Abortion documentary sparks controversy

2.25.10 / News / By David Hazlett

Emily Young and Valerie Michel stand outside of Hart Chapel in protest of Maafa 21's controversial presentation on Wednesday night. (Chantel Wilson / The Clarion Call)

CLARION, PA., Feb. 25- The Students for Life along with the NAACP and Minority Student Services Wednesday sponsored a showing of “Maafa 21: Black Genocide in 21st Century.”

This film is a documentary that exposes what it sees as the racist roots of the population control movement. Amy Denison, a junior and vice president of Students for Life, said, “People need to be informed on all the wrong that has been and is continuing to be committed against African-Americans.”

“So much gets swept under the rug, so to speak when people need to know the truth.” The documentary claims that all abortion and contraception in 21st America is a conspiracy of genocide against the black community.

The film goes into detail, which some seem to think is a conspiracy theory propagated by “pro-life” conservatives. Professor Thomas Rourke the advisor to SFL, said, “The video documents the history of racism in the eugenics population control movement. Many people are unaware of how influential this movement was. This film particularly exposes the offensive attitude of Margaret Sanger.”

Amy Denison speaks to students at Hart Chapel at Maafa 21's presentation Wednesday. (Chantel Wilson / The Clarion Call)

The film also focuses on the work of Margaret Sanger.

Sanger was the founder of Planned Parenthood and she pushed for the normalization of birth control in the United States.

Sanger was believed to be against abortion because she thought that the legalization of birth control would eliminate the need for abortion.

“I feel that abortion is a form of genocide because it was created, in the words of Margaret Sanger ‘weed out the African- American race,’ and I would call that genocide,” said Denison Planned Parenthood is racist.

Although Margaret Sanger was racist and that she was wrong in that respect, this does not mean that a women’s decision to use birth control or to terminate a pregnancy is somehow a racist genocide plot, and does not mean that modern-day, according to a handout given by the FMLA.

One group that disagreed with the film and its viewing was the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance. “I believe FMLA is against this because they are for abortion and a women’s right to choose, and the end of the video connects abortion as being genocide of the African-American population.

They feel genocide is not the correct word to use for abortion and they support Planned Parenthood and this exposes their history and gives them a bad name,” said Denison.

“I think that it is OK they are showing this film, but when it comes to the advertising, the movie itself is misleading.

Genocide and abortion are two completely different issues, and this film will turn people away from Planned Parenthood, when they do great things,” said Kelly Surgalski, a member of the FMLA.

The FMLA representatives said the posters around campus were misleading and could have made people go to the viewing for the wrong reasons.

“Those who just looked at the poster took it as a genocide documentary, an actual genocide documentary,” said Surgalski.

The FMLA representatives at the viewing said they feel that the film sponsors were trying to take a stand about abortion and make the black community aware of what is possible going on.

Both groups want viewers to take something different out of the documentary.

Denison wants viewers to know the truth of the birth control movement beginnings and the history of the African-American population.

On the other side of this heated debate, Surgalski wants viewers to understand the difference between genocide and abortion, and how they should not be placed within the same category.

David Hazlett is a staff features writer for The Call.

Tags: Abortion, Campus Events, Campus News, FMLA, Minority Student Services, Students for Life |