Posted on 04/12/2004 5:17:29 PM PDT by Diago
Pro-Life Group Unveils Findings of Planned Parenthood/Girl Scouts Probe By Melanie Hunter CNSNews.com Deputy Managing Editor April 12, 2004
(CNSNews.com) - A pro-life group investigating Planned Parenthood's ties to the Girl Scouts organization has found that 26 percent of Girl Scout councils have relationships with the abortion provider.
"But what is even more surprising is that 79% of Girl Scout councils have not disclosed their position on Planned Parenthood by failing to answer a simple question - Do you have any relationship with Planned Parenthood?" said Jim Sedlak, executive director of STOPP International, in a statement.
American Life League's STOPP International launched its probe after a remark made by Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. CEO Kathy Cloninger, who told NBC News, "We have relationships...with Planned Parenthood organizations across the country, to bring information-based sex education programs to girls."
During their investigation, one CEO of a Girl Scouts council responded to STOPP International's inquiry, "I have been instructed to say 'no comment' to whatever you ask."
"If the Girl Scouts believe that partnering with Planned Parenthood is a benefit to young girls, then why are the Girl Scouts reluctant to talk about the connection," Sedlak asked.
"Their failure to answer the question leads many to wonder if these councils, in fact, do work with the organization. If that is the case, their stonewalling may represent an attempt to hide a relationship they do not want parents and the public to know about," he added.
STOPP has listed every council by state and shows the results of the investigation on its website. The remaining 249 councils did not disclose their relationship.
"Some councils attempted to justify their partnership with Planned Parenthood by having parents sign permission slips," Sedlak said.
"We maintain that, as an organization that purports to provide the best for young girls, it is the Girl Scouts organization itself that should be saying NO to Planned Parenthood. We ask every parent of a Girl Scout in areas served by councils that did not respond to our inquiry to insist the councils tell the truth," he added.
Parents who find out about local councils can use a link on the STOPP website to send corrections, and the site will be updated as new information is received. But the pro-life group emphasizes it is not against the Girl Scouts organization.
"It is important to understand," Sedlak said, "we are not at war with the Girl Scouts, but that we are trying to protect young girls from the evils of Planned Parenthood. We are simply asking that Girl Scout councils stop their partnership with Planned Parenthood."
Maybe Wednesday Addams was right. Maybe Girl Scout Cookies are made with real Girl Scouts.
I hadn't been paying attention to anything but there cookies. But I guess I'm not surprised.
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