Images of dismembered infant bodies juxtaposed with images of the Holocaust and the genocide in Darfur were on display in front of the Palmer Museum of Art on Monday afternoon.
The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform (CBR), in partnership with Students for Life, brought the photos to the Penn State campus in hopes of shocking passing students into paying attention to the issue.
"We're here to raise the consciousness of America regarding the truth about abortion," said Kurt Linneman, a volunteer with the CBR.
Stephanie DiBello (junior-marketing), president of Students for Life, said she wanted to get students talking about the issue.
"We're not here to scream or yell at people. We're having conversations," DiBello said.
DiBello said most passersby yell at them and walk away. On the comparison between the Holocaust and abortion, DiBello said the two are similar for someone who is anti-abortion. Abortion is equal to genocide, she said.
Most students walked by the display without commenting, and some averted their eyes. Others, including Bobby McConnell, yelled at the volunteers.
"I don't need to walk by on my way to class and see mutilated bodies," McConnell (junior-marketing) said. "It's ridiculous."
Mark Harrington, executive director of the CBR in the Midwest, said photos have always been used to bring about change in social reform movements.
"The photos are mostly pictures of first trimester abortions, and we juxtapose them next to other photos of genocide to draw out the similarities," said Harrington, of Columbus, Ohio.
Standing next to the anti-abortion display, Charlee Redman and a friend dressed up like "Greenman" from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia held signs reading "Free Hugs" and "You are loved."
"We want to make people happy and cheer them up," Redman (sophomore-English and French) said. She added that a girl had walked by the display crying because of what she saw.
