Posted on 04/12/2003 9:50:31 PM PDT by Coleus
For many years the Susan G. Komen Foundation has been collecting money to help breast cancer victims. It has also been giving almost $500,000 a year to Planned Parenthood. Despite repeated educational attempts by pro-lifers across the country, Komen has refused to end its relationship with Planned Parenthood. Komen's main source of income is its "Race for the Cure" events that are held across the country. These events get ordinary citizens to raise money for the organization.
Given its long-time connection with Planned Parenthood, we ask all of you to have no involvement with the Komen Foundation and to discourage others from helping it. Documentation on the involvement of Planned Parenthood and Komen can be found on the web site of Pro-Life Waco, an American Life League associate group dedicated to fighting Planned Parenthood.
A creative alternative to Komen
Many people want to help breast cancer victims and wonder what they can do besides giving to the Komen Foundation. We received the following announcement from Barbara Myers of Pro-Life Waco. It is a creative answer to the question. We pass it on so you might consider similar actions in your own communities:
Dear pro-life friends,We have been encouraging you to let Susan G. Komen of Central Texas know of your displeasure at their relationship with Planned Parenthood of Central Texas. In the name of helping needy women receive mammography, Komen's unnecessary grant of $45,000 to Planned Parenthood helps them to appear as a caring medical facility instead of the evil abortion business that they really are. Many pro-lifers have responded in amazing ways.
Donna and Wayne Garner have taken a lemon and turned it into lemonade. Recently, their friend's wife passed away from breast cancer. Kathy was a truly pro-life Christian woman. After hearing of a team running in the Komen Race for the Cure in Kathy's name, they went into action. Discouraging all those who signed up from running in her name, they found the perfect way to memorialize Kathy and help other women fight breast cancer without supporting Planned Parenthood. Donna and Wayne contacted the Hillcrest Hospital Department of Development and set up a memorial account in Kathy's name. The money will be used for mammograms for women who do not have the ability to pay. Many people make the mistake of thinking that Susan G. Komen is the only source of helping and treating women with breast cancer. The Komen organization grows fatter each year and refuses to inform women of the abortion/breast cancer link while partnering with Planned Parenthood abortion facilities.Here is your alternative to help women in your own community!
Pro-Life Waco will start with a donation of $100. We encourage you to join us and encourage all your friends to donate. We will take away Komen's last feeble excuse that Planned Parenthood is their only hope of reaching out to needy women. Thank you for all your efforts to raise awareness of the sacredness and beauty of all human life. Rather than curse the darkness, we will never stop lighting candles for life. Please forward to your friends.
Hillcrest Health Foundation
P.O. Box 5100
Waco, TX 76708
Phone: 254-202-4560
Mark your check to "Kathy Verett Memorial Account - Breastscreening "God bless you,
Barbara Myers
Pro-Life Waco
bmyers@prolifewaco.org
Judge orders Planned Parenthood paid with our money
Here is the scenario. State lawmakers in Idaho pass a law that requires parental notification when a minor seeks an abortion. Planned Parenthood of Idaho does not want parents involved and files a lawsuit to overturn the law. Planned Parenthood, which nationally receives one third of its income from the American taxpayer, spends over $580,000 on lawyers and eventually gets the law declared unconstitutional.
Then, Planned Parenthood sues to get the taxpayers of Idaho to pay for its lawyers. This week, U.S. District Judge Mikel Williams ruled that the state must pay more than $380,000 of Planned Parenthood's attorney fees. This is ridiculous! Let's stop all taxpayer money going to Planned Parenthood and we will not have to put up with these lawsuits that keep parents out of their children's lives. Sign our petition online.
Rapid City pro-lifers send Planned Parenthood scurrying for place to hold news conference
Recently Planned Parenthood scheduled news conferences in both Sioux Falls and Rapid City, South Dakota. The purpose of the news conferences was to announce the beginning of a drive to collect signatures to force a ballot referendum to overturn South Dakota's new law that bans all medical and surgical abortions in the state. Planned Parenthood first scheduled its news conference in a government and school administrative building in Rapid City. When local pro-lifers were alerted to this, they made calls to officials the day before the scheduled news conference and got it cancelled. Planned Parenthood scurried and announced the news conference would take place at a local senior citizens center. The morning of the news conference, pro-lifers again made phone calls and alerted the management of the senior citizens center and again, the news conference was cancelled.
Planned Parenthood scurried again and made last-minute arrangements, and finally held the news conference in a local hotel. When pro-lifers contacted the hotel management after the event, the hotel apologized. They said they were not aware of the purpose of the news conference and that they would not rent a room for such a purpose again. Congratulations to the pro-lifers in Rapid City for their outstanding work and persistence. Planned Parenthood is going to have a real tough time convincing South Dakotans to overturn their new abortion law. At the invitation of these same pro-lifers, STOPP's Jim Sedlak will be speaking in Rapid City on April 28. We look forward to seeing all our friends again.
What is Planned Parenthood hiding?
Planned Parenthood Federation of America still has not issued its 2004-2005 annual report. Although it has made public its service numbers, Planned Parenthood has not released any federation-wide financial numbers. Historically, these numbers have been made public in December of each year. It is now April and we have yet to see any financial data from Planned Parenthood. What are they trying to hide? It is time to demand these numbers. We ask you all to contact your elected officials and ask them to go to Planned Parenthood and ask for the 2004-2005 financial data for the entire federation.
We ask you all to go to local reporters and ask them to get the same data and, if Planned Parenthood refuses, ask them to investigate what Planned Parenthood is trying to hide. An organization that, in 2003-2004, received 33 percent of its income from the American taxpayer should not be allowed to operate in the dark. Demand to know what Planned Parenthood is hiding. It is your right.
Planned Parenthood to indoctrinate kids through Nobody’s Fool conference
On July 25 Planned Parenthood of Waco will be introducing elementary and middle school aged children into a sexually addictive lifestyle during its Nobody’s Fool conference. Planned Parenthood has held this conference for the past 18 years and reports around 500 children attend the event each year, many from local youth organizations and even churches. Planned Parenthood claims that the conference “encourages abstinence, promotes parent-child communication and gives medically accurate and age-appropriate facts about sexuality issues.” The reality is that Planned Parenthood promotes “confidential services” and routinely hides health information from the parents of minors. Planned Parenthood’s idea of “medically accurate, age-appropriate facts” involves the use of It’s Perfectly Normal, a book that shows graphic depictions of sex acts to children as young as 10 years old and was given to the kids at these conferences in past years.
Thankfully, groups like Pro-Life Waco are diligently at work to expose Planned Parenthood’s attack on the innocence of our children. In addition to letters to the editor, interviews with local media and a peaceful, prayerful presence outside of the conference, this year Pro-Life Waco is distributing yard signs and billboards that read, “Chastity first. Don’t become Planned Parenthood’s fool.” We congratulate the people of Pro-life Waco for being a voice for the children of Texas, both born and pre-born, and ask that you join us in praying for their continued success in their community.
Students get field trip to Planned Parenthood abortion clinic
In a wonderful turn of events, there’s a clear message emerging from a New Hampshire incident where students were taken on a field trip to Planned Parenthood: being involved with Planned Parenthood can be dangerous to your program and your job.
First, let’s quickly tell you what happened:
Last week, middle school students from the Manchester [N.H.] School District were brought to a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic to be given a presentation by PP staff. The field trip was part of the STAY program, which is intended for at risk youth and run by the local YMCA.
Local pro-lifers from New Hampshire Right to Life who were praying and counseling outside of the clinic were the first to report this scandal to the community. NHRL noted that the students were instructed not to speak with pro-lifers or take any literature given to them, but the youth walked out of the clinic carrying pamphlets from Planned Parenthood.
When New Hampshire Right to Life made the news of this event public, there was a groundswell of outrage from parents. Within two weeks, the following actions were taken:
Because of the quick, decisive action by members of New Hampshire Right to Life, the local politicians saw that they had no choice but to act quickly to bring this incident to an end.
The message to the community from this incident is: Planned Parenthood is a controversial organization and should be avoided. The message to educators and social workers is: stay away from Planned Parenthood, it brings controversy and could cost you your job. The message to pro-lifers is: be present in front of Planned Parenthood as often as possible. If NHRTL had not been there, this whole affair would have gone unnoticed and unreported. Also, if you uncover an incident like this, do not be quiet. Shout it from the rooftops!
Youth hold 60-day prayer vigil at California Planned Parenthood
A supporter of American Life League recently forwarded us an e-mail from Survivors, a youth oriented pro-life group based in California. The e-mail stated that beginning on June 1, young adults from Fountain Valley Methodist Church began standing in front of Planned Parenthood in Westminster. To date there are nine people participating in a peaceful, prayerful protest that will take place every day for 60 days. By the fourth day it was already clear that Planned Parenthood’s business was being affected by this protest. Planned Parenthood set up its own "counter propaganda" booth outside with “free goodies” and called in extra workers to make it look like their clinic was a fun place to be.
The young pro-lifers have already reported great fruits and tremendous support from the community. One passerby noticed the signs the pro-lifers held and admitted that he had never seen what an abortion actually did to a pre-born child. He had been apathetic about abortion but after seeing the sign became immediately passionate against it. Even greater fruits can come from this 60-day prayer and visibility event if more people get involved. The protests will continue every day until the end of July in front of the Planned Parenthood at 14372 Beach Blvd. in Westminster. If you are interested in getting involved contact Pastor Dan Nehrbass by calling 949-533-3853 or write DNehrbass@verizon.net. If you or your group holds regular protests against Planned Parenthood, please contact us by writing to STOPP@ALL.org so that you can be added to the national Planned Parenthood protest list.
Planned Parenthood wins, then loses, in Philadelphia
It seemed like a real victory for Planned Parenthood. On June 7, the Philadelphia City Council approved a resolution introduced by Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown. The resolution proclaimed that Philadelphia was a "Pro-Choice City" which supports "women's reproductive rights and freedom" and defends "the right to choose a legal and safe abortion as a final but critical option for women." "We wanted to make it clear this city cares about pro-choice," Reynolds Brown said after the vote, and noted that she introduced the legislation at the request of Planned Parenthood. She also reported saying, “At the end of the day, we decide what we want the city to look like and be about.” How outrageous that a city official would take instruction from a big business like Planned Parenthood and misrepresent the good people of Philadelphia.
Immediately after the news was released of the 9-8 vote, Cardinal Justin Rigali, the Archbishop of Philadelphia, released a statement that condemned the decision and urged “people of good will to reject the divisive and erroneous label that Philadelphia City Council has forced upon the citizens of Philadelphia." The cardinal’s letter also said, "Philadelphia is experiencing homicide at a record rate; now is not the time to affirm the false choice of procured abortion.” The CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania responded to Cardinal Rigali’s letter by stating, “What's shameful is to equate reproductive rights with homicide.” Well, the tempest raged for seven days. In reconsidering the resolution on June 14, the council reversed itself by a vote of 13-4. In the end, Planned Parenthood lost. Praise God!
Cardinal Rigali issued the following statement: "I applaud the members of Philadelphia City Council who worked to rescind last week's troubling resolution." He said, "The members who supported today's resolution are to be commended for reflecting carefully upon this issue and showing the courage to revisit it." Planned Parenthood will be trying this stunt in large and small communities all across the country. Please educate your elected officials that this is just an attempt by Planned Parenthood to bolster its own morale as it is closing clinics and watching its clinic income decline. We also encourage you to contact Cardinal Rigali and congratulate him for his courageous public letter and instruction to the faithful of Philadelphia. Cardinal Rigali’s e-mail address is: archbish@adphila.org.
Planned Parenthood will be barred from schools in Missouri
Planned Parenthood is upset. There is a bill waiting for Missouri Governor Matt Blunt’s signature that specifically prohibits public school districts from working with groups that provide abortion services or referrals. The Joplin Globe reported that “Part of House Bill 1055, sponsored by Rep. Therese Sander, R-Moberly, allows school districts to continue to teach abstinence-based sex education but effectively kicks out Planned Parenthood, said Kellie Rohrbaugh, director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood of Southwest Missouri.” Missouri has long been the leader in states trying to take away Planned Parenthood tax funding; now it is the leader in trying to keep Planned Parenthood from having access to our children.
We encourage all states to look at implementing similar measures. The governor is expected to sign the bill. The Globe reported that “Rohrbaugh also noted that Planned Parenthood has never been an abortion provider in Joplin or Springfield, but because of the bill’s language, Planned Parenthood is preparing for its relationship with the St. Louis and Kansas City school districts to be revoked.” Praise God!
Planned Parenthood temporarily shuts down abortion facility in Wisconsin
We received the following good news from Pro-Life Wisconsin, an American Life League Associate group. Pro-Life Wisconsin has been focused on fighting Planned Parenthood for years and has had many successes. Here is its latest:
At least for the time being, no babies are dying in what has been one of Wisconsin’s most notorious abortion centers. Members of Pro-Life Wisconsin’s Calumet, Winnebago and Fond du Lac County affiliates who routinely pray and sidewalk counsel in front of the Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Grand Chute just North of Appleton reported the abortion facility will be closed for at least the next four to six weeks.
Details remain sketchy, but apparently the notorious abortionist Gary Prohaska had been flying in from Oregon to commit abortions at the Grand Chute clinic. About a year ago, abortionist Prohaska cut his number of hours at the clinic in half, and the clinic has been struggling ever since to find someone willing to fill his bloody shoes. According to Mark Gabriel, who heads up the Calumet County affiliate of Pro-Life Wisconsin, at least four abortionists in addition to Prohaska have been seen coming and going from the clinic in recent months – but none has stayed for very long.
It has been no secret that Planned Parenthood and other abortion corporations have had an increasingly difficult time finding abortionists. While killing children in utero may be fiscally rewarding, the stigma that exists in the medical community and the general public, as well as the psychological impact associated with taking human life, keeps most physicians from wanting anything to do with abortion. Very few endure the rigors of medical school, residency and other extra training with the desire of becoming known as the town abortionist.
Even though the closing of the Planned Parenthood facility appears to be temporary, pro-lifers in the Fox Valley and around the state will continue to pray that the abortion center in Grand Chute will remain closed permanently. In the meantime, we should all praise God for each child’s life that is spared every day the clinic remains closed.
Planned Parenthood releases latest annual report
During the last week the Planned Parenthood Federation of America released its 2005–2006 annual report (http://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/who-we-are/annual-report.htm). The annual report presents the “service data” (abortions, birth control sales, etc) for the calendar year 2005 and the “financial data” for the fiscal year July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006. Planned Parenthood had released the service data a few weeks ago and we reported on it in the May 2 issue of the WSR. In this week’s Wednesday STOPP Report we will bring you a full analysis of the financial data and summarize the service data.
Overall Planned Parenthood financial data
Planned Parenthood’s income can be roughly divided into three major categories: clinic income (fees charged customers at the clinics); taxpayer money (grants and contracts from federal, state and local government); and donations (gifts from corporations, foundations and individuals).
For 2005-2006, Planned Parenthood reported the following income amounts:
Clinic income $345.1 million
Taxpayer $ $305.3 million
Donations $212.2 million
Other $ 40.2 million
Total income $902.8 million
Total expenses $847.0 million
Profit ………… $ 55.8 million
This compares to the following numbers reported for 2004-2005:
Clinic income $346.8 million
Taxpayer $ $272.7 million
Donations $215.8 million
Other $ 46.7 million
Total income $882.0 million
Total expenses $819.0 million
Profit ………… $ 63.0 million
Clearly it was a good overall year for Planned Parenthood. Total income went up 2.4 percent, passing $900 million for the first time. The organization continued to make a hefty profit of $55 million, bringing its total profits since 1987 to $656.8 million. But further analysis reveals some potential trouble spots for Planned Parenthood.
Clinic income declines for first time—ever!
As can be seen from the data above, the fees Planned Parenthood collects directly from customers at its clinics are the largest single source of Planned Parenthood’s revenue. They accounted for 38.2 percent of its total income in this latest report and 39.3 percent of the total last year. In fact, except for one year when Planned Parenthood got a $75 million gift from the estate of one of its donors, clinic income has accounted for over one-third of PP’s total income every year since 1987.
This year, clinic income actually went down from last year. As the numbers above show, it declined $1.7 million. Although this is not a very large decline, it is the first year-to-year decline for Planned Parenthood in over 50 years. Now, remember that this data is one year old. It is for the fiscal year at Planned Parenthood that ended on June 30, 2006. This data will give you a good understanding of what has been happening at Planned Parenthood this last year. Remember all the free giveaways of emergency contraception? Well, it was obviously Planned Parenthood’s attempt to lure more customers to its clinics to drive up its clinic income. Clearly PP wants to increase its clinic revenue and increase its customer base. It’s pulling out all the stops.
This data should encourage all who fight Planned Parenthood in your community every day. Planned Parenthood is hurting. It is closing down clinics faster than it can open new ones and its clinic income is down. Read the numbers and take heart. God has provided us with this glimpse of the effect of our work and now is the time to rededicate ourselves to a tireless fight against PP. Planned Parenthood can be defeated. It is not invincible. If we are faithful to God’s call, He will triumph.
Donations also down
The numbers in this year’s annual report also show that the donations to Planned Parenthood were down over the year. This is not as dramatic as the clinic numbers as donations rise and fall from year to year. You can be sure that Planned Parenthood is going out to the corporations and foundations trying to get every penny it can. The fact that the numbers are down is a real tribute to the efforts of Life Decisions International (www.fightpp.org) and its corporate boycott list. We must keep the pressure on these corporations and American Life League wholeheartedly endorses the work of Life Decisions International. We encourage everyone to subscribe to the boycott list and use it to make purchasing decisions.
Taxpayer dollars up
Planned Parenthood is not wanted by the majority of the American public. Its declining clinic numbers show that. Its declining clinic income shows that. Its declining donations show that. Everyone is getting the message: stay away from Planned Parenthood. Everyone, that is, except our elected officials. Planned Parenthood’s annual report shows a staggering $34.6 million increase in taxpayer money going to the organization. Government officials have now given over $3.5 billion of our money to Planned Parenthood just since 1987. We all have been working hard over the last few years to cut off the flow of taxpayer money. What this report shows is that we must push even harder. Planned Parenthood is working throughout the country to increase its taxpayer funds at every level. It feels it is entitled to our tax money. This latest annual report shows you why. Without the increase in taxpayer funds, Planned Parenthood would have had an overall decline in income this year.
So, in an effort to rededicate and direct our strength, we need everyone in the country who is upset with Planned Parenthood to sign the official stop PP tax funding petition at www.StopPlannedParenthoodTaxFunding.com. Although there are several petitions on the internet, this is the one that is monitored by the national office of American Life League and the one we can use to help local people in their efforts against Planned Parenthood. Please ask every one of your friends to sign this petition. They can sign even if they have signed one of the other petitions; and don’t worry about signing it twice, the software will catch duplicate signatures. The flow of 300 million taxpayer dollars to Planned Parenthood has to be stopped. Please take action today. Since our elected officials won’t do their job, it’s up to us.
We provided you with an analysis of Planned Parenthood service numbers in the May 2 Wednesday STOPP Report. You can see this and all back issues at http://www.all.org/stopp/report.htm. When Planned Parenthood released the data earlier, it reported a record number of abortions at its facilities: 264,943. That’s 5,095 every week. But it did not release any data for its adoption referrals. Last year is did just 1,414 adoption referrals—that’s 180 abortions for every one adoption. We were waiting for the new annual report to get this year’s number. Well, Planned Parenthood did not include any figures on adoption referrals in its new report. So much for Planned Parenthood pushing all options for mothers. We can only assume that the number was so low that Planned Parenthood didn’t want to embarrass itself by revealing it. Planned Parenthood is about killing babies, not about adoption.
Planned Parenthood’s actual numbers
Listed below are the numbers reported by Planned Parenthood in its annual report. We have created a document giving all the Planned Parenthood numbers for the last five years. If you would like a copy of this five-year document, just send an e-mail to STOPP@ALL.org and put the word “PP statistics” in the subject line.
Planned Parenthood’s latest data:
|
Fiscal Year |
2005/06 |
|
INCOME ($ in Millions): |
|
|
Clinic Income |
345.1 |
|
Government Grants and Contracts |
305.3 |
|
Private Contributions & Bequests |
212.2 |
|
Other |
33 |
|
Guttmacher Institute |
7.2 |
|
TOTAL INCOME |
902.8 |
|
EXPENSES ($ in Millions): |
|
|
Medical Services |
548.1 |
|
Sexuality Education |
46.1 |
|
Public Policy |
45.2 |
|
Services to Affiliates |
23.5 |
|
U.S. Family Planning |
18.9 |
|
International Family Planning |
8.2 |
|
Management & General |
102.6 |
|
Fundraising |
42.9 |
|
Payments to Related Organizations |
2.3 |
|
Guttmacher Institute |
9.2 |
|
TOTAL EXPENSES |
847 |
|
PROFIT ($ in Millions) |
55.8 |
|
|
|
|
Calendar Year |
2005 |
|
PPFA "SERVICES" |
|
|
Abortion Procedures |
264,943 |
|
Contraception, Women |
2,399,671 |
|
Contraception, Men |
80,411 |
|
Emergency Contraception Kits |
1,245,506 |
|
Male Sterilizations |
2,407 |
|
Female Sterilizations |
554 |
|
Infertility |
248 |
|
Colposcopy Procedures |
44,353 |
|
Cryotherapy Procedures |
3,566 |
|
HIV testing, Women |
188,424 |
|
HIV testing, Men |
62,300 |
|
HIV testing, Gender not reported |
29,865 |
|
Primary Care |
21,739 |
|
Midlife clients |
14,163 |
|
Breast Exams/Breast Care |
844,201 |
|
Pregnancy Tests |
1,040,803 |
|
Prenatal Clients |
12,548 |
|
LOOP/LEEP Procedures |
2,836 |
|
STI [sic] Procedures, Women & Men |
2,610,069 |
|
Other Services, Women |
63,677* |
|
Other Services, Men |
63,677* |
|
Total Unduplicated Clients |
3,051,144 |
|
REFERRALS: |
|
|
Adoption Referrals to Other Agencies |
no report |
|
Breast Exams/Breast Care |
no report |
|
Female Sterilization Referrals |
no report |
|
Male Sterilization Referrals |
no report |
Catholic university honors Planned Parenthood director at graduation
On June 2, John Yarmuth, a pro-abortion congressman in Kentucky, spoke at the 2007 commencement ceremony for Spalding University. Spalding University claims to be “rooted in the Catholic tradition,” but invited Yarmuth to speak at the school’s commencement and receive an honorary doctorate. Local pro-lifers complained to the Archdiocese of Louisville, but the archdiocese refused to try and stop Yarmouth’s appearance. STOPP received a report from one local pro-lifer that he was told that, because Yarmouth is not Catholic, the archdiocese didn’t see a reason to cancel the planned event. This answer came despite John Paul II’s message in The Gospel of Life of the obligation to defend human life: “This task is the particular responsibility of civil leaders . . . No one can ever renounce this responsibility, especially when he or she has a legislative or decision-making mandate.” In addition to being a pro-abortion congressman, John Yarmuth also is a member of the board of directors of Planned Parenthood of Louisville. Well, despite protests, the event went ahead last Saturday. It was reported to STOPP that, as Yarmouth was delivering his talk from the podium, Archbishop Thomas Cajetan Kelly, O.P. was seated on the stage behind him. The presence of a Catholic bishop at a speech given by a director of Planned Parenthood held at a Catholic university is tremendously scandalous. Who knows how many people may be confused about the teachings of the Church if they feel that the archbishop and the Catholic university endorsed Yarmuth and his pro-abortion ideologies?
We encourage you to contact Archbishop Kelly and politely remind him that “Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense” (CCC #2272) and to reiterate the 2004 statement from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops which stated, "The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles.” Ask that he issue a letter of apology to the Catholic community of Louisville and that he take steps to ensure there will be no repeat of this horrible affair. Archbishop Kelly can be reached by calling 502-585-3291 or e-mailed at chancery@archlou.org.
We also encourage you to contact Spalding University and insist that the school never again so scandalize the Church by inviting members of Planned Parenthood or any pro-abortion figures to speak or receive honorary degrees at their school. Dr. JoAnn Rooney, the president of Spalding, can be reached by calling 502-585-9911 ext. 2200 or e-mailed at jrooney@spalding.edu.
Planned Parenthood will continue to throw its political weight around
Last week, several pro-abortion groups and individuals attended the National Coalition Meeting for Causes in Common, a group that seeks to combine the forces of homosexual and pro-abortion organizations. One of the individuals who attended the meeting wrote briefly about it in a post on Feministing, a pro-abortion blog. In her blog she passed on what she felt was “the quote of the morning.” She said that the director of government relations for Planned Parenthood Federation of America, in regard to politicians that oppose Planned Parenthood’s philosophies said, "I want to spank these people, and I want them to know that if they go against us, we will go against them."
STOPP tried to get a copy of the quote from conference organizers, but we were told that the conference was closed. Although talks were taped, Causes in Common emphasized to attendees the importance of confidentiality so it would not provide a copy of the quote. Since we have no reason to believe that the blogger, who is a supporter of Planned Parenthood, made up the quote, we present it here as an illustration of the Planned Parenthood mentality concerning elected officials.
