In an effort to expand their support base and presence on campus, members of Columbia Right to Life have recently ceased operating under the auspices of the Columbia Catholic Undergraduates.
Columbia Right to Life was originally called the Columbia Catholics for Life and worked under the Columbia Catholic Undergraduates for six years. In addition to expanding beyond their strictly Catholic support base, leaders of Columbia Right to Life decided to become an independent group because of the Columbia Catholic Undergraduates’ budgetary concerns. After receiving approval from the Student Government Association, Columbia Right to Life began holding regular meetings in January.
A group of four students met in the Schiff Room in Earl Hall Wednesday night. The group’s humble membership and low-key meeting may suggest a degree of anonymity, but Columbia Right to Life members say it aims to be anything but low key as it emerges as a group representing a highly marginal view on campus.
Columbia Right to Life is a campus group that promotes what Michael Hannon, member and CC ‘12, called “the dignity of all human life.” This newly founded group is still mapping out its plans for the semester, but the seven regular members already have an agenda, which is directed toward forming a coalition of pro-life believers on campus.
“Issues like abortion, euthanasia—these are things we are going to take a stand on,” Hannon said.
“We’re reaching out to more students on campus,” Columbia Right to Life president Mary Boadu, CC ’10, said. “Students may not be as comfortable if they see us as a Catholic group.”
But while Columbia Right to Life received quick Student Government Association approval, the road to campus-wide recognition hasn’t been a smooth one. Representing a minority view on campus, the group has experienced some setbacks since its inception.
“In the past, when we put flyers up, they were taken down immediately,” Boadu said. “I was upset, but I expected that to happen ... people just don’t know we exist.”
Yet members view situations like these as valuable experiences that enhance their group’s significance.
“While we should be speaking the truth wherever we are, our views have more meaning here where it’s the minority voice,” Hannon said. “Here is a real opportunity to be a light in the darkness. Now that we’ve expanded more, we can provide a home base for people who are bogged down by the typical Columbia ideologies.”
Another issue the group grapples with is abortion’s status as a highly politicized national issue.
“This is an issue very much immersed in politics, and we don’t shy away from that,” Hannon said. “We went to Washington, D.C., for the March for Life and that was a very political event. We don’t completely separate ourselves.” But the group, comprised of both Democrats and Republicans, plans to remain unaffiliated with a specific political party.
“When people think pro-life, people immediately think politics,” Boadu said. “We’re not going to be holding rallies or anything like that. What we really want is dialogue—and it doesn’t have to be incendiary when you talk about abortion.”
“It’s not that we’re looking to fight them,” group member Greg Bramble, CC ’09, said about the more prevalent pro-choice believers on campus. “We just want people to know how we feel.”
Columbia Right to Life plans to express its beliefs through a number of upcoming events, including a forum about assisted reproductive technologies presented by the World Youth Alliance. Members will also be holding discussions and potentially hosting speakers, such as the renowned Dr. Miriam Grossman, who has expressed resentment about Columbia’s “Go Ask Alice” Web site, which she describes as “vulgar” for its support of sexual laxity. The group also plans on tabling in order to increase visibility.
“I go to Barnard, and most people take it for granted that almost everyone at Barnard is pro-choice,” group member Lauren Salz, BC ’11, said. “It’s important for students to know that there are people at Columbia that are pro-life.”
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