Replies

FEBRUARY 8, 2006

Behold the Lord, Jesus Christ, who tries so hard to get our attention

Planned Parenthood pushing mandatory pre-K-12 sex ed in Massachusetts

Following are excerpts of information put out by the Massachusetts Catholic Conference:

The Massachusetts legislature is currently considering House Bill 1641, "An Act to Provide for a Comprehensive Health Education Program in the Public Schools." The bill would make lessons on such issues as sexuality, abortion, and birth control part of the core public school curriculum. Currently, local public school committees are not required to include sexuality education in their curricula.
The bill would force every primary and secondary public school to adopt a standardized curriculum created by the Massachusetts Department of Education and backed by Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts.

This curriculum, available online, is called the Massachusetts Comprehensive Health Curriculum Framework. The framework applies from pre-kindergarten to the twelfth grade. The standards dictate that children as young as 5 years of age, for example, would have to "Identify the components, functions, and processes of the reproductive system," "Identify the physical changes as related to the reproductive system during puberty," and "Define sexual orientation using the correct terminology (such as heterosexual, and gay and lesbian)."

All Stoppers in Massachusetts are urged to contact their state representatives and let them know you strongly oppose this bill.

Planned Parenthood pushing "condom art" classes to teens in Michigan

Planned Parenthood of South Central Michigan is holding a "Project T.R.U.S.T. Condom Art Workshop and Contest" for teens in Battle Creek, Michigan on February 15. According to Planned Parenthood, "Project T.R.U.S.T. (Teaching Responsibility & Understanding of Sexuality & Teen Development) peer educators will be holding condom art workshops. Come make a beautiful creation out of condoms, find out all the facts on using condoms correctly, and get a free gift! Prizes will be awarded to the winner of the condom art project. Teen peer educators will be available to answer any questions participants may have in a confidential environment." Stoppers in the Battle Creek area are encouraged to demonstrate against this event, which will be held from 3:30-5:00 p.m. and 5:30-7:00 p.m. at 693 Capital Ave., S.W. Battle Creek, MI 49015

Planned Parenthood pushing homosexual agenda on youth

The Planned Parenthood Association of Bucks County holds two "Weekly education, advocacy, and recreation programs for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and allied youth 14 to 21 years old." The event is held on Wednesdays 6:00-8:00 p.m. at 301 S. Main Street, Suite 2E, Doylestown, PA 18901 and on Mondays 5:00-7:00 p.m. at 89 Pinewood Drive, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Levittown, PA 19054

City of Austin partners with Planned Parenthood

On February 7, 2006 the City of Austin (Texas) Parks and Recreation Department partnered with Planned Parenthood of the Central Capital Region to sponsor a "Pre-Valentine's Day Healthy Relationship Party."

Here is Planned Parenthood's description of this event:

Planned Parenthood teen peer educators, along with the Rosewood Center Teen Peer Leadership Group will host a pre-Valentine's Day Healthy Relationships Party. Teens from seven different recreational centers and after-school programs will be invited to present their best in the "Who Wants to Be a Dating Star?" game. The competition will be a variation of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" Teams will answer questions based on healthy dating, abstinence, birth control methods, STIs, and other issues related to teens and dating. Winners will be rewarded special prizes and all who attend will receive dating survival packs. Open to all teens who want to attend, hang out, and meet other teens, enjoy some food, and hear great music. Teen peer educators will also be on hand to have private, confidential conversations with teens seeking medically accurate information about issues related to sexuality and teens. The party is free for teens!

National Condom Week

Capping this period of lunacy, many Planned Parenthood affiliates across the country will be celebrating National Condom Week from February 14 - 21. Examples of some of the PP activities are:

Through partnerships with two local radio stations, Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas is providing "Safer Sex Kits" to listeners who answer correctly questions about condoms. The kits include condoms and information on sexually transmitted infections, birth control and emergency contraception
At Oklahoma University, Planned Parenthood is giving out free condoms and informing students about the consequences of unprotected sex.
Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota is celebrating the week at its Minneapolis clinic. During National Condom week, it will have members from the Teen Council there Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 4-6:30 pm and Saturday from 9am-12pm if there are any questions for them. Teen Council is made up of teen peer educators that have had extra training in areas of sexuality, STD's and birth control methods.
Planned Parenthood of Northern Michigan will be observing the twenty-fifth annual National Condom Week on February 14. Coinciding with Valentine's Day, National Condom Week was created in 1978 to create awareness of sexual health and the advantages of condom use. Throughout the week, PPNM will be conducting special programs and activities such as free workshops and games.

In other words, Planned Parenthood will use this week to promote its agenda of recreational sex. We urge everyone to oppose all such activities by Planned Parenthood in your local communities.

Common pro-life misconceptions about Planned Parenthood

As we travel around the country talking with those fighting abortion, appear on radio and television shows, and do other interviews, we are struck by the misconceptions there are even among those who oppose Planned Parenthood.

What follows are three major misconceptions we hear often:

MYTH #1: Planned Parenthood intentionally gives girls low-dose contraceptives so they will get pregnant and have to go to Planned Parenthood for abortions.
REALITY: Although some independent abortionists have admitted to doing exactly this, we have found no evidence that Planned Parenthood engages in these tactics. Planned Parenthood takes in more money from birth control than from abortion ($200 million vs. $100 million) and makes more profits at an average clinic from birth control than from abortions.
MYTH #2: Planned Parenthood gets all its government money from the Title X program of the Health and Human Services Act.
REALITY: There are hundreds of organizations all across the country that get funding from Title X. Planned Parenthood receives about $65 million from this program, but it only accounts for about 25 percent of the money Planned Parenthood receives from the government.
MYTH #3: Planned Parenthood should consider its sex education programs to be a failure because they have never been shown to reduce teen pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases.
REALITY: Planned Parenthood has always intended its programs to be an instrument of sexualizing America. It measures its programs by how much sex information the children learn, not by the number of pregnancies or other means. Judging by the sales of Planned Parenthood products in areas where Planned Parenthood sex education programs operate, it clearly sees these programs as successful.