New Planned Parenthood facility
Planned Parenthood of Indiana has opened a new 3,000 sq.ft. facility at 3570 N. Meridian St. in Indianapolis; only five blocks north of its previous location. This new facility is part of a program that PP has undertaken to upgrade its operation statewide to the tune of $7 million. The funding drive for this expansion and renovation of PP’s facilities in Indiana has already raised approximately $5 million. In addition to the donation of private citizens, the Kresge Foundation, an organization whose motto is “stronger nonprofits, stronger communities,” agreed to bestow a grant of $750,000 to Planned Parenthood of Indiana if PP raises the remaining $2 million by the end of the year. STOPP has worked for years with pro-lifers in Indiana and had the privilege of praying with them outside the old PP abortion facility in Indianapolis. We know these dedicated people will continue their opposition to PP at its new killing center. We look forward to the day when we can join them on the streets in front of the new facility and to the time when we can celebrate the closing of all PP facilities in Indiana. We also encourage our readers to contact the Kresge Foundation and voice your outrage over their grant to Planned Parenthood. Write the foundation and make them aware of how bad Planned Parenthood is for our communities, how it kills babies, hurts women and indoctrinates children into perverse lifestyles. The Kresge Foundation can be reached by calling 248-643-9630 or writing to infor@kresge.org.
Planned Parenthood plans for the future
In the Wednesday STOPP Report, we bring you short news items about Planned Parenthood and what people across the country are doing to fight them. Although this will keep you abreast of what is going on with PP, sometimes a more detailed article is needed. These articles appear in American Life League’s Celebrate Life magazine. The latest issue of Celebrate Life features "None dare call it a conspiracy" by Jim Sedlak. It’s about Planned Parenthood’s plans to control people’s real reproductive rights and how the Gardasil shots figure into those plans. “None dare call it a conspiracy” is on the magazine’s homepage: www.CLmagazine.org. Or you can distribute it directly with:
http://clmagazine.org/backissues/2007mayjune_18-21nonedarecallitaconspiracy.pdf While you’re at the web site, why not subscribe to the magazine? For less than $13 a year, you’ll get all Celebrate Life articles about Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood denies being abortion giant
Last week, a reader of the Wednesday STOPP Report forwarded an e-mail in which Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards denied an accusation by a political strategist that Planned Parenthood is the most radical pro-abortion group in the country. While American Life League does not take any positions on any political candidates, we must comment when the truth is assailed, which is precisely what Cecile Richards has done. According to Planned Parenthood’s own data, it committed 264,943 abortions in its own business facilities during 2005. It did this by operating the nation’s largest abortion chain—with 232 medical and surgical abortion facilities across the country—and continually fighting for the so-called right of every woman to kill her child through abortion.
The president of Planned Parenthood can complain all she wants, but Richards cannot erase Planned Parenthood’s relentless attack on the innocent that has claimed more than four million preborn babies (in Planned Parenthood killing centers) since 1970. When an organization ends the lives of 5,095 innocent human beings every week—20 percent of all surgical abortions in the United States—it doesn’t make any difference what else it does. Richards’ attempt to deny that Planned Parenthood is the most radical pro-abortion group in the country simply has no basis in fact.
Planned Parenthood funding ban lifted in Texas city
In 2003, Planned Parenthood's funding through McAllen’s Community Development Block Grant program, which provided HIV screenings, was transferred to the AIDS Council for a similar program. The transfer took place after many people realized that the AIDS Council could do the same work, but would not be overshadowed by the evil of promoting abortion as was the case with Planned Parenthood. Last week, city commissioners reinstated local funding of Planned Parenthood in McAllen, Texas under the guise of educating people about HPV. Under the new funding the PP clinic expects to receive about $15,000. The single vote against funding Planned Parenthood’s HPV awareness program came from city commissioner John J. Ingram. When asked why he opposed the funding of PP, he mentioned a tremendous amount of phone calls and e-mails. “I’ve never had so many phone calls on an issue,” Ingram said. He went on to say that, “I can’t in good conscience approve this.”
In the STOPP CD set, Jim Sedlak mentions the importance of calling city commissioners about Planned Parenthood funding. Jim mentions that in all of the communities STOPP has prevented, or removed, funding of Planned Parenthood we asked the commissioners the same question: “How many calls does it take for you to consider something a big problem?” From the smallest town to the biggest city, we have always heard the same response: three. It only takes three calls for a commissioner to consider something is very important because the majority of the time they never hear from anyone about budget issues. However, Jim also points out in his talk in the CD set that this is three calls for each commissioner, not three calls total. Obviously if more calls to each person can be garnered, all the better, but remember that every member of the committee must be contacted.
In the case of McAllen, we can see that more pressure needed to be put on all of the commissioners to convince them to vote against funding Planned Parenthood. However, with regard to Commissioner Ingram’s comments we can also clearly see how effective calling your local officials to defund Planned Parenthood can be.
Pharmacy refuses to stock abortifacient contraception
For years Planned Parenthood has been active in manipulating businesses into dispensing dangerous abortifacient drugs through legislation and threats from its supporters. You may remember a story in a past Wednesday STOPP Report where even the retail giant Wal-Mart has succumbed to Planned Parenthood’s bullying. However, last week Snyder Drug in Great Falls, Montana began giving notes to any customers who came in to fill a prescription for hormonal contraception. The note read that Snyder Drug would no longer be carrying these drugs by the end of May. One customer called one of the owners and asked why this new policy was enacted. The owner told her that these contraceptive drugs were dangerous.
Immediately Planned Parenthood launched a smear campaign and is encouraging its supporters to sign a petition that would demand that pharmacies carry the dangerous abortifacient contraceptives. We congratulate Snyder Drug for doing its job as a pharmacy by making sure its customers are not hurt by dangerous drugs. We commend the pharmacy for standing up against a big business like Planned Parenthood and for refusing to be bullied into running their own business in any way other than how they see fit as private owners.
Planned Parenthood protects rapists
For the past several weeks, it has been difficult to search for “Planned Parenthood” on the internet without finding an article about how it has refused to report suspected rape and molestation of minors to the authorities. Headlines include:
· Planned Parenthood failed to report incest
· Planned Parenthood didn't tell, suit says
· Planned Parenthood concealing crimes?
Even the Wednesday STOPP Report has included items about this scandal in the past couple of issues. We decided to devote the entire issue of this week’s Wednesday STOPP Report to bring you breaking information on this important subject.
A history of Planned Parenthood’s illegal activity
There is no way of telling definitively how long Planned Parenthood has been protecting rapists. But here is just a sampling of the events pulled from American Life League’s archives:
Arizona
In 1998, a 12-year-old girl in Glendale, Arizona, who was raped by her foster brother, had an abortion at Planned Parenthood and PP never reported the rape to authorities. Finally, when the same girl went to Planned Parenthood six months later for another abortion, PP did notify authorities and the foster brother was arrested and convicted. The girl sued Planned Parenthood for failing to report the rape the first time and a judge ruled that PP was negligent for not initially reporting the rape. Court documents report the girl reached a settlement in the case.
California
In 1999, an 11-year-old girl in California went to Planned Parenthood of the Golden Gate. She told Planned Parenthood that she had been raped, but asked PP not to tell anyone, including her parents. Of course, the law is clear; regardless of the girl’s desires, when an 11-year-old is raped, there are mandatory reporting requirements. In December of 2005 Planned Parenthood of the Golden Gate featured a letter from the girl on its website. The girl wrote in praise of Planned Parenthood for helping her keep her rape secret. After American Life League exposed this letter and publicly denounced Planned Parenthood’s inaction the letter was immediately taken down. (However, the letter can still be found on the internet archive here.)
Ohio
In November 2004 a 16-year-old-girl was brought to a Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Cincinnati and forced to have an abortion by her father. The girl says she told the Planned Parenthood employee that her father was forcing her to have sex. Planned Parenthood did not report the abuse and the father continued to rape the girl for another year and a half. On May 9, 2007 the girl filed a lawsuit against Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio for refusing to report the rape. The same Planned Parenthood affiliate is also being sued for not reporting the rape of a 14-year-old girl by her soccer coach.
Connecticut
A 22-year-old man was arrested this month in New London, Connecticut for raping a 14-year-old girl and getting her pregnant three times in six months. Newspaper reports say it was the girl’s mother that alerted authorities, not the abortion facility. Although newspaper accounts do not identify the abortion facility involved, Mark Crutcher of Life Dynamics in Denton, Texas told the Wednesday STOPP Report that he has a copy of the police reports and it was a Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Norwich, Connecticut.
Life Dynamics’ important work
Mark Crutcher has been at the forefront in calling attention to the outrageous activities of Planned Parenthood in protecting those who prey on our children. In 2002, he conducted an undercover investigation to determine how widespread the practice of Planned Parenthood protecting child predators is. He had a young woman, posing as a 13-year-old girl, call over 800 Planned Parenthood and National Abortion Federation facilities across the country, telling the clinic personnel that her 22-year-old boyfriend got her pregnant and asking how she could get an abortion without getting her boyfriend in trouble. In all 50 states clinic workers are required by law to report known sexual activity between a 13-year-old and an adult, yet the Life Dynamics investigation found that 91 percent of the time, Planned Parenthood advised the girl on how to protect the child predator.
Planned Parenthood tries to intimidate young student reporter
As Lila Rose, a student at UCLA, heard about all these accusations against Planned Parenthood, she decided to conduct her own undercover investigation of Planned Parenthood in her community. On several occasions she visited various abortion clinics posing as a 15 year old who, she told clinic staff, was impregnated by her 23-year-old boyfriend. Her conversations with the staff were recorded by a video camera that she concealed in her bag. Once again, Planned Parenthood staff tried to help her cover up what was described as a case of statutory rape. Under California law, PP was required to report her sexual activity if she was 15, but would not have to report it if she was 16. In one such recording, a Planned Parenthood employee can be heard instructing Rose to “say you are 16,” and then instructed her to lie on the forms: “Just figure out a birth date that works. And I don't know anything."
When Planned Parenthood was confronted in public with this taped violation of California law, its response was to attack Lila. Shortly after the videos and articles exposing Planned Parenthood became public Planned, Parenthood threatened legal action against her. According to California law it is illegal to record people unless all members being taped are aware of it. In compliance with the law, Rose has handed over the videos to Planned Parenthood and has removed them from the internet. Incredibly, Planned Parenthood in California disregards the laws that protect minors, but insists on adherence to laws that protect Planned Parenthood. Obviously, its priorities are all messed up.
What can you do?
We believe that this entire subject will be key in the eventual destruction of Planned Parenthood. All of us who fight Planned Parenthood rightly emphasize the huge numbers of children it kills and the way it steals the souls of our teens. But its protection of child predators is something that surpasses both of the others in terms of encouraging people to oppose Planned Parenthood. Just this week, American Life League’s Rock for Life Ventura chapter was outside a Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Los Angeles. The members report that even avidly pro-abortion individuals are upset with Planned Parenthood about its protection of child predators.
If we focus on this issue, we can hasten the demise of Planned Parenthood. Here are some of the things we encourage you to do:
American Life League will be working closely with Life Dynamics on this effort and we encourage everyone who is serious about fighting Planned Parenthood to take action in your local communities. We will bring you further information as it develops.
Judy Blume voices support for Planned Parenthood
Many of you may associate the name Judy Blume with popular children’s books and may even have read Freckle Juice or another of her works with your own children. One thing that you may not realize is that Judy Blume is an active supporter of Planned Parenthood and its policies and even holds membership in PP’s board of advocates. In an interview recently published on Planned Parenthood’s youth web site, TeenWire, Ms. Blume states that she “hated the idea of feeding young people the idea that sex is linked to punishment.” However, instead of showing sex as an expression of love between husband and wife she obscured the beauty of the marital embrace in her book Forever by glorifying the fornication of two teenagers. When TeenWire asked her why this book was so groundbreaking she said it was because these teen characters were “sexually responsible” and that they “enjoyed their sexuality.”
She explains to TeenWire that she thinks it is important for kids to be given the facts and that she feels a “comprehensive sex education program would help.” However, when asked what advice she would give to children who are sexually curious, she said, “there are other ways to be sexual together besides having intercourse. And remember, the safest sex of all is masturbation” (something she hyped in her 1973 book Deenie). Judy Blume’s remarks almost seem to be taken directly from one of PP’s youth pamphlets or web sites. Since she serves on its board of advocates, that may not be very far from the truth.
Often people mistakenly think that Planned Parenthood is only a small operation in their community and that it only affects the people who intentionally go to it. Many parents think that as long as their kids don’t go to a PP clinic, they have nothing to worry about. The reality is that Planned Parenthood is responsible for holding the banner and leading the way for the culture of death. Planned Parenthood manipulates schools, governments and even cultures with its subversive perversion. Never forget that the fight against Planned Parenthood is not just a fight against abortion, or contraception, or pornography; it is truly a fight to protect the lives and souls of all of those in your community.
Planned Parenthood compares sex ed programs
In an e-mail that was forwarded to us by a reader of the Wednesday STOPP Report, Planned Parenthood of New York City complained about abstinence education. In this e-mail, PPNYC also invites people to a “hands-on comparison of sex ed material used in New York schools.” It isn’t often that we can say this, but that is a great idea, Planned Parenthood. We encourage our readers to share with the community in New York City, or any other community around the country, exactly what Planned Parenthood wants to teach our children. Let members of your school board, fellow parents and community leaders know that Planned Parenthood markets “lollipop” condoms to appeal to kids. Let them know that PP’s youth web site, TeenWire, gives graphic depictions of sex acts. Expose the behavior encouraged by Planned Parenthood at college “sex fairs” across the country. Make people aware of the language manipulation and medical lies that Planned Parenthood tells about the abortifacient nature of hormonal contraception.
The reality is that if people knew what Planned Parenthood deemed “comprehensive, medically accurate sex ed,” people would be disgusted and outraged. Don’t let ignorance stand in the way of others joining in the fight to keep Planned Parenthood out of our communities. Work every day to expose PP’s effort for what it really is. Finally, if you do not already, make sure to sign up for your local Planned Parenthood’s e-mail and postal mailing lists. This is an easy and effective way to keep up to date on the activities in your community so that you can be a presence of opposition to Planned Parenthood and a witness to the truth no matter where PP is or what it is doing.
Planned Parenthood reacts
Three years ago, American Life League launched a campaign against Planned Parenthood with the theme, “Planned Parenthood Steals Souls.” The campaign stems from the realization that Planned Parenthood programs and products are designed to lead our children into lives of sexual sin. Once they are locked into an over-sexualized lifestyle it will be very difficult for young people to extricate themselves and this will endanger their immortal souls. As part of the campaign, we developed a brochure that is available in both English and Spanish, as well as a picket sign that has English on one side and Spanish on the other. All deliver the same message: Planned Parenthood Steals Souls.
One community where these signs and brochures have been used extensively is Amarillo, Texas. This past week, something strange happened at the Planned Parenthood facility there. As protestors were outside demonstrating, someone at the Planned Parenthood facility placed a fish bowl outside the building. It was about a quarter-filled with what looked like a mixture of debris. On the bowl was taped a hand-written sign that read: “SOULS: 5 cents EACH.” The implication, of course, is that Planned Parenthood is now selling all the souls it has been stealing. Certainly it is outrageous that PP is trivializing the tremendous damage it does to communities. However, we want to point out a deeper significance of this act: After many months of reading the Planned Parenthood Steals Souls signs, the staff inside the facility reacted. If it’s getting to this facility’s people, you can be sure it is having a similar effect at other Planned Parenthood business locations around the country.
We encourage all of you to use this message in your efforts against Planned Parenthood in your communities, whether those efforts involve writing letters to the editor of your local newspaper, or holding the signs and distributing the brochures outside Planned Parenthood facilities.
Opposition to Planned Parenthood growing in Portland
You may remember from past Wednesday STOPP Reports that Planned Parenthood wants to put a surgical abortion facility in a predominantly African-American community in Portland, Oregon. The facility will also be located right next to a Muslim community center. When the city originally notified local people about the proposed use of the new building, it said there would be a health clinic moving in. The city failed to mention that the health provider was Planned Parenthood and that abortions would be performed in the building.
When local citizens found out what was really happening, they were outraged. They formed an organization, Precious Children of Portland, and are working hard to derail the city’s and Planned Parenthood’s plans. This past weekend, they held a successful rally with speakers that included a post-abortive woman, a Catholic deacon, a Muslim imam, a Christian pastor and Pastor Clenard Childress of L.E.A.R.N. The message to Planned Parenthood was clear: Our community doesn’t want you here. And the citizens of Portland will not sit by while you try to setup a killing center. For further information, go to www.PreciousChildrenOfPortland.org.
Make your efforts known
We are encouraged by the response we have already received from our request in last week’s Wednesday STOPP Report for people to let us know of local protests against Planned Parenthood for our national protest list. Some of the highlights are:
We thank all of the people who have already contacted us about the peaceful protests they are carrying on regularly in their communities. If you have not yet contacted us about local protests in your community, please e-mail us your group’s name, the location of the clinic you protest, what times you meet and contact information at STOPP@ALL.org and we will add you to the national protest list we are compiling.
STOPPers celebrate victory in North Rockland, New York
STOPPers in Rockland County, New York have been actively fighting Planned Parenthood for many years. While they have suffered a few setbacks they have scored a number of successes, which have been reported in previous issues of the Wednesday STOPP Report. Throughout the years and in all of their work their focus has been two-fold: keep Planned Parenthood away from their tax money and away from their children. On May 16, these persistent warriors celebrated a major victory in the North Rockland school district. In the school board election, two opponents of Planned Parenthood were elected. In the process, they defeated the current president of the school board who was reportedly a very strong supporter of Planned Parenthood. Remember, when you fight Planned Parenthood on a local level you are just as powerful—if not more powerful—than Planned Parenthood with all of its media sway and millions of dollars. Congratulations to all who maintain the fight against Planned Parenthood in Rockland County and across the country. With work and prayer, one thing is certain: Planned Parenthood can be defeated!
5,095
Last week we told you that Planned Parenthood released its new numbers and says it committed 264,943 abortions in 2005. That works out to 5,095 abortions every week.This is a horrendous number and we ask you all to publicize it as much as possible. Some suggestions for points you can work into talks, or letters-to-the-editor, or put on signs are:
· Planned Parenthood claims abortion is only five percent of its business, but that five percent ends the lives of 5,095 Americans every week – more than the 3,000 Americans that died in the terrorist attacks on September 11.
· Planned Parenthood says it prevents abortions through contraceptives, yet the organization ends the lives of 5,095 every week – every 12 weeks, Planned Parenthood kills more Americans than the number who lost their lives in the Vietnam War.
· Planned Parenthood says it is pro-choice, not pro-abortion, yet it commits 5,095 abortions every week – killing more Americans each week than have died in the entire Iraq war.
· Planned Parenthood says it does prenatal care – so what? It kills 5,095 babies in the womb every week.
· Planned Parenthood says it needs taxpayer money so it can see more customers, yet it already kills 5,095 babies each week – how many more will it kill if it gets more tax dollars?
· Planned Parenthood says it provides health services, yet Planned Parenthood kills 5,095 innocent human beings every week, making Planned Parenthood the fourth leading cause of death in the United States – behind non-Planned Parenthood abortions (19,700 a week), heart disease (12,500 a week) and cancer (10,500 a week).
· The Susan G. Komen Foundation gives Planned Parenthood money to do testing to prevent deaths from breast cancer, yet Planned Parenthood kills 5,095 Americans every week – over six times the estimated 800 a week that die from breast cancer.
You get the idea. Let’s never forget the 5,095 babies that will die at Planned Parenthood this week. Whenever Planned Parenthood talks, whatever claims it makes, we should have but one reply: 5,095.
Planned Parenthood honored by Florida officials
Planned Parenthood of South Palm Beach and Broward County recently held its annual awards ceremony where actress Heather Tom reiterated her support of the organization and publicly condemned the funding of abstinence education and the ban on the partial-birth abortion procedure. Also at the ceremony an award was bestowed to Janet Boyle because of her role as financial benefactor of a new PP clinic which bears her name. Immediately after the awards ceremony the crowd gathered at the location of Planned Parenthood’s newest express clinic at Palm Plaza in Deerfield Beach. At the ribbon cutting, a representative from county commissioner Kristin Jacob’s office presented the CEO of the PP affiliate with a proclamation from the local board of county commissioners and signed by Mayor Josephus Eggelletion, Jr. This proclamation designated the day as “Planned Parenthood of South Palm Beach and Broward County, Inc. Day.”
Outrageous! Not only has Planned Parenthood been allowed to expand its radical and dangerous agenda by opening this clinic but the officials of the city are honoring its affiliate for doing so. This is an organization that just last week publicly confirmed with its new service numbers that it has killed over 4 million Americans. We encourage our readers to contact Commissioner Jacobs and Mayor Eggelletion to politely demand a reason why an organization that kills children and spreads perversion to our youth is being honored by the county. Even more importantly, please use this as an opportunity to educate these community leaders about the tremendous evil that Planned Parenthood commits in our communities every day. Commissioner Jacobs can be reached by writing to kjacobs@broward.org, Mayor Eggelletion may be reached by writing to jeggelletion@broward.org. Both may be contacted by calling 954-347-7002.
Planned Parenthood constantly clamoring for more money
Despite receiving over $200 million in private donations each year and being backed by wealthy businessmen, celebrities and even presidential candidates, Planned Parenthood is constantly clamoring for more funding from the government. Why? Because this big business needs the nearly $275 million in taxpayers' money to feed its profit margins, administrators' six-figure salaries and its radical agenda. In fact in a recent funding plea, Kathy Kneer, president of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, complains that “statewide Planned Parenthood is turning away 10,000 patients a month, 120,000 patients a year.” Of course we know that this is good news; that is 120,000 fewer people for Planned Parenthood to lie to and hurt.
Not surprisingly, Planned Parenthood employed one of its favorite lies in an attempt to manipulate the government into forking over tax dollars. According to PP organizers in California, “much of its work is providing primary care.” However, a brief look at Planned Parenthood’s most recent service numbers shows that the dwindling 21,739 primary care customers are dwarfed by its 264,943 abortions. Sadly this is a common story across the country; Planned Parenthood is a master at manipulating cities, states and even the federal government into granting it millions of tax dollars through lies and empty promises.
Even abortion advocates see through Planned Parenthood’s lies
While the driving force for most people to fight Planned Parenthood is the fact that it is the nation’s largest abortion provider and world’s largest abortion advocate, it is not the only reason people oppose this big business. In fact, occasionally people who even defend abortion will express their disgust for Planned Parenthood as an organization. In an article written by Helen Gilbert for Socialism.com, she points out the fact that, despite its rhetoric, when given the opportunity to promote its message in the streets, Planned Parenthood instead opted to publicize a fundraising effort. Ms. Gilbert then goes on to point out the disingenuous nature of PP’s claims that it works to “keep abortion rare.”
While we disagree with Ms. Gilbert about a great many things regarding the morality of abortion, even she is outraged by Planned Parenthood’s lies and money grubbing. As you educate your community about the evils of Planned Parenthood and especially as you garner support to remove its tax funding, remember that as awful as its role in abortion is, there are many reasons to oppose PP. This is why it is so important to make people aware of all of the scandalous actions that Planned Parenthood is involved in. Besides, convincing someone to oppose Planned Parenthood as an organization may be the beginning of an even greater conversion to the fullness of truth.
Planned Parenthood sued for failure to report child abuse
STOPP has just received word that a teen in Cincinnati, Ohio is suing Planned Parenthood for failing to report to the authorities that her father was sexually abusing her. In a civil suit filed today in Warren County Common Pleas Court, the teen says she disclosed the sexual abuse to a Planned Parenthood employee when her father took her to the agency’s Mount Auburn clinic to abort her pregnancy in November 2004. Despite this, the teen alleges that Planned Parenthood did not file any police report. The teen later told a high school coach who reported the abuse to authorities and her father was eventually tried and convicted for sexually abusing his daughter.
The lawsuit alleges that Planned Parenthood employees did not tell police that the girl alleged the pregnancy resulted from rape because of a “don’t ask/don’t tell” policy relating to sex abuse. The full news article can be read at: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070509/NEWS01/305090037 Despite mounting evidence that Planned Parenthood routinely protects child predators, law enforcement across the country has been slow to prosecute. Let’s pray that this suit, and others, will provide the documentation needed to close Planned Parenthood down for good.
Planned Parenthood releases new U.S. numbers
Within the last few days, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America has released its so-called service numbers for the year 2005. The numbers bring more bad news as Planned Parenthood continues to kill more innocent human beings every year.
Planned Parenthood kills record number of babies
According to the data released by Planned Parenthood, it admits to committing 264,943 abortions in 2005—the most babies it has ever killed in a single year. Adding this new death toll to those previously reported by Planned Parenthood, the organization now admits to the deaths of 4,068,749 babies in the womb since July 2, 1970—the day Planned Parenthood opened the first free-standing abortion facility in the country and did its first abortions. Although it took Planned Parenthood 35 years to kill its first four million babies in the United States, at its current rate of doing abortion, it could kill another four million in less than 15 years. Currently the organization has devolved into an efficient killing machine, one that survives because elected officials and private citizens allow it to exist. It is time that we all took every peaceful and lawful action we can to shut down these purveyors of death.
