By Thaddeus M. Baklinski
ST. JOHN’S, November 6, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – In a move that will inspire other university pro-life groups across the country, the president of Memorial University of Newfoundland’s pro-life club (MUN For LIFE), Patrick Hanlon, has gained a seat on the university’s Student Union by acclamation.
As reported in LifeSiteNews previously, the board of directors of Memorial University of Newfoundland Students’ Union (MUNSU) denied official club status to Memorial University of Newfoundland Students for Life.
In that report Hanlon indicated that the main arguments used to deny club status were that MUNSU is a member of the officially “pro-choice” Canadian Federation of Students (CFS). Further since most of the MUNSU officers had identified themselves at the meeting as “pro-choice”, they felt they could not approve a group in opposition to their beliefs.
Hanlon commented on the ruling saying that it “signaled the death of free speech on a university campus.”
In a report by Memorial’s student newspaper, The Muse, Hanlon said of his success in the election, “I like to think of the old adage ‘If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.’ But that does not apply in this case. The conflict is still alive and well and this conflict is not resolved. There is more to come. We, MUN for Life continue our struggle for fair and equal treatment by MUNSU.”
In a letter to the editor of The Muse, a student expressed profound disappointment with the decision to deny ratification to MUN For Life. Though describing himself as in favour of legalized abortions, he said the lack of tolerance for a differing opinion was disturbing.
“Denying MUN For Life equal opportunity to express their position on abortion, and thereby enlivening debate on this issue, is not a move in favour of critical thought, but one more way in which the students of MUN are being asked to stop thinking and take someone else’s word for it,” he said.
While he will have numerous other student issues to deal with in his position on the Student Union, Hanlon said he will continue to fight for the recognition of the Pro-Life group on campus.
“I am now in an interesting position to lobby on behalf of MUN For Life,” Hanlon said.
Read previous LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Newfoundland University Denies Club Status to Pro-Life Group
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/sep/07092805.html