GAP Display on UBC Campus

On Tuesday, March 9th, UBC's AMS Lifeline club brought the Genocide Awareness Project (GAP) to UBC campus. The GAP is a graphic display that juxtaposes brutal images of genocide and holocaust in Nazi Germany, Rwanda, and Cambodia with images of what purport to be aborted fetuses. In short, the GAP says that abortion is a holocaust, and uses the real experience of survivors and victims of genocide to sensationalize their anti-choice stance on abortion.

This year, UBC allowed the GAP to display their materials outside the Student Union Building where any and every student of or visitor to UBCincluding childrencould be exposed to these images with minimal warning, and no protection. The display is triggering and offensive to manyincluding women who have legally chosen abortion and survivors of genocide. This is inexcusable, and it is our position that the GAP should not be permitted to set up their display in such a public area again.

If UBC permits the GAP to return to our campus in coming years, we ask that the university take strict measures to control the nature of its presence here. UBC students have come up with the following requests in the event that GAP returns to our campus:

--That the GAP be forbidden from displaying their materials in any public area where students, children, or visitors to UBC may come upon them unawares. The GAP may set up their display in a closed environment (such as a classroom) where only those who choose to see the display will be exposed to the graphic materials.

--That the GAP be required to post warning signs around their closed area, stating that graphic images are contained within.

--That the GAP be required to pay the costs of whatever security UBC considers necessary during their visit. UBC student fees should not be used to enable a volatile outside group to display their hate speech unmolested. If the GAP chooses to bring this disturbing material to our campus, they should have to pay for whatever security issues their presence may create.

--That at least 2 months notice of the GAPs visit be given by UBC to student support programs and groups such as the AMS Womyns Centre, the AMS Equity Program, Access and Diversity, and Speakeasythese groups need to be given adequate time in order to provide the kind of support needed by UBC students in the wake of the GAPs visits to the campus.

--That the GAP display on UBC campus be limited to one day per year.

Whether or not to view these images must be each individuals informed choice.