Stop Planned Parenthood Tax Funding campaign gaining momentum

We told you previously about the new American Life League campaign to end all taxpayer money to Planned Parenthood. We are happy to report that, in just two weeks, thousands of individuals have signed the online petition. Please go to www.StopPlannedParenthoodTaxFunding.com and signs the petition. Also ask all your friends to sign it. The more signatures we can get, the easier it will be to stop Planned Parenthood from getting any taxpayer dollars.

FEBRUARY 15, 2006

Planned Parenthood opens express clinic in Somerville, Massachusetts

Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts is opening a new express clinic in Somerville, Massachusetts. It is the first express clinic for PPLM, which has three other clinics in the state. Its other clinics (in Boston, Springfield and Worcester) commit surgical, medical and chemical abortions. The clinic is located at Davis Square Plaza, 260 Elm Street, Somerville, MA 02144 Appointments and Information: (617) 616-1600; toll-free: (800) 258-4448.

Planned Parenthood looking to Athens, Georgia

Word has reached us that Planned Parenthood of Georgia is seriously looking at opening a facility in Athens. Planned Parenthood already operates chemical abortion facilities in Atlanta, Lilburn, Marietta and Savannah as well as a surgical and medical abortion facility in Augusta.

A chemical abortion facility in Athens would add to Planned Parenthood's influence in the state.

Planned Parenthood vulnerable in Juneau

We've told you previously that Planned Parenthood of Alaska has announced that it intends to open a facility in Juneau in fall 2006. Recently, the Juneau Empire newspaper conducted an online poll asking the question, "Planned Parenthood is planning to open a Juneau clinic to deal with reproductive issues and provide abortions. Do you think that such a clinic should be opened?"

According to the newspaper, it received 1,897 responses to the poll and the result was that 55% voted in favor of Planned Parenthood and 45% voted against it.

Although Planned Parenthood came out ahead in the unscientific poll, the results show a clear and significant opposition to Planned Parenthood in the Juneau community. Clearly many are opposed to PP.

An analysis of the 85 comments posted on the Juneau Empire web site shows that (the numbers in parenthesis are the number of times that particular reason was mentioned in the 85 responses; since many responses listed more than one reason, the numbers add to more than 85):

The top reasons why people support the PP facility are:

PP educates on birth control and pregnancy - family planning (16)
Need access to abortion in Juneau (14)
PP prevents abortion (not true, but many believe it) (12)
PP provides health and reproductive services for women (11)
PP provides free or affordable health services for poor women (9)

The top reasons why people oppose the PP facility are:

Abortion kills babies (25)
PP gives an unhealthy, un-biblical view on sexuality (5)
Services already available in community (4)
Abortion hurts women (3)
PP is in business to make money (3)
PP comes between parents and their children (2)

We will continue to bring you updates on the effort to stop PP from opening in Juneau.

National Pro-life T-shirt Day

For the fourth year in a row, American Life League is sponsoring National Pro-life T-shirt Day. This year's shirt encourages everyone to "Help Cure Abortion." Further information on this event can be found online We encourage all STOPPers to obtain T-shirts and wear them outside your local Planned Parenthood facility on Tuesday, April 25, 2006.

Stop Planned Parenthood Tax Funding campaign passes 5,000 signers

Our online petition campaign to end all taxpayer money to Planned Parenthood is gaining support across the nation. This week we passed the 5,000 mark in the number of individuals who have signed the petition online. We have also received several thousand signed petition cards that were handed out at the March for Life in January.

We ask all our readers to go to StopPlannedParenthoodTaxFunding.com and sign the petition. We also ask that you circulate this news item to everyone on your e-mail list and encourage them to sign. The more signatures we can get, the easier it will be to stop Planned Parenthood from getting any taxpayer dollars.

Lives are saved outside Planned Parenthood in Sarasota

STOPPer Jim Styer reports the following good news from Sarasota, Florida:

One more baby was saved, and another probably was saved, during the prayer vigil at Sarasota Planned Parenthood on Friday. This follows a confirmed save the previous Friday.
A couple entering the drive stopped for Karen Montgomery, who was back to sidewalk counseling after a week away. She talked with the male driver, and showed him fetal models. The woman passenger shielded her face, not wanting to talk or see. After some time, the car backed out and followed Karen to a pregnancy center. The woman opened up a bit, and then wanted Karen to stay with them as they went through counseling and watched a video that included sonogram films of a moving fetus. Karen confirmed that this was a save of a 2-month-old baby. They have three other children.
In another contact, sidewalk counselors talked for some time with a man who said his wife was inside for an exam and she had a problem he didn't want to discuss. He said he wasn't for abortion. Later he said he wanted to see his wife, but was afraid they wouldn't let him; counselors said he had full rights as a husband to see her. And a bit later, he admitted she was there for an abortion. He eventually said he wanted to go in and get her out of there. Finally, he came out with her and they talked for 10 minutes in their car, then left with the windows closed and didn't say anything. We believe this was a probable save of another baby.
If you live in Florida and would like to be part of this very effective life-saving ministry outside Planned Parenthood in Sarasota, please come out any Friday or Saturday to pray for the unborn, their parents and the PP staff, and to support the sidewalk counselors. On Saturdays, arrive anytime between 10 and 11a.m. Prayers stay until at least 11:30 a.m. On Fridays, when abortions are done, preferable times for quiet prayer appear to be 9-11 a.m or 1-4p.m. Times may be flexible, depending on sidewalk counselors' availability. So, call Thursday if you can to get a feel for the situation: Karen Montgomery at 972-1328 or Jim Styer at 377-1929.

