They’re on opposite sides of the abortion debate. But they’re not talking to each other

The nationwide debate over abortion rights has made its way to Macon, and both anti-abortion and abortion-rights activists weighed in on the issue this week. But the two sides of the discussion mostly kept to themselves.

Downtown, about 20 demonstrators gathered along Walnut Street Tuesday afternoon for a prayer vigil protesting a planned medical clinic that would offer abortions. At Mercer University, members of a gender equality student group spent the afternoon asking classmates to sign a petition to promote abortion rights.

Both events were peaceful and fairly small in scale. But they reveal a growing divide within a community that could soon have access to abortion services for the first time in decades.

Summit Medical Centers announced plans this spring to open a low-cost women’s health center at 833 Walnut St., spurring protests and a lawsuit from nearby tenants who feared the abortion clinic would hurt business. Demonstrators from the Kolbe Center for Life and other local anti-abortion groups now frequent the lot on Walnut Street, holding signs that read, “Abortion is murder,” and “Jesus Forgives.”

They want women to know they have other options.

“You don’t have to choose abortion if you have an unwanted pregnancy,” said Ann Beall, director of the Kolbe Center. “There are centers like mine — the Kolbe Center — here in the community that offer hope and health for women and their families every day.”

Macon Bishop Emmett Bright thinks the center would make abortion too easily accessible to local residents.

“If they wanted to pursue such a choice, let’s make it where they have to go a distant place,” he said. “Not here where we live.”

Tuesday’s vigil came about in response to recent pro-choice activism on Mercer’s campus, said student Mikaela Pavin.

“With all of the movements going on, we wanted to make sure that our voice was heard, too,” said Pavin, a member of Mercer Students for Life.

She was the only group member in attendance.

Pavin said it can be hard to talk about her beliefs, but students at Mercer tend to be open to discussion, even when their opinions differ.

Other students disagreed.

“We’re not here to change minds,” said Mercer senior Emily Cuarenta, former president of the group that organized Tuesday’s petition signing to promote abortion rights. “We were just here to show support for people who already support.”

It’s hard to reach people who already have a stance, she said.

Cuarenta doesn’t know how to start a conversation with those who don’t share her views about abortion. It can feel like comparing apples to oranges, she said.

“People will use different terminology,” Cuarenta said. “I’ll talk about pregnancy and fetus, while they’ll talk about babies and murder. And they’ll talk about religion.”

Cuarenta said her student group, Fighting for Our Rights and Gender Equality, tried to work with Mercer Students for Life a few years ago to install baby changing stations in several bathrooms on campus. But the partnership quickly fell through.

The groups tried to put their differences aside, but Cuarenta eventually felt she could no longer “agree to disagree.” Her counterparts were spreading misinformation, she said. They haven’t communicated since.

Pavin said she hoped to have more open discussions about abortion with her classmates. But in the meantime, she stood in line with the other demonstrators on Walnut Street, holding a small, homemade sign.

Angel Goodwin stood a few feet down, hoisting her poster high. But she didn’t want to speak. She hadn’t come to debate.

“We need more prayers,” Goodwin said. “Not just talk.”

Samantha Max is a Report for America corps member and reports for The Telegraph with support from the News/CoLab at Arizona State University. Follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/smax1996 and on Twitter @samanthaellimax. Learn more about Report for America at www.reportforamerica.org.

This story was originally published October 17, 2018 at 9:16 AM.