms.
The Conscious Raising Collective, a social activism group on campus, put on the rally and march. Other groups present included Planned Parenthood, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, the Tucson Arts Brigade, and UA's Young Democrats, Young Greens and Students Against Sweatshops organizations.
Laura Briggs, a UA assistant professor of women's studies, spoke about sterilization of women, especially forced sterilization of women in impoverished countries.
"Feminists need to continue to oppose abusive and coercive practices," she said.
Anthony Nelson, a criminal justice sophomore and College Republicans member, said the club wanted to show that there are two sides to the abortion issue.
"We are in no way here to interrupt the speakers. Even though they disagree with us we are giving them the utmost respect," Nelson said.
Nelson opposes abortion because he said it shifts sexual responsibility at the expense of a baby.
"It is basically saying, 'Women, it's OK for you to kill your baby.'" he said. "Don't punish your child by killing it because of your mistake."
As about 50 people marched around campus carrying posters and chanting "Pro-life, that's a lie, you don't care if women die," the Republicans group replied with "Pro-choice, that's a lie, babies don't chose to die."
At times the two sides chanted spiritedly in each others' direction, but no clashes ensued.
April Huff, a women's studies and psychology junior, said the Unborn Victims of Violence Act - which would establish an unborn child as a human being, to be recognized as a victim with respect to violent crimes - is being heard today in the U.S. House of Representatives. Although the bill has violent crime - not abortion-specific - language, yesterday's message is still significant because it would introduce the fetus into American legal speech as a full-fledged human being.
"The importance of (this is) grave for reproductive technology, abortion rights, and women in general," she said.
Huff said women were subjected to excruciating physical pain, even death, to obtain risky abortions before the practice was legal.
"These horrific experiences are still happening to women who can't afford abortions or who can't afford the best services," she said.
The movement in support of the landmark Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in 1973, was in part driven by college students, Huff said.
She added that a movement to preserve what the case provides can occur on campuses as well.
"Hopefully this one, and that's what we're trying to do," Hallay said.
