A group of Fairfield students met Tuesday night to organize a protest against one of the most highly debated court decisions of this century. Students are planning to take a midnight trek to Washington D.C. to protest the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision to legalize abortion.
Students will be attending the March for Life, an annual peaceful protest against legal abortion. The march is attended by thousands from all over the country, many of them religious groups from religiously affiliated universities and high schools. The march takes place on the anniversary of the decision to legalize abortion, January 22.
Katie Mahoney ’05 said, “I think it’s a very good idea that people are able to express their ideas no matter what the cause, since no one on this campus is active enough in social issues.”
Talia Pettini ’06, with the help of Lori Boccuzzi ’06, and university chaplain Rob Cortegiano, have organized to join a group from Norwich, CT, to attend the march. The march has gone on since the mid-1970’s, but this is the first group from Fairfield University that anyone at Campus Ministry remembers sending.
“I support life, but a woman’s body is her own business,” said Luke Kloza ’06.
Pettini was inspired to organize a group from Fairfield to go to the march after attending the event in with her high school. When she realized there was no tradition of attendance at Fairfield she decided to coordinate a student group.
Pettini has attended the march three times, and describes the event as, “very peaceful, and amazing with so many people there.” She never experienced opposition from pro-abortion supporters while at the march, besides once being handed a pamphlet with statistics about the advantages of abortion.
“If people are going to attend the march, I think that is great because they are expressing their views,” said Kristin Messina ’05.
At the informational setting Tuesday night, ten students were present. Two were male, the rest female. Of those in attendance, only one had attended the march before. The group was enthusiastic about the prospect of going, and didn’t seem fazed by the long trip.
Students who go to the march will leave campus at midnight on January 21, arriving in Washington at 7 a.m. Students will first attend the Mass at Immaculate Conception Basilica on the campus of Catholic University of America. Bishops from all up and down the Eastern coast will attend the Mass. The group will then spend the morning checking out displays and listening to bands and speakers sponsored by the pro-life group Rock For Life.
In the early afternoon, all protesters start their march from the Washington Monument to the Supreme Court building where the legalization of abortion was ruled. Due to the amount of people present, the walk will take 2-3 hours.
“I think its great people even have opinions, but I think it’s a very important right that woman have, and I don’t think its right for any other person to tell what someone should or shouldn’t do with their bodies,” said Kerri Rose ’05.
The group from Norwich, CT has 15 spots available for students, but if significant student interest is shown, there may be a bus run directly from Fairfield in future years. For more information, email 06_tpettini@stagweb.fairfield.edu.
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