MARCH 1, 2006

Planned Parenthood taxpayer funding

Planned Parenthood claims that it provides reproductive "health care" to poor women. As such, Planned Parenthood is recognized by the United States government as a "health care" organization. As a "health care" provider, Planned Parenthood is eligible to receive government funds under programs in which the government pays for "family planning" or other reproductive health care services. Planned Parenthood first began receiving government money under the "Great Society" program of President Lyndon Johnson. Today, the two government programs that provide the most annual money to Planned Parenthood are Medicaid and Title X.

MEDICAID

Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood comes under what are normally called "Family Planning Waiver Programs." A full history and current status of these waiver programs can be found on the web site of Planned Parenthood's Guttmacher Institute.
We present here a short summary of the Guttmacher Institute article:

In the early years of the joint federal-state Medicaid program, eligibility was limited largely to low-income, single mothers and their children who were receiving welfare. In the 1980s, however, Congress broke the welfare-Medicaid link for pregnancy-related services by first allowing and later requiring states to extend eligibility for Medicaid-covered prenatal, delivery and postpartum care to women with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level
In the 1990s, several states began pushing for Medicaid expansion to cover family planning services. In addition they raised the eligibility to 185% of the federal poverty level. Unlike the increases for pregnancy-related care, which are specifically provided for in the federal statute, these expansions require approval-generally referred to as a "waiver"-from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the federal agency that administers Medicaid.
As of December, 2003, the Guttmacher Institute reported that 18 states have gained approval for these waivers and another four states were waiting for approval. The states have a real incentive to push for these programs because the federal government pays 90% of the cost of providing family planning services and supplies under Medicaid, compared with 50-77% of the cost of other medical services, including pregnancy-related care.
There are currently efforts in congress to make the providing of these family planning services a normal part of the Medicaid program so that they will not need to be obtained through waivers.
According to a study done by the United States government's General Accounting Office, in 2001, Planned Parenthood received $60,878,913 in Medicaid funds.

ACTION ITEM: All opponents of Planned Parenthood are asked to contact members of Congress (see list of committees below) and ask two things: (1) that any effort to normalize the providing of family planning funds under Medicaid be opposed; and (2) that the government put an end to these family planning waiver programs.
TITLE X
The flood gates of government money to Planned Parenthood began to open when the Title X program of the Health and Human Services Act was passed into law in 1970. It was introduced in congress by George H. W. Bush.
A thorough description of the Title X program can be found on the web site of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Here is a short summary of that description:

The Title X program is the only federal program devoted solely to the provision of family planning and reproductive health care. The program is designed to provide access to contraceptive supplies and information to all who want and need them with priority given to low-income persons.
Title X service funds are allocated to the ten DHHS regional offices. The regional offices manage the competitive review process, make grant awards and monitor program performance. Services are delivered through a network of community-based clinics that include state and local health departments, hospitals, university health centers, Planned Parenthood affiliates, independent clinics, and public and non-profit agencies.
According to a study done by the United States government's General Accounting Office, in 2001, Planned Parenthood received $59,027,083 in Title X funds.

ACTION ITEM: All opponents of Planned Parenthood should immediately contact members of congress (see list of committees below) to put an end to the Title X program. The minimum that should be accepted is that Title X stop funding giving underage girls access to "family planning."
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE
A full list of what congressional committees are responsible for the appropriation and authorizing these funds that support Planned Parenthood can be found in the GAO report on page 10.
In general, the Senate Committee on Finance; the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; the House Committee on Energy and Commerce through its Subcommittee on Health; the House Committee on Science; and the House Committee on Ways and Means have jurisdiction over legislation authorizing the program funds that the organizations reported spending for domestic health-related activities. Also, the Senate Committee on Appropriations, through its Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; and Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent Agencies, and the House Committee on Appropriations, through its Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; and Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent Agencies, have jurisdiction over legislation appropriating funds for the programs.

Stop Planned Parenthood Tax Funding campaign

Another action item to stop this taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood is to go to www.StopPlannedParenthoodTaxFunding.com and sign the petition. We also ask that you circulate this news item to everyone on your e-mail list and encourage them to sign. The more signatures we can get, the easier it will be to stop Planned Parenthood from getting any taxpayer dollars.

Planned Parenthood loses Title X money in one Indiana county

The Indiana Family Health Council announced that in Allen County, it will sign a five-year contract for Title X family planning services with a clinic not associated with Planned Parenthood. Although Planned Parenthood has been receiving the Title X money for several years, it will receive none of the $224,000 a year for the next five years. Gayla Winston, president of Indiana Family Health Council (the agency that allocates the Title X money to local clinics throughout the state) told the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette that "There have been problems (with Planned Parenthood's application) in previous years, but this was a competitive situation." She did indicate that Planned Parenthood clinics in some other locations in the state would continue receiving Title X money.

The newspaper reported that Liz Carroll, vice president of patient services for Planned Parenthood of Indiana, said that the Allen County location is looking to a private donations fund - in large part - to make up for the Title X funding loss. Although she didn't know how much this will recoup, she said it won't completely shore up the gap. Congratulations to all in Indiana who are working to educate the community on the truth about Planned Parenthood. Let's pray that God will cause more Planned Parenthood clinics in the state to lose funding.

National Pro-Life T-Shirt Day

For the fourth year in a row, American Life League is sponsoring National Pro-Life T-shirt Day. This year's shirt encourages everyone to "Help Cure Abortion." Further information on this event can be found online. We encourage all STOPPers to obtain T-shirts and wear them outside your local Planned Parenthood facility on Tuesday, April 25.

