Hey, I like babies too.

MURDERER. HELLBOUND. SOULLESS. NAZI!

This is just a small sample of adjectives in which a certain group of people on campus would describe me. For the first in my life, I felt not only uncomfortable, but offended when I was standing in front of the pro-life tent on the USF campus. Day after day, it is not uncommon for there to be one or two die hard crazies roaming about Tampa wearing warning signs of damnation, or corduroyed clipboard people asking for money and signatures to stop suburban sprawl. So this type of in-your-face approach to have your voice heard is not uncommon. Unfortunately in this case I could not just turn up my Ipod and keep my stroll on. This is PRO LIFE.

Walking from the Library, I was intrigued by a black sign with splattered red paint, reading "WARNING, DISTURBING IMAGES AHEAD". Naturally, I walked farther. 2nd sign read: "GENOCIDE PICTURES AHEAD"... how could I turn around now?

As I turned the corner, there stood a monster display of red, white, and black. Oversize images of human beings piled together in a mass heap of flesh, atop which stood a Nazi flag, next to other images of alike horror. Littered in the holocaust of images were pictures of babies, either happy and smiling, or dead and fetus-y. Throw a couple of = signs between the two, flash a couple "pro-choice" labels, and there you have the Tampa, Florida pro-life awareness stand that haunted me for the rest of the day.

I don't understand.

Am I a Nazi?

I don't think I'm a Nazi.

I'm Jewish.

But I am pro-choice?

Isn't pro-choice Nazism?

I stood in front of this as I thought myself in circles for too long, trying to comprehend the logic behind this master display.

I understand that they don't approve of abortion. I understand that they like babies. I understand that they don't want them dead. I understand that they think anyone who supports choice also supports Nazi's and Genocide and the slaughtering of over 6,000,000 people. But I don't understand why the extent of in-your-face graphic vulgarity. Are they trying to convince me that I am a Nazi? Is this to make me feel guilty, and partly responsible for the Holocaust? Because I don't, and I'm not. Or is it a ploy to make other people think that about me? Because if that's the case, then fuck you.

My ultimate conclusion is that these people have an opinion, which is good. Opinions are an aspect of humanity that gives each special person something that separates him/herself from everyone else. It's beautiful. Except these people, in addition to having their opinion, aren't satisfied with just having an opinion. They need their opinion to be shared by everyone, and try to persuade with good a modest serving of FEARRRRR. I've seen this style of persuasion before, as I'm sure we're all familiar with the old guy we find on campus those special days wearing the billboards around his chest yelling at people walking by about how they are going to hell, no matter what... unless they confide in Jesus.

Relating that guy to the people I was standing in front of today lightened me up enough to turn around and get on with the day. I decided not to take offense to them, but instead be proud that not only do I have an opinion, but I have the grace to not shove it in people's faces as they're trying to walk to class.