Students divided over Court abortion ruling

Some hail it as a victory for the pro-choice movement. Others describe it as justice gone wrong. But, despite their individual viewpoints, many at the University and across the country agree that yesterday's unanimous Supreme Court ruling in the ongoing abortion rights debate is a major setback to pro-life groups, such as Operation Rescue. The high court ruling allows abortion rights advocates to use a federal racketeering law to sue protesters who block women's access to abortion clinics. Penn Women's Alliance Leadership Team Member Melissa Mandell, a College senior, called the Supreme Court decision a "victory for all women." "There have to be laws to limit illegal activity," Mandell added. In her keynote address at the First Domestic Violence/Dating Abuse Awareness Week program last night, Kathy Miller, vice president of Pennsylvania National Organization for Women, said the Supreme Court's decision is "the strongest piece of leverage we have against anti-choice groups." In Washington, D.C., Nellie Grey, president of March for Life, an anti-abortion group, disagreed vehemently with the Court's decision. She said she hoped "Congress in its wisdom will see the error of the statute in making criminal activity out of free speech." President of the Delaware County Pro-Life Coalition Kathy Coll echoed Grey's sentiments. "It is possible that this decision will trigger [The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act] as a nuclear weapon against free speech rights," she said. Coll added that she was "suspicious" because the ruling was unanimous. "There had to be something about the way this case was presented that was suspicious," she said. "We're investigating," Coll added. "But I'm groping in the dark." Spokesperson for the Women's Law Project Sue Freitche said she thinks the ruling will "chill the [abortion foes'] violent lawlessness and brutal, assaultive activities." But College junior Walter Mancing, a pro-life advocate, said he does not disagree with the Court's ruling. He added, though, that Operation Rescue is only a minority in the pro-life movement. "I am very against abortion," Mancing said. "But I also believe violence and destruction against other people are inappropriate ways of expressing opinions," he said. Mancing added that he thought "a minority opinion won't become a majority opinion through violence." Penn Pro-Choice board member Lynda Kahn, a College junior, said Penn Pro-Choice is "thankful that the Supreme Court has recognized the need to protect the rights of women from being harassed." She said abortion foes should "protest by their words, not by physically preventing others to exercise their choice."