MARCH 8, 2006

South Dakota outlaws abortion

South Dakota governor Mike Rounds signed into law this week a bill passed by the South Dakota legislature that outlaws all medical and surgical abortions in the state.

The new law makes it a crime for anyone to intentionally kill a baby in the womb.

There is a great deal of confusing information being spread about this new law. We will use this issue of WSR to try and explain what the law does and does not do.

First, the main text of the law reads:

No person may knowingly administer to, prescribe for, or procure for, or sell to any pregnant woman any medicine, drug, or other substance with the specific intent of causing or abetting the termination of the life of an unborn human being. No person may knowingly use or employ any instrument or procedure upon a pregnant woman with the specific intent of causing or abetting the termination of the life of an unborn human being. Any violation of this section is a Class 5 felony.

Does the law contain an exception for "the life of the mother?" NO. Despite newspaper accounts which claim that such an exception is in the law, what it actually states is:

No licensed physician who performs a medical procedure designed or intended to prevent the death of a pregnant mother is guilty of violating section 2 of this Act. However, the physician shall make reasonable medical efforts under the circumstances to preserve both the life of the mother and the life of her unborn child in a manner consistent with conventional medical practice.
Medical treatment provided to the mother by a licensed physician which results in the accidental or unintentional injury or death to the unborn child is not a violation of this statute.

Thus, the law says you cannot kill the baby to save the mother's life. You must try to save both mother and child. If, in doing this, the baby is accidentally or unintentionally killed, this is not a crime. But, direct and intentional killing of the baby is not allowed.

Does the law say that contraception that prevents implantation is okay? NO. What it says is that this particular law does not cover that circumstance. Thus, that will have to be dealt with in another law. Specifically, the bill says:

Nothing in … this Act may be construed to prohibit the sale, use, prescription, or administration of a contraceptive measure, drug or chemical, if it is administered prior to the time when a pregnancy could be determined through conventional medical testing and if the contraceptive measure is sold, used, prescribed, or administered in accordance with manufacturer instructions.

"Why," you may ask, "does this need to be in the law?" Well, remember that we are dealing here with a law. It, therefore, needs to be very legalistic in its language. If we go back to the first statement above, you will read that the law requires an "intent" to end the life of a preborn child. Since the contraceptive products work some of the time by killing the child but other times by preventing ovulation or fertilization, it would be difficult to argue intent. In addition, if the law is in anyway vague, Planned Parenthood would argue that it should be declared unconstitutional because it is vague. Thus, the authors appear to have taken great pains to spell out exactly what the law covers and what it does not cover.

This is just good writing of a law so it cannot get sidetracked from its main purpose. Of course, if "conventional medical testing" advances to the point that we can determine the existence of the human being at fertilization, this law would prevent the use of these products after fertilization.

In addition, the law defines fertilization, human being and pregnancy as follows:

"Fertilization," that point in time when a male human sperm penetrates the zona pellucida of a female human ovum
"Unborn human being," an individual living member of the species, homo sapiens, throughout the entire embryonic and fetal ages of the unborn child from fertilization to full gestation and childbirth;
"Pregnant," the human female reproductive condition, of having a living unborn human being within her body throughout the entire embryonic and fetal ages of the unborn child from fertilization to full gestation and child birth;

American Life League statement on the South Dakota law

We at American Life League have issued the following statement concerning the South Dakota bill:

American Life League welcomes the South Dakota bill which outlaws all medical and surgical abortions in the state without exception (despite news reports claiming there is an exception for life of the mother).

We are particularly encouraged that the bill specifically defines a human being's life as beginning at fertilization.

Planned Parenthood has already announced its intention to challenge the bill in court. It is possible that this challenge may make it all the way to the United States Supreme Court. We are praying that the U.S. Supreme Court will use this bill, and its definition of a human being, as a vehicle to declare the personhood of pre-born children as beginning at fertilization. We disagree with those who worry that the timing is not right for the bill. We firmly believe that it is the responsibility of the pro-life movement to always push as hard as possible for full protection of every baby. As much as we humans try to convince ourselves that we can determine the exact time when certain legislation should be passed, the reality is that it is God's time that is important.

We pray that God will use the efforts of the people in South Dakota and other states to bring a full recognition of the personhood of every human being from its point of creation to its natural death.

Planned Parenthood vows to fight South Dakota law

Planned Parenthood operates the only abortion facility in the state of South Dakota. Obviously, this new law will affect its operations and its ability to continue to kill babies in the state. In response to this new law, Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, issued the following statement:

NEW YORK - Planned Parenthood denounced South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds' signing of the South Dakota abortion ban today, vowing to use all legal options available to protect the rights and health of women and families in South Dakota and across the country.
"South Dakota has made abortion a criminal act. Ever since the South Dakota legislators cast their votes last week, people across the country have been calling Planned Parenthood in shock, fear, and outrage," said Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards. "A 92-year-old woman, horrified by the governor's action, picked up the phone to make her first-ever gift to the reproductive rights movement, and a mother of three called us, crying, to send her support. And South Dakota may not be the only state to ban abortion - 10 other states currently have abortion ban bills pending."
Across the country, anti-choice politicians are creating a gauntlet of legislation that attempts to put roadblocks between women and reproductive health care. Currently there are approximately 850 pieces of state legislation related to choice - only a small minority of which support women's access to reproductive health services. Eighteen states are currently considering a range of abortion bans that take decisions about health care out of the hands of women, their families and their doctors. Ten of those states are considering bans similar to that of South Dakota, or laws that would ban abortion automatically if Roe were overturned. They include: Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
"This is proof-positive that Governor Rounds cares more about politics than about the health and safety of women in South Dakota," said Sarah Stoesz, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Minnesota North Dakota South Dakota. "In every state, women, their families, and their doctors should be making private, personal health care decisions - not politicians."

