Anatomy of an abortion issues event

Mic'ed conversation suggests abortion opponents used graphic images to inflame crowd and gain media attention.

Protestors prayed for by anti-abortion advocate. Photo: Terrence McEachern

It’s Feb. 5, and protesters are outside the doors of Burke Theatre at SMU getting ready to storm the hall. These representatives of the Coalition for Choice are here to protest Jose Ruba’s lecture “Echoes of the Holocaust” where he draws comparison between the Holocaust and abortion.

Inside, Jose Ruba is speaking to Saint Mary’s University Chaplain Dan Kelly. Ruba is wearing a mic placed with his permission on his lapel by Zeb Qureshi, a reporter for the University of King’s College TV show, the Fax . Ruba and Kelly are discussing how they should proceed in regard to the abortion rights supporters forming outside the door. 

"They can (protest) outside,” says Kelly, his tone worried. “These ladies said you will be shouted down and no one will hear you.”

"Let them do that as long as we have video," says Ruba.

Ruba’s supporters have set up a video camera on the aisle on the right side to capture the event, where it would later become a 14-part video titled “Saint Mary's University Students Assaulted by Pro-Abortion Mob” where only a week after it would receive nearly 7,000 hits and 321 YouTube comments.

Ruba said (later) his Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform trains its speakers to "rationally defend what we believe in" because the message does  tend to attract controversy.

“I told you when it comes to things like this people aren’t going to show up if you think you are just talking about your favorite flavour of jelly bean,” says Ruba, just before beginning his speech to abortion rights supporters, barely audible enough to be picked up by the TV microphone. “That’s the whole point.”

Ruba is familiar with media strategies, having received a  bachelor of journalism and master’s in political science from Carleton University in Ottawa. 

 Shortly after his speech was drowned out by protesters’ slogans shouted from the back of the room, he turned to his supporters and assured them.

"This is good footage for us in terms of TV and media," whispered Ruba. "This is good news for us."

Upon reaching him after the speech, he agreed that his group had gained a lot of positive publicity for his cause.

"We had a good turnout at St. FX, I think, because of the events at SMU. We had about 80 people turn up, including silent protesters who were a little more respectful. In fact, we had a contingent of campus security come, many of whom would not have heard and seen the presentation without the events at SMU," says Ruba.

Rob Swick, an expert at online promotion and digital communications for AlphaSearch.ca, says protests can help the people groups are protesting and can create publicity for the very thing they are opposing.

"Of course he was using them,” says Swick. “People are so sophisticated, I have a whole bookshelf of books about how to trick your way into the media and get attention. Everyone is doing it. For example (Thursday) night on CNN the mayor of Las Vegas demanded an apology from (U.S. President Barack) Obama for making a comment about people not having enough money to go Las Vegas. Why would he want an apology from Obama?  He wanted press for how great Las Vegas was and this was his chance to get his issue out there.  Taking on Obama was his way of making a plea. When you see something like that you know it’s all strategic. That's the world. Of course he wanted them there, of course he wanted the press. Smart for him."

In YouTube comments, the abortion opponents claimed they felt victimized by the protest.  The U-News story on this event  received an emotional response from abortion opponents.

"I was there, and the behaviour of the protesters was atrocious,” says the person who only gave their name as pro life student. “Almost in tears, I told Jose that I am ashamed to share a campus with them. Even the president of Saint Mary's supported our lecture, as a right to freedom of speech.”

According to SMUSA President Chris MacDougall there is no sanctioned group opposing abortion at SMU and SMUSA learned of the talk the day before. About 10 minutes into the protest Kelly advised Ruba they should move to the Canadian Martyrs Church.  Refusing to leave, Ruba continued trying to give his speech. While students claimed he had no right to show graphic images, MacDougall says the student association prohibited only from showing the images outside of the room itself.

Over the protesters chanting: "Women's body's women's lives, we will not be terrorized,” Ruba spoke to Joseph Weston, student abortion opponent at SMU.  "Get the abortion video set up.” 

Once he showed the images of concentration camp victims, civil rights leaders with their faces shot, and aborted fetuses with human hands and eyes, the room exploded into an uproar. Protesters burst into tears. As police moved to stop the protesters from disrupting the speech, the chaplain whispered to Ruba that his presentation had to end or be moved to the Canadian Martyrs Church.  Kelly was apparently worried because police were threatening to arrest students and the school did not want the negative attention.

 "Jojo we are moving it," said Kelly.  "I warned you to avoid this very thing, OK. Let's not get into an argument. We are moving. Do you want to move or do you just want it wrapped up?"

Ruba said, “They beat us by doing this.”

Judging from local media coverage, Ruba gained more through having his lecture disrupted than he would have if the protesters had let him speak. 

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