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		Points of View Bill Fink February 10, 2002 Guest Column and Photos © 2002 Bill Fink Published with Permission

Anti-abortion signs raise question, "What is obscene?"

HOUGHTON -- I continue to be troubled by the presence of the Planned Parenthood protesters and their use of such graphic and disturbing signs. I’ve thought about how best to respond.

Unidentified protesters display graphic anti-abortion signs in front of the Houghton Planned Parenthood Express office on Friday, February 1, 2002. Graphic details obscured for publication.

I’ve thought of joining them, wearing a small sign saying "pro choice" on one side, and with full frontal nude pictures of an adult man and woman on the back. I would stand in front of them, and make them look at the pictures, while I try to block their signs. If I kept the pictures small, and away from traffic,  at least children passing by in cars would not see mine. Any challenge of obscenity would lead to a wonderful juxtaposition of imagery -- just what is obscene?

I’ve thought of making a poster of one of their graphic signs, and then standing in front of Pastor Snyder’s church in Hancock, and other churches whose members participate in the protests, on Sunday mornings, so the people of that church could explain to their own children about the signs. 

I even thought of warning the congregation the signs would be out, so they could avoid bringing their own children to church that day. Of course, that would pit me against the interests of their children, a place down in the gutter where I’m unwilling to be. Again, though, this approach could trigger the meaningful discussion Hancock and Houghton city governments need to have about the protection of free speech.

It has been good to think those thoughts through, because it makes me realize what I most want is to learn more about what drives folks to make such insults to our community in the name of a cause.

I will be taking pictures of the protesters on the job, along with a head and shoulders shot of each one, and then interview each protester, asking a set of questions I’ve drawn up. Their answers might be insightful; their unwillingness to answer might be insightful. Knowing more about them might give members of the Keweenaw community better tools for us to discuss the impacts and appropriateness of their actions.

The column will feature a single protester profile, their head and shoulder picture, and a picture of them with their sign, though the picture  will be edited to obscure the most graphic imagery. Allowing the columns to accumulate in an archive will eventually provide a fascinating glimpse into their community, as we explore their  place in our broader Keweenaw community.

Learn more about the author of this guest column, Bill Fink.

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Note: Views expressed by our guest columnists are not necessarily the views of Keweenaw Now.