Sunday, February 13, 2011

the siege of planned parenthood part II


This is a continuation of my

Click and read Part I first if you haven't. 



The problem for Live Action and its president Lila Rose is that the videos released do more to illustrate what is right with Planned Parenthood than what is wrong.  Even in the instance where the worker was fired, superiors were alerted after the actors left, and Planned Parenthood followed the right protocols

Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood, sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder warning of the possibility of an inter-state sex trafficking ring and requesting federal investigation. The letter is dated January 18 - weeks before the videos were rolled out for public viewing in an attempt to vilify the organization.

Here's where I get judgmental. I don't see organizations like Live Action doing much to help the poor, the sex-trafficked or low-income women.  No, it releases videos in the hope of undercutting Planned Parenthood's funding as a way to attack its abortion practices, but it also seems OK with imploding its abilities to help the very women they claim to be protecting. Their approach doesn't make pragmatic 
sense.

But let’s not pretend that sex trafficking is Rose’s real concern. Her target is abortion. And if she is truly interested in reducing the number of abortions performed — something most people who label themselves pro-choice would agree is a worthy goal — targeting Planned Parenthood is precisely the wrong way to do it.
     
The group’s annual $79 million in Title X funds, now in the crosshairs of House Republicans, wouldn’t go to abortions, which already are barred from federal funding except in the case of rape, incest, or life endangerment — and which make up only 3 percent of the services Planned Parenthood performs. Title X provides low-income women with breast and cervical cancer screening and STD treatment and prevention.

And with contraception, which reduces the number of unwanted pregnancies that create a demand for abortion in the first place.

"We've been here for the past 95 years, and we'll be here for the next 95." said Planned Parenthood's president, Cecile Richards.  Through its affiliates, Planned Parenthood operates more than 800 clinics and health centers across the country, serving more that 3 million patients every year.
Cut all funding?  I think NOT.

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