"These abortion bans, and the politicians supporting them, are far outside the mainstream of America," added Richards. "Planned Parenthood will fight these attacks in court, in the state houses, and at the ballot boxes, to ensure that women, with their doctors and families, continue to be able to make personal health care decisions without government interference."

URGENT - Immediate action to counter Planned Parenthood's plans

Planned Parenthood is calling on its affiliates all across the United States to hold a demonstration tomorrow, March 9, in opposition to the South Dakota law.

Specifically, Cecile Richards, president of PPFA, sent out the following call to action:

TO: All Planned Parenthood Activists!
"We don't have to tell any of you what a devastating week it has been for reproductive rights in this country. Last week the South Dakota legislature voted to ban abortion in that state. This ban is an attack on women's fundamental right of privacy and their ability to make the most intimate and personal choice about when and whether to have a child. PPFA will fight the ban in court to protect Planned Parenthood patients but we need affiliates across the country to join us in our efforts.
What you can do to help South Dakota -
* Join us on Thursday, March 9th for a National Day of Solidarity -
We encourage affiliates across the country to hold rallies and visibility events at your federal courthouse at the noon hour. The message is simple: "We stand with the women of South Dakota!"

American Life League calls on all pro-lifers to counter Planned Parenthoods plans by showing up tomorrow at your local federal courthouse to demonstrate the need to end abortion in the United States.

We need to fight Planned Parenthood right now

Obviously, Planned Parenthood is going to throw its millions of dollars into this effort to keep the killing of babies legal in South Dakota. As determined fighters against Planned Parenthood, all the readers of this WSR are urged to step up your fights against Planned Parenthood right now.

Increase your local activity against Planned Parenthood. The more time you cause PP to spend on defending its local operations across the country, the less resources it will have to throw into the South Dakota battle.
Newspaper reports indicate that at least 10 more states (Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Mississippi, Missouri, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee) are trying to pass legislation similar to the South Dakota law. Readers in those states should encourage their legislators to pass a no-exceptions bill like the one in South Dakota.
Join our efforts to end taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood. Go to www.StopPlannedParenthoodTaxFunding.com and sign the petition. Then encourage all your friends to do the same.
Although we rarely ask directly for financial contributions in the WSR, we will need to be able to help people throughout the country as Planned Parenthood becomes more active in its desperate attempts to hang on to its baby killing business. PLEASE use our online donation page to send us your maximum gift right away. Please go to: www.all.org/stopp/support.htm
Please pray for us and the entire pro-life movement, that we will be drawn together in this fight, be victorious over Planned Parenthood, and end the slaughter of the innocence in this country.

National Pro-Life T-Shirt Day

One final way for you to help in this epic struggle is to let everyone in your community know where you stand. We are sponsoring National Pro-Life T-shirt Day and it is an ideal opportunity for you to make a public statement. This year's shirt encourages everyone to "Help Cure Abortion."

Further information on this event can be found online.

We encourage all STOPPers to obtain T-shirts and wear them outside your local Planned Parenthood facility on Tuesday, April 25.

MARCH 15, 2006

How you can help South Dakota

The South Dakota abortion ban, which we discussed at length in last week's WSR, is dominating the pro-life news this week. There is much discussion among pro-lifers about the timing of the ban, but we must recognize at this point that any such discussion is moot. The law has been passed. Whether you agree with the timing or not, we must support our fellow pro-lifers in South Dakota. We have talked with people who were present at the votes in the SD house and senate. They tell us that, as the voting was happening, there was a sense that God was moving in South Dakota.

So now that the law is in place, what can we do?

It is clear that the main opponent of the law is Planned Parenthood. PP operates the only abortion facility in South Dakota and is, of course, the largest abortion chain in the country. It can be expected that PP will expend considerable resources to stop the law from taking effect. It is also clear that PP is expanding this fight outside of South Dakota. Last week it put out a call to every one of its affiliates to hold "solidarity" rallies across the country. Planned Parenthood wants everyone, everywhere, to get involved. It is time, then, for us to counter Planned Parenthood's plans with an all-out push of our own. Ladies and gentlemen, the time has come for everyone across the country to increase their efforts against Planned Parenthood. It is time for all pro-lifers with a Planned Parenthood facility in their area to begin efforts aimed at peacefully, prayerfully closing the facilities down. There are many groups who have been involved in the fight against Planned Parenthood for years. Now is the time for you to make use of these resources and energize your local efforts. Listed in the next item are some of the major resources available to you.

Resources for fighting Planned Parenthood

As we wage an all-out campaign against Planned Parenthood, STOPP has compiled a comprehensive list of resources available to those who are waging the fight. These resources are listed below:

A complete list of every Planned Parenthood facility in the country can be found online. Note: The list is updated annually.

American Life League's brochures, pamphlets, books and picket signs concerning Planned Parenthood can be ordered online.

American Life League's detailed plan on how to defeat Planned Parenthood can be found online.

Other brochures:

A great introductory brochure, Planned Parenthood - It's Not What You Think, can be ordered from Heritage House '76.
Pro-Life Action Ministries' 12-page newspaper style handout, Why Trust Planned Parenthood, which is great for distribution on college campuses and elsewhere, can be ordered from Heritage House '76.
A four-page newspaper style handout, What the Facts Reveal About Planned Parenthood can be ordered from: Please Let Me Live, 3209 Colusa Highway, Yuba City, CA 95993, phone 916-671-5500
Exposed: Planned Parenthood, the Abortion and Eugenic Connections can be ordered from Pro-Life Action Ministries.

For a report on the marketing of baby body parts and Planned Parenthood facilities, visit Life Dynamics.

George Grant's groundbreaking book, Grand Illusions, exposing Planned Parenthood can be ordered from Human Life International.

