TO THE EDITOR:
I have no qualms professing my unwavering support for a woman’s right to choose whether to carry a pregnancy to full-term. However, I also have no problem stating my full support for the pro-life demonstrations on campus recently. While I find them to be in poor taste, I cannot say I have been overly troubled by the images displayed. I understand that other students have been offended and emotionally distraught. To them, I can only express my sympathies.
Despite the distress caused by the demonstrations, I want to discourage other students from petitioning to ban them. Even if the majority of UNC students are pro-choice and have no desire to see the disturbing photos of the demonstration, it would be a great injustice to prohibit them. Silencing the voice of dissent would be a clear case of “tyranny of the majority.” Freedom of speech is a personal liberty just the same as a woman’s right to choose — and, as a matter of logical consistency, both of them deserve to be protected. While they may be offensive, grotesque and perhaps even misleading, the demonstrations should be permitted. If you are truly pro-choice, these petty shock tactics should fall on deaf ears and blind eyes.
Daniel C. Pigeon ’15
Philosophy
Economics
