Pro-life advocates stretched across Central Campus Thursday to form a “lifechain” between Curtiss and Beardshear Halls, while pro-choice supporters rallied for abortion rights.

About 50 people, some pro-life, some pro-choice, attended the rally.

Children waved small American flags and adults held large pro-life banners in red, white and blue to remember those who lost their lives in the recent acts of terrorism on the East Coast.

Students for Life members said another form of terrorism takes place each day in the wombs of mothers who choose to abort their children.

“[Abortion] is definitely an atrocity against humanity, because the unborn children that are being killed in the wombs of their mothers are people, too,” said Lisa Duppong, president of Students for Life.

Nancy Reilly, a member of Students for Life, said Thursday’s lifechain was formed to promote and respect each individual life from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death.

“We are here today to mourn the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist acts out East,” said Reilly, senior in management. “We’re also here to mourn for the 4,000-plus victims of abortion that die each day.”

Lifechain participants Tyson and Stephanie Ochsner, who brought their newborn daughter Audrey to the rally, said becoming parents has made them appreciate the true value of life.

“She was born almost eight weeks premature,” said Tyson Ochsner, graduate student in agronomy. “Audrey has been a real blessing in our lives. We think it’s important to protect these little ones who can’t protect themselves.”

Pro-choice demonstrators promoted their side of the abortion debate.

Dan Skinner, sophomore in mathematics, said it is not reasonable for the Students for Life organization to compare abortion to recent acts of terrorism.

“They’re trying to connect abortion with terrorism,” he said, “and it’s kind of a cheap ploy.”

Skinner and several other students brought large banners to the lifechain in support of abortion rights.

Duppong said her organization is a peaceful group that is not about promoting conflict.

“We want to say we’re very positively pro-life,” she said.

Students for Life was formed last winter to connect a large number of pro-life community members, said Duppong, graduate student in agronomy. The group became active this fall and has more than 100 members on its e-mail list, she said.

Duppong said there are misconceptions in the ISU community regarding the issue of abortion, and she said it is important for people to be educated about the basic right to life.

“I recognize the fact that true freedom and the right to life cannot be subject to personal choice and conveniences,” Duppong said. “Freedom cannot be sustained in a cultural climate based off of special interests and utilitarianism.”

Reilly said Ames has many places women facing a crisis pregnancy can turn to for help.

“There are other options out there besides abortion,” she said. “Think of the awful death those little babies suffer. They’re ripped apart.”

Members of Students for Life said rallies such as the lifechain help promote consciousness about the right to life of all individuals, Reilly said.

“Events like today bring awareness,” she said. “I think we have to be out here and make a statement. We can’t be silent.”