Abortion is genocide, says GAP

Is abortion genocide? The GAP thinks it is. The Genocide Awareness Project (GAP) is a traveling photomural exhibit that labels abortion as a form of genocide, and their recent visit to the University of Cincinnati's McMicken commons aroused the interests of many passing students.

Presented locally by the UC student group Students for Life and made possible by traveling members of the Center for Bio Ethical Reform Midwest, a non-profit education foundation, the GAP hit the issues of abortion head-on with detailed images of the abortion process and historic photographs of African-American lynchings, as well as conventional genocide pictures from the Jewish Holocaust and Native American extermination by the

U.S. government.

"Our group came up with this idea as a way to show our fellow students our belief that the children being depicted in the abortion photos and, more directly, those being killed in the abortion procedures are human lives being taken away," said Joe Burwinkel, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student and president of Students for Life. "In our meetings we talk about what we can do around campus and discuss the message we want to spread and the manner we think is necessary to most effectively get our point across. This is the message we came up with for our views on the abortion issue."

Several passing students denied any participation in the activities, simply shrugging off attempts by GAP volunteers to hand out informational pamphlets and packets. Some students shook their heads in disbelief, while others shook the hands of volunteers. Debate was open, and almost challenged, with all volunteers able to back their view against any questioning on the issue. This sparked the interest of several passing students, some hostile and some curious, to question the means and message of the GAP, which ultimately bought together several members of the student body with a common desire for answers.

"There was a loud fight earlier; it almost got to be physical, but just in the fact that it was very heated," said Jason Provins, a fourth year philosophy major. "I think this project makes thought happen; however, it's hard to say how constructive it is. I do like hearing the arguments and I'm sure there are students here that will change their minds based on the topic based on discussions they have and information provided.

"We're not out as a nation to say we're going to kill all babies, so this would probably be best set in a debate forum to discuss whether or not this is actually genocide, but this method definitely gets people here," Provins said.

The GAP defines genocide as the "deliberate and systematic destruction of a national, racial, religious, political, ethnic or OTHER group defined by the exterminators as undesirable." In their definition of genocide, the national group is American unwanted, unborn children that are "now being destroyed at the rate of nearly one out of every three conceived in an elaborate network of killing centers."

"I've always been Pro-life," said both Jennifer Timme, a first-year clinical lab science student, and Michelle Moscarino, a first-year health science student.

Timme said the thing that she learned from the information provided by the GAP is the raised risk of breast cancer that can stem from women's hormones after she receives an abortion.

"It's just good to make people aware of what's going on. There's definitely shock value here," Moscarino said. "In my opinion, I don't think people have the right to say who lives or dies, who knows what they could've been if they were born? Apparently I can just kill someone if they are having a negative effect on my life, right?"

Not all students were as receptive to the GAP message and tactics.

"Do you have a uterus? Look at these people, they are mostly men," said Karen Whyt, a

fourth-year history and women's studies major. "I am so sick of this stuff around campus. It's not going to change anyone's mind, and [GAP] will not change theirs."

According to Mark Harrington, the executive director for the Center for Bio Ethical Reform, the next stop for the GAP is Temple University, and next spring, the project plans on visiting local campuses such as Northern Kentucky University, Kent State University and The Ohio State University.

"Social reformers historically have always used graphic images to dramatize injustice," Harrington said. "I got my start after the project visited Ohio State some years ago. It works."