This week, Tufts organizations in favor of and opposed to abortion rights commemorated the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade by staging demonstrations on both sides of the issue. VOX, Tufts' pro-choice activist group, set up a display of wire coat hangers to represent the women who would have died as a result of unsafe illegal abortions had Roe not been decided in their favor. Jumbos for Life, the pro-life group, presented a display of one thousand pink and blue flags to mourn the lives that never came to pass.
Standing literally 10 feet apart, the separate displays of fervor on both sides left a gaping hole in the middle where most of the real issues could have been discussed.
For both groups, the gestures oversimplified a morally and ethically complex issue. While coat hangers conjure strong images, they don't address more serious issues such as how late into a pregnancy the procedure should be available. And for the group in opposition: what about provisions in the cases of rape or incest, or to protect the health of the mother? If abortion is murder, what should the woman's punishment be? These are not simple questions because it is not a simple issue.
We certainly do not have the definitive answers to these questions, and it is likely that each group would have grappled internally with these issues had they been posited. The problem is that they were not asked. VOX and Jumbos for Life were standing within ten feet of each other, and yet at no point did they turn to one another and have a constructive, nuanced conversation about the issues involved.
There could have been a discussion or a debate, or even a simple and honest conversation - devoid of antagonism and moral absolutes - that would have let the members of the groups and the rest of the Tufts community see that no matter our convictions, we are always able to come together to discuss our thoughts and beliefs. Separated by a mere ten feet of concrete, these opposing groups had an opportunity to bridge the divide in the hopes of improving their understanding of the issue and increasing the free exchange of ideas.
VOX will receive e-mails from students appalled at an "offensive" display, and they will fight back with a strong defense of their motives and their principles. Jumbos for Life will be faced with a stack of angry letters, and they will explain their deeply-held convictions. But these two groups will not discuss the issues, reasonably and civilly, with each other.
Although it would seem that their joint appearance on the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade was a perfect opportunity for just this kind of discussion, they have both unfortunately let the moment pass with twin demonstrations "to raise awareness."
We at Tufts can only hope that in the future such groups use increased awareness to force a conversation, rather than simply echoing their talking points into ten feet of empty space.