Life Decisions International's list of corporate supporters of Planned Parenthood can be ordered online.

Facts on how Planned Parenthood protects child predators can be found at the Child Predators web site sponsored by Life Dynamics

Stickers:

Bumper sticker: Planned Parenthood - Destroying a generation one baby at a time
Bumper sticker: Planned Parenthood - Poor Choice
Bumper sticker: Planned Parenthood Kills
Bumper sticker: Life begins at conception and ends at Planned Parenthood can be ordered from Children of the Rosary (item #260)
Envelope sticker: Planned Parenthood kills

Resources on the racism of Planned Parenthood:

Black Genocide
The brochure Lynching is for Amateurs can be purchased online
What Really Happened : The Tuskegee Syphilis Study by Akua Furlow can be ordered from Sojourner Press

American Life League is in the process of creating additional resources for you to use in your fight against Planned Parenthood. We will be announcing their availability in future Wednesday STOPP Reports.

Bring speakers to your area

An excellent way to motivate your community to take action against Planned Parenthood is to bring knowledgeable speakers to your area. Of course, American Life League has Judie Brown, Jim Sedlak and David Bereit available to speak in your community. You can reach them at 540-659-4171 or be e-mail at stopp@all.org.

But we are not the only group that has speakers knowledgeable about Planned Parenthood. Others you can bring to your area include: Doug Scott and Patricia Bainbridge of Life Decisions International; Fr. Tom Euteneuer of Human Life International; Jerry Schmutte of Pro-Life Wisconsin; Mark Crutcher of Life Dynamics; Akua Furlow, Clenard Childress and Johnny Hunter of L.E.A.R.N.; and author George Grant. If we are to truly use this opportunity to mount an all-out effort against Planned Parenthood, none of these speakers (and others who we may have unintentionally left out) should be idle for the rest of the year. Please, keep every speaker against Planned Parenthood across the country busy bringing the message of life to people in your areas.

Stop Planned Parenthood Tax Funding campaign

Of course, we need to ramp-up the fight in every city and every state to take taxpayer money away from Planned Parenthood. The first step is to go to www.StopPlannedParenthoodTaxFunding.com and sign the petition. We also ask that you circulate this news item to everyone on your e-mail list and encourage them to sign. The more signatures we can get, the easier it will be to stop Planned Parenthood from getting any taxpayer dollars. Once you have signed the petition, use our Plan to Defeat Planned Parenthood (see resources above) to begin your local fight against PP taxpayer funding.

NOW, TODAY, IS THE TIME FOR EVERYONE TO BECOME INVOLVED IN AN ALL-OUT FIGHT AGAINST PLANNED PARENTHOOD. WE ARE HERE TO HELP!

MARCH 22, 2006

Planned Parenthood kills two more mothers

The Food and Drug Administration announced last Friday that two more women have died from medical abortion procedures using RU-486 (also known as mifepristone or Mifeprex). Although the FDA did not disclose the exact time, place or cause of death, Planned Parenthood has acknowledged that it provided the two women with the medical abortions.

There have now been six known deaths in the United States associated with the use of the abortion drug, RU-486, since its approval for the market in 2000. At least four of these deaths came at Planned Parenthood facilities.

The Amherst Times reported:

When [RU-486] was first approved by the agency in 2000, the standard regimen was to give the drug in a doctor's office followed two days later by an oral dose of a different drug, misoprostol, also in a doctor's office. Women expelled the fetus over the following days or weeks in a process that mimicked a miscarriage. The procedure must begin within 49 days of conception.

Soon after [its] approval, most Planned Parenthood doctors switched to a different regimen, instructing women to insert misoprostol vaginally at home two to three days after taking Mifeprex. Studies of the new regimen showed that it was effective, and it allowed women to take lower doses of misoprostol. It also meant fewer office visits for Planned Parenthood.

But this regimen was not approved by the drug agency. It is not unusual for doctors to use drugs differently from how they are officially approved. But as reports of deaths among women undergoing the procedure trickled into the FDA, government officials issued stern warnings that doctors should stick to the approved regimen.

Until Friday, Planned Parenthood had rejected those warnings.

Dr. Vanessa Cullins, vice president of medical affairs for Planned Parenthood, said in an interview that effective immediately the group would ask patients to take misoprostol orally instead of vaginally. Although the FDA has asked that this be done in doctors' offices, a Planned Parenthood spokeswoman said patients would still be asked to take the second drug at home. "There is no single reason for the change" in policy by the group, Dr. Cullins said. "We don't really know all the circumstances surrounding these women's deaths," she said.

So, even after four deaths of mothers at its own facilities, Planned Parenthood refuses to follow the FDA approved protocol in its entirety and still claims it has no apparent responsibility. Does Planned Parenthood expect us to view the fact that 67% of all the known deaths occurred at their facilities as mere coincidence? The next time Planned Parenthood says it cares about its customers, remind everyone of how Planned Parenthood is reacting to the deaths of its customers.

South Dakota update

We spent the last four days in South Dakota thanking the legislators and pro-lifers for the state's wonderful abortion ban law.

We also asked what we can do to help as they are facing a probable referendum battle in November and a definite court challenge to the law. Based on what we heard, here are four things that you can begin doing immediately:

Pray that God will use this law to end abortion in our land.
Increase your local fight against Planned Parenthood.
Understand that the law is passed. The time for discussing strategy is over. Every negative comment about the law works for Planned Parenthood and against the babies. Please get your own organization, and any others you know, to issue statements in support of the South Dakota law. If you will send those statements to us at stopp@all.org, we will make sure the right people in South Dakota get to see them. We need as many statements as possible, so please send them.
Much of the fight in South Dakota is expected to center around exceptions for rape or incest. If you are aware of any women who conceived as the result of a rape and are willing to talk about their decision to keep or abort their child, please send us their contact information. We will not make the information public. Rather, we will compile a list and then contact the women when their statements would help the people in South Dakota save babies. Once again, please send the contact information to stopp@all.org.

