"Choose Life" is a Bad Choice According to Planned Parenthood

Below is an email which Planned Parenthood sent out last week. They are opposed to the "Choose Life" license plates.

Planned Parenthood, who claims that they promote abortion as a "neutral option" gets alot of funding from the government and other sources. I think it is a shame that they are not willing to support an opportunity for women to hear another point of view regarding their choices. And, quite frankly it is amazing to me that this huge conglomerate would feel so threatened by the grass roots movement of crisis pregnancy centers. Information gleaned from the Planned Parenthood annual report reveals that during its 2005-2006 fiscal year, the nonprofit Planned Parenthood Federation of America performed a record 264,943 abortions, attained a high profit of $55.8 million and received record taxpayer funding of $305.3 million. For the year July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006, Planned Parenthood received $345.1 million in clinic income, $305.3 million in taxpayer funding and $212.2 million in donations. Total income reached $902.8 million while total expenses came to $847.0 million, leaving a profit of $55.8 million. Most crisis pregnancy centers are managed and maintained by a very limited staff and groups of dedicated volunteers. They do not generate profits through the services that they provide. Their primary mission is to help women to understand that abortion is not their only choice when they experience an unplanned pregnancy.


This is the caution that Planned Parenthood gives on their website regarding "crisis pregnancy centers":

"Beware of so-called "crisis pregnancy centers" that are anti-abortion. These fake clinics advertise free pregnancy testing to lure women into their anti-choice agenda.

Crisis pregnancy centers:

* may perform your pregnancy tests without medical supervision. (I happen to know that the crisis pregnancy center in Charlotte has medical personnel on their staff and serving as volunteers).

* won't give you complete and correct information about all options.

* may try to frighten you with misleading films and pictures that are designed to keep you from choosing abortion.

* will lie to you about the medical and emotional effects of abortion. (This is what Planned Parenthood says on their own website about the emotional effects of abortion- Some women experience anger, regret, guilt, or sadness for a short time. Sudden hormonal changes may intensify these feelings.You are more likely to have long-term emotional problems after abortion if you had emotional problems before your pregnancy. You are more likely to experience serious regrets if you have strong religious feelings against it. Be sure to examine your moral concerns before choosing abortion. You may want to seek counseling counseling is available before and after abortion.)

* may tell you that you are not pregnant even if you are, to fool you into continuing your pregnancy without knowing— the delay would make abortion more risky and keep you from getting prenatal care. (This is an outragious accusation. If any of you know of a crisis pregnancy center that would something this unethical please let me know. I will lead the charge to put them out of business.)

* may discourage you from using the most reliable methods of birth control."

I worked for a county government operated Department of Social Services for years and could never understand why it was OK for social workers, probation offices, lawyers, etc. to recommend that a woman have an abortion while anyone who suggested that abortion may not be the best choice was judged as pushing their political or religious agenda. At that time I was "pro-choice" and did not have clarity as to my personal spiritual condition and beliefs. On one occassion I accompanied a young teen mom to a crisis pregnancy center because she wanted to hear a point of view that might differ from that offered by all of the "professionals" in her life who told her that her only choice in her circumstance was abortion. My experience did not support what I had heard about these kinds of settings. We were not shown disgusting images of aborted