This past week, Respect For Life, an on-campus student organization formed to advocate for the protection of life from conception to natural death, wrote pro-life messages in chalk on campus sidewalks. Later that night, those messages were defaced with pro-choice messages. 

As the staff of a newspaper, we believe in the right of free speech, which protects acts of symbolic speech, such as the pro-life and pro-choice chalking that was done on campus. While proponents of the pro-choice movement have the right to express their opinion, we believe they could have proceeded in a more tactful manner. 

The Respect For Life association carefully planned their demonstration, completing extensive research and working with the Office of Student Engagement. Therefore, defacing this thoughtful demonstration was a disrespectful way to proceed. This action backfired by drawing more attention to Respect For Life’s messages rather than the pro-choice messages being expressed.

The pro-life messages could have been conveyed in a more considerate manner, such as a similar chalking on another side of campus, instead of destroying the hard work of the Respect For Life organization. Consequently, students would have a clearer understanding of both sides of the issue. In order to discuss these controversial topics on campus, we must proceed using a respectful discourse.