REPORT: Abilene Christian University officials say calling abortion 'murder' is 'hate speech'

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this guest post are solely those of the author.

On Tuesday, October 14, 2025, Madelyne Arrowood and Lillee Dent were tabling at Abilene Christian University’s Wildcat Central campus center on behalf of their organization ACU for Life when they encountered opposition from a source they didn't expect.

According to ACU’s website, “Wildcat Central provides tables in the McGlothlin Campus Center for on-campus groups and outside organizations seeking to advertise, demonstrate, collect information or provide resources to ACU students on campus.” On ACU for Life’s table was a handwritten sign that read, “Abortion is Murder. Disagree? Let’s talk.” While the students were expecting their sign to generate discussion, they never thought that discussion would be with ACU’s own faculty. 

Lillee Dent was approached by John Mark Moudy, ACU’s Assistant Director of Student Services. His problem: Their sign reading “Abortion is Murder.” Moudy asked Dent to remove the sign.

Uncomfortable with the request, Dent deferred to ACU for Life’s president, Madelyne Arrowood. Moudy then went on to tell Arrowood the sign was an example of hate speech and needed to be removed. Arrowood pushed back, stating that she did not believe her sign was hate speech and that she did not wish to remove the sign. Moudy then went on to threaten Arrowood multiple times with disciplinary action if she did not remove the sign, but Arrowood refused. 

Moudy left and minutes later returned with his boss, Lyndi Felan, the Dean of Retention and Student Success. Agreeing with Moudy, Dean Felan called ACU for Life’s sign “hate speech” and demanded for Arrowood to remove the sign or face disciplinary action.

After a roughly three minute discussion, and sensing that the pushback centered upon the use of the word “murder,” Arrowood stated that she would write, “Abortion Kills Innocent Human Life” on a new piece of paper and an alternative message. Dean Felan agreed and left. 

The incident resulted in Ryan Richardson, ACU’s Vice President of Student Life, sending an email stating that tabling should not be used to “prompt discussions likely to create argument, tension, or division within our community. It is not appropriate for tabling to be used in ways, through signage or personal engagement, that invite confrontation or public debate.”

The students were informed that a new campus policy would be released on the subject on Monday, October 20. 

Later that evening, students came together to discuss the situation. Out of that meeting, a new organization was born – ACU for Free Speech. In explaining her reasoning for the formation of the organization, Arrowood shared:

“Student conversation and open debate is an important part of college, and conversation moderated by faculty is often canned as students are worried for their grades and unlikely to correct faculty that they may disagree with.”

The group started a petition in the community that quickly obtained over 700 signatures. 

In Lilith Fund for Reproductive Equity v. Dickson (2023) the Supreme Court of Texas recognized that calling abortion murder is protected free speech. The belief that abortion is murder is also part of the laws of the City of Abilene. In November 2022, voters in the City of Abilene adopted a Sanctuary City for the Unborn ordinance outlawing abortion. The local law states, “Abortion at all times and at all stages of pregnancy is declared to be an act of murder unless the mother’s life is in danger.”

Mark Lee Dickson is a Director with Right to Life Across Texas and the founder of the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn Initiative – a movement of cities and counties passing ordinances outlawing abortion at the local level.