Nearly a dozen signs, some displaying graphic photographs of aborted fetuses, drew strong reactions from students outside of the HUB-Robeson Center yesterday.
Reactions ranged from horrified looks to smiles to students swearing at the people holding the signs. The activists displaying the signs were evangelists from Philadelphia-based Repent America, an abortion rights opposition group that stopped by Penn State as part of a tour of high school and college campuses.
"I understand their opinion, but to have the pictures of the babies up -- the aborted fetuses -- that's a little distasteful," said Justin Anchorstar (senior-chemical engineering), who looked at the signs as he walked by the HUB.
Derek Pruyne (sophomore-turfgrass science), who walked by the demonstration, said he didn't know if he supported abortion, but in cases of rape and incest he thinks it is acceptable. He added he hadn't heard any of the evangelists say much because of students arguing with them.
Though Nat Jackson (senior-anthropology), president of the Penn State Atheist and Agnostic Association, can sometimes be seen arguing with the Willard Preacher, yesterday he stood opposite one of the Repent America preachers, engaging him in front of a crowd that had gathered to watch.
Repent America Director Michael Marcavage said he appreciates students arguing because it gives him a chance to explain Jesus' teachings.
"I'm sad and I'm grieved that they're headed for eternal damnation, but I can reach out to them with the truth in the hope that they would be converted and become followers of Christ," he said.
Four students from the planning committee for National Coming Out Week, including Lex Shaw (sophomore-nutrition), stood behind the evangelists and held their own signs with messages like "It's OK to [be] gay," in an effort to publicize National Coming Out Week and to counteract Repent America.
The rally will not dampen their fervor about National Coming Out Week, Shaw said.
"It's hard to put a negative spin on love," she said.
Though the preachers' messages sometimes included negative statements about homosexuals, Shaw said their comments would not get her down.
"It's offensive, but it's not to the degree that I'm gonna go home and cry about it," she said. "I'm definitely loving being who I am."
One of the signs that Repent America displayed contained a swastika and read, "Germans were wrong for supporting Hitler, and you're wrong for supporting abortion."
About 15 students surrounded the man carrying the sign. Some told him they thought the sign was offensive to Jews and others said it distracted from the group's anti-abortion argument.
Though the signs and photographs are controversial, Marcavage said they are necessary.
"They present the truth about what an abortion is," he said, calling abortion a holocaust that represents how wicked the nation has become.
Amie Atiyeh (senior-biochemistry and molecular biology) said though the sign with the swastika was "deceitful," she agrees with the anti-abortion message and doesn't think the photographs of aborted fetuses are offensive.
"I think a lot of people don't understand, and when you see a picture like that, you do understand what's actually going on," she said, adding she hoped the photographs would change people's minds about abortion.
Repent America member Bruce Wayne Cowan said the group's message is an important one for students to hear.
"Every student has a soul and every person is worth reaching," he said.
