First Amendment to the United States Constitution:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances"
Have you ever been in a small group setting where someone mentions their pro-choice opinion on the abortion issue? Then once you or a fellow pro-lifer starts to question their views, they say that they don't want to discuss it or some other response to squelch the debate. This occurs from small group settings to large pro-life exhibits. For example, recently 18 pro-lifers were arrested in Maryland for just standing on the side of the road holding pro-life signs. They were basically arrested for trumped-up charges and later released.
It's very ironic that often it is difficult to have a pro-life display exhibited on college campuses. College professors and administrators preach free speech, tolerance, and diversity but only when it pertains to something they agree with. They usually have very little tolerance for a pro-life group displaying its freedom of speech rights, even though the group is following all the rules for displays set by the administration. The response is sometimes similar from the students who have been indoctrinated by those same professors and administrators. This is a typical reaction of many liberals in our society. If someone questions them, then that person is to be dismissed and their opinions not worthy of respect. With many social topics, including abortion, the liberal side does not want to deal with the logic of the issue. If you oppose their view, you should not be heard; not because of specifics of the claim you made, but only because you oppose their view.
How does a pro-lifer respond to being stifled in such a manner? Verbally fight back with a calm demeanor, and put them on the spot. Ask them if they believe in free speech? In tolerance? In diversity? Of course, they should respond yes to all. Then you agree and state that you believe in free speech for all, tolerance for differing points of view, and a desire to listen to a diversity of opinions. Then offer them the chance to state their opinion as long as you can state yours.
If you are discussing a campus or community exhibit, then other questions could be asked. If they disagree with the display of graphic photos of abortion, then ask them if they would have approved if Holocaust death camp photos were displayed during World War II. If these photos were used to show the horror of the reality of these camps, then maybe something could have been done to stop them. On countless occasions The New York Times and news magazines have printed photos of alleged torture of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. Were those appropriate to show? Obviously, there are many examples that can be used to prove your point.
The bottom line is that the pro-lifer's view should not take a back seat to any contrary opinion just because the other person does not want to hear it. In conclusion, I believe many liberals in our society would like to change the First Amendment to read something like this:
"Religion should never be established, endorsed or even mentioned by the government or any employee thereof; there shall be no restrictions on the practicing of a religion unless that religion espouses moral values of right and wrong. There should be no restrictions of freedom of speech, unless it differs from what we, the progressives, deem is correct. Freedom of the press should not be abridged unless it is a threat to what we, the progressives, deem is the appropriate view. People may peaceably assemble to reveal the atrocities committed by Republicans, Conservatives, or Christians. Everyone that we, the progressives, approve of have a right to petition the Government for redress of grievances."
