Abortion isn’t a topic most people are very fluid on, but a number of pro-life activists are hoping to change minds at Montgomery College. They’ve probably been seen before: the large banners picturing developing children or aborted fetuses. I took the time to sit down with them and try to see their perspectives.

The first thing one should know is that they are unashamedly pro-life. They believe in the absolute sovereignty of human life. For what it’s worth, their opposition to abortion seems to come from a place of sincerity. Their value of life is not just in the form of opposing abortion, but supporting pregnant students.

They see college life and see that women are often discouraged from juggling a pregnancy and an education. They believe that a woman doesn’t have to choose one or the other and actively help pregnant women get access to the supplies and support networks they need.

Practically, they mentioned resource drives, babysitting services, and informing women of their Title IX rights. Beyond that, they’ll even help women organize baby showers. It’s a noble cause that is easily overshadowed by the provocative imagery they display.

The activists at Montgomery College are a collective of volunteers; they’re multiple pro-life organizations working together. Not all of them are adamant about publicly displaying images of mangled fetuses, but none of them are opposed to it.

I was shown a photograph of an aborted fetus: it was covered in blood, split nearly in twain at the abdomen, with undeveloped limbs that might snap like twigs. It’s not an unusual sight if one’s seen these activists before, but it makes many people’s stomachs reel.

A volunteer mentioned that only once had they seen a woman change her mind on abortion upon seeing what it looked like. But their intent, they say, is to inform people about what abortion actually is. It’s not uncommon, they said, for the people that walk by to have never thought about the grim details of the procedure. And this ties into their belief about abortion as a women’s health issue.

They believe that when one champions a right, we should question what that right actually entails. To them, a woman’s right to abortion is seen as the “right” to kill her child in utero. To illustrate their point, they used the Civil War as an example. “States’ Rights”, they explained, sounds like a worthy political idea. But in the context of the Civil War, “States Rights” entailed owning people as slaves and treating them as property.

They believe that one of the contributing factors to the support of slavery is that many people at the time didn’t know what slavery looked like. They were familiar with the concept, but not the reality. In their eyes, displaying images of destroyed corpses is a way to expose people more intimately with abortion.

When I left, I did so with a deeper, more solemn appreciation for life and my beliefs. I also gained some respect for complexities of the pro-life stance I hadn’t considered.

My conversation with them didn’t address every point and detail of the issue, but they are open to that conversation. The next time you see them on MC Campus, it might be worth your time to talk to them. Whatever your stance may be, we’re healthier as a community when we’re able to discuss the issues we’re passionate about openly and honestly.