On the campus of one of the most woke universities in the world, students are valiantly proclaiming the right to life.
In Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University is home to some of the greatest minds, elite scholars, and future leaders. Although initially founded upon strong Christian principles, the university is now like so many other institutions of higher learning, a breeding ground for extreme, woke ideologies and a culture that firmly pushes the idea of abortion as a fundamental right of women.
Departing from the woke agenda in this radical campus climate can get one demonized and cancelled. Still, courageous students are standing up for life.
Groups like Harvard Law Students for Life (HLSFL) and Harvard for Life go above and beyond to host events, engage with fellow students, and change the Harvard culture to one of life.
These groups are student-run, non-sectarian organizations dedicated to the principle that all human life has value and must be respected from conception.
“We are ultimately trying to change people’s hearts,” said the Harvard Law Students for Life President Owen Smitherman.
Smitherman said building the culture of life at Harvard University has been difficult, perhaps more so now after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. In recent months, the court’s decision has ignited “an angry temper” on campus in those who are pro-abortion.
New attacks on these pro-life groups have arisen, causing new obstacles for the Harvard pro-life groups to navigate.
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Most recently, pro-abortion students tried to get HLSFL banned from campus by attempting to falsely tie the group to a physical attack against a law student earlier this year.
On January 23, a Harvard Law student and member of the LGBTQ+ community was attacked by a fellow student outside Langdell Hall a few days before an HLSFL-sponsored pro-life event was scheduled to take place on campus.
The HLSFL group was hosting Notre Dame law professor Sherif Girgis, a prominent pro-life supporter who co-authored a book 2012 called What is Marriage and promotes the Biblical definition of marriage and family.
Following the heinous physical attack of the law student pro-abortion Harvard students leapt to tie Harvard Law Students for Life and its event with Girgis to the attack.
Smitherman denounced the act of violence on his fellow student and rejected the assertion of any tie between the act and HLSFL, also calling for civil discourse between opposing sides on the life issue.
“I simply think the effort to connect the two incidents is unreasonable and sad,” Smitherman said, “because it misses the true success of the productive dialogue between two sides during the event.”
Despite the challenges of a hostile climate and such targeting of pro-life groups on campus, Smitherman and other pro-life warriors have no intention of backing down.
“There are opportunities to share the importance of life every day, in every setting,” said Smitherman, referencing some of the pro-life discussions he has had with classmates, professors, and the community at Harvard.
He clarified as well that the right to life was a human right, not dependent on an argument involving faith.
“You are not required to be religious in any way to be pro-life,” Smitherman said.
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“There are solid secular arguments for the pro-life cause,” he said. “But one thing the Christian faith cares deeply about is the ‘least of these’ and the vulnerable. I think that cuts across current political lines.”
“The protection of an unborn life commands action,” said Smitherman, “commands activism for the vulnerable. It is hard to think of anyone who needs more protection than an unborn life.”