Cecile Richards takes over as president of Planned Parenthood

In the last month, Cecile Richards has assumed the position of president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. We brought you information on Ms. Richards in our January 11 edition of the WSR. We expect the Richards presidency to bring more political activism to Planned Parenthood as it tries to force its will on the American people through the courts and the state legislatures.

Stop Planned Parenthood Tax Funding campaign passes 10,000 mark

In just a few short weeks, we have seen the number of signers of our online petition effort pass 10,000. This is a great start. We encourage each of you who have signed the petition to get five other people to sign it. If you will take that as your task this week, we will see a dramatic increase in the signatures and will begin to get to the numbers we need to have a real effect on the dollars that go to Planned Parenthood.

The petition can be signed at: www.StopPlannedParenthoodTaxFunding.com.

Thank you for helping take our taxpayer money away from Planned Parenthood.

MARCH 29, 2006

Behold the Lord, Jesus Christ, who tries so hard to get our attention

Planned Parenthood's secret plan

For over 20 years, American Life League has been uncovering the truth about Planned Parenthood and making that truth known to the general public. Sometimes, the truth is just so weird that even our staunchest supporters have trouble believing it. Well, one such truth has just been confirmed and we want to let you know.

In 2004, we uncovered Planned Parenthood's secret plan and reported it in the May edition of The Ryan Report. As more facts became known, we updated readers in the November 2004 edition. Here are pertinent excerpts from what we wrote back then:

May 2004: STOPP directors obtain "Post-Roe" plan document from PPFA's annual conference. (At Planned Parenthood Federation of America's annual conference in Washington, D.C., we) obtained … a flyer announcing a special meeting on April 23 in the hotel sponsored by the Western Region Post-Roe Task Force. The flyer, entitled, "A Special Joint Regional Session: Effective Service Delivery in a Post-Roe World: A Wake Up Call," said: For over six months a group of 15+ Western Region CEOs, staff and volunteers have been meeting in person and by conference call to prepare a Post-Roe Services Strategy. Countless hours have been dedicated to developing a Board Discussion Guide on "Planned Parenthood's role in Preserving Access" (with tips for facilitators). A communication plan has been started for when and if Roe is overturned and the committee are eager for new voices to complete this plan. Our current Congress could enact legislation that would quickly make abortion illegal all over the United States. If Roe is overturned there will be no constitutional right to abortion. Congress could act immediately to create a Right to Life law and our current "safe states" could very well not exist for much longer. … Join the Western Region Post-Roe Task Force … to get down and dirty about living in a Post-Roe environment and to talk about how affiliates can start making preparations proactively to various scenarios in a Post-Roe world.

November 2004: If Roe is overturned, Planned Parenthood may move abortuaries to reservations. (We have now learned) that one of the real options being considered by Planned Parenthood is the possibility of providing abortions in places where federal laws don't apply. Some of the places it has identified are: Native American reservations; ships offshore (such as the Women on the Waves initiative); and setting up abortuaries along the border in Canada -where abortion is legal.

In 2005, I was on a speaking tour in the United States and was going to make short presentations at Masses in one Catholic parish. My host told me that the pastor had given permission for me to talk at the end of Mass. The pastor's one caveat was, "Tell him not to talk about any of that crazy stuff, like Planned Parenthood opening abortion clinics on Indian reservations."

South Dakota confirmation

Now, South Dakota has passed a law banning all medical and surgical abortions in the state. The law will go into effect either on July 1 or after referendum and court challenges are completed. The legislature concluded their session for the year on March 21. Just two days later, the following news item appeared:

March 23: Sioux leader vows to open Planned Parenthood Clinic. The leader of the Oglala Sioux plans to open a Planned Parenthood Clinic on her South Dakota reservation: The President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe on the Pine Ridge Reservation, Cecilia Fire Thunder, [said,] "To me, it is now a question of sovereignty. I will personally establish a Planned Parenthood clinic on my own land which is within the boundaries of the Pine Ridge Reservation where the State of South Dakota has absolutely no jurisdiction."

Wow. Just two days later and a public announcement is made that is right in line with one of the alternatives discussed by Planned Parenthood in 2004! We do not believe this is a coincidence. Clearly, Planned Parenthood had been laying the groundwork for this and Ms. Fire Thunder was ready.

Planned Parenthood's response

But, Ms. Fire Thunder may have revealed the plan too early. Below is Planned Parenthood's public response. Please note as you read this that Planned Parenthood does not say it won't open an abortuary on Indian land; it just says not "at this time."

March 23 … Planned Parenthood Expresses Gratitude to Oglala Sioux - Has No Plans to Move Clinic to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
Sioux Falls, SD --- Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota President and CEO Sarah Stoesz expressed gratitude today to Cecilia Fire Thunder, President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, for offering to establish a Planned Parenthood clinic on her land, but said that there are no immediate plans for opening another clinic on the South Dakota Oglala Sioux Pine Ridge Indian reservation.
In a statement to the press earlier this week, Cecilia Fire Thunder, President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe was quoted as saying she would "personally establish a Planned Parenthood clinic on my own land..." in protest of Governor Round's signing of a sweeping abortion ban in the state of South Dakota. Many residents of South Dakota have expressed outrage at lawmakers' attempts to criminalize abortion.
"While we sincerely appreciate President Fire Thunder's genuine support for Planned Parenthood and for women everywhere in South Dakota, we have no intentions of closing our existing clinic in Sioux Falls, nor do we plan to open another clinic at this time. Our doors at the Sioux Falls clinic will stay open, and we will use every resource necessary to ensure continued access to birth control and other essential healthcare services including abortion care. We will fight the abortion ban at every level. All the women of South Dakota can rest-assured that our doors will stay open in both Rapid City and Sioux Falls," Stoesz said.

