University of Miami Pro-Life Display Vandalized
A display created by the pro-life student organization UM Respect Life at the University of Miami was vandalized last week by an unknown party.
University President Donna E. Shalala condemned the vandalism in an email, which was posted on the student group's Facebook page.
"I am sorry your display was vandalized. That behavior is unacceptable at the University of Miami," wrote Shalala. "I have asked our division of student affairs and campus police to investigate. You and your fellow students have every right to express your views …"
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According to its website, UM Respect Life is "a student-run, pro-life organization committed to educating the campus about issues such as abortion and the death penalty."
"In particular, we are concerned with making abortion alternatives easily accessible to any student who finds herself facing an unplanned pregnancy," the description reads.
As the academic year was drawing to a close, UM Respect Life created an outdoor display along a sidewalk called the "Grad Cap Memorial."
Showing multiple artistic paper renderings of the traditional graduation cap with tassel, the display was meant to represent the purported 370,000 Americans who would have graduated from college in 2014 had they not been aborted. Each cap placed along the campus represented 1,000 aborted fetuses.
"It makes me sad that someone took the immature route and vandalized our display instead of contacting us to have a peaceful discussion," said Adriana Lopez, president of UM Respect Life, according to Students for Life of America.
"But this act of vandalism has a bright side; it has showed us that our display is getting people's attention and making them think."
Various pro-life publications have connected the recent University of Miami vandalism with other similar acts across the nation during the month of April.
Kirsten Andersen of lifesitenews.com reported that at least four displays, including three on college campuses, were vandalized since mid-April.
In addition to the University of Miami display, Andersen added to the list displays at George Washington University, Winthrop University in South Carolina, and the Daley Plaza in Chicago.
"Abortion activists would rather shut down conversation than allow the truth of the pro-life position be heard on campus. They know that when students hear this message, hearts and minds will be changed," stated Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America.
"And sadly, we know some of these hostile students are post-abortive and are turning to this behavior because they need others to see abortion as 'okay' in order for them to be 'okay' with their abortion."
