Professor calls pro-life images of fetuses 'child pornography

A pro-choice professor called images of fetuses used by pro-life organizations "child pornography" during a debate at Purdue University.

David Sanders, an associate biology professor at the Indiana school, squared off April 24 against Seth Drayer, director of training for the pro-life group Created Equal. And you might say Sanders has a flair for the dramatic.

Wearing a black hat tipped far back on his head, Sanders slowly walked up and down steps in the small lecture hall as he delivered his arguments.

David Sanders delivers his points during a debate at Purdue University. (Image source: YouTube screenshot)

Among them were that "the Bible does not tell you that abortion is murder" and that since between a third and two-fifths of "conception acts don't lead to a viable fetus, that makes God the greatest abortionist."

At one point he called out Drayer and said, "He thinks fetuses are children, and he belongs to an organization that likes to show images of fetuses,” adding that it's a "trademark" of pro-life groups.

“What would you call the public display of a butt-naked body of a child?” Sanders continued. “I would call that child pornography."

Image source: YouTube screenshot

"Do they have their permission? Do they have the permission of the fetus? Obviously not," Sanders pressed on. "Do they have the permission of the parents to show these images of children? Naked children?”

At that point numerous audience members piped up, saying Sanders in effect admitted that a fetus is "a child.”

“I didn’t admit it," Sanders shot back. "I was using [Drayer's] language. He thinks it’s a child. I do not ... if you want to enforce and protect First Amendment rights to allow you to show child pornography, have at it.”

Drayer later told the Liberty Conservative that Sanders' child-pornography assertion is "absurd."

"Federal law defines child pornography as ‘any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor.’ By all accounts, images of abortion victims do not even come close to meeting that definition,” Drayer told the outlet. “The displaying of images of dismembered preborn children in public have long been considered protected political speech by federal courts where displaying child pornography is a criminal act punishable with up to 30 years’ maximum in prison.”

Here's the debate video. The screen image shows Drayer speaking.  The relevant portion begins just after the 38-minute mark:

(H/T: Campus Reform)