Planned Parenthood’s actual numbers
Presented below are the actual numbers released this week by Planned Parenthood. Please note that it did not release any referral numbers. Therefore, we will not know the number of adoption referrals until the full annual report is released in the next month or two.
2005 Affiliate Medical Services Summary
|
Contraception |
|
|
Reversible Contraceptive Clients, Women |
2,399,671 |
|
Emergency Contraception Kits |
1,245,506 |
|
Tubal Sterilization Clients |
554 |
|
Reversible Contraceptive Clients, Men |
80,411 |
|
Vasectomy Clients |
2,407 |
|
|
3,728,549 |
|
STI/STD Testing and Treatment |
|
|
STI Procedures, Women and Men |
2,610,069 |
|
HIV Testing Clients, Women |
188,424 |
|
HIV Testing Clients, Men |
62,300 |
|
HIV Testing Clients, Gender Not Reported |
29,865 |
|
|
2,890,658 |
|
Cancer Screening and Prevention |
|
|
Pap Tests |
1,116,681 |
|
Breast Exams/ Breast Care |
844,201 |
|
Colposcopy Procedures |
44,353 |
|
LEEP Procedures |
2,836 |
|
Cryotherapy Procedures |
3,566 |
|
|
2,011,637 |
|
Other Women's Health Services |
|
|
Pregnancy Tests |
1,040,803 |
|
Prenatal Clients |
12,548 |
|
Midlife Clients |
14,163 |
|
Infertility Clients |
248 |
|
|
1,067,762 |
|
Abortions |
|
|
Abortion Procedures |
264,943 |
|
|
|
|
Other Services |
|
|
Primary Care Clients, Women and Men |
21,739 |
|
Other Services, Women and Men |
127,354 |
|
|
149,093 |
|
|
|
|
Total Services |
|
|
|
|
You can read the full report from Planned Parenthood at: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/who-we-are/pp-services-5552.htm Planned Parenthood also updated its “Planned Parenthood by the numbers” web page at: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/who-we-are/pp-numbers-5551.htm
Planned Parenthood’s educational activities
Planned Parenthood’s data clearly shows its emphasis on young people. Among the educational highlights it chose to list are:
Planned Parenthood’s birth control sales
The following is a list of the types of birth control Planned Parenthood sells and how many of each type:
Planned Parenthood’s selected significant changes
In reviewing the Planned Parenthood service data as compared with last year, we note the following changes:
A ray of hope
It is very difficult to find anything positive in a report that admits to the deaths of more than 264,000 babies in a single year. However, there is something buried in all the numbers and verbiage that gives a ray of hope. It appears that Planned Parenthood is beginning to lose its hold on young people. In this report, Planned Parenthood says that teenagers receive 25% of its services. In previous reports, Planned Parenthood has claimed that number to be as high as 26.7%. This drop in percentage may be because Planned Parenthood is putting a tremendous emphasis on so-called Emergency Contraception or it may represent a drop in youth clients. We will continue to watch this development. In an even more telling trend, Planned Parenthood reported 600,000 visits per month to its teen web site in 2005. In 2004, it reported 800,000 visits per month. This, again, is a trend that offers some hope for the future.
Prayer and action needed
As we digest these new numbers from Planned Parenthood, we need to offer prayers for all those victims of Planned Parenthood and for the staff and volunteers at the organization. Please pray that God will open their eyes to the evil that they are doing and grant them the courage to change. We also call on all those opposed to Planned Parenthood to increase efforts against the organization. We must, in a peaceful, prayerful way, educate our communities on Planned Parenthood and the death it brings to body and soul. Use the numbers reported here to let everyone know the horror of an organization that has already killed four million babies and will kill another four million within the next 15 years, unless it is STOPPed.
Is Planned Parenthood committing partial birth abortions?
In an open letter posted on Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s web site, Dr. Vanessa Cullins, vice president of medical affairs for PPFA, implies that Planned Parenthood commits partial-birth abortions. In light of the Supreme Court’s recent decision to uphold the ban on this abortion procedure, Dr. Cullins made it clear that the ruling "will affect some second-trimester abortions at Planned Parenthood.“ She noted the law would not take effect immediately, and emphasized, “If you have an appointment, you should still come in.” This clearly suggests that Planned Parenthood may be committing partial birth abortions and will continue to do so as long as possible. Of course the murder of a child is just as grievous whether that child is one day old or 9 months old. However, the fact that Planned Parenthood promotes the killing of children even at their births is definitely chilling.
Planned Parenthood uses Supreme Court decision to push radical agenda
Within moments of the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the ban on partial birth abortion Planned Parenthood released several statements that it was “saddened” by the news, noting that “Bush’s Supreme Court has changed everything.” The reality is that this decision still permits people to kill their pre-born children at any point, for any reason, but that this one method of killing cannot be used, unless one claims the exception for life of the mother. Planned Parenthood is “saddened” because it has fewer options for killing babies. Planned Parenthood’s outrage over this decision shows that it is so intent on committing abortions that it can’t even stand one especially gruesome method from being banned. In fact, PP is so upset over the fact that it cannot commit this form of infanticide that it is holding protests and visibility events across the country today and throughout this week.
We encourage you to go out to these sites and be a witness to the truth. Feel free to arrive at these places early and bring signs of your own. Also, if you happen to pass by an event that Planned Parenthood is taking part in, feel free to peacefully challenge the protestors. Often those who are holding signs in support of Planned Parenthood’s radical agenda don't know the full story about this organization. Remember when talking with these people that they are not the enemy, but that they too must be lovingly taught about the evil of Planned Parenthood’s work. If you do not see an event listed in your community, this does not mean that there will not be one. To keep up to date on the activities of Planned Parenthood in your community frequently check PP’s SaveRoe.com web site. On this web site, there is an “events” section where Planned Parenthood affiliates list times and locations of upcoming activities.
New resource available in the fight to defeat Planned Parenthood
One of simplest and most effective ways of exposing Planned Parenthood’s attack on our children is by directing people to view the material on its youth web site, www.TeenWire.com. Typically, people are appalled by the web site at first glance; but the problem is that most parents do not know that it exists. We encourage you to spread the word about this web site to your friends and family, but exposing Planned Parenthood’s assault on children can’t stop there. Because of this American Life League is happy to offer the newest installment of the reasons to stop Planned Parenthood. This ad outlines the offensive material Planned Parenthood uses to exploit kids and issues a call to action to insist that all of its tax funding be immediately removed. As with all of the materials in the downloads section of our web site, this resource is free. Remember, this is not just to be used as an ad. You can print it on a standard piece of paper and it will make a great flier to handout at the next Planned Parenthood event in your community. To download a copy of Evil Web, simply click here.
Parents in New York protect students from Planned Parenthood
You may recall a story from the February 21 edition of the Wednesday STOPP Report about parents in North Rockland, N.Y. who were outraged over Planned Parenthood being invited into their children’s school. There was an immediate groundswell of opposition from the community when they were informed and parents began to immediately employ the tactics outlined in our resource, Parent Power. We are happy to report that as of April 12 .Fieldstone Secondary School not only revoked Planned Parenthood’s invitation, but will officially no longer allow it to present at the school again. "We decided that our teachers are fully capable of covering the material," said Brian Monahan, North Rockland superintendent of schools. The announcement came after weeks of calls, letters and meetings with concerned parents and community leaders. One parent said that he didn’t think students “should be taught by an organization that provides for chemical and/or surgical abortions as well as sexual promiscuity amongst children.” We congratulate the vigilance and diligence of the parents in North Rockland and hope that this news will encourage parents around the country with the knowledge that they do have the power to protect their children from Planned Parenthood’s attacks.
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There’s nothing “rational” about killing babies.
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Yes, there is!---I changed MY mind on abortion!
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In 1974, I was VERY PRO-abortion. You couldn't FIND anyone more PRO-abortion! But I changed my views 180 degrees, LITERALLY OVERNIGHT!
In a Radio-TV-Film class in college, I had to do a simulated radio broadcast on a controversial topic. I picked abortion, thinking it would be a piece of cake. I planned to put what I then thought were "those right-wing-religious nuts" to shame!
We were REQUIRED to present an HONEST, FAIR view of both sides of the issue. That REQUIRED us to do an HONEST, FAIR INVESTIGATION of both sides first!
I knew the PRO-abortion side inside and out, but for the life of me, I could not imagine WHY the pro-life side could possibly oppose a woman's RIGHT to "control her own body."
Afterall, we were told back then, "It's just a mass of tissue."
We NOW KNOW---and NO ONE CAN DENY---that that is NOT true!
http://www.michaelclancy.com/
http://cpforlife.org/id197.htm
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1999783/posts?page=3
(Sorry, I don't know how to link)
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I came up with three questions:
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(1) Is "it" alive?
Whatever you want to call "it"---is "it" biologically alive?
The answer is UNDENIABLE!---"It" IS alive! "It" IS growing!
In fact, in a mere 18 to 24 days after conception, "it" ALREADY has its OWN HEARTBEAT...and can even have a different BLOOD-TYPE from its mother!!!
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(2) In nine months, will a cat, dog, zebra, elephant---or HUMAN BABY---come out, if not aborted or miscarried? I.e. does it have cat, dog, zebra, elephant---or HUMAN---DNA?
Again, the answer is UNDENIABLE! If allowed to reach full term, a HUMAN BABY will come out---and it will have HUMAN DNA!
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(3) Would PETA think it was okay to reach inside the uterus of a pregnant dog and literally rip off the legs of the pre-born puppy and crush the pre-born puppy's skull---OR would they be DEMANDING that that person be imprisoned?
Once again, the answer is UNDENIABLE! PETA would be RUSHING to have that person IMPRISIONED!!!
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So...
If "it" IS alive, and in nine months, a HUMAN BABY will come out---with HUMAN DNA---and PETA would NEVER allow the legs to be ripped off of a pre-born puppy's body...
...then WHY do we allow it to be done to HUMAN BABYS???
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WATCHME, I challenge you (and all reading this post) to do an HONEST, FAIR INVESTIGATION of WHAT the pro-lifers believe and WHY they believe it.
WATCH the videos, LOOK AT the photos of aborted BABYS, LOOK AT the 3-D sonograms of LIVE PRE-BORN BABIES, READ the stories of what expectant mothers were told then and what they KNOW NOW.
If you do as I have challenged you to do, I would not be surprised to hear that you, too, will change your mind to becoming pro-life as I did. If you do change your mind, please let me know.
BTW, I am the mother of a severely mentally and physically disabled 23 year old daughter, who does not walk or talk, who wears diapers and does not feed herself, and who has a very rare type of dwarfism, but who is VERY loving and LOVES to go in the car/bus/plane/train and "walk in the water" on the steps in a swimming pool.
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God bless you.
Wednesday STOPP Report: November 26, 2008
Musician plays for PP fundraiser
Regina Spektor, an up and coming musician, has decided to play for Planned Parenthood’s third annual Roe on the Rocks benefit in Manhattan (New York City). Spektor is making a big move in the wrong direction by promoting PP. Why does a musician or anyone else in the entertainment industry support PP and abortion when it results in murdering a quarter of their potential customers?
We are not surprised that PP is celebrating Roe v. Wade, nor that PP is referring to a decision to decriminalize abortion as a style of serving a drink. Please contact Regina Spektor and let her know that you will no longer buy or listen to her music because of her support for PP.
PP promotes adoption? Don’t buy it!
Planned Parenthood of Indiana is trying to convince the public that it strongly supports adoption. It has even gone so far as to claim that it believes that adoption is “a viable option and there are many choices.” Why are we skeptical about PP’s latest publicity stunt? Simply put, PP is not in the adoption business; it is in the abortion and contraception business. PP not only has nothing to gain from adoption, it has a lot to lose. This is merely a way for PP to try to divert attention from its abortion business. According to PP’s latest annual report, in 2006 it committed 289,750 abortions and referred 2,410 women for adoption. That is 120 abortions for every one adoption referral. It is clear where PP's counseling leads women.
We ask our readers to help spread the message of what PP truly is and that it does not genuinely support adoption. It is thus appropriate to end this story with a hypocritical statement made by Betty Cockrum, PPIN’s president and CEO, “A woman who chooses adoption will be responsible for providing a lifetime of happiness to a family.” PP, the nations' largest abortion chain, looks at a child as being a source of happiness? Talk about being two-faced!
Texas bill requires ultrasound before abortion
Planned Parenthood is fighting a bill in Texas that calls for all women seeking an abortion to have an ultrasound, listen to the baby’s heartbeat and see images of her baby at least two hours before the scheduled murder of her innocent child. PP realizes that once a woman sees her child for what he or she truly is – a human being – it will probably be more difficult for her to abort her preborn baby. However, PP is smarter than to admit that it doesn’t want to lose profits. So, why is PP opposed? Here is what PP “claims” to dislike about the proposed legislation: “None of this sounds horrible, but when you look more at the big picture, it’s really telling women, you’re really maybe not smart enough to make this decision on your own.”
We have received credible reports that PP will sometimes ensure that its sonograms are out of focus so that the women see blurred images. It simply does not want them to face the truth. We know that PP is fighting this bill to avoid losing customers and so that it can continue committing abortions, which account for one-third of its total clinic income. Please pray that this small step toward saving a child’s life is passed in Texas!
TAW is fast approaching
Rock for Life, American Life League's youth outreach project, is now accepting registrations for the 2009 Training and Activism Week and Personhood Conference, which is RFL's ninth annual Training and Activism event. This year’s event takes place January 21-23, 2009 at the Liaison Capitol Hill hotel in Washington, D.C.
The event will include marching with hundreds of thousands of pro-lifers at the 36th annual March for Life, meeting and networking with young pro-lifers from all over the country, receiving training from experienced, successful veteran pro-life activists, hitting the streets of D.C. for activism, and much more.
This year, ALL will also host a Personhood Conference, featuring speakers such as Mrs. Judie Brown, president and cofounder of ALL; Lila Rose, cofounder of Live Action Films and editor of the Advocate, UCLA’s pro-life student magazine; Kristi Burton, founder of Colorado for Equal Rights; and David Bereit, national campaign director for 40 Days for Life.
The cost is only $50 per person per night. Registration forms and more information can be found at www.rockforlife.org/taw.
STOPP in Michigan
On October 30, Marie Hahnenberg, a researcher for ALL and member of the STOPP department, was the keynote speaker at Cheboygan Right to Life's dinner in Cheboygan, Michigan. About 300 attended and were able to hear Marie explain how the contraceptive mentality has contributed to many serious problems we face today and Planned Parenthood's role in promoting it.
Marie described PP's effort to push sex onto our young people, with the intention of acquiring more customers and killing more children. She encouraged her audience to help defund PP by signing the Stop Planned Parenthood Tax Funding petition, participate in regularly scheduled protests outside of PP facilities and investigate whether PP is present in their public schools. Marie also encouraged young audience members to choose a life of chastity. She said, “It involves things like what you wear, how you act, what you say – truly living it out – waiting [until marriage] to have sex, for your future spouse. It’s a beautiful thing, and it is possible. I can do it, and many, many, many other young people are living the life of chastity right now.”
If you are interested in having Marie or any of our other pro-life experts speak in your area, please e-mail Marie at mhanenberg@all.org or STOPP at stopp@all.org
Stop FOCA and PFA
For the last two weeks, we have brought you information on the Freedom of Choice Act and the Prevention First Act. Both of these Planned Parnthood-inspired pieces of legislation need to be stopped. American Life League has created a petition allowing you to register your displeasure with these bills and let your elected officials know how you feel. Please go to www.stopp.org/agenda and sign the petition. In addition, please ask all of your friends and everyone on your e-mail lists to sign it. We must be ready to combat FOCA and PFA on January 1, 2009. A large number of signatures on this petition will help us do that.
Georgia PP affiliate loses over $400,000
Planned Parenthood in Fulton County, Georgia lost $420,000 in state funding this year. This is the second story we have brought to you recently concerning PP's loss of funding in various parts of the country. Moreover, it is not the only story of its kind in this week’s Wednesday STOPP Report. When asked why PP lost funding, Commissioner Steve Mercier responded, “It’s not political. They don’t need the money.”
Mr. Mercier could not be more correct. PP does not and never has needed taxpayer funds to stay afloat. The nation’s largest abortion business is currently holding $1 billion in assets. Please continue to spread the message that we must keep PP from receiving any more of the taxpayers’ money. Click here to sign the petition to defund PP and send it on to all your closest family and friends. Thank God for our victory against PP in Georgia.
Our plan works in Corpus Christi
On Tuesday, November 18, we received a call from Therese of South Texas STOPP (P.O. Box 8637, Corpus Christi, TX 78468). Therese and her group of dedicated pro-lifers had just returned from a Corpus Christi City Council meeting, at which the council voted unanimously to deny Planned Parenthood $30,000 in taxpayer money. Therese told us, “I just had to call and let you know your plan works! We did everything just the way you said and we won! Thank you.”
On February 15, ALL vice president Jim Sedlak, and ALL’s Rock for Life director, Erik Whittington, traveled to Corpus Christi to give pro-life talks and attend a daylong Rock for Life event sponsored by the local RFL chapter. During that visit, the pro-lifers asked how they could stop taxpayer funding of PP. We described, in detail, our plan to defeat public funding of PP. It is section three of our overall Plan for Defeating Planned Parenthood, which can be found at http://www.stopp.org/plan.htm#three. The plan provides a 31-step process, which begins with explaining how to obtain information on PP’s funding in your local area and then describes how to activate the community to get funding taken away from PP.
Of course, the real thanks for this victory go first to God and then to the dedicated people of Corpus Christi, who painstakingly executed the plan and brought about victory in a very difficult situation. They overcame many obstacles and are still fighting to stop other taxpayer money from going to PP in the community. They are also following our plan to get PP out of the local schools. If you want to successfully fight PP in your community, read the plan at the link above. Jim Sedlak is willing to travel to your community to help get things organized. Just contact him at jsedlak@all.org.
Baby saved outside of PP facility
One of the most wonderful gifts that God gives those who fight to defend the most defenseless in the womb is news that we have saved a child. Here is a story about a child whose life was saved through prayer in front of a Planned Parenthood abortion mill.
“This little miracle was saved on Holy Saturday in front of Planned Parenthood on Miramar Road in San Diego. His name is Jaden, and he was born on Oct. 5.
"As she drove with her brother to get an abortion on Holy Saturday, Jaden’s mother asked God to send her a sign if she should not go through with it. When she saw the prayer group and spoke with those at the driveway, she knew that this was her intervention. She is so grateful to all who were there.
Jaden is one of the eight babies saved on Good Friday evening and Holy Saturday morning at the abortion mill. Liz Dubenetky of Life Choices in Poway was praying at the mill that morning and was able to speak with and help the mother of this baby. Two saves on that day were due to the efforts of the pro-life Catholic security guard on duty that day after the prayer warriors had left.”
Thank God for all those who have been saved through our presence at abortion mills. Please continue to picket and know that you may save a child’s life and never even know about it. We do this for God and the preborn, not personal gratification. Keep fighting.
Happy Thanksgiving!
All of us at American Life League wish all of you a very happy Thanksgiving. You receive this weekly report because you are one of those on the front lines in the fight against Planned Parenthood. We encourage you to take a few moments today to reflect on the fact that there are many people all across the nation that are alive and celebrating Thanksgiving because of your selfless actions and dedication. May God bless you all!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Planned Parenthood pushing another major bill
We continue our analysis of Planned Parenthood’s plans following the election of Barack Obama. Last week, we told you about the Freedom of Choice Act. This week, we will give you a quick look at another major piece of legislation being championed by PP and supported by Obama: the Prevention First Act.
What is the Prevention First Act?
The Prevention First Act has several components, all of which would fund programs that are promoted by Planned Parenthood and would put millions more of our tax dollars into PP’s coffers. These components include
• Making Title X (family planning) a permanent program and funding it at $700 million or more. Since its inception in 1970, Title X of the Health and Human Services Act has always been a major funding source for PP. However, Title X is not a permanent program and must be reauthorized every year. Title X was funded at $300 million for fiscal year 2008. PP receives about 25 percent of the total or $75 million. Thus, the PFA would more than double the tax dollars given to PP ($175 million) by this one program. It would also make Title X a permanent program.
• Mandating that health insurance programs that cover prescriptions must cover abortifacient contraceptives. There are several reasons why some insurance companies do not include birth control coverage in their policies. Chief among them is that many of their customers belong to religions that are opposed to birth control and do not want to be forced to pay for this coverage. The PFA would take away the ability of consumers and insurance companies to seek the coverage they want and would force every insurance plan that covers prescription drugs to pay for birth control. This is an outrageous intrusion into the religious beliefs of millions of Americans.
• Creating a government program to push abortifacient “emergency contraception.” Selling emergency contraception is one of PP’s most lucrative activities. PP routinely purchases Plan B for $4.25 a kit and then sells it for $30 a kit, thus making a $25 profit on each one of the 1.5 million it sells each year. But still, PP is not content. The PFA would create a government-funded five-year “educational” program to promote emergency contraception and drive even more Plan B business to PP.
• Taking all federal money away from any hospital that refuses to administer emergency contraception (an abortifacient), to rape victims. Many hospitals, doctors and pharmacists have problems dispensing emergency contraception because of its abortifacient nature. Indeed, in the above-listed educational program, PP wants the government to tell the public that emergency contraception works by “preventing ovulation, fertilization of an egg, or implantation of an egg in a uterus.” Yet, this section of the PFA demands that hospitals tell patients that “emergency contraception does not cause an abortion.” In addition, it would require that every hospital, even Catholic, Baptist and others opposed to abortion for religious reasons, MUST provide patients with emergency contraception or lose all of their federal funding.
• Creating additional massive government funding for PP-style sex education programs (abstinence-only programs are specifically excluded from funding). Under the subprogram named “At-Risk Communities Teen Pregnancy Prevention Act,” the PFA would create a program to conduct research and educational sessions for the purpose of reducing teen pregnancy. All kinds of organizations (e.g. Planned Parenthood) would receive taxpayer funds, and all kinds of theories and ways of preventing teen pregnancy could be researched and taught EXCEPT abstinence-only programs. The PFA specifically stipulates that “funds under this section are not intended for use by abstinence-only education programs. Abstinence-only education programs that receive federal funds through the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, the Administration for Children and Families, the Adolescent Family Life Program, and any other program that uses the definition of ‘abstinence education’ found in section 510(b) of the Social Security Act are ineligible for funding.”
• Permanently including family planning services as part of the Medicaid program. The Medicaid program was never intended to pay for family planning services. Yet, beginning in the 1990s, states started applying for Medicaid waivers to allow them to add family planning for Medicaid-eligible recipients. The federal government has approved these waivers, and their approval must be renewed, on a state-by-state basis, every five years. Because of the waivers, Medicaid is now the largest single program providing taxpayer money for PP. The PFA would do away with the need for waivers and write family planning services permanently into Medicaid, thereby opening the floodgates of taxpayer funding for PP even wider.
What is the status of the Prevention First Act?
It is important to note that the election ushers in a new Congress in January. The current Congress, the 110th Congress, will cease to exist at the end of this year. In January, the 111th Congress will begin, and all of the newly elected members of the House and Senate will be part of the 111th Congress. All existing bills must be re-introduced in the new Congress and assigned new numbers, and the legislative process for each of them will start "from scratch." The current House bill (H.R.819) was originally introduced on February 5, 2007, was immediately referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce (in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor), and no further action was taken. It has 164 co-sponsors. The current Senate bill (S.21) was originally introduced on January 4, 2007 and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, where it still sits. It has 34 co-sponsors, including Barack Obama. Again, these current bills will disappear with the start of the new Congress, and the bills will have to be introduced once more. Under normal circumstances, it would take months for them to be voted on, but they could be fast-tracked.
What does Planned Parenthood say about the Prevention First Act?
Here is the statement by Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood, on February 5, 2007, when the Prevention First Act was introduced in the House:
Today's introduction of the Prevention First Act signals a real step forward for health care in America. Currently, more than 17 million women in the U.S. need publicly funded family planning services, and there is not enough funding to meet the need. Nearly 750,000 teenagers in the U.S. will become pregnant this year. Prevention is the key to building strong, healthy families, and the Prevention First Act will help women and couples plan their families, plan their futures, and plan parenthood by expanding access to critically needed family planning education and reproductive health care services.
On February 13, Planned Parenthood Federation of America affiliates and their supporters will hold a nationwide Day of Action, calling on elected officials in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to pass the Prevention First Act and state legislation that are key to preventing unintended pregnancy and reducing the need for abortion by expanding access to birth control and real sex education.