The bottom line

Pro-lifers across this nation should see all of this for what it is: a God-given glimpse into the future plans of Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood is plotting what it will do to be able to keep killing children even if Roe v. Wade is overturned - even if the personhood of the preborn child is written into American law.

The only way to really stop the slaughter is to stop Planned Parenthood. We MUST stop its access to our children and our money.

You can do the first by using the techniques described in our book, Parent Power, to get Planned Parenthood out of our schools and other organizations. Order your copy of the book at: http://store.yahoo.com/americanlifeleague/planpar.html .

You can help take taxpayer money away from Planned Parenthood by having everyone you know go to www.StopPlannedParenthoodTaxFunding.com and sign the petition.

Cecilia Fire Thunder has done a great service to the pro-life cause by confirming Planned Parenthood's secret plans for how it will keep killing our children and grandchildren. It is now up to us. Do we let Planned Parenthood keep operating in the dark, or do we take the steps now to peacefully, prayerfully bring about its demise.

LETTERS - At American Life League we frequently receive reports on how the battle against Planned Parenthood is going in various towns across the country. We bring you two of the recent reports so you can see the effectiveness of these activities.

Report from the front lines in Poughkeepsie, New York

Our time to pray at PP's killing center in Poughkeepsie is from 9 to 11 a.m. on Thursdays. Today, Keith and I attended 8 o'clock Mass at St. Mary's in Poughkeepsie as usual and after walked down to PP at 17 Noxon St. Tom, who usually faithfully joins us, has a bad cold and was visiting his doctor instead but was holding us up in prayer anyway.
Keith and I arrived and set up the few signs I brought with me to let the passersby know what we are praying about. Before we started any prayer, a car pulled up to us as it was exiting Planned Parenthood. The woman rolled down her window and I thought, "Here comes the pro-choice tongue lashing!" To my surprise here is what she said: "I have a 7-year-old son because I saw a bumper sticker which changed my mind from having an abortion. It said, 'I am a child, not a choice.'"
I don't know why she was coming out of PP but what she said really floored both Keith and I. We were at first at a loss for words but then hurriedly thanked her for the RIGHT choice and passed on our blessings. This was truly God's way of saying that every effort that is made to save babies and their parents from the culture of death will bear fruit, even though you may not know it. It so happens that we also have that same sign and use it mostly on Tuesdays at PP when we know they are murdering babies by surgical abortions.
Before we could start our rosaries, another car pulled into PP and I approached it with pro-life material in my hands. The lady said in broken English that she was coming to PP for a pap smear test and she has had all the children she could. She said that she did not believe in abortion. We again thanked her but tried to steer her to another place. She said that she uses Medicaid and it pays for all of her test here. This use of our tax money has got to stop! Keith and I came up with a possible solution but need to talk to an organization before it could be started. Pray for its success.
I walked over to my car to click on the video camera (for protection) and a black woman was looking at the "Emily" poster I had hung on my car. It is a gruesome picture of an aborted baby at 7 months that took place in Texas. This aborted baby was found in a dumpster. The woman and I discussed partial birth abortion and agreed it was much like what was pictured as "Emily." She said that she also did not believe in abortion and wanted us to keep up the good work. We said that we would. Keith and I started our rosaries. Several times cars would beep at us this morning. God has visited us at PP today!
All [Knights of Columbus] members are still welcomed to join us every Thursday at 9 a.m. Call Rich for any information you may need or e-mail me. Thanks be to God!

Report from the front lines in California

For the second time, last night I received a call from another Planned Parenthood employee who "can't take it any more" and wants to leave. Both of these calls have been from young women employed as medical assistants in the abortion side of the clinic. I want to share this good news with you, so that you can be praying for her during this employment transition. I had noticed that this employee exhibited a sadness as she walked to work each morning and about 10 days ago, I discreetly offered her my phone number, indicating I would do everything I could to help find her another job. She furtively took my card, glancing to make sure the escorts were not watching.
I would estimate she has been at PP for about a month. She told me last night that she thought it would be like any other "clinic assignment she had experienced, but after seeing such horrific things, she must find another job." The exact phrase she used is quite graphic, but I think it sums up her shock and desperation so accurately that I will write it here. Please skip this paragraph if you will be offended by the graphic blunt language.
She described the defining moment as when she "saw what looked like Barbie dolls cut up into little pieces, covered in blood" Gulp. Also, her mother is a nurse and she has long wanted to help people with her medical training. She also explained her father was adopted, realizing that if his mother had not chosen life, "I wouldn't even be here!" So working at PP has affected her very deeply on many levels, on many facets.
First, I give thanks, glory and praise to God for this young woman's courage and strength to turn away from such a terrible place, but she does have real-world economic needs, such that she can't quit immediately. She did not seem to have a faith presence in her life, but I asked her if I could pray for her and she was genuinely thankful. I didn't press her for her name or phone number, but I'm sure I'll see her at PP during this transition time and I hope that our relationship will continue.
My purpose for writing is to ask that you join me in praying for her, so that she can find another job and that she be so abundantly blessed for her courage and obedience, that there will be no doubt in her heart and mind that there is a God who loves her and wants to provide for her, such that she will be drawn closer to Him from this day forward. Please pray that, as she searches for another job, may her remaining days at PP be in service to Him. May she be an encouragement for other employees to flee. May she be a voice of support to women who are minutes away from abortion. May she be observant of what goes on inside PP so that her experience can courageously "teach the multitudes."
Thank you for your prayers. If anyone wants to come to the clinics to pray in support of life in ministry to women, please let me know, particularly during this Lenten season. - Wynette