SMU students gathered at the flagpole Tuesday, not a word was spoken. The red duct tape over their mouths simply saying “life” was part of a demonstration for pro-life day of silent solidarity.
The students “gave up their voice for those that will never have a voice.” Silent day itself is affiliated with a national organization called Stand True, but no particular campus organization put it on. Over 4,700 schools participated in 22 countries according to Nick Elledge, organizer of the event.
“I don’t think you ever need an organization or huge support base to take up a cause. Just today there were 4,000 abortions in the U.S. and that is certainly reason enough for me. It’s just thinking about things greater than yourself,” Elledge said.
This was the first time Silent Day was observed at SMU. Elledge said that the goal was to inform, not to convert.
“We are in a cultural war for the hearts and minds and minds of Americas youth. The enemy isn’t necessarily those who disagree, but apathy and ignorance,” Elledge said.
“Abortion is a very complex issues enveloped in a myriad of other complex issues. If we give people the facts and get a few more people to think about issues such as abortion, eugenics, infanticide, and adoption, we’ve done our job. We’re not trying to overturn Roe v. Wade, we’re trying to change hearts and minds.”
Forty students were confirmed to participate on some level. Not all wore the duct tape over their mouths, but those that did hoped students would demonstrate the larger issue aside from petty day-to-day issues.
“The point is that one-third of our generation will never be heard from. We’ve “chosen” not to let them exist. The duct tape is to demonstrate us taking the time out of our “busy” lives to think about the bigger issues. We let petty things like clothes and homework occupy our thoughts when huge things like 50,000,000 abortions are going on,” Elledge said.
The group’s goal was not to downplay the pro-choice argument but rather raise awareness to reduce circumstances that lead to unwanted pregnancy as well as alternatives to abortion, such as adoption.