Planned Parenthood also pushing PFA in states
In the statement above, Planned Parenthood mentions its intent to push PFA not only at the federal level, but also at the state level. A typical state bill is one that is currently being considered in Ohio. It is known as House Bill 251 and also Senate Bill 179. Among other things, these bills seek to do the following:
• Force insurance companies to cover birth control if they cover other prescriptions;
• Mandate that every hospital in the state provide emergency contraception to rape victims and tell the victims that emergency contraception does not cause an abortion;
• Replace abstinence-only sex ed with programs that gives equal time to the use of birth control and don’t tell children to save sex for marriage;
• Put taxpayer money into “teen pregnancy prevention” programs;
• Do away with the right of pharmacies and/or pharmacists to refuse to sell products that conflict with their religious beliefs;
• Rewrite the Ohio health funding bill to ensure that PP is directly eligible for taxpayer money for family planning services.
What can you do?
Despite the fact that Obama is actively supporting this horrible bill and the Democratic Party is firmly in control of the both chambers of the United States Congress, passage of this bill is not inevitable. We have spoken with a number of pro-life members of Congress and their staffs, and they believe that the Prevention First Act can be stopped.
But, in order to do so, it will take an active campaign of pro-lifers across the country. Here is what you can do:
1. Contact your members of Congress and let them know how you feel about the Prevention First Act.
2. Watch for updates in future Wednesday STOPP Reports. We will let you know as soon as the bills are introduced in the next Congress and give you the correct bill numbers.
3. Monitor the activity in your state and take action to prevent a state PFA from passing.
Wednesday STOPP Report - November 12, 2008
President-elect Obama and Planned Parenthood
With the election of Barack Obama as president of the United States, Planned Parenthood achieved a major political goal. Obama had courted PP's endorsement, which he received, and PP's Action Fund did a lot during the campaign to push the Obama candidacy. You can be sure that PP and its political-operative president, Cecile Richards, who spoke at the convention that nominated Obama, are delighted with the outcome.
Obama's promise
When Barack Obama appeared at a PP event during the primary campaign, he promised PP, "The first thing I will do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act."
What is the Freedom of Choice Act?
Simply put, if passed, the Freedom of Choice Act would do away with all legal restrictions on abortion. It would eliminate parental consent laws, waiting periods, restrictions on partial-birth abortion and any other restrictions that have been enacted at the state and federal level. FOCA would not prevent pro-life activity by groups and individuals. Picketing, prayer vigils, sidewalk counseling, pregnancy resource centers, truth tours, GAP projects and much more could all continue as before.
What is the actual wording of FOCA?
FOCA is a bill introduced in Congress. It must be voted on and approved by both chambers of Congress and then signed into law by the president. There are currently two bills in Congress: one in the House (H.R.1964) and one in the Senate (S.1173). Both bills contain the same wording:
(a) Statement of Policy - It is the policy of the United States that every woman has the fundamental right to choose to bear a child, to terminate a pregnancy prior to fetal viability, or to terminate a pregnancy after fetal viability when necessary to protect the life or health of the woman.
(b) Prohibition of Interference - A government may not -
(1) deny or interfere with a woman's right to choose -
(A) to bear a child;
(B) to terminate a pregnancy prior to viability; or
(C) to terminate a pregnancy after viability where termination is necessary to protect the life or health of the woman; or(2) discriminate against the exercise of the rights set forth in paragraph (1) in the regulation or provision of benefits, facilities, services, or information.
(c) Civil Action - An individual aggrieved by a violation of this section may obtain appropriate relief (including relief against a government) in a civil action
What is the status of FOCA bills?
It is important to note that the election means that in January, we will have a new Congress. The current Congress is designated as the 110th Congress. It will cease to exist at the end of the year. In January, the 111th Congress will begin and all of the newly elected members of the House and Senate will be part of the 111th Congress. All existing bills must be re-introduced in the new Congress and assigned new numbers. Then the legislative process for each of them starts from scratch.
The current House bill (H.R.1964), originally introduced on April 19, 2007, was referred to the Judiciary Committee on May 4, 2007 and has sat there ever since. It has 109 co-sponsors. The current Senate bill (S.1173) was also originally introduced on April 19, 2007 and referred to the Judiciary Committee, where it still sits. It has 19 co-sponsors, including Barack Obama.
Again, these current bills will disappear with the start of the new Congress, and the bills will have to be re-introduced. Under normal circumstances, it would take months for them to come up for a vote, but they could be fast-tracked.
What does Planned Parenthood have to say about FOCA?
PPFA President Cecile Richards issued the following statement on the introduction of FOCA on April 19, 2007:
"Every year, millions of women depend on Planned Parenthood for reproductive health care services, including birth control, cancer screenings, and abortion. We challenged the federal abortion ban in court because it jeopardizes women's health and safety.
"The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling yesterday [upholding the partial-birth abortion law] in this case represents a seismic shift for the Supreme Court and the nation. With new Bush appointees, this court has unraveled more than 30 years of precedent protecting women's health. For the first time, the court told women that, when their health is at risk during pregnancy, deciding what to do is no longer up to them and their doctors, it is instead up to politicians. The future of legal access to abortion in this country is grim.""It's time for Congress to stand up for women's health, women's safety, and a woman's right to make her own medical decisions. American women deserve the protection of federal law to preserve their right to make personal health care decisions free of government intrusion. We call on Congress to pass the Freedom of Choice Act."
Thus, it is clear that PP sees FOCA as a means to secure abortion-on-demand throughout the country. FOCA must be stopped.
What can you do?
Despite the fact that Obama is actively supporting this horrible bill and the Democratic Party is firmly in control of both chambers of Congress, passage of this bill is not inevitable. We have spoken with a number of pro-life members of Congress and their staff, and they believe that FOCA can be stopped. But doing so will require a very active campaign by pro-lifers across the country. The first and most critical part of the effort to stop FOCA is for you to contact your members of Congress and let them know how you feel about FOCA. Remember that FOCA is an extreme measure that even many people who call themselves "pro-choice" are against.
1. Remind your congressional representatives that the overwhelming majority of Americans are in favor of parents being notified when their minor children are to have an abortion. Over 30 states have laws in place requiring some form of parental notification. Yet FOCA would undo this legal requirement.
2. Point out that almost all Americans find the partial-birth abortion procedure abhorrent and want it stopped. Yet, FOCA would strike down all the laws against this procedure.Now is the time for action. Contact your elected officials and encourage all of your friends to do the same.
American Life League has launched an educational effort to inform the American public of the dangers of this legislation. In addition to our use of the print media and presentations by our staff, we plan to produce an educational video as part of our ALL Report series and distribute that to hundreds of thousands of people across the country. As a regular reader of the Wednesday STOPP Report, you know that we rarely use it to solicit donations. However, FOCA is such a threat to the lives of preborn babies that we really need your help now. Your tax-deductible donation can help defray the costs of our educational campaign and allow us to reach as many people as possible with the truth about FOCA.
PLEASE consider making a donation now. You can donate on-line by clicking here, or call 888-546-2580 and donate using a credit card. Thank you for whatever you can do!
Wednesday STOPP Report: November 5, 2008
Video proves PP commits infanticide
In its latest video, Students for Life of America revealed very disturbing information that probably won't surprise most pro-lifers. Planned Parenthood not only supports infanticide, but certain clinics are actually committing the crime! In this disturbing video, a pregnant woman enters a PP facility in Freehold, New Jersey to discuss an abortion with a staff member. Here is a short, disturbing dialogue excerpt from the video:
Pregnant woman: "Is the baby alive?"
Nurse: "Usually not."
Pregnant woman: "Could the baby be born alive?"
Nurse: "Usually, for the most part no, but it does happen. . . It's an actual delivery, but it wouldn't be able to survive on its own, so eventually the baby does die."
Please watch this video and send it to as many people as possible. Here is an organization that is receiving over $330 million each year in taxpayer money and is continually treated as being above the law. If you have not yet signed the petition to defund PP, please do so now by following this link. We cannot allow this evil to go unchallenged. We must defend the defenseless who are being murdered through abortion and infanticide.
St. Louis PP offers free HIV testing
Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region is offering free HIV tests for high school students, in response to the news that up to 50 students in one high school district "may have been exposed to HIV," the AIDS-causing virus. PP wants to create a compassionate image: "Planned Parenthood remains concerned that St. Louis infection rates for sexually transmitted diseases are among the highest in the nation." However, PP contributes significantly to problems such as this with its message that "safe sex" is the only way to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and infections. But we all know that chastity, modesty and saving sex for marriage are the best ways to avoid STDs. PP actually offers free HIV testing to recruit such students as customers, by encouraging them to coming in for other "services."
PP buys office in Fresno
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte Inc. has purchased a new building in Fresno, California . The 10,311-square-foot building is in the First & Bullard Center, located at 6095 North First Street. PP purchased it for $1.3 million and plans to use the entire building. Pro-lifers just finished a 40 Days for Life event at the PP facility located at 650 North Fulton Street in Fresno and are expected to focus attention on this new PP facility. Please pray that God provides the resources needed by Fresno pro-lifers to combat this growing PP presence.
PP's New York City art gala
Planned Parenthood is hosting an "Art 20 2008 Preview Gala," to benefit PP Federation of America, PP Hudson Peconic, PP of Nassau County, and PP of New York City, on Thursday, November 6. Sanford L. Smith and Associates are producing this event, at which PP supporters will enjoy cocktails and hors d'oevres while viewing art exhibits. PP is making a determined effort to portray itself as part of normal society and divert attention from its abortion business, all the while lining its pockets. Please follow this link to contact Sanford L. Smith and Associates and ask them to stop supporting the primary killer of future art lovers in the United States - Planned Parenthood. Please pray that they will have a conversion of heart.
Florida PP facility's first year
Planned Parenthood of Southwest Florida recently celebrated its first year in Manatee County by hosting a luncheon and presenting one of PP 's SOURCE Teen Theater's reportedly "nationally award-winning plays." The play dealt with a pregnant 14-year-old's decision as to whether she should kill her preborn baby and glorifies PP for suggesting that a teen mother should murder her child. The SOURCE troupe has presented such performances in Manatee County schools.
At this event, the local PP center was applauded for bringing its brand of "comprehensive sex education" to a county rife with teen pregnancy. PP believes that the best way to fight teen pregnancy is not to promote what is natural - chastity and abstinence until marriage - but rather to promote promiscuity, ineffective birth control methods, abortifacients and, if all else "fails," which is quite common, surgical or medical abortions. PP is proud that two-thirds of its 400 customers so far this year have been between the ages of 12 and 24. And this is being applauded as success? This is what people consider beneficial sex education? Last week, we reported that pro-lifers in neighboring Sarasota County prevented PP from receiving $12,500 in taxpayer funds. Let's pray that God will use the growing pro-life influence on Florida's west coast to end PP's insidious activities in Manatee County as well.
Colorado sued over PP funding
The state of Colorado is facing a lawsuit filed by Colorado taxpayers for violating an amendment to Colorado's constitution that prohibits any funding, directly or indirectly, of abortion. The lawsuit's plaintiff, Mark Hotaling, who leads the Christian Family Alliance of Colorado, describes himself as a pro-life taxpayer. The lawsuit, which is for an estimated $18 million, has been filed against Governor Bill Ritter; Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains; James B. Martin, executive director of the state Department of Public Health and Environment; and Boulder Valley Women's Health Center.
Hotaling is represented by Alliance Defense Fund-affiliated attorney Barry Arrington. The lawsuit points out, "In 1984 the voters of the State of Colorado approved an amendment to the Colorado Constitution... prohibiting the use of public funds either directly or indirectly to pay for induced abortions." This is in reference to Article 5, Section 50, which states,
No public funds shall be used by the State of Colorado, its agencies or political subdivisions to pay or otherwise reimburse, either directly or indirectly, any person, agency or facility for the performance of any induced abortion.
Please pray for the plaintiff and Colorado taxpayers, so that their hard-earned tax money will be refunded to them and that the state of Colorado will abide by its own constitution, thus cutting off government funds for PP. Also, please pray that this lawsuit and Colorado's constitutional amendment will inspire other states to follow Colorado' pro-lifers' inspiring example of working to defund PP. Please follow this link to defund PP, if you haven't done so already.
Rock for Life's first-ever NPLTD contest
American Life League's Rock for Life is sponsoring its first-ever National Pro-Life T-Shirt Day Design Contest! The contest is open to anyone between the ages of 13 and 35. Prizes include Rock for Life merchandise, SONICFLOOd CDs and much more. For guidelines and ideas, go to www.NationalProLifeTshirtDay.com. And make sure to mark your calendar for the next National Pro-Life T-shirt Day, April 28, 2009!
40 Days done ... 520 lives saved
Congratulations to David Bereit and all those involved in the just-ended 40 Days for Life campaign! We have brought you information from the campaign's front lines over the last six weeks and have noted that many of the 40 Days events took place outside of PP facilities. David reports that at least 520 babies' lives were saved during this fall's campaign. Many of those were babies scheduled to die at PP facilities. David also sent an e-mail to American Life League with this very encouraging update:
Some GREAT news!
On a day when many are stressed about elections, I just heard from one of our 40 Days for Life local campaign leaders who is bouncing off the walls with the exciting news that the abortion facility that was the focus of their campaign over these last 40 days is CLOSING!
The "Space Available" real estate sign was put in front of the building on Thursday - day 37 of the campaign. Yesterday, the local leader confirmed with the real estate company that the abortionist is shutting the business down for good.
We will have more details, including the location, as soon as the facility is closed - which should happen very soon. But I knew you'd want to know that your prayers have produced an amazing result!
American Life League monitors activities outside of PP facilities across the country in our Map Room. Although many of the 40 Days activities will be taken off the map in the next week, we know, from experience, that at a number of PP locations, regular pro-life activities will continue. If you will be participating in activities that began during 40 Days, but are continuing on a regular basis, please send an e-mail to protests@all.org. Let us know the details of your ongoing effort, and we will post the information for the entire world to see.
During this last 40 Days campaign, when the special 40 Days events were combined with all of the ongoing regularly scheduled activities at PP facilities, there was activity outside of one-fifth of all PP facilities. We look forward to the day when there are regularly scheduled protests (including prayer vigils, picketing, sidewalk counseling, scripture walls and other prayerful, peaceful, legal efforts) outside of every PP facility. Please consider starting activity outside your local PP today!
Wednesday STOPP Report - October 29, 2008
PP offers new abortifacient birth control
Planned Parenthood of the Southern Finger Lakes, an upstate New York affiliate, has recently announced that it will be offering a new birth control product at its clinics. The product, named Implanon, is described as "a thin, flexible plastic implant that is inserted in the arm to prevent pregnancy." A thorough reading of the prescribing information for this product reveals that "the contraceptive effect of IMPLANON™ (etonogestrel implant) is achieved by several mechanisms that include suppression of ovulation, increased viscosity of the cervical mucus, and alterations in the endometrium."
In other words, despite the news media reporting that Implanon merely "releases a hormone that prevents the ovaries from releasing eggs," this product is just a new way of delivering the same old product that kills babies in the womb by preventing implantation. STOPP asks our supporters to become knowledgeable on this birth control method. Read all of the prescribing information linked above and be prepared to reveal its complications and side effects to women who are considering using this abortifacient drug.
PP trying to sneak into North Carolina?
We have seen Planned Parenthood employ a new tactic within the past few years: sneaking into a new location under a false name. Case in point: PP's clinic in Aurora, Illinois. Pastor Johnny Hunter of Fayetteville, North Carolina suspects PP is trying to move into a new location in Fayetteville and is determined to "out" the multimillion-dollar abortion giant and keep it from sneaking in. "I refuse to sit back and let an organization founded by a racist sneak into our town and set up a shop to murder babies," he said. Rev. Hunter says that he found out that PP is trying to sneak in under the name of Tharrington Medical Clinic, and he organized a rally last Saturday to protest PP. STOPP is not surprised by PP's strategy of trying to sneak into town by any means possible, including lying to residents and surrounding businesses. STOPP applauds Pastor Hunter for his courage and prays that he is successful in focusing attention on PP and keeping it from moving into Fayetteville.
CareSource Foundation gives grant to PPSO
The CareSource Foundation recently gave grants to 20 organizations in Ohio involved in one of three areas of concern: issues of the uninsured, critical children's health trends and community health issues. The grants ranged from $3,000 to $20,000. In what seems to have been a mistake on someone's part, Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio received a $5,000 grant to help promote "healthy birth outcomes." Apparently, the CareSource Foundation considers abortion as a healthy birth outcome, which comes as a surprise to American Life League. "Abortion is not a healthy birth outcome; it is exactly the opposite," said Patrick Daub, researcher for ALL's STOPP department. "There is nothing healthy about murdering an innocent preborn child and ending the pregnancy in the most unnatural way possible. How could the CareSource Foundation justify this donation with the terminology that they use?"
STOPP asks that all of our readers write to CareSource and demand that PP be taken off its list of grant recipients.Follow this link to get the information on how to call, e-mail or send a letter to CareSource. Please pray that its eyes will be opened and that all of PP's funding will be removed. Also, please sign the petition to defund PP, if you have not already, and send the link on to your friends, family, acquaintances, and fellow pro-life activists.
Indiana parish stands with PP at 'gay pride' event
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church of Lafayette, Indiana was involved in a "gay pride" festival that also hosted Planned Parenthood on October 11, 2008. The parish's participation in OUToberfest has stirred up quite a bit of controversy, because it sends mixed messages to parishioners and other Catholics in the diocese. Naomi Whittaker, a Purdue University student and supporter of American Life League, took it upon herself to do something about the parish's involvement and sent a letter to Bishop William L. Higi requesting that the parish be held responsible for its actions. Whittaker received this response:
"The participation of the parish was in conjunction with other Christian Churches of the area who were reaching out in solidarity to homosexual persons as children of Our Loving God. He (the parish pastor) assured me that this effort was not condoning a particular lifestyle or choice." ALL's vice president, Jim Sedlak, had this to say about St. Thomas Aquinas' involvement: "It is absolutely outrageous for a Catholic church to stand alongside Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider, and give implicit endorsement of an event and lifestyle antithetical to the Catholic faith." Please pray that the bishop and pastor recognize their error and issue a statement to clarify the Catholic Church's stance on supporting PP and homosexuality.
Ohio county debating PP funding
The Hamilton County, Ohio Board of Commissioners is considering changes that would give them more say over which organizations receive funding through the county's Family and Children First Council. The commissioners agreed to this shortly after a voting 2-1 that funds the council allocated to Planned Parenthood last year had been spent according to the rules, since county and state policies prohibit public funding of abortion-related "services." The dissenting vote was cast by Commissioner Pat DeWine, who proposed that the commissioners should approve the council's funding decisions from now on. DeWine commented, "There's a significant segment of the population that opposes funding of Planned Parenthood." The council will also "revisit" its recent decision to put PP back on its list of sub-grantees. PP had been removed from the list about eight or nine years earlier.
Please pray that the commissioners pass DeWine's proposal, so that PP will be one step closer to losing even more of the taxpayers' money. We ask our readers to sign our petition to defund PP and to encourage everyone they know to the same.
PP groundbreaking draws large protest
Last week, STOPP informed our readers that Planned Parenthood was beginning construction of a new abortuary in Portland, Oregon, and the groundbreaking event took place on Wednesday, October 22 as the Wednesday STOPP Report was sent. STOPP also informed you that there was going to be a large protest during the ceremony. The protesters kept their word. More than 150 protesters gathered and collected hundreds of signatures to keep the controversial 40,000-square-foot clinic from opening. STOPP applauds these protesters for fighting back against PP and recognizes that one of the most effective ways to fight PP is to become active and be a presence in your community.
PP denied funding in Sarasota, Florida!
The Sarasota, Florida County Commission denied a requested $12,500 grant for Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida by a 4-1 vote last week. The proposed $12,500 grant was half of what PP had received from the county last year. It has been receiving county funding for the past 10 years. This year, the county looked to cut the budget for funding social services, and PP was the only organization, of the 45 groups that received funding last year, that was completely denied funding. The county cut social services funding because of "across-the-board reductions implemented by the county due to declining tax revenues." PP claimed the funds were needed to fund its so-called comprehensive sex education program.
In an e-mail sent to STOPP, Jim Styer, president of Right to Life of Sarasota and Manatee, reports, "When nonprofits were asked this year to reduce requests because of the tight county budget, PP instead submitted the same request as last year." Styer also reported that when it came to the 4-1 decision to cut funding, "The only holdout was Nora Patterson, former local PP president and wife of an attorney for PP." PP of Southwest and Central Florida already had a $7-million budget and received enough private funding - $8 million to be exact - to build the nation's second largest abortion clinic.
STOPP thanks God for this victory and applauds Jim Styer and his group for all of their hard work over many years. The Lord has truly blessed their dedication and perseverance. Planned Parenthood CAN be defeated. With God, all things are possible!
Wednesday STOPP Report - October 22, 2008
Planned Parenthood recognizes National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
In an ironic twist, Planned Parenthood is speaking out on the dangers and risks of breast cancer. What makes this ironic is abortion is a major risk factor for breast cancer. Here is an organization that earns one-third of its clinic income from abortion and yet is educating the public on one of the serious health problems that abortion can cause. What PP fails to recognize or acknowledge is the fact that women under the age of 18 who have an induced abortion increase their breast cancer risk by 150 percent. There have been several studies that show a link between breast cancer and abortion. PP has ignored these studies, and abortion advocates claim that there is no link or that it is impossible to find a link between the two. PP also fails to recognize a link between breast cancer and oral contraceptives. Studies have shown that women taking oral contraceptives also have an increased risk of breast cancer.
PP has long used breast cancer and mammograms as a publicity stunt to convince the ignorant or naïve that they are truly here to help women. (It is interesting to note that the number of breast exams done at PP has fallen by 17 percent over the last five years.) We know that our readers are not going to allow PP to pull the wool over their eyes. We ask you to use National Breast Cancer Awareness Month to inform others that PP is running a business by selling two of the causes of increased breast cancer risk: abortion and contraceptives. Please also contact Susan G. Komen For the Cure and ask them why they support PP when PP is helping to increase breast cancer. For a list of the studies that have proven the link between breast cancer and abortion, please follow this link.
Construction to begin on Portland Planned Parenthood clinic
Construction of the Planned Parenthood facility on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, in Portland, Oregon, is set to begin next week. STOPP brought this story to our readers' attention when PP first announced its intention to build this new killing center. There have been numerous protests and setbacks for PP's plans, including the first construction firm backing out of the deal because of controversy and PP having trouble finding a new firm.
PP is claiming to be "maxed out" – short of funds – and is asking its supporters to donate. Apparently, PP forgot about its hundreds of millions of dollars in liquid assets. PP is celebrating the beginning phase of construction with a groundbreaking ceremony today. Bill Diss, who has been a leading voice in the battle against this new PP facility, vows to have protesters there. "It's still blessed and unbroken ground, and that is good," commented Diss. Please keep praying that PP does not reach its financial goal and is forced to back out of the deal.
Iowa woman left money for Planned Parenthood
A woman in Shenandoah, Iowa wanted to leave a mark on this world in what was her last act in this world. Iowa resident Millie Morgan, a long-time Planned Parenthood supporter, decided to include a gift for the organization in her estate plans. Millie left PP enough money to purchase a new exam table, shelves and signage. "Millie's gift will be forever remembered and provide our center with a new exam table, a new chart shelving unit and signage, to go on the frontage road near the center," Red Oak Planned Parenthood Center manager Marti Clark-Moffett said. "She would have been excited to see her donation going to help the center run smoother and increasing PPGI's presence in the community."
We ask our readers to pray and do penance for the deliverance of Millie's soul from purgatory, in the hope that, before she died, she underwent a conversion, repented and was a firsthand witness to God's wonderful mercy. Please pray for Millie and all those who support PP and abortion, so that God's love and mercy may shine through and soften their hardened hearts.
Planned Parenthood fighting personhood initiative
Planned Parenthood is terrified by Colorado's proposed personhood amendment and knows that it could mean the end of its days as a "megamillion-dollar" organization. So what has it done to fight back? How about donating almost half a million dollars to combat this ballot initiative? That's right. PP is putting a lot of money into fighting Amendment 48. PP realizes that legally declaring the child in the womb to be what the child naturally is – a human person – is the first major step toward ending the culture of death.
American Life League supports this proposal. We ask our supporters to pray for the state of Colorado, that all of its residents may realize how precious life is. We also encourage Colorado for Equal Rights to continue its amazingly courageous fight against PP and other abortion advocates. Visit its web site to learn more.
NPLTD contest announced
American Life League is starting to prepare for National Pro-Life T-shirt Day in April 2009 by announcing that this year, our shirt will be designed by you, our supporters! Have you ever had an idea for a great pro-life T-shirt that you thought would look great? Want your shirt to be displayed across the nation and know that it will be used for one of the greatest causes ever? Then you need to compete in our first-ever NPLTD contest. Please stay tuned for more information in the near future.
40 Days for Life a thorn in Planned Parenthood's side
Planned Parenthood is clearly not happy with the 40 Days for Life vigils outside of its clinics and is complaining to the media about them. PP is unhappy because the campaign is making quite an impact on its business. Several 40 Days for Life participants have sent in reports indicating that the vigils are having a noticeable impact on PP workers and facilities. This is a wonderful testimony to God's power. In Spokane, Washington, one participant said that PP's business was so slow that it sent out eight workers to counterprotest the 40 Days for Life vigil:
"Two or three more joined them within the next half hour," said Inga. "They lined up on the curb on either side of our prayer volunteers, with an 'in-your-face' attitude, mocking us with their looks and laughter. This was the first time in either campaign that we have encountered this kind of persecution."
