Yesterday, I noted the apology by Professor Sally Jacobsen for leading students in an act of vandalism against a pro-life display of crosses at Northern Kentucky University. It is now being reported by the Northerner, the newspaper that first broke the story, that an April 18 email sent to students gives legal advice and speculates about the motives of "well-funded Right to Life groups". She apologizes for involving her students and advises them to get an attorney "to plead down to a misdemeanor" if they are named.
Although it is unlikely to happen, the group that Jacobsen ought to apologize to is the newly formed Northern Right to Life, a group of students who apparently worked quite hard to set up the display. Their efforts were squashed by this senior faculty member and their materials were destroyed.
However with charges apparently imminent, Jacobsen has stopped talking (except to her co-conspirators).
The Northerner quotes police Lt. Col. Jeffrey Martin:
At this time, we don't anticipate the students being charged," Martin said. "They were intimidated by an authority figure into believing that this was not a criminal act."Beyond this, the story really doesn't have a lot of significance, especially in the abortion debate. Some may attempt to leverage Jacobsen's actions to the advantage of their position. However, the University took the appropriate action and continues to investigate. The police are involved in the case and no one, except a few extremists, supports what Jacobsen has done. Others inclined to vandalize may think twice before justifying their illegal activities on the basis of their ideology.() "I would anticipate that (Jacobsen) will be charged," Martin said. "The probable cause is overwhelming."
Update: Generations for Life explains that the act of destroying such displays, which consist of white wooden crosses that symbolize victims of abortion, is nothing new.
Photo: The cemetery of the innocent courtesy of Northern Right to Life
Related: Statement by NKU President James C. Votruba
Kentucky Professor Apologizes for Vandalism (updated)
I agree... free speech is not the illegal destruction of art. Free speech does not shut people up.
If the Professor wanted to express her views she should create a display. Destroying other people's hard work is an assault on free speech.
FreedomDefender
NKU's student paper is The Northerner, not Northern.
good for her.....rock on sista. i'd be right there with her. i don't put up crosses for the massive amounts of people dying of HIV/AIDS because right winged Christian groups discourage the use of contraceptives. So I don't want to look at your pitiful display of godliness.
"i don't put up crosses for the massive amounts of people dying of HIV/AIDS because right winged Christian groups discourage the use of contraceptives."
Actually massive numbers of people are dying of HIV/AIDS because they ignored the right winged Christian groups who said that you shouldn't have casual sex and you shouldn't shoot IV drugs.
Perhaps it is your contention that there are people who obey Catholic teaching on condoms but not on casual sex? Or maybe you're making the even more ridiculous claim that non-Catholics actually care what the Pope has to say? Anything to blame someone else for people being responsible for their own selves getting HIV/AIDS, I guess.
Perhaps you can point me to a website on which people have been infected with AIDS because they were obedient to Catholic teaching?