Live near a university? You have probably been fresher spotting then. Right this minute 18 and 19 year olds across the country are wandering what decorations will best convey their fun but deep personality in their new halls of residence, attempting to seem blase about drinking games, fending off tired cliches involved a diet of Baked Beans and being flummoxed by the microwave. They are also attending Freshers Fairs, picking up free things in plastic bags and joining (or not joining) various societies. At Dundee University however there will be one stand missing during Freshers week, that of SPUC.
What's SPUC? The Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child. It is no doubt familiar to you if you are an active pro-choicer. If not then allow me to introduce you, SPUC as you can imagine from the name hold hardline anti-choice views and use graphic material to support these views - though not necessarily facts.
While I recognise the need for debate and presentation of other views I am sincerely shocked they were allowed on the Dundee campus at all given their methods of 'education'. Education that links abortion to cancer and infertility. After five years of being invited to the Dundee Freshers Fayre however this year SPUC were spurned. Their chair Clare McGraw said: "Normally they write to us asking if we want a stall again but this year they didn't. We don't have anything graphic just information about abortion and some foetal models."
The organisers of the event, Dundee University Students’ Association, denies deliberately excluding SPUC for it's anti-choice views, instead claiming it is due to high demand of space, the fayre already has an anti-choice organisation in attendance.
While I recognise the need for debate and presentation of other views I am sincerely shocked they were allowed on the Dundee campus at all given their methods of 'education'. Education that links abortion to cancer and infertility. After five years of being invited to the Dundee Freshers Fayre however this year SPUC were spurned. Their chair Clare McGraw said: "Normally they write to us asking if we want a stall again but this year they didn't. We don't have anything graphic just information about abortion and some foetal models."
The organisers of the event, Dundee University Students’ Association, denies deliberately excluding SPUC for it's anti-choice views, instead claiming it is due to high demand of space, the fayre already has an anti-choice organisation in attendance.
| Iain MacKinnon, DUSA president said: "We have been overwhelmed by organisations looking to exhibit at this year's Freshers Fayre and have had to turn several requests down...We encourage students to engage in freedom of thought and with causes they feel passionately about...As a result, we have a very healthy body of more than 100 societies representing a wide spectrum of political, religious and philosophical beliefs, including the Life Society." | The students are in fact only being denied misinformation with false correlations and irresponsible claims. |
However the student representative council has now unanimously voted to ban SPUC from future events. Naturally this prompts the discussion of what freedom of speech is and how we can properly discuss such subjects. Douglas Schreiber, vice-president of DUSA has described SPUC's literary material and foetal models as "highly offensive".
They are also highly inaccurate. So when Claire McGraw says: "They [DUSA] want women to be informed about the choices they may make in life, but female students at the freshers' fayre are being denied the fullest information that would allow them to make up their minds." The students are in fact only being denied misinformation with false correlations and irresponsible claims.
Let's have freedom of speech, let's allow people to air their moral views on abortion, but let's also have accuracy in the argument or we endanger women and foetuses.
Squeamish Kate
They are also highly inaccurate. So when Claire McGraw says: "They [DUSA] want women to be informed about the choices they may make in life, but female students at the freshers' fayre are being denied the fullest information that would allow them to make up their minds." The students are in fact only being denied misinformation with false correlations and irresponsible claims.
Let's have freedom of speech, let's allow people to air their moral views on abortion, but let's also have accuracy in the argument or we endanger women and foetuses.
Squeamish Kate
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