Inga said only two people were signed up to pray at the vigil when this happened, but God had other plans. The people who were scheduled to leave the vigil stayed and kept praying – and other people kept arriving to join them until more than two dozen faithful believers were gathered in prayer outside of Planned Parenthood.
Bishop Holley urges the black community to fight Planned Parenthood
Bishop Martin D. Holley, auxiliary bishop of Washington, D.C., recently issued a powerful statement calling attention to the fact that "Black women continue to be targeted by the abortion industry" and urging the African-American community to fight back against Planned Parenthood and the rest of the abortion industry. Bishop Holley commented on the recent PP study showing that African American women have an abortion rate that is five times higher than that of white women, and he called for the defunding of PP. "Every year the federal government gives over $300 million to PP," Bishop Holley pointed out. "Last year for the first time, Planned Parenthood took in over one billion dollars and reported a profit of $[114] million."
STOPP commends Bishop Holley for his strong stance against PP and applauds his courage in standing up against the abortion giant. Please pray for Bishop Holley and bishops everywhere that they will unite to fight PP and other abortion and contraception providers everywhere. If you still have not signed the petition to defund PP, please do so by following this link.
Your prayers are desperately needed!
Today, as we were putting the finishing touches on our Wednesday STOPP Report, American Life League received this prayer request email from David Bereit, National Campaign Director of 40 Days for Life. Please read and keep this intention in your prayers all day.
Dear Jim,
I have an URGENT prayer request... On Saturday a medical worker at a Planned Parenthood abortion center where a 40 Days for Life campaign is happening approached the prayer volunteers outside. She said that Planned Parenthood had told its workers that they would be immediately fired if they ever talked to those on the sidewalk, but she felt drawn to them -- and she shared that she desperately wants out of her job. She explained that after she started working at Planned Parenthood earlier this year, the abortion business assigned her the gruesome task of counting the baby body parts following each abortion to make sure everything was removed from the mother.
What she has seen inside the walls of Planned Parenthood is horrific. She then shared that several weeks ago a young woman sat before her registering for an abortion and said, "I'm so conflicted, should I do this or not?" She leaned forward and quietly told her, "Don't do this." The girl left, her baby alive within her. A co-worker overheard and reported her to the abortion center's supervisor who wrote her up and put a stern warning in her employment file.
She asked the 40 Days for Life prayer volunteers if she could meet Monday with someone who might be able to help her -- and the time she had available was the exact time that Jim Pinto, pastoral associate for Priests for Life, was there in town for his visit to the 40 Days for Life location. Jim stopped everything else to pray for her, with her, and over her. He also connected her with an organization called The Centurions that helps to bring abortion providers out of the abortion industry where they can find forgiveness and healing in Christ and restore their sense of self-worth.
The 40 Days for Life volunteers are now taking up a collection to provide for her short-term needs so she can leave her job immediately and they are helping her find another job quickly since she is the sole provider for her four daughters and needs income. Jim, there is a real possibility that these faithful 40 Days for Life volunteers may be able to help her walk away from the abortion industry TODAY! Praise God for what He is doing in this woman's life, and please keep her -- and this situation -- in your prayers throughout the day.
Margaret Sanger celebrated by the Smithsonian
Just the title of the story is enough to get any pro-life activist outraged, but that is just the beginning. The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery has a new, federally funded exhibit that, according to the museum's curator, "celebrates women who have challenged and changed America over the past century." The exhibit includes a section on Planned Parenthood founder, well-known racist, eugenics advocate and Nazi sympathizer Margaret Sanger. "We are looking to represent individuals who have had a significant impact on the nation as a whole," said Ann Shumard, the museums' photography curator. "This is outrageous," Jim Sedlak responded. "Sanger is portrayed as having a positive impact on society when she is probably the largest mass murderer in the history of the world."
It is outrageous that taxpayer money is being used to "celebrate" one of the world's leading supporters and advocates of eugenics. Margaret Sanger was not a woman to be celebrated. Her push to legalize birth control has led to horrendous evils such as abortion and an overall lack of respect for life. Please write to the Smithsonian and demand that materials on Sanger be removed from the exhibit.
Planned Parenthood fighting for secrecy
Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio is waiting to hear from the Supreme Court of Ohio as to whether or not it has to turn over hundreds of medical records. PPSO is facing a lawsuit filed by the parents of a child who, in 2004, was 14 and the victim of statutory rape by her soccer coach. Her parents are suing PPSO for violating Ohio's parental notification law. The parents' attorneys have requested PP's records to find out if this alleged violation was a one-time event or part of a pattern of consistent evasion of the law. PP claimed that releasing such documents would violate its clients' privacy.
Planned Parenthood is known for its secrecy and its attempts to avoid any scrutiny. Please pray that PP will be ordered to provide documentation. After all, if Planned Parenthood is a law-abiding organization, as we are led to believe, why would it not show its documents? What does it have to hide? Follow this link to sign a petition to defund Planned Parenthood and help us move one step closer to protecting ourselves from this evil organization.
Planned Parenthood caught breaking the law on tape... again
As if recent tapes exposing Planned Parenthood as a racist organization were not already enough negative publicity, PP was recently caught on tape yet again. It has been violating laws for years now, and thanks to Students for Life of America, we have even more proof of it. On October 1, 2008, SFLA released a video of recorded conversations between a Planned Parenthood worker and two undercover SFLA students who posed as 14-year-old and 15-year-olds. The undercover students claimed to be involved in a sexual relationship with a man in his thirties, which would constitute statutory rape. The PP staffer was informed of the illegal activity and failed to report the incident to the proper authorities.
SFLA later checked statutory rape reports and discovered that Planned Parenthood had reported no cases on the day coinciding with the calls. Kristan Hawkins, SFLA's executive director, commented, "These videos are simply shocking. That Planned Parenthood staffers acknowledged the girls were being raped and then did not report the crime is horrific. They allowed these girls to go home to their rapists and even confirmed that their rapists could get the morning-after pill for them to cover their crimes."
We again urge all of our readers to become involved in the effort to rid our country of PP and its evil practices. One of the best ways to do so is to be out there on the front lines, picketing in front of a Planned Parenthood clinic. To find out the nearest PP facility near you, visit http://www.stopp.org/maps. We must fight back!
Planned Parenthood clinical trial raises questions
Planned Parenthood facilities across the country participate in various clinical trials. However, one that they are currently involved in raises even more questions PP's handling of statutory rape cases. The Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts is participating in a trial, sponsored by an anonymous foundation, "to determine whether there is increased oral contraceptive pill (OCP) adherence in women receiving daily text messaging reminders to take their OCP, compared to women who do not receive reminders. The investigators hypothesize that women who receive daily text messaging reminders to take their OCP will have increased pill adherence compared to women who do not receive reminders."
In addition, "the investigators also hope to determine whether there is a difference in OCP adherence as measured by electronic monitoring device and wireless real-time data collection versus traditional patient pill diaries. The investigators hypothesize that electronic monitoring device and wireless real-time data collection will demonstrate lower adherence compared to traditional patient pill diaries." The rules for the trial say that girls as young as 14-years-old can participate! Some might argue that perhaps the girls are taking the pill for other medical reasons, but the rules for the trial specifically exclude any girl "electing OCPs solely for non-contraceptive benefits only." Any girl under 18 must have the permission of a parent or guardian, but how can a parent or guardian give girls permission to engage in illegal activities? The age of consent in Massachusetts is 16-years-old. We encourage all of our readers in Massachusetts to bring this research to the attention of law enforcement. If you need further details, e-mail us at stopp@all.org.
STOPP visits Wichita, Kansas
American Life League's vice president, Jim Sedlak, recently returned from Wichita, Kansas, where he gave a talk explaining how to fight back against Planned Parenthood and defund it. Jim was very pleased with the outcome of the talk, because he knows that he left a great group of people who are ready to continue their battle against Planned Parenthood. "Right to Life of Kansas is an active group and currently involved in an effort to end Planned Parenthood tax funding in the state," said Jim. "I was honored to spend time with these fantastic people." Please remember that you too can have Jim or any of our American Life League speakers come and give a talk to your group. To arrange for a speaker, e-mail us at stopp@all.org.
40 Days for Life vigil showering Planned Parenthood clinics with prayer
The 40 Days for Life campaign has targeted Planned Parenthood clinics this year, and the fruits of their labor are already showing. There have been numerous success stories, ranging from a Burlington, Vermont PP killing center having trouble finding someone to commit abortions, to a an Orange County, California PP employee encouraging pro-lifers to keep praying and make their signs visible to the women seeking abortions. Below, a 40 Days for Life participant relates just two of the numerous stories of babies saved and hearts changed during this fall's campaign:
A young woman in Fort Wayne, Indiana was on her way to the clinic for her pre-abortion "counseling" appointment. As she drove, she saw two of the "Pray and fast to end abortion" signs in people's yards. At that point, she knew she could not go through with the abortion. She turned around and went home. How do we know? The young woman's mother told a friend, who told another friend - who told one of the local 40 Days for Life coordinators.
In another lifesaving incident..., "Tell everyone that God has blessed us with yet another baby saved!" writes Joellyn in Minnesota. "I went to Planned Parenthood and God allowed me to assist a woman who is seven weeks pregnant. We just go out, speak the truth and leave the results to God. He is working miracles all over!'"
We all must thank God for these wonderful successes and continue to fight Planned Parenthood. These stories should encourage us all to continue working against Planned Parenthood and be ever more vigilant in this battle. Pregnancy center fights back against Planned Parenthood ... and wins!
Planned Parenthood could be considered the abortion industry's biggest bully. Planned Parenthood of Ottawa proved it last year when it launched a media attack against First Place Pregnancy Centre. PPO was furious when this crisis pregnancy center was one of the three organizations chosen to receive a large charitable donation from Our Better Halves, a group made up of wives and girlfriends of Ottawa's hockey team, the Ottawa Senators. PPO and its allies accused First Place of being "anti-choice" and caused such a stir that First Place voluntarily withdrew as one of the OBH's recipient organizations, to spare OBH from the resulting negative publicity. However, First Place filed a lawsuit against PPO for interfering with its funding and for defamation. PPO recently settled out of court with First Place. Although the details cannot be disclosed to the public, First Place seems to have successfully stood up for itself against PPO's intimidation.
STOPP congratulates First Place for its success in fighting back against Planned Parenthood's bullying. First Place has shown that we can defeat Planned Parenthood. All we have to do is stick together, follow the legal procedures and stand strong, with God's help!
American Life League calls for nationwide investigation of PP
Planned Parenthood desperate to stop protest in Colorado
Planned Parenthood in Durango, Colorado is really being bothered by LifeGuard' weekly protests. Since they began a couple of years ago, Planned Parenthood has erected a fence and is trying to get the police to intimidate peaceful protestors, to discourage them from protesting. The latest incident at this clinic, on June 11, 2008, resulted in local protestor Jean Paul Wright being arrested on charges of trespass and assault. Wright, who was released on bail for $1,500, had a preliminary court date set for September 16, but more time is needed because the plaintiff, Pamela Beckert, a security guard for Planned Parenthood, has come forward with more injury claims, according to District Attorney Craig Westberg.
Beckert claims that Wright's sign had blown onto PP's property while he was protesting. Beckert claims she picked up the sign and that as she went to hand the sign to Wright, he became very upset. Beckert changed her mind about giving Wright the sign and dropped the sign. Beckert claims that as she went to pick the sign up, Wright charged her and pushed her to the ground. Colorado's LifeGuard Executive Director, Michaela Dasteel, gave the Wednesday STOPP Report the following statement:
"I was at the other end of Planned Parenthood's parking lot and heard a commotion. Harriet Fehringer, who had been standing next to Jean and witnessed the incident from beginning to end, came around and told me what she had just seen. She said that Jean had darted out to get the sign after two of Planned Parenthood's people had refused to bring it to him. As he reached for the sign, Pam had elbowed him and then plopped down on top of his arm, pinning Jean and the sign to the ground. Jean pulled himself out from under Pam and returned to his protest spot. Pam's first utterance after going down on her bottom was "Oh, I hurt myself" which she quickly changed to "He, hurt me, call the police, assault, assault, assault", which she kept repeating. Pam's witnesses – a volunteer 'deathscort' – and a woman who was waiting to drive another home after an abortion (both of whom were either reading or talking on the phone as the incident began to unfold) – repeated Pam's story, that Jean had assaulted Pam. Pam and her witnesses are lying."
Because picketing is so effective, Planned Parenthood will do whatever it can to drive you away. We encourage all protestors outside of Planned Parenthood facilities to always have video cameras on hand to record your activities there. Had there been a video camera at this event, the truth of what happened would have been much easier to prove.
College group trying to get 'comprehensive sex ed' on campus
Planned Parenthood is using its VOX chapter at Utah Valley University to spread the lies of "comprehensive sex ed" programs throughout the state of Utah. Utah requires and funds abstinence-only programs, and PP is not happy about that because it is losing business. How do you sell abortion and contraception to people who are not participating in PP's promiscuity-promoting programs? The group claims it has already collected more than 4,500 signatures and is trying to fight the abstinence message by handing out condoms to students. Planned Parenthood realizes that its largest demographic is college students and that college is the time to target the youth and promote promiscuity. Educate your friends, families, coworkers and associates about the dangers of Planned Parenthood's sex ed programs, which are vehicles for spreading its lies and advertising its services.
Planned Parenthood celebrates 40 years by targeting potential new clients
Last week was a very busy week for Planned Parenthood in Elmira, New York. Planned Parenthood of the Southern Finger Lakes decided that it would celebrate its 40th anniversary by going after potential new clients and spreading its lies. The group had an official celebration in Elmira at the Corning Museum of Glass on Monday, which was attended by PP's national president, Cecile Richards. Then personnel from the local facility visited Elmira College and pushed its "comprehensive sex education" on the students there. They also decided that they would hand out free birth control, just as PP of South Central New York recently did (as we reported in last week's WSR). PPSFL is not sitting by and accepting the status quo. It is looking to spread its lies and bring in more money. The only way to keep it from tightening its grasp on our children is to fight back and become active in the battle against Planned Parenthood. We encourage all of our STOPP readers in New York to please contact the Corning Museum of Glass and tell them to keep Planned Parenthood out.
Pro-Life Memorial Day just days away
We remind all of you that Pro-Life Memorial Day is on Monday, October 6, 2008 and ask you to help us spread the message and get involved. This is a day to mourn all of those lost through abortion and the Supreme Court's decision to decriminalize abortion. Watch our latest ALL Report, and send it to all of your friends and family. Let us be a voice for the innocent preborn children who have been forever silenced!
Babies saved from Planned Parenthood
We received the following account of a baby saved from abortion in Indianapolis, Indiana:
On Wednesday, September 24, at 7:30 AM the Indianapolis community joined 178 other cities across the country for 40 Days of prayer and fasting to end abortion. Men and women from St. Barnabas and St. Jude parishes and Fr. Steve Banet, pastor of St. Jude's, went to cover Planned Parenthood in prayer in one-hour shifts until 7:30 PM. Because of the "18 hour law" in Indiana, women must have an appointment for "counseling" and then wait at least 18 hours before their abortion can be scheduled. Therefore, some days are "counseling" days at the abortion centers and other days are scheduled with actual abortions. Wednesday was a "counseling" day at Planned Parenthood and only prayer warriors for 40 Days-Indy were present as women drove in for counseling. Just after 11 AM, as a car was pulling out of the Planned Parenthood driveway, it stopped and the driver waved to the prayer warriors to send someone over. Susie Walsh of St. Barnabas hesitated and then walked over to the car expecting the woman at the wheel to scold her. Instead, the woman told Susie to tell her friends that their prayers were working and that her daughter, who was sitting beside her in the car, had chosen life for her baby and would not be returning for an abortion.
In Fresno, California, another 40 Days for Life participant shared a story of a preborn child being saved:
I stood outside of Planned Parenthood for about six-and-a-half hours today, most of those hours alongside my wife, who is 9 months pregnant. A young, attractive girl started walking toward me from the Planned Parenthood driveway. I smiled at her thinking she was a Planned Parenthood employee.
The young woman said she wanted to ask me some questions, and I told her that I'd be glad to answer any questions she could think of. She asked why we were out here. At that point, I knew she wasn't a Planned Parenthood employee, because she would have known exactly why we're out here! I told her that we were there to peacefully pray for an end to abortion. I introduced myself and asked for her name, and she shook my hand saying her name was Ashley.
Then she said, "Well, I changed my mind." I figured maybe she had become pro-life, so I asked her what she meant by that. Ashley responded, "I was going to have an abortion, but I'm not going to now." My eyes widened, I gave her a huge smile and told her that she was my new favorite person! (Except for my wife, of course!)
Ashley explained further that she saw a news story on TV about us this morning and knew she couldn't have an abortion. I hadn't seen that coverage yet, so I asked her what it was about the story that changed her mind. She said that she saw men and women praying and holding signs and Bibles, and she knew that she couldn't go through with the abortion.
Ashley is 16 years old, and five weeks pregnant. Her parents wanted her to have the abortion and have now kicked her out of their house and taken her cell phone. She's living with a friend now. I began to tell Ashley about the local pregnancy care center and how much help we personally can offer her as well. I told her, "You're not alone.""
These two stories prove the effectiveness of being on the streets in front of Planned Parenthood. The 40 Days for Life campaign (www.40daysforlife.com) is a tremendous way of doing just that, but your presence is needed outside of PP facilities all year long. To join in saving lives outside of Planned Parenthood, go to our Map Room (www.all.org/stopp/maps), find a protest near you and join it. If there is no protest near you … start one! There are instructions in the Map Room on how to do that.
Hillary Clinton and Cecile Richards unite against conscience rights
New York's Senator Hillary Clinton and Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, have co-authored an op-ed piece opposing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services proposed rule, which would require that employees of federally funded healthcare facilities not be required to provide or assist with medical services they find immoral. The two women find fault with the fact that the proposed legislation does not force healthcare workers to sacrifice their moral beliefs. They write, “The new rule would go further, ensuring that all employees and volunteers for health care entities can refuse to aid in providing any treatment they object to, which could include not only abortion and sterilization but also contraception.”
However, American Life League believes that this proposed regulation is a step in the right direction and would be a godsend for the protection of healthcare workers' conscience rights. Please follow this link to comment on the proposed regulation. You have until Friday, September 26, 2008 to add your comment.
PP offers free birth control
Today, Planned Parenthood of South Central New York is offering, free of charge, Plan B birth control, also known as “emergency contraception” or the “morning-after pill,” to anyone over age 18 with a photo ID. Plan B is an abortifacient birth control pill that is used "up to five days" after intercourse and works to keep the newly formed child from implanting in the mother’s womb. PP is offering the free abortifacient pills at their new location in Binghamton, New York, which has already been the center of controversy. PP spokeswoman Ingrid Husisian admits that the reason for the Plan B free giveaway is to draw regular customers: "When people come in for their free emergency contraception, one of the things we'll encourage is would you like to book an appointment on your way out so you can get on a regular method of birth control."
Planned Parenthood argues that Plan B is not an abortifacient by claiming that life does not begin until implantation. However, STOPP and our WSR readers understand that life begins at fertilization and that Plan B can prevent an embryo from implanting in the womb, thus causing an early abortion. Please make sure that you are up to date on all of the latest information about PP and its "services" by visiting www.all.org/stopp. Then use this information to inform others!
PP joins with ACLU to fight abstinence
Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union are joining forces to fight abstinence-only education. The two groups, along with four others, are pushing Kentucky health departments to turn down $820,000 in abstinence-only education funding. Planned Parenthood wants to teach its brand of “comprehensive sex education” and knows that abstinence education is not conducive to increasing its contraception and abortion business. Derek Selznick, "reproductive-freedom project director" for Kentucky's ACLU, claims, "One of the biggest problems is that we know teens are having sex, regardless of what message is being presented to them”. Selznick fails to recognize that PP and its agenda of making money by selling sex has contributed significantly to social decay by causing the teen pregnancy rate to skyrocket. The reason “teens are having sex, regardless of what message is presented to them” is that PP is forcing sex onto the teens and encouraging them not only to have sex, but to believe they can avoid suffering any consequences from it by going to the local PP office for contraception and abortion "services." We are calling on all WSR readers to encourage their local representatives to support giving the abstinence-only message to our children and defunding Planned Parenthood and its “comprehensive sex ed” programs. Please sign the petition to defund PP here.
Chocolate, wine, silent auction … birth control?
What do these things have in common? They are all part of Planned Parenthood of Delaware’s "Fourth Annual Chocolate Festival and Silent Auction." PPDE hopes to lure in prospective donors by offering a silent auction, food from local restaurants and a chocolate fountain provided by The Melting Pot. Marion Hamermesh, a PPDE board member and the event's chairwoman, said, “The chocolate and auction items are a great draw, but the nicest part of the event is that supporters show up to help PPDE protect reproductive rights and continue to provide quality, confidential reproductive care to Delawareans. It turns out to be a wonderful evening for everyone.” PP uses anything it can to appear as anything but the evil organization it is. It tries to mingle with the community and eliminate well-founded qualms about what it actually does. STOPP is calling on The Melting Pot to stop supporting PP by helping with this fundraiser. Please contact The Melting Pot and let them know that if they continue to support PP, we will ask everyone we know to boycott its restaurants.
ALL joins National Summit to Defeat Planned Parenthood
Last week, American Life League met with about 20 other pro-life groups in Chicago, Illinois to start a nationwide joint effort against Planned Parenthood. The conference theme, “Planned Parenthood is BAD for America,” brought together national pro-life leaders who will work together to defund PP, among other things. Our own Jim Sedlak, American Life League's Vice President, gave the opening remarks: "Planned Parenthood's Vision for the Future." Jim was pleased with the meeting and turnout: “The attendees at this meeting have been fighting Planned Parenthood individually for a long time, and now we will be working together to reveal the full truth about this evil empire.” The pro-life leaders also drafted a joint statement outlining why opposition to Planned Parenthood is critical for the pro-life movement. To view the statement and a photo of the attendees, visit: http://prolifeaction.org. Watch for further developments as the fight against Planned Parenthood continues to expand all across the country.
40 Days for Life starts today
40 days for Life starts its nationwide campaign today and is going out of its way to ensure that there is a presence in front of as many Planned Parenthood facilities as possible. During last year's 40 Days for Life fall campaign, there were pro-lifers holding vigils outside of 39 Planned Parenthood centers. This year, the number has more than doubled and pro-lifers have increased their presence to 87 Planned Parenthood locations Follow this link to find the nearest location and get involved with the vigils. God bless all who are involved and those who organized these prayerful vigils.
Pro-life Memorial Day almost here – get your shirts now!
Pro-life Memorial Day is almost here, and American Life League is making sure that we get as many people involved as possible. We have found that one of the greatest tools that we have as a movement is our ability to spread our message through many different forms of media. We need to spread the message that 49 million children have been aborted since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. Not only do we need to mourn those children lost through abortion, we need to let the world know that we are killing off our generations to come. One of ALL’s most effective weapons against abortion is printing our message on T-shirts, hoodies and signs. For this year's Pro-life Memorial Day, ALL has designed a special commemorative shirt to convey the event's importance. Now we are offering the shirt to all of our readers for a special price. STOPP is offering WSR readers a special discount and gift if you order a shirt this week. The shirt is now only $6.00, and you will receive a commemorative armband FREE with every shirt you order. But you must act quickly so that you get a shirt and get it in time.
All orders must be received by this Monday, September 29, to ensure you receive it in time for the event. Remember, a shirt is a great way to let the world know of the evils of abortion. Are you willing to dedicate just one of the year's 365 days to the memory of the 49,540,776 children who have lost their lives to abortion? Go to www.prolifememorialday.com now to get involved!
Marie’s report from Augusta, Maine
Our own Marie Hahnenberg, researcher for STOPP, shares her experience of visiting STOPPers in Augusta, Maine:
On September 20, I had the privilege of meeting some wonderful pro-lifers in Augusta, Maine. This was my first visit to Maine, and it is such a beautiful state filled, with such beautiful people. However, there are currently four Planned Parenthood facilities in this state, along with a Planned Parenthood program that attempts to educate parents on teaching their own kids about sexuality. This program is called "Real Life. Real Talk." It includes workshops for parents, and house parties to discuss Planned Parenthood’s philosophies and how to push sex onto our young children. "Real Life. Real Talk." is also supported by Portland, Maine's public schools. For more information on this program, visit https://www.all.org/article.php?id=11154.
While I was there, conveying the message of how to defeat Planned Parenthood, I had the pleasure of meeting Michael Hein of the Christian Civic League of Maine, JoAn Karkos, Lisa St. Jean and Dean Scontras, who were all honored for the hard work they have been doing in Maine to promote the culture of life. I would like to thank the Pro-Life Education Association for inviting me to speak at its Awards Brunch and especially the Truman family for their hospitality. May God continue to bless all of their efforts to spread the message of life and defeat Planned Parenthood.
Philippines facing a two-child bill
The International Planned Parenthood Federation and the UN are backing legislation that would restrict Filipinos to two children per family and punish anyone who objects. The policy, titled "An Act Providing for a National Policy on Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development, and for Other Purposes," calls for up to six months of imprisonment and heavy fines for anyone who openly challenges the law and tries to inform others of the dangers of contraception and abortion. Eileen Macapanas Cosby, president of the Filipino Family Fund, explained, "International Planned Parenthood has sold false presuppositions that access to contraception will alleviate poverty and decrease the number of abortions. Many who do not have an understanding of Catholic social teachings have bought this. Precisely because the country is Catholic, [Planned Parenthood] has targeted the Philippines."
American Life League is appalled by this proposed legislation. The Philippines is now threatened by legislation that could enact a policy very similar to China’s one-child policy and would result in the deaths of many children through abortion and contraception. This bill must not be signed into law. Please pray that Filipino families will be protected from anti-life, anti-family bills such as this one.
Wednesday STOPP Report - September 17, 2008
Planned Parenthood now offering webcam abortions in Iowa
The Iowa Right to Life Committee broke a shocking story this week when it revealed that Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa is now offering RU-486 abortions by webcam. According to IRLC, patients are no longer required to have an appointment or see a doctor in person in order to undergo this gruesome procedure. Instead, patients are apparently walking into some Iowa Planned Parenthood centers and receiving their medical abortions, with an abortionist available for advice via webcam. IRLC also stated that Planned Parenthood is violating the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's protocol for RU-486. According to the FDA,
The approved Mifeprex regimen for a medical abortion through 49 day's pregnancy is:
· Day One: Mifeprex Administration: 3 tablets of 200 mg of Mifeprex orally at once
· Day Three: Misoprostol Administration: 2 tablets of 200 mcg of misoprostol
orally at once
· Day 14: Post-Treatment: The patient must return to confirm that a complete termination has occurred. If not, surgical termination is recommended to manage medical abortion treatment failures.
The FDA's web site also states, "The safety and effectiveness of other Mifeprex dosing regimens [emphasis added], including use of oral misoprostol tablets intravaginally, has not been established by the FDA."
Planned Parenthood is reportedly giving its customers a lower dose of Mifeprex and a higher dose of Misoprostol and provides only two appointments, instead of the FDA-recommended three. In addition, its customers take the Misoprostol at home. All of these changes decrease Planned Parenthood’s costs while its customers follow a regimen whose safety has not been evaluated by the FDA. Now is the time for a public outcry. If PP is allowed to get away with this in Iowa, it will soon offer this same "service" across the country. We encourage all of you to talk with state and local elected officials and get laws passed to outlaw "abortion by remote control."
IPPF's latest 'how-to' distorts the law
In its latest how-to guide, the International Planned Parenthood Federation, the world’s largest abortion promoter, is teaching abortion advocates and its affiliates around the world how to bypass and even eliminate restrictions on abortion by bending the truth. In this primer, Access to Safe Abortion: A Tool for Assessing Legal and Other Obstacles, Planned Parenthood claims legal support for abortion "can be found in numerous international treaties and other instruments." Writing for the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute, Piero Tozzi states,
None of the enumerated treaties or conventions, which are legally binding on governments that ratify them, mentions the term abortion, however. Treaties are documents negotiated by sovereign states, many of which proscribed abortion at the time of ratification. Where silent on a subject, treaties are intended to leave the domestic laws of ratifying nations unchanged, in accordance with traditional principles of interpretation. IPPF goes so far as to claim that the statement “Every human being has the inherent right to life," found in the United Nations' 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, means that abortion should be allowed.
We at STOPP are not surprised by IPPF's latest attempt to sell sex, lies and death to as many countries as possible, but we never fail to be thoroughly disgusted by its blatantly dishonest tactics.
PP to open new clinic in Florida
Planned Parenthood of South Florida and the Treasure Coast, a newly renamed affiliate, plans to open a new clinic in Boca Raton, Florida in December, after its previous facility was closed down in June. PP is also looking to open more centers in the surrounding areas. STOPP is calling on all of our supporters in the southern Florida region to spread the word about the evils of Planned Parenthood and work to keep the clinic from opening. Use the STOPP Map Room to post information about a local protest in your area, and e-mail us at stopp@all.org if you have any information about the exact location of this future Boca Raton facility.
Doctor threatened to leave money to PP in his will
What if your own spouse threatened that, after his death, his estate would go to Planned Parenthood? A Maryland woman named Diane Ivins is facing this exact scenario. Her deceased husband, Dr. Bruce E. Ivins, has managed to cause plenty of controversy, even from his grave. Tragically, Dr. Ivins committed suicide in July of this year, shortly before the FBI indicted him for mailing anthrax-contaminated letters that killed five people in 2001. Dr. Ivins stated in his will that he wanted to have his remains cremated and his ashes scattered. He worried that his family would not abide by his wishes, so he included an ultimatum: If his remains were not cremated and his ashes not scattered, $50,000 of his estate was to be donated to America's largest abortion chain , Planned Parenthood, an organization his wife has long opposed. Diane Ivins has been a faithful Catholic and has worked for the pro-life cause for many years. She was once the president of Frederick County Right to Life in Maryland. She would prefer to bury her husband’s ashes and is currently fighting in court so that she can do that and not have to give money to PP. Please pray for Ms. Ivins' success in this legal battle.
YouTube goes on a censorship rampage
Several weeks ago, STOPP informed our readers about YouTube’s baseless censorship of anti-Planned Parenthood videos. Now, amidst controversy, negative publicity and strong criticism for banning four of Live Action's videos, YouTube has banned a fifth video. What was the reasoning behind the banning of this video? YouTube claimed, in an e-mail to Live Action, that there was “an alleged privacy violation." What’s more is that this all comes a day after Eyeblast.TV contacted Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt, and asked why the first four videos were banned. Schmidt’s reply, according to UCLA student Lila Rose, who masterminded the investigation of PP's racism, was “I don’t know the details, but I’ll certainly look into it.”
Rose responded to the latest YouTube censorship by saying, "YouTube's discrimination is outrageous. Rather than respond to our concerns about the censorship, YouTube is confirming its Orwellian conduct and silencing the voices of investigative reporters." STOPP is once again asking our readers to join the effort to restore these videos on YouTube. Please write an e-mail, send a letter or make a phone call to YouTube to demand that all of these videos are put online again and that YouTube stop silencing the pro-life message.
Correction
In last week’s WSR, we featured a list of Planned Parenthood mega-clinics (those over 20,000 square feet). In the list, we indicated that the clinic in Sarasota, Florida was in the planning stages. This is not correct. Activists from Sarasota report the clinic is under construction and the final size will be 23,515 square feet. We apologize for the error.
Dubuque Right to Life is holding Anti-PP rally
Steven Brody of Dubuque Right to Life sent an e-mail announcing that the Dubuque, Iowa community is fighting back against Planned Parenthood and will hold a rally. Below is the rally flyer:
EDUCATIONAL RALLY – THE TRUTH ABOUT PLANNED PARENTHOOD
Who: Dubuque County Right to Life, Inc.
What: Educational Rally – The Truth About Planned Parenthood
Where: Grand River Center, Salon D, 500 Bell Street, Dubuque, IA
When: Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 1:00pm Central Time
Why: Doug Scott, President of Life Decisions International, and author of “Bad
Choices: A Look inside Planned Parenthood,” will keynote an educational rally to inform the public about Planned Parenthood. The public is invited to come to this free event with questions and to get the answers on why Planned Parenthood is BAD for Dubuque and also to learn the depth of its operations and agenda. If you are in the Dubuque area, please spread the word, try to attend this rally and protest Planned Parenthood’s newest clinic. STOPP applauds Steven Brody and all of the Dubuque Country Right to Life members for their dedication and hard work. May God bless them and help them to keep fighting!
Dr. C.J. LaBenz, who has been committing abortions at the Planned Parenthood facility in Lincoln, Nebraska since April of this year, was apparently involved in a botched abortion at the facility last Thursday.
According to an Operation Rescue press release, at approximately 10:45 a.m. on September 4, a pro-lifer saw a woman placed in an ambulance outside of a PP center. The victim was then taken to Bryan LGH East Medical Center, and "abortionist C.J. LaBenz followed the ambulance to the hospital." Prior to working for PP, LaBenz reportedly was involved in a number of serious incidents. In 1979, he was charged with unlawful abortion and criminal negligence. During a saline abortion procedure, one of his clients gave birth to a child weighing two and a half pounds. Shortly after the child was born, LaBenz told a nurse to place the child on a sink drain board. The nurse stated that the child was left to die in what she described as a "dirty utility room." The child lived for two hours before complete neglect led to the child's death. In June of 2002, LaBenz drove onto the grass outside of his abortion mill and struck a pro-life picketer, knocking her to the ground. When PP tells people in your community about its "trusted" medical personnel, let them know about PP abortionists such as LaBenz.
Planned Parenthood hates to have dedicated pro-lifers outside of its facilities. PP knows that the presence of peaceful, prayerful witnessing makes the community more aware of its nefarious activities, lowers its workers' morale and discourages young teens from coming to its centers, because they fear someone might recognize them and tell their parents. In many communities across the country, PP has tried to intimidate pro-lifers by conducting a "pledge-a-picket" campaign. PP recently opened a new facility in Dubuque, Iowa and has begun such a campaign there. The problem for PP is that these tactics simply do not work. Although the campaigns raise a small amount of money for PP, committed pro-lifers are not deterred. They continue to protest and PP continues to be frustrated by their presence.
Several years ago, when PP started such a campaign in Birmingham, Alabama, a local food bank program run by pro-lifers countered PP's move. They promptly announced that picketing at PP would be counted towards the community service hours needed to earn food. As a result, picketing increased. We know that this campaign will not discourage Dubuque's pro-lifers, and we encourage people all across the country to increase their presence in front of PP. To find out where there is a regular presence near you, just go to www.all.org/stopp/maps. If there is no protest near you, that web site will help you start one.
Is condom 'artwork' now part of 'comprehensive sex ed'?
Planned Parenthood promoted its new facility in Binghamton, New York by displaying "artwork" at its open house last Friday. The "artwork" at its new location consisted of several articles of clothing made of condoms or condom wrappers. One such article was a prom dress made from condoms. Its creator, Yvonne Benjamin, said, "So when that's in the exhibit, it's going to be on the back seat of a car because that's where you would expect that age group to be active." Great way to promote sexual responsibility!
Benjamin also made an evening gown out of condoms, for display with a bed, "Because that sect [sic] of people would probably be a little bit older and a little bit wiser but still using some sort of protection for maybe children." Is this part of what PP refers to as "comprehensive sex education"? Making jokes about sex? Is creating purses and dresses from condoms an effective way to teach children to respect each other's sexual dignity? PP is pushing sexual, immoral lifestyles onto our children and calling it "sex education." What children really need is support and encouragement from parents and loved ones on the topic of chastity. PP received over $330 million in tax dollars last year. Sign the petition and help eliminate PP's sex education programs.
Planned Parenthood "granted license to lie"
STOPP reported two weeks ago that Eric Scheidler was attempting to sue Planned Parenthood for libel and that his case was going before a judge to determine if he did, in fact, have a case against PP. Last week, based on a law unique to Illinois, Kane County Judge Judith Brawka turned in a nine-page ruling in which she dismissed Scheidler's and the Pro-life Action League's lawsuit. Attorney Tom Brejcha, attorney for Eric Scheidler, commented, "Lies are now beyond legal accountability, so long as there is some government appeal pending. There's absolutely no accountability." Eric Scheidler added, "Planned Parenthood has been granted a license to lie." The judge did allow Scheidler to file three other libel counts, which will be the subject of further court action.
STOPP lists all Planned Parenthood mega-clinics
STOPP has been updating its readers on all of the mega-clinics that Planned Parenthood has been opening and plans to open around the country. Now we bring you a list of all such PP facilities:
Please use this list to organize protests, inform friends in these areas and encourage them to protest these mega-clinics. Planned Parenthood is moving towards larger facilities and attempting to increase its revenue by offering more services. The only way to stop this is to fight back against America's largest abortion provider.
STOPP staffer appears on ABC News Now!
Last Thursday, September 4, STOPP's very own Marie Hahnenberg, a researcher, made her national television debut, to debate David Greenberg, the CEO of Planned Parenthood's Columbia Willamette affiliate. The debate, hosted by ABC News Now, centered on whether PP's sex education programs are effective and PPCW's new, highly offensive teen-targeted web site, "Take care down there." Marie stressed that the only sure way to avoid an unintended pregnancy and getting an STD is living a chaste life and teaching our children to abstain from sex outside of marriage. STOPP is very proud of Marie and encourages all of our readers to watch the first and second parts of the video posted on YouTube. Congratulations to Marie for doing an excellent job of supporting the culture of life and fighting Planned Parenthood!
Pro-Life Memorial Day approaching!
Pro-Life Memorial Day, October 6, is quickly approaching, and STOPP is asking you to help spread the word and get as many people involved as possible. For this year's event, American Life League hopes to reach as many pro-lifers as possible and is offering a new item: the Pro-Life Memorial Day armband . The armbands are an easy and effective way to spread the message that over 49 million children have been murdered by surgical abortions since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. The event web site, www.prolifememorialday.com , features many new functions and tools, and is loaded with fresh ideas. It also has a great new look and displays this year's PLMD T-shirt design and the new PLMD armband. You can use this site to submit your PLMD story, pledge to participate, educate yourself on what this day signifies or make a donation. How you decide to participate in this day is not what matters; what matters is that you participate in any way that you can. Please spread the word about Pro-Life Memorial Day and get everyone you know involved. All shirts and armbands must be ordered by September 22 to ensure delivery by October 6.
U.S. District Judge Joseph Tauro recently upheld a 2007 Massachusetts law, signed by Governor Deval Patrick, requiring that all pro-life protesters must maintain a distance of 35 feet from any abortion mill. Tauro claims that this law does not violate First Amendment rights, or guarantees of equal protection or due process.
Obviously, this law could undermine the effectiveness of sidewalk counselors and protesters outside of the clinics, since it imposes the largest buffer zone now in effect in the U.S. This, in turn, could obviously benefit the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. Please pray for our government leaders and for all those who continue to fight Planned Parenthood in Massachusetts. May their words be heard so that they can save the lives of the preborn and help their mothers avoid being hurt by abortion.
YouTube has yet again demonstrated that they are looking out for Planned Parenthood. As you may remember, several months ago, American Life League informed its readers that YouTube had banned its ALL Report exposing Planned Parenthood's horrible ad campaign. The video was later placed back online after ALL publicized this injustice and called for the video to be reinstated. Now the same thing is happening to Live Action, a pro-life student organization that made recent news with its videos of recorded conversations of PP employees taking donations specifically designated for abortions committed on African-American babies. Live Action has had four videos removed from YouTube over a two-week period.
YouTube gave Live Action the same reason it gave to ALL received: The videos were removed due to inappropriate content. However, YouTube is not known for being discriminatory towards other videos that are truly inappropriate. There is content on YouTube that is practically pornographic, and PP has commercials that would fall into this category. Is YouTube looking out for Planned Parenthood? "These four videos have received over 160,000 YouTube views in total, with the oldest video having been public on YouTube for over seven months. Why are these videos being removed now?" asks David Schmidt, Live Action's media director. Live Action's president, Lila Rose, said, "It is discriminatory for YouTube to selectively censor material that clearly does not contain inappropriate content. We will continue to apply pressure on YouTube until it restores the videos."
Send e-mails to YouTube to let them know that this is wrong and that they need to allow these videos to be available.
Appeal of Aurora clinic dismissed … again
The Planned Parenthood mega-clinic in Aurora, Illinois was the center of media attention for some time, and STOPP made sure to bring the story to our readers. The most recent attempt to close the killing center and remove Planned Parenthood from Aurora is the second time such an effort has failed. According to the Beacon News, "Fox Valley Families Against Planned Parenthood filed the appeal in July, after the city issued a final certificate of occupancy to the clinic on July 1. Prior to that, the facility had operated under a temporary certificate issued in October of last year." Fox Valley Families Against Planned Parenthood has been working hard to kick Planned Parenthood out of the area and is using every option available to do so. Its latest attempt challenged the permanent occupancy permit granted to PP. City attorney Alayne Weingartz claims that Aurora's Zoning Board of Appeals dismissed the case for "lack of jurisdiction."
"In January, the board dismissed a similar appeal of the temporary certificate from the same appellants, and on the same grounds," the Beacon News continued. "The new appeal [filed in July]… simply [reiterated] the case opponents made earlier, that Planned Parenthood violated several conditions in the zoning code, and needed to obtain a special-use permit to operate a not-for-profit medical clinic in a business boulevard zoning district." Nonetheless, PP has been welcomed by the government into the town, even though it has entered it under false pretenses. Since the second appeal was denied, a third appeal has been filed with the city's building code board of appeals. Weingartz conceded this is the proper venue for challenging PP's final certificate of occupancy, but nonetheless "argues that even this board's jurisdiction is limited." Please pray for the citizens of Aurora. Pray that the appeal is granted, and that Planned Parenthood is forced to move out of Aurora for good.
Last week, we received a letter from Fort Worth, Texas group that has been a long-time STOPP supporter and very active in its fight against Planned Parenthood. Here it is:
Dear Marie, here is the info about what we do at the PP mill in Ft. Worth TX. They started doing surgical abortions at this site in June of 1996. We started our protest under the aegis of Catholics United for Life of North Texas several months before they started their killing in June. We did a daily month long protest during the last thirty days before they began their killing at the site that they use. We took out a full page signature ad featuring the Catholic and Episcopal bishops of Fort Worth along with a multitude of other prominent local clergy and lay people. There were several hundred names in the ad.
They began killing only on Thursdays, but have expanded to both Thursday and Friday and alternate Saturdays. Their abortionist, Neal Pock D.O., is retired from private practice and drives in from Tyler Texas (about 3½ [hour] drive) on Thursday mornings and stays over to do his dirty work on the other days. He is almost 73 years old. We have had sidewalk counselors and prayer partners there every day they are killing. When our new bishop, the Most Reverend Kevin Vann, came three years ago, he started Celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at 6:20 A. M. every Friday morning he is in town at the Mother & Unborn Baby Care pregnancy center, two blocks from the PP mill and then proceeding to the PP center to pray the rosary with us while we sidewalk counsel, HE SAYS MASS AND PRAYS EVERY FRIDAY MORNING - I think he is the only bishop in the country that dedicates that kind of time to pro-life activism!
His Masses and presence at the abortion center give us great encouragement and we have started to see a lot more results since he started coming every Friday over the past three years. We have even been able to send sidewalk counselors over to help Counsel at abortion centers in our neighboring city of Dallas every week.
We probably average 15 people praying and counseling at the PP abortion center every day that they do abortions. Thanks for your continuing efforts in fighting the evil web cast by the PP monster.
In Christ's Name for Life,
Chuck Pelletier, President
Catholics United for Life of North Texas
Thank you, Chuck, for your update. If you have a similar story or want to let us know what is going on, please send us a letter or let us know by sending us an e-mail.
Congratulations, you are five for five!
Over the last few months, we have asked you to take action on five urgent matters. These include the following:
We are extremely pleased to report that all of these situations have had happy endings. Planned Parenthood was stopped in Florida, Washington and California. In Oregon, the land sale was delayed for 60 days. In your latest victory, JoAn Karkos, the 64-year-old grandmother who refused to return the pornographic children's book, It's Perfectly Normal, will not go to jail and will not have to return the copy of the Planned Parenthood-backed book she took from the Lewiston, Maine library. Judge Valerie Stanfill and the Lewiston library had reportedly received so many calls from STOPP supporters, they had to start accepting calls from county taxpayers only.
After the media and grassroots barrage, the city administrator, Jim Bennett, said Mrs. Karkos would no longer be threatened with going to jail and could keep the book. According to the Lewiston Sun Journal, "Bennett... said that proceeding with that kind of legal action would have accomplished nothing. Putting the matter to rest, he said, is in the best interest of the city. It saves money that would need to be spent to pursue the case in court, he said, and will keep Lewiston from becoming the epicenter of the debate over decency in publications."[emphasis added] We thank Mrs. Karkos for her brave stand on behalf of keeping It's Perfectly Normal out of the hands of children. We also thank the STOPP supporters who stood with Mrs. Karkos and demanded accountability from all those who would expose children to the filth propagated by Planned Parenthood. And, of course, we praise God for this victory. May God bless you all for responding so quickly to our calls for action. Know that you DO make a difference!
December 17, 2008
SPECIAL COVERAGE – Obama transition team makes PP wish list public
There are two breaking news stories this week in regard to Planned Parenthood. The first is the release of PP’s wish list on what it wants the Obama administration to do in its first 100 days – and beyond. The second story is the uncovering of PP's protection of rapists in Indiana and the state attorney general's subsequent announcement that he has begun an investigation into the matter.
In today’s Wednesday STOPP Report, we bring you the details of the PP-Obama document. The Indiana story will be covered in detail in next week’s WSR. In the meantime, you can get some information at http://liveactionfilms.org/ and http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=9524227&nav=9Tai
In this issue:
Obama transition team makes PP's wish list public
PP wants Obama to “improve access to abortion care”
PP wants Obama to include abortion in normal health care
Taxpayers' cost for PP's plan
Additional elements in PP's plan
What you can do
Obama transition team makes PP's wish list public
In a move that reportedly caught Planned Parenthood by surprise, the Obama transition team is making public all of the input it receives from third-party sources – including a 55-page document put together by PP and two dozen other “reproductive health” organizations.
The document, Advancing Reproductive Rights and Health in a New Administration, spells out PP's wish list for the Obama administration.
The main part of the document will be no surprise to our readers, as we covered most of it in earlier WSRs. PP wants Obama to sign the Freedom of Choice Act and the Prevention First Act. But, just in case these acts don’t pass, PP has built many of the items covered by them into this new document and has added a great deal more.
In addition, the document has several sections, which need to be cited so that you can have a fuller understanding of PP's political agenda. We will present those sections in the next few items.
PP wants Obama to “improve access to abortion care”
Planned Parenthood always maintains that it is not “pro-abortion”; it is just “pro-choice.” Yet, this document clearly spells out that PP wants the unfettered ability to commit whatever abortions it wants and at taxpayer expense, as far as possible.
Over the last three decades, Congress has passed a number of bills that include restrictions on using taxpayer money to fund abortions. PP, of course, is not happy with this and wants to use as much taxpayer money as possible to kill babies in the womb. In this document, PP specifically wants Obama to strike down all restrictions on abortion funding for the following groups:
• Medicaid-eligible women
• Medicare beneficiaries
• Federal employees and their dependents
• Residents of the District of Columbia
• Peace Corps volunteers
• Native-American women
• Women in federal prisons
In addition, it calls for the elimination of the Weldon Amendment. Eliminating Weldon would allow both federal and state government agencies to refuse to give funds to a doctor or organization if that organization refused to commit or refer for abortions – thus ensuring more money for abortion providers like Planned Parenthood.
PP wants Obama to include abortion in normal health care
In addition to removing all restrictions on taxpayer funding of abortions, the document submitted by Planned Parenthood and its friends calls on Obama to seek passage of a comprehensive healthcare reform act.
PP specifically states, “Comprehensive benefits must include access to the full range of reproductive health services, including contraception, maternity care, and abortion care.”
This document makes it very clear that PP views abortion as just another medical procedure of no particular significance. It believes providing abortion is providing “care” for the woman and child.
We must remember that PP already runs the nation’s largest abortion chain and commits 24 percent of all abortions in the country. Thus, any increase of abortion coverage in health plans would benefit PP more than any other entity in the abortion business.
It is clear that PP's demand that healthcare plans provide “abortion care” would result in the deaths of many more babies and would provide additional millions of dollars of income to Planned Parenthood.
Taxpayers' cost for Planned Parenthood’s plan
When reading Planned Parenthood’s plan for the Obama administration, we were struck by the massive amounts of money it would take to implement it. Especially in this time of economic hardship, it is particularly galling that PP would seek to further fatten its coffers at the expense of the American public. Using the requested dollar amounts in the document, plus a couple of reasonable estimates by American Life League, it is clear that funding the entire package put together by PP would cost the American taxpayer $4.6 billion – most of it in annual expenditures!
These costs break down as follows:
PP's wish list for the Obama administration:
• Increase funding for the Title X Family Planning Program from $300 million to $700 million.
• Expand coverage of Medicaid-funded family planning services (PP estimates three million more people would be covered). ALL cost estimate – $540 million.
• Increase funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s STD Prevention Program from $157 million to $267 million.
• Increase funding for the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health from $40.2 million to $66.6 million.
• Invest in comprehensive sex education – $50 million.
o Authorize annual funding for teen pregnancy prevention programs. Cost – $20 million.
• Strike budgetary restrictions that block women’s access to abortion care. ALL estimates that government would pay for as much as 25 percent of all abortions, at a cost of $120 million.
• Increase funding for the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant from $666 million to $850 million.
• Restore funding to the United Nations Population Fund – $65 million.
o Give back payments to UNFPA of approximately $50 million.
• Increase spending for international family planning programs from $461 million to $935 million.
• Increase funding for international maternal and child health (MCH) programs from $450 million to $900 million.
• Review policies that restrict access to emergency contraception and eliminate restrictions that, according to PP, lack scientific support.
o Authorize important public education programs to inform women and doctors about EC. Cost - $10 million.
• Increase Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Drug Treatment Programs for Pregnant and Parenting Mothers from $12 million to $70 million.
TOTAL OF ABOVE-NAMED PROGRAMS: $4,644,000,000, THAT IS, $4.6 BILLION
Additional elements in PP's plan
There are many additional elements in this plan, most notably, the following:
• Defund all abstinence-only education programs
• Rescind the global gag rule.
• Restore incentives to provide affordable birth control at college health centers and certain safety net providers.
• Select judicial nominees with a demonstrated commitment to fundamental legal protections and civil liberties, including reproductive rights.
• Give money to groups that do not oppose prostitution
Here is the actual wording from the document on the last item in the above list:
The global AIDS law, as a condition of eligibility for funding, requires recipient organizations to have a policy opposing prostitution. This policy has impeded PEPFAR’s ability to work with some of the organizations most trusted by the women who are among the most vulnerable to HIV. Moreover, in August 2008, a federal court found the requirement unconstitutional as applied to U.S.-based organizations. The U.S. Agency for International Development and HHS should revise their guidelines as applied to domestic and foreign non-governmental organizations to comply with the court ruling as well as to allow for the most effective foreign groups to partner with the United States in the fight against AIDS.
What you can do
The old adage attributed to Edmund Burke, "The only thing necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing" was never more applicable than it is right now. The only thing you can do wrong is to be quiet.
Here are specific ways in which you can make your voice heard:
1. Sign American Life League’s petition to stop Planned Parenthood’s agenda at www.stopp.org/agenda.
2. Call your elected officials in Washington, D.C. and tell them what you think of PP's agenda. If you do not know your representative or senator’s name or need their phone number, call the Capitol Hill switchboard at 202-224-3121.
3. Visit the local offices of your members of Congress and tell them personally that you do not want them to support any part of PP's agenda.
4. Write letters to the editor of your local newspapers and call in to local, regional and national talk shows to discuss this outrage.
5. Schedule a speaker at your church, civic group or school to inform your community of the threat that PP poses to your community. You can schedule a speaker from American Life League by calling 540-659-4171 and asking for Mike Sedlak.
6. Pray that God will bless the effort to defeat PP.
► Wednesday STOPP Report - December 10, 2008
by Jim Sedlak
In this issue:
Planned Parenthood announces expansion campaign
In a move reminiscent of the Clinton presidency's opening days in 1993, Planned Parenthood's president, Cecile Richards, sent a letter to PP's supporters right after the election of Barack Obama that read, in part,
"It's genuinely exciting to think about what we can achieve if we pull together… We have to pledge to work as hard to seize opportunities as we have to fend off risks and challenges… That means working to make sure our government plays its role in reaching out to the neediest women. But, it also means Planned Parenthood committing to open new clinics in underserved areas. Indeed, right now, we are surveying the entire country to determine where our presence is needed most."
In 1993, PP tried to double in size, but was blocked by a strong pro-life community who just would not let it happen. We need that resolve again in 2009. We know how to stop PP. We have a tried-and-true plan that has been shown to be successful time after time in stopping PP from coming to town or closing it down if it is already there. It is the plan that closed down 17 of 19 PP clinics in the Texas panhandle from 1997 to 2007. It is the plan that resulted in the closing of over 124 PP clinics in 11 years. It is the plan that allowed people in Corpus Christi, Texas to keep $30,000 from going to PP in that community.
STOPP has staff members available to come to your town and make educational presentations on PP. We can also meet with you and your local leaders to help you organize the effort. Once organized, we will be available to assist you, as the need arises, throughout your entire battle. To find out what we can do or schedule us to come to your town, please e-mail us at .
PP nurse fired after Live Action's latest exposé
Last week, we brought you a story about an Indiana Planned Parenthood facility and a nurse's attempt to cover up the rape of a 13-year-old child so that she could still get an abortion. A videotape, found here, shows a PP nurse failing to comply with several state laws. So, what happened to the nurse who deliberately and admittedly broke laws by covering up the rape of a 13-year-old? Well, in order to save face, PP placed the nurse on unpaid suspension. Betty Cockrum, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Indiana, released this statement regarding the situation:
"We are deeply concerned about the content of the video. While we cannot be certain whether this video has been altered, the apparent actions of the employee would be in violation of our strict policies and procedures. Therefore, a thorough internal investigation of this matter has begun, and the employee has been put on an immediate, unpaid suspension. Further disciplinary action will be taken if warranted by the investigation."
Today PP issued a press release stating that the internal investigation was completed and the employee was fired.
Perhaps outside investigators should review what is happening at every PP facility in the country. Life Dynamics showed, in its Child Predators phone calls, that over 90 percent of PP clinics across the country do almost exactly what this PP employee did.
Indiana Child Services not pressing charges against PP nurse
Indiana's Department of Child Services clearly feels that Planned Parenthood of Indiana's latest actions warrant no reprimand whatsoever. We first brought this story to your attention last week, discussing Live Action Films' latest undercover investigation of PP and its cover-up of what was presented as the rape of a 13-year-child. We have also informed you that PPIN has now fired the nurse (see above).
When asked why no charges were pressed, Steve Vaughn, director of the Indiana Department of Child Services, commented, "Since there was no minor involved, that takes us out of the picture." Apparently, attempting to break the law is not enough to warrant any deliberate investigation of an organization rampant with corruption, evil and disgusting philosophies. We ask you to become involved in the fight against PP and work to get this evil organization out of your community.
For our plan to defeat PP, please click here. Please say a prayer for all of the lost children who are taken advantage of by PP.
Update: Ecke Family Farms removed from PP boycott list
In last week's Wednesday STOPP Report, we asked you to boycott the Ecke Family Farm, a major poinsettia supplier. This has been an ongoing boycott effort, as the Ecke Farm and the Ecke family have been long-time major supporters of Planned Parenthood.
On the web site of Planned Parenthood of San Diego and Riverside Counties in California, several members of the Ecke family are listed as top-level donors in its 2006 Annual Report – the latest report posted. These include Jinx K. Ecke, Lizbeth Ecke and David Meyer, Paul Ecke III & Juliane Hampton, the Sarah Ecke May Family and the Paul & Magdalena Ecke Poinsettia Foundation.
During the week, we were told by Life Decisions International that Ecke Family Farms has been removed from the boycott list because, technically, the money to Planned Parenthood comes from the Foundation, not from the business. Under LDI rules, the business is then removed from the Boycott List.
While that makes sense in most cases, given the outrageous support of Planned Parenthood by the entire family and the foundation, we are still recommending that you check the origin of the poinsettias you are about to buy and refuse to purchase anything with the Ecke name.
Despite public berating, Kline can keep PP files
The Supreme Court of Kansas ruled that Johnson County District Attorney Phill Kline and his office can retain evidence he has collected in his investigation of a Planned Parenthood facility, including a large number of PP files. Kline had been asked to "disgorge" his information from 107 cases he had filed against a Planned Parenthood clinic in Overland Park regarding its procedures pertaining to allegedly performing illegal late-term abortions and for allegedly falsifying reports. The court ruled in favor of Kline; however, some of the members of the court did not stop there.
In the court's ruling, it stated that Kline's "attitude and behavior are inexcusable, particularly for someone who purports to be a professional prosecutor. It is plain that he is interested in the pursuit of justice only as he chooses to define it." Kline, however, was pleased with the decision, regardless of the verbal lashing: "We're very pleased the prosecution can go forward." Please pray that newly elected Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe will continue to investigate these cases and that Planned Parenthood will face full justice for its actions.
PP lays off South Dakota director
Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota has decided to cut its costs in these tough economic times by cutting jobs, and one of the biggest cuts the abortion giant made was laying off its director for South Dakota, Kate Looby. Looby was one of several employees who were laid off in the northern Midwest region. Planned Parenthood claims that the firings were financially motivated.
Please pray that Ms. Looby's exit from Planned Parenthood will help her realize the errors of her actions, the horrors of abortion and the evil throughout Planned Parenthood.
Empty Manger at PP on December 13
Here is an update from 40 Days for life in Indianapolis:
On Saturday, Dec. 13, we invite you to gather with us at Planned Parenthood's Abortion Center at 8590 N. Georgetown Road (just south of 86th Street) to pray for an end to abortion and to sing Christmas carols around a display of an empty wooden manger.
We will begin with "Away in a Manger," in remembrance of those unborn children who will never "lay down their sweet heads" upon any bed. The manger is also an invitation to abortion-bound mothers to figuratively place their babies upon the manger like baby Jesus. After praying and singing the rest of the caroling program we will conclude by facing the clinic and singing "Silent Night".
Elizabeth Kane, a local sidewalk counselor, brought the "Empty Manger" program to Indianapolis two years ago after hearing that Joe Scheidler's Pro-Life Action League in Chicago had originated the program in Dec, 2003 and has used it annually.
"Teens for Life", the youth group from St. Nicholas Church in Sunman, will come with their pastor, Rev. Gregory Bramlage, for the first day of their monthly commitment to pray at Planned Parenthood every 2nd Saturday from 9-11 AM.
Other youth groups and adults are welcome as well. 40 Days for Life-Indy will provide song books and hot chocolate for those who weather the elements and join us for the Empty Manger prayer and caroling program from 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM.
If you have questions about joining this program, contact Elizabeth Kane at (317) 518-9000 or at .
American Life League's vice president, Jim Sedlak, will be at the Empty Manger event in Indianapolis and take part in a press conference that will call Planned Parenthood of Indiana to task for protecting child predators and issuing gift certificates that can be used for abortions.
► Wednesday STOPP Report: December 3, 2008
by Patrick Daub
Planned Parenthood once again covers up rape of 13-year-old
Planned Parenthood of Indiana has caused quite a bit of controversy recently with the release of its “Death Certificates” (see story below: PPIN offers gift certificates just in time for the holidays), but it hasn’t stopped there. Just as we were getting ready to send this week’s Wednesday STOPP Report, ALL received news of this horrific video of a PPIN worker convincing a 13-year-old girl to cover up the fact that she had become pregnant after having intercourse with a 31-year-old man. “The video is simply disgusting,” commented STOPP researcher Patrick Daub. “In it you see an older woman, the PP nurse, instructing a 13-year-old girl to break the law. And this is supposed to be an organization that cares?”
STOPP applauds Lila Rose for her commitment to the pro-life movement and her devotion to outing PP. This video is just further proof of the fact that PP is willing to go to whatever lengths it takes, including breaking the law, to ensure that it continues to bring in more money and push its “reproductive health” agenda on everyone it can.
American Life League is proud to have Lila attend our Training and Activism Week in January, (see story below: Attend TAW and Personhood Conference), as a guest speaker and hopes that you will join us.
Obama selects ex-PP board member for key political position
President-elect Obama has been a longtime supporter of Planned Parenthood and its policies. This became even more evident when Obama selected an ex PP board member to join his staff in D.C. Obama chose Melody Barnes, a staunch PP supporter who has lobbied for the American Civil Liberties Union and served on the boards of EMILY’s List, a pro-abortion organization that is dedicated to funding pro-abortion candidates, and PP’s political arm, Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
Ms. Barnes has made it clear that she is a proponent of Obama’s comprehensive sexual education plan, “More condoms are needed to fight AIDS, and the Bush administration is to blame for the fact that more blacks have AIDS than whites.” However, what Ms. Barnes fails to recognize is that the very same organization she has devoted so much time to is murdering African Americans by the thousands every year. Its founder, Margaret Sanger, was a well-known eugenics supporter and openly racist advocate for genocide of the African American community. Please pray for the conversion of Mr. Obama and Ms. Barnes, that they see what is going on around them and wake up to the fact that Planned Parenthood is working so hard to kill off their race.
PPIN offers gift certificates just in time for the holidays
PP has been known to cause some controversy with its ploys to bring in more customers, increase its business, and to line its pockets with money. However, its latest ploy seems to stick out as one of the most ridiculous and blasphemous schemes yet to be used. PP of Indiana has decided to offer what it would consider a great gift for Christmas and the holiday season, gift certificates for its services. These “Death Certificates”, as they have been properly titled by many of those in the pro-life movement, come in increments of $25, if purchased online, or any dollar amount if purchased at a clinic. They can be used for any service that PP offers, including birth control and abortions. “How sad is it that PP is using the day that we celebrate the birth of Christ as a way to push and promote the murdering of innocent preborn children,” commented Patrick Daub, researcher for STOPP. “This is a modern day representation of Herod and his slaughtering of innocent children in order to keep Christ from coming into our lives.”
STOPP is appalled by PP’s latest attempt to increase its business and asks that you pray for anyone who is considering this as a possible gift option. Please help fight PP by becoming active in your community and by praying for a conversion of all lost souls.
PP “commemorates” World AIDS Day
December 1, 2008 was the 20th annual World AIDS Day and PP is “commemorating” the day by offering free HIV tests in clinics across the country. In Joplin, Missouri, a PP clinic was offering free HIV tests. In Arizona, PP was offering free or discounted HIV tests, and is working to create the largest red ribbon to commemorate World AIDS Day. In Burlington, Vermont, PP is trying to promote “safe sex” by handing out condoms in a “Safer Sex Pub Crawl.”
We at STOPP are left scratching our heads when we hear about what PP is doing to supposedly “prevent” the spread of HIV. Here is an organization that promotes and sells promiscuity and uses ploys such as free HIV testing to increase its customer base. See, PP tries to play as though it is a caring organization who is doing nothing but trying to help others with its reproductive health, when in actuality, it is a billion dollar organization that is spreading its lies and lining its pockets with the murdering of the most defenseless life, the pre-born.
Mini Storage donates to PP
Manhattan Mini Storage has decided to make another bold statement to make sure that everyone knows where it stands when it comes to the murdering of innocent, pre-born children; Manhattan Mini Storage not only supports abortion, but is looking to help fund it. The company has a new campaign titled, “Save more than your stuff” in which it has promised to donate $200,000 to five charities that it feels are important. However, it mistakenly believed PP to be worthy of this money and included PP in its list of charities.
This is not the first time Manhattan Mini Storage has publicly supported PP. And unless we do something about it, it won’t be the last. Let Manhattan Mini Storage know that we will not support a company that has the audacity to promote PP’s killings. Please follow this link to contact the company and let it know that we are going to boycott it until it cleans up its act.
Be careful buying poinsettias
This was sent to American Life League in an e-mail from Pro-Life Wisconsin.
It has become tradition in the United States for most churches and many homes to use poinsettia plants to create a beautiful festive atmosphere. Before you purchase your poinsettias this year, you should be aware that the largest distributor of these plants, Paul Ecke Ranch, is a major supporter of Planned Parenthood.
The Ecke family members have, for years, been honored by Planned Parenthood of San Diego as one of their biggest abortion supporters.
Those opposed to Planned Parenthood have been getting the word out about the Ecke–Planned Parenthood connection and it has impacted the Ecke Ranch to the point where it cut back on its production of poinsettias last year and is licensing its name to other growers.
We thank Pro-life Wisconsin for being vigilant and strong in their fight against PP. Let’s make sure that when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ this year that we are not supporting PP.
Attend TAW and Personhood Conference
American Life League’s Personhood Conference at Training and Activism Week will take place on Friday, January 23, 2009 at the Liaison Hotel, located at 415 New Jersey Avenue, N.W. in Washington, D.C. Judie Brown, cofounder and president of American Life League, will present our soon-to-be introduced Federal Personhood Amendment. It is the only legal proposition that states, “Legal personhood is granted to all human beings in the United States from the beginning of their biological development.” As Judie Brown explained in the September-October 2008 issue of American Life League’s Celebrate Life magazine (www.clmagazine.org), it is “a proposal which American Life League will use as the centerpiece of its legislative strategy now and until the day when it becomes an official amendment to the United States Constitution.”
American Life League is honored to be hosting several other distinguished guest speakers, including Kristi Burton, sponsor of Colorado’s personhood amendment; David Bereit, national director of 40 Days for Life; and Lila Rose, cofounder of Live Action Films and editor of UCLA’s pro-life student magazine, The Advocate. Their experience and expertise in fighting the culture of death will prove an invaluable witness to all of us as we persist in the fight for life. Come join us to learn about the growing personhood movement and how you can get involved! Register for this event at www.personhoodnow.com.
Cardinal DiNardo leads 500 in Planned Parenthood protest
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo led around 800 Catholics in Texas in what was the first ever “Pilgrimage for Life,” to take place in Huntsville, Texas. The day started off with a Mass and included a peaceful prayer vigil in front of a Planned Parenthood clinic. When talking of the events of the day, Cardinal DiNardo said, “We are not here today to demonstrate. We are here to pray. We are not here to make slogans. We are here to fall to our knees in intercession.”
STOPP thanks Cardinal DiNardo for being a staunch defender of life and a vocal presence in the fight against abortion. The Cardinal expressed the need for Catholics and non-Catholics everywhere to fight it, “There is nothing more innocent than innocent human life at its beginnings. Therefore a claim is made on us for the protection of all human life; most especially that most delicate, brilliant and yet frequently violated human life through the act of abortion.”
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The Knights of Columbus had a petition at church tonight for people to sign.
S.1173
Title: A bill to protect, consistent with Roe v. Wade, a woman's freedom to choose to bear a child or terminate a pregnancy, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Boxer, Barbara [CA] (introduced 4/19/2007) Cosponsors (19)
Related Bills: H.R.1964
Latest Major Action: 4/19/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Jump to: Summary, Major Actions, All Actions, Titles, Cosponsors, Committees, Related Bill Details, Amendments
SUMMARY AS OF:
4/19/2007--Introduced.
Freedom of Choice Act - Declares that it is the policy of the United States that every woman has the fundamental right to choose to: (1) bear a child; (2) terminate a pregnancy prior to fetal viability; or (3) terminate a pregnancy after fetal viability when necessary to protect her life or her health.
Prohibits a federal, state, or local governmental entity from: (1) denying or interfering with a woman's right to exercise such choices; or (2) discriminating against the exercise of those rights in the regulation or provision of benefits, facilities, services, or information. Provides that such prohibition shall apply retroactively.
Authorizes an individual aggrieved by a violation of this Act to obtain appropriate relief, including relief against a governmental entity, in a civil action.
MAJOR ACTIONS:
***NONE***
ALL ACTIONS:
- 4/19/2007:
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
TITLE(S): (italics indicate a title for a portion of a bill)
- SHORT TITLE(S) AS INTRODUCED:
Freedom of Choice Act
- OFFICIAL TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
A bill to protect, consistent with Roe v. Wade, a woman's freedom to choose to bear a child or terminate a pregnancy, and for other purposes.
COSPONSORS(19), ALPHABETICAL [followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]: (Sort: by date)
Sen Baucus, Max [MT] - 4/19/2007
Sen Bingaman, Jeff [NM] - 4/19/2007
Sen Brown, Sherrod [OH] - 5/2/2007
Sen Cantwell, Maria [WA] - 4/19/2007
Sen Cardin, Benjamin L. [MD] - 4/19/2007
Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] - 4/19/2007
Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA] - 4/19/2007
Sen Kerry, John F. [MA] - 6/13/2007
Sen Lautenberg, Frank R. [NJ] - 4/19/2007
Sen Lieberman, Joseph I. [CT] - 4/23/2007
Sen Menendez, Robert [NJ] - 4/19/2007
Sen Mikulski, Barbara A. [MD] - 4/19/2007
Sen Murray, Patty [WA] - 4/19/2007
Sen Obama, Barack [IL] - 5/11/2007
Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT] - 4/25/2007
Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] - 4/19/2007
Sen Stabenow, Debbie [MI] - 4/19/2007
Sen Tester, Jon [MT] - 4/23/2007
Sen Whitehouse, Sheldon [RI] - 6/6/2007
COMMITTEE(S):
Committee/Subcommittee: Activity: Senate Judiciary Referral, In Committee
RELATED BILL DETAILS: (additional related bills may be indentified in Status)
Bill: Relationship: H.R.1964 Related bill identified by CRS
AMENDMENT(S):***NONE***
The actual contents of the bill are as follows:
S 1173 IS
110th CONGRESS
1st Session S. 1173 To protect, consistent with Roe v. Wade, a woman's freedom to choose to bear a child or terminate a pregnancy, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 19, 2007 Mrs. BOXER (for herself, Mrs. MURRAY, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. BINGAMAN, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. SCHUMER, Mrs. CLINTON, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mr. BAUCUS, and Ms. CANTWELL) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL To protect, consistent with Roe v. Wade, a woman's freedom to choose to bear a child or terminate a pregnancy, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Freedom of Choice Act'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The United States was founded on core principles, such as liberty, personal privacy, and equality, which ensure that individuals are free to make their most intimate decisions without governmental interference and discrimination.
(2) One of the most private and difficult decisions an individual makes is whether to begin, prevent, continue, or terminate a pregnancy. Those reproductive health decisions are best made by women, in consultation with their loved ones and health care providers.
(3) In 1965, in Griswold v. Connecticut (381 U.S. 479), and in 1973, in Roe v. Wade (410 U.S. 113) and Doe v. Bolton (410 U.S. 179), the Supreme Court recognized that the right to privacy protected by the Constitution encompasses the right of every woman to weigh the personal, moral, and religious considerations involved in deciding whether to begin, prevent, continue, or terminate a pregnancy.
(4) The Roe v. Wade decision carefully balances the rights of women to make important reproductive decisions with the State's interest in potential life. Under Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, the right to privacy protects a woman's decision to choose to terminate her pregnancy prior to fetal viability, with the State permitted to ban abortion after fetal viability except when necessary to protect a woman's life or health.
(5) These decisions have protected the health and lives of women in the United States. Prior to the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, an estimated 1,200,000 women each year were forced to resort to illegal abortions, despite the risk of unsanitary conditions, incompetent treatment, infection, hemorrhage, disfiguration, and death. Before Roe, it is estimated that thousands of women died annually in the United States as a result of illegal abortions.
(6) In countries in which abortion remains illegal, the risk of maternal mortality is high. According to the World Health Organization, of the approximately 600,000 pregnancy-related deaths occurring annually around the world, 80,000 are associated with unsafe abortions.
(7) The Roe v. Wade decision also expanded the opportunities for women to participate equally in society. In 1992, in Planned Parenthood v. Casey (505 U.S. 833), the Supreme Court observed that, `[t]he ability of women to participate equally in the economic and social life of the Nation has been facilitated by their ability to control their reproductive lives.'.
(8) Even though the Roe v. Wade decision has stood for more than 34 years, there are increasing threats to reproductive health and freedom emerging from all branches and levels of government. In 2006, South Dakota became the first State in more than 15 years to enact a ban on abortion in nearly all circumstances. Supporters of this ban have admitted it is an attempt to directly challenge Roe in the courts. Other States are considering similar bans.
(9) Further threatening Roe, the Supreme Court recently upheld the first-ever Federal ban on an abortion procedure, which has no exception to protect a woman's health. The majority decision in Gonzales v. Carhart (05-380, slip op. April 18, 2007) and Gonzales v. Planned Parenthood Federation of America fails to protect a woman's health, a core tenet of Roe v. Wade. Dissenting in that case, Justice Ginsburg called the majority's opinion `alarming', and stated that, `[f]or the first time since Roe, the Court blesses a prohibition with no exception safeguarding a woman's health'. Further, she said, the Federal ban `and the Court's defense of it cannot be understood as anything other than an effort to chip away at a right declared again and again by this Court'.
(10) Legal and practical barriers to the full range of reproductive services endanger women's health and lives. Incremental restrictions on the right to choose imposed by Congress and State legislatures have made access to reproductive care extremely difficult, if not impossible, for many women across the country. Currently, 87 percent of the counties in the United States have no abortion provider.
(11) While abortion should remain safe and legal, women should also have more meaningful access to family planning services that prevent unintended pregnancies, thereby reducing the need for abortion.
(12) To guarantee the protections of Roe v. Wade, Federal legislation is necessary.
(13) Although Congress may not create constitutional rights without amending the Constitution, Congress may, where authorized by its enumerated powers and not prohibited by the Constitution, enact legislation to create and secure statutory rights in areas of legitimate national concern.
(14) Congress has the affirmative power under section 8 of article I of the Constitution and section 5 of the 14th amendment to the Constitution to enact legislation to facilitate interstate commerce and to prevent State interference with interstate commerce, liberty, or equal protection of the laws.
(15) Federal protection of a woman's right to choose to prevent or terminate a pregnancy falls within this affirmative power of Congress, in part, because--
(A) many women cross State lines to obtain abortions and many more would be forced to do so absent a constitutional right or Federal protection;
(B) reproductive health clinics are commercial actors that regularly purchase medicine, medical equipment, and other necessary supplies from out-of-State suppliers; and
(C) reproductive health clinics employ doctors, nurses, and other personnel who travel across State lines in order to provide reproductive health services to patients.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) GOVERNMENT- The term `government' includes a branch, department, agency, instrumentality, or official (or other individual acting under color of law) of the United States, a State, or a subdivision of a State.
(2) STATE- The term `State' means each of the States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and each territory or possession of the United States.
(3) VIABILITY- The term `viability' means that stage of pregnancy when, in the best medical judgment of the attending physician based on the particular medical facts of the case before the physician, there is a reasonable likelihood of the sustained survival of the fetus outside of the woman.
SEC. 4. INTERFERENCE WITH REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROHIBITED.
(a) Statement of Policy- It is the policy of the United States that every woman has the fundamental right to choose to bear a child, to terminate a pregnancy prior to fetal viability, or to terminate a pregnancy after fetal viability when necessary to protect the life or health of the woman.
(b) Prohibition of Interference- A government may not--
(1) deny or interfere with a woman's right to choose--
(A) to bear a child;
(B) to terminate a pregnancy prior to viability; or
(C) to terminate a pregnancy after viability where termination is necessary to protect the life or health of the woman; or
(2) discriminate against the exercise of the rights set forth in paragraph (1) in the regulation or provision of benefits, facilities, services, or information.
(c) Civil Action- An individual aggrieved by a violation of this section may obtain appropriate relief (including relief against a government) in a civil action.
SEC. 5. SEVERABILITY.
If any provision of this Act, or the application of such provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act, or the application of such provision to persons or circumstances other than those as to which the provision is held to be unconstitutional, shall not be affected thereby.
SEC. 6. RETROACTIVE EFFECT.
This Act applies to every Federal, State, and local statute, ordinance, regulation, administrative order, decision, policy, practice, or other action enacted, adopted, or implemented before, on, or after the date of enactment of this Act.
END
House Bill
H.R.1964
Title: To protect, consistent with Roe v. Wade, a woman's freedom to choose to bear a child or terminate a pregnancy, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8] (introduced 4/19/2007) Cosponsors (109)
Related Bills: S.1173
Latest Major Action: 5/4/2007 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
COSPONSORS(109), ALPHABETICAL [followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]: (Sort: by date)
Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1] - 4/19/2007 Rep Ackerman, Gary L. [NY-5] - 4/19/2007 Rep Allen, Thomas H. [ME-1] - 4/19/2007 Rep Arcuri, Michael A. [NY-24] - 4/19/2007 Rep Baird, Brian [WA-3] - 7/11/2007 Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2] - 4/19/2007 Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1] - 4/19/2007 Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28] - 4/19/2007 Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] - 4/19/2007 Rep Boucher, Rick [VA-9] - 4/19/2007 Rep Capps, Lois [CA-23] - 4/19/2007 Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8] - 4/30/2007 Rep Carnahan, Russ [MO-3] - 7/16/2007 Rep Carson, Julia [IN-7] - 10/22/2007 Rep Castor, Kathy [FL-11] - 4/23/2007 Rep Clarke, Yvette D. [NY-11] - 4/23/2007 Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1] - 4/20/2007 Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] - 4/19/2007 Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14] - 4/19/2007 Rep Crowley, Joseph [NY-7] - 12/5/2007 Rep Davis, Danny K. [IL-7] - 4/19/2007 Rep Davis, Susan A. [CA-53] - 4/19/2007 Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4] - 4/19/2007 Rep DeGette, Diana [CO-1] - 5/2/2007 Rep DeLauro, Rosa L. [CT-3] - 7/11/2007 Rep Ellison, Keith [MN-5] - 4/19/2007 Rep Emanuel, Rahm [IL-5] - 4/19/2007 Rep Engel, Eliot L. [NY-17] - 3/31/2008 Rep Eshoo, Anna G. [CA-14] - 5/10/2007 Rep Farr, Sam [CA-17] - 4/19/2007 Rep Fattah, Chaka [PA-2] - 4/19/2007 Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] - 4/19/2007 Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4] - 4/19/2007 Rep Giffords, Gabrielle [AZ-8] - 6/21/2007 Rep Green, Al [TX-9] - 1/28/2008 Rep Green, Gene [TX-29] - 4/23/2007 Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] - 4/19/2007 Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. [IL-4] - 1/22/2008 Rep Harman, Jane [CA-36] - 4/19/2007 Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-23] - 5/2/2007 Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2] - 4/19/2007 Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] - 4/19/2007 Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15] - 4/19/2007 Rep Inslee, Jay [WA-1] - 4/19/2007 Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] - 4/23/2007 Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [IL-2] - 4/19/2007 Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18] - 4/19/2007 Rep Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [GA-4] - 6/12/2007 Rep Jones, Stephanie Tubbs [OH-11] - 9/4/2007 Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. [RI-1] - 1/28/2008 Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] - 4/19/2007 Rep Lantos, Tom [CA-12] - 4/19/2007 Rep Larsen, Rick [WA-2] - 4/19/2007 Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] - 4/19/2007 Rep Lewis, John [GA-5] - 5/3/2007 Rep Loebsack, David [IA-2] - 4/19/2007 Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16] - 5/3/2007 Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] - 4/19/2007 Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] - 4/19/2007 Rep Matsui, Doris O. [CA-5] - 4/19/2007 Rep McCarthy, Carolyn [NY-4] - 4/23/2007 Rep McCollum, Betty [MN-4] - 4/19/2007 Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7] - 4/19/2007 Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3] - 4/23/2007 Rep McNerney, Jerry [CA-11] - 6/6/2007 Rep Meehan, Martin T. [MA-5] - 6/14/2007 Rep Miller, Brad [NC-13] - 4/19/2007 Rep Miller, George [CA-7] - 5/2/2007 Rep Mitchell, Harry E. [AZ-5] - 5/23/2007 Rep Moore, Gwen [WI-4] - 4/23/2007 Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8] - 4/19/2007 Rep Murphy, Christopher S. [CT-5] - 4/30/2007 Rep Murphy, Patrick J. [PA-8] - 9/9/2008 Rep Napolitano, Grace F. [CA-38] - 6/21/2007 Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes [DC] - 4/20/2007 Rep Olver, John W. [MA-1] - 4/19/2007 Rep Pallone, Frank, Jr. [NJ-6] - 1/22/2008 Rep Payne, Donald M. [NJ-10] - 4/24/2007 Rep Price, David E. [NC-4] - 6/6/2007 Rep Rangel, Charles B. [NY-15] - 4/23/2007 Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9] - 4/30/2007 Rep Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [MD-2] - 1/29/2008 Rep Sanchez, Linda T. [CA-39] - 4/19/2007 Rep Sanchez, Loretta [CA-47] - 5/21/2007 Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] - 4/19/2007 Rep Schwartz, Allyson Y. [PA-13] - 10/15/2007 Rep Shays, Christopher [CT-4] - 4/19/2007 Rep Shea-Porter, Carol [NH-1] - 4/23/2007 Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27] - 5/3/2007 Rep Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [NY-28] - 4/19/2007 Rep Solis, Hilda L. [CA-32] - 4/19/2007 Rep Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13] - 4/19/2007 Rep Sutton, Betty [OH-13] - 4/19/2007 Rep Tauscher, Ellen O. [CA-10] - 6/18/2007 Rep Thompson, Mike [CA-1] - 4/19/2007 Rep Tierney, John F. [MA-6] - 5/3/2007 Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10] - 4/19/2007 Rep Tsongas, Niki [MA-5] - 2/12/2008 Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8] - 5/2/2007 Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. [NY-12] - 6/6/2007 Rep Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [FL-20] - 4/23/2007 Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33] - 4/19/2007 Rep Waxman, Henry A. [CA-30] - 4/19/2007 Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9] - 4/19/2007 Rep Welch, Peter [VT] - 5/21/2007 Rep Wexler, Robert [FL-19] - 4/19/2007 Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] - 4/19/2007 Rep Wu, David [OR-1] - 4/23/2007 Rep Wynn, Albert Russell [MD-4] - 4/23/2007
Rep Porter, Jon C. [NV-3] - 4/19/2007(withdrawn - 4/23/2007)
A good thread to keep alive.
A good thread to keep alive.
Here’s a bump.
In the midst of all the uproar over Planned Parenthood’s involvement in baby body parts, another possibly illegal effort by Planned Parenthood has been brought to light by a courageous state legislator. Planned Parenthood is noted for establishing long-term plans and then working relentlessly to carry out those plans. In 1973, the Supreme Court issued the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions that effectively decriminalized abortion throughout the country. At the time, newspaper reporters noted the rise in opposition to abortion and asked Planned Parenthood how it was going to ensure the decisions were not overturned.
On May 3, 1973, Dr. Alan Guttmacher, then president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, told the Washington Star newspaper: "Then how can the Supreme Court decision be absolutely secured? The answer to winning the battle for elective abortion once and for all is sex education." Since that time, Planned Parenthood has been fighting the battle for abortion in school classrooms all across the country. It knows that its sex programs get more young people involved in sex. This increases the sale of birth control products—sold at a huge profit by Planned Parenthood. When the birth control products fail, as they all do, Planned Parenthood sells these same children abortions—garnering an even larger profit.
All this has played out over the last few years in Hawaii. The people of Hawaii have been fighting an outrageous program called Pono Choices, which we’ve covered in past issues of the WSR. Recognizing the rights and interests of parents, the Hawaii Department of Education changed the way sex education is taught and issued new regulations requiring that parents must “opt-in” to any sex program. Planned Parenthood tried hard to undo this change and championed a bill in the legislature to do just that. The bill could not get support and died. Planned Parenthood then targeted the Hawaii Board of Education—which has the power to overrule the Department of Education. After intensive lobbying by PP, the Board of Education reversed the Education Department’s regulations and re-established an “opt-out” policy which virtually assures mandatory sex education.
While PP celebrates, Representative Bob McDermott (HD40 Ewa Beach) has sent a letter to the IRS asking it to investigate allegations that Planned Parenthood excessively lobbied the state legislature and the Board of Education in order to gain valuable curriculum development contracts in Hawaii’s public school system.
Using Planned Parenthood’s own documents, McDermott showed the extent of Planned Parenthood’s activities and asked the IRS to look at seven specific points:
1. Whether the 501(c)(3) organization, now known as Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and Hawaiian Islands, conducted inappropriate "educational activities" or engaged in illegal and excessive lobbying based on the substantial part test or expenditure test. Per the Hawaii State Ethics Commission website, the 501(c)(3) organization has one registered lobbyist for 2015-2016 and her name is Laurie Ann Temple Field.
2. How are all their activities, including posing for photos on Facebook with state legislators on the grounds of the State Capitol building, considered "educational" as defined under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code?
3. What was communicated in their conversations with state legislators and members of the Hawaii Board of Education?
4. How frequently did the organization's lobbyist(s) communicate with state legislators and members of the Hawaii Board of Education? What do the Board of Education's visitor logs show?
5. How much time did the organization spend on lobbying activities, relative to other activities conducted by the organization?
6. How much money did the organization spend on lobbying activities, relative to other activities funded by the organization?
7. Did Planned Parenthood ever disclose their blatant financial conflict of interest as a curriculum advisor/developer when relentlessly lobbying for these changes at the Legislature and the State Board of Education?
ACTION:
1) Pray for Rep. McDermott as he goes forward in this battle.
2) Planned Parenthood pushes its sex programs in every state, especially focusing on middle schools. Please fight PP sex programs. Jim Sedlak’s book Parent Power!! will assist you in this fight.
Congressional committee demands information from Planned Parenthood
On August 14, the House Oversight Committee sent a letter to Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, requiring her to submit the following information by August 28, 2015:
1. For each year from 2010 through present, provide the cumulative amount of funding that Planned Parenthood received from the federal government, and identify all program(s), grant(s), and other sources of the federal funds.
2. For each year from 2010 through present, provide all financial statements and annual reports, including but not limited to Internal Revenue Service Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax.
3. For each year from 2010 through present, identify and provide an accounting of all Planned Parenthood activities that were financed with federal funds, to include the specific amount of federal funds used for each expenditure.
4. For each year from 2010 through present, provide the cumulative amount of funding that Planned Parenthood received from Medicaid programs by state.
5. For each year from 2010 through present, provide a list of the 50 highest paid Planned Parenthood employees. Include the individual’s title, annual salary, bonuses, and any other compensation.
6. According to the 2013-2014 Annual Report, Planned Parenthood “supports 66 independently incorporated affiliates, operating approximately 700 health centers across the U.S.” Provide a list of these affiliates and health centers including a contact with phone number or e-mail for each.
7. Identify, specifically, what procedures services, or other medical treatments are available only or exclusively at a Planned Parenthood affiliate or health center that are covered by either a state’s Medicaid program or a health plan sold via a state exchange or HealthCare.gov under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Do not include services or procedures that could otherwise be provided by a private health care provider.
Clearly, the committee is trying to cut through the rhetoric and identify specifically why Planned Parenthood claims it is so necessary to the general public. Other sources have reported that, while there are only 662 Planned Parenthood centers in the country, there are over 11,000 Federally Qualified Health Centers that can do everything Planned Parenthood does except abortions.
National Day of Protest at Planned Parenthood grows to 300 locations
As part of the current efforts against Planned Parenthood, a coalition of 53 groups, including American Life League and STOPP International, is calling for a National Day of Protest this Saturday, August 22, 2015, at Planned Parenthood facilities all across America. Our goal is to raise awareness of the heartless and even illegal activities of Planned Parenthood by going to where the killing and harvesting of body parts from aborted children takes place. Creating a presence at neighborhood Planned Parenthood facilities is essential to inform the public about what goes on behind closed doors. Local sidewalk counselors and activists are a key component to shutting down Planned Parenthood in the long term. The National Day of Protest will strengthen local efforts by raising their profile with the local press, the community, and other pro-life activists. Together, the protests held on August 22 will put pressure on the media, both local and national, to report the truth about Planned Parenthood, and on government officials to stop funding this discredited organization.
We encourage all the readers of the Wednesday STOPP Report to participate in this event.
What: Protest PP’s harvesting and selling of aborted baby parts
Where: Planned Parenthood facilities across America
When: August 22, 2015, from 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
As we were going to press with this edition of the WSR, there were almost 300 protests in 44 states scheduled for August 22. Join or start one in your area.
To find out more information, locate a protest near you, or start your own protest, go to ProtestPP.com.
See you on the streets on August 22.
More states cutting Planned Parenthood funds
Despite efforts by the Obama administration to force states to provide Medicaid and other funding to Planned Parenthood, the momentum against PP continues to roll. Last week, Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson reportedly ordered the Department of Human Services in the state to sever its Medicaid contract with Planned Parenthood. Governor Hutchinson said, “It is apparent that after recent revelations on the actions of Planned Parenthood, that this organization does not represent the values of the people of our state and Arkansas is better served by terminating any and all existing contracts with them.”
In Utah, Governor Gary Herbert told the Utah Department of Health to “stop distributing federal funds to the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah,” Utah senate president Wayne Niederhauser said, “I wouldn’t support any more money going to Planned Parenthood. I think we ought to be looking at other organizations that are qualified.” These two states join Alabama, Louisiana, and New Hampshire in taking money away from Planned Parenthood after the release of undercover videos at Planned Parenthood locations.
The Obama administration is warning states that they cannot stop Medicaid funds from going to Planned Parenthood, but the governors have pointed out that the contracts signed by Planned Parenthood have clauses allowing either party to cancel the contracts with appropriate (15 – 30 day) notice. Let’s all continue to praise God for the victories He is giving to people who have been fighting Planned Parenthood for so long. If we continue to pray, and act, it may be possible that Planned Parenthood may not survive to see its 100th birthday on October 16, 2016.
This has been an incredible summer in the fight against Planned Parenthood. Of course, the impetus for all the activity is the three-year undercover investigation by the Center for Medical Progress. The release of the first undercover video, showing the business of selling baby body parts, was released on July 14 and changed the effort against Planned Parenthood. The reaction from news reporters and individuals alike all had the same sentiment. Most people had never thought about what happens to the body parts of the over one million babies who die by abortion every year in America. Most just assumed that the fetal remains were disposed of as “medical waste.” As disturbing as that idea was, the truth now being exposed to all the world is even worse.
Planned Parenthood recently admitted to Congress that, in those affiliates where baby body parts are harvested, it receives $60 per part. How many PP affiliates are involved in this grisly trade? It depends on whom you ask. Planned Parenthood told Congress in a letter that only two affiliates are involved. Then, later in the same letter, it said six were involved just six weeks earlier. The Center for Medical Progress says it has evidence that 14 PP affiliates have been involved. That’s almost a quarter of all PP affiliates. This is “business-as-normal” for Planned Parenthood.
Elected officials in states around the country reacted with outrage. Very quickly, states began taking steps to cut off funding to Planned Parenthood. Noting that Medicaid contracts with Planned Parenthood allowed either party to cancel with 15 – 30 days’ notice, states issued the notifications. Planned Parenthood reacted by whining that it is entitled to taxpayer money. It got its friends in the Obama administration to help, and the administration has threatened to cut off federal money to any state that cuts Planned Parenthood funds. Planned Parenthood has even taken some states to court, and the U.S. Justice Department is defending its position. As I write this, all these situations are still up in the air.
Everyday people have become so outraged at the situation that a coalition of over 60 pro-life groups called for a National Day of Protest at Planned Parenthood. That event took place on August 22 and over 78,000 individuals stood in front of 354 Planned Parenthood centers across the country. It was the largest single-day protest of Planned Parenthood in its 99 year history. A half-dozen locations had 1,000 people or more and the largest protest was one in which 4,000 people showed up in St. Paul, Minnesota. In the midst of all of this, a majority of the United States Senate (54 senators) voted to support defunding Planned Parenthood at the federal level. We expect another vote in the Senate and a vote in the House over the next few weeks.
Here at ALL’s STOPP program, the phones have been ringing off the hook. State lawmakers talk about how to defund Planned Parenthood, and ordinary people ask how they can start an effort against Planned Parenthood in their own towns. Then there’s always the pressing question: When will the next video be released? Yes, this has been the busiest and most fascinating summer in our 30-year history of fighting Planned Parenthood. For decades, those opposed to Planned Parenthood have prayed that God will end the reign of the terrorist organization that is Planned Parenthood. It is absolutely incredible to be in the center of the action when God decides now is the time to move.
Planned Parenthood thinks it is up against human beings and is trying everything it can to use its usual tactics to fend off its opposition. What Planned Parenthood doesn’t understand is that it is facing a series of events set in motion by God. Those opposed to this organization know the weapons that are needed in this battle—prayer and action. In talking with reinvigorated STOPPers all across this nation, we find that the outcome is clear. In the not too distant future, Planned Parenthood will be no more. God always triumphs over evil.
Is Planned Parenthood needed?
Many people have argued for years that women need Planned Parenthood. We disagree. Those who argue for Planned Parenthood often insist that Planned Parenthood is needed because it provides health care for poor people. What most people don’t understand is that a “poor person” is simply an individual or family who has an income that is less than 150 percent of the official federal poverty level. Here in 2015, 150 percent of the federal poverty level is $17,655 for an individual. Any person not making that much money is, by definition, a “poor” person.
Planned Parenthood says that 78 percent of its clients are at or below the federal poverty level. We know that 70 percent of Planned Parenthood’s clients are under the age of 25. Thus, its primary customers are high school and college students. Most people are not aware that, when a high school or college student goes into PP, only her own personal income counts. So any high school or college girl who does not make $17,655 is a “poor” person. These are the majority of the poor people at PP.
In addition to this fact, many people are seriously examining the question of whether or not PP is really needed to serve even these “poor” people. One research group that took on this task is the Charlotte Lozier Institute. This group released a study that concluded, “If Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, were to be defunded from receiving over $500 million in taxpayer funds per year, there already exist over 13,000 non-abortion providing federally qualified health center (FQHC) service sites and rural health clinics (RHCs) that could receive this sum instead and continue to provide comprehensive women’s healthcare.” In other words, Planned Parenthood is not needed. If you go the link above, you will see two graphic images that clearly show that Planned Parenthood centers are dwarfed by the health centers in every state in the nation.
Imminent actions against Planned Parenthood
1. This Friday, September 4, at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, FOX NEWS is scheduled to run a one-hour documentary on the undercover videos at Planned Parenthood entitled Planned Parenthood - The Hidden Harvest.
FOX describes this report as follows: “This summer, a series of secretly recorded videos have exposed a business in fetal tissue. Already a number of politicians have called for the defunding of Planned Parenthood, a primary target of the sting, while others support the organization and call this just another salvo in the War on Women. The Fox News Reporting special Planned Parenthood - The Hidden Harvest delves into the controversy, featuring exclusive new details about the making of those videos, and investigating an industry and field of scientific research that many didn’t even know existed.”
2. American Life League is a member of the #WomenBetrayed coalition. On Thursday, September 10, the coalition is organizing the #WomenBetrayed: The Real Stories Rally & Lobby Day in Washington, D.C. The intent is to put pressure on Congress to pass a budget that does NOT fund Planned Parenthood. It hopes that Congress will then put this on President Obama’s desk for him to sign and defund the abortion giant once and for all. If not, he will show the country that he defends Planned Parenthood and its practice of harvesting and selling the body parts of aborted babies. Find out more information at WomenBetrayed.com.
3. American Life League and STOPP International are active members of the #ProtestPP coalition. The coalition ran the successful National Day of Protest at Planned Parenthood on August 22, and is planning additional activities. We encourage all of our readers to visit ProtestPP.com on a regular basis to keep up-to-date on everything that is being planned.
Victory in Nebraska and Iowa
In the midst of all the activity we’ve described in this WSR, God granted a major victory to those fighting Planned Parenthood in Nebraska and Iowa. In April 2011, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland announced plans to open a total of 12 new centers in the two states—six in Nebraska and six in Iowa. Planned Parenthood even named the communities in each state where it intended to locate its new centers. At the time, the organization was operating a total of 28 centers in the two states. Once Planned Parenthood made its plans public, American Life League worked with concerned citizens in both states to stop this expansion.
The folks in Nebraska formed Nebraskans Against Planned Parenthood. The group put together an active plan for each community and invited Jim Sedlak to speak in each targeted town. Local people became very active and had petitions signed in an effort to keep Planned Parenthood out of town. A similar effort was run in Iowa by Iowa Right to Life. Over the years, not only did Planned Parenthood not open the new centers, but it closed facilities in both states. Then, just last week, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland announced it is dropping its plans to open the new centers! Praise God!
The actual number of Planned Parenthood centers remaining in the two states is 16—12 less than it had four years ago. Thus, Planned Parenthood actually has 24 centers less in the two states than it announced it planned to have. Congratulations to all who worked so hard to successfully stop the Planned Parenthood expansion in Nebraska and Iowa.
By Jim Sedlak
It’s the day after Election Day and political pundits are going to spin the results of this election every which way but loose. There is going to be detailed analysis of what went right and what went wrong. But, the fact is, this was a very normal outcome for a mid-term election and, if anything, the numbers actually aren’t as bad as they could be.
> > Continue reading this article here.
The main focus of much of the pro-life movement over the last decade has been ending federal funding of Planned Parenthood. Ever since 2007, when Mike Pence (then a member of Congress, now vice president of the United States) introduced the first-ever amendment to a spending bill that sought to keep all money in that bill away from Planned Parenthood, by name, ending federal funding of PP has been seen as possible. During the Obama years, President Obama was inexplicably in love with Planned Parenthood and even threatened to close down the entire federal government rather than take a dime away from the organization.
> > Continue reading this article here.
In addition to the numerous candidates for Congress and other offices, there were two amendments that Planned Parenthood actively fought against in this week’s election; they lost both fights.
> > Continue reading this article here.
Planned Parenthood has its tentacles all across the United States and is always trying to get something for nothing. It recently got the city of Austin, Texas, to rent it clinic space for the next 20 years at a cost to Planned Parenthood of $1 a year. Local pro-lifers are outraged.
Planned Parenthood, however, has run into trouble in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
> > Continue reading this article here.
By Jim Sedlak
For the first time in the history of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, one of its 56 affiliates documented that its annual income surpassed $100 million.
The affiliate is Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, headquartered in San Jose, California. In its latest official document (Federal Form 990) filed with the federal government, PPMM reported that in the fiscal year, July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, PPMM had a total income of $109.7 million.
> > Continue reading this article here.
We have completed our most recent review of the compensation paid to the top executive of each of the 56 affiliates of Planned Parenthood, along with its executive staff in New York City. All data for this report is from June 2017 or earlier. In June 2017, Planned Parenthood Federation of America consisted of its headquarters operation and 56 individual corporations scattered across the United States. Each of the 56 affiliates is separately incorporated, has its own board of directors, its own CEO, and files a separate Federal Form 990, which summarizes its financial data.
> > Continue reading this article here.
American Life League’s STOPP International is always extremely busy at the end of the year, and this year is no exception. It is the time that we step back from our usual travel schedule and take the time to create a “scorecard” of how the fight against Planned Parenthood has done this year. A time of research and analysis.
> > Continue reading this article here.
This week, Mississippi held a run-off election to determine who will serve as one of the US senators from the state for the next two years. The run-off was needed because neither of the two top vote getters in the general election received 50 percent of the vote.
> > Continue reading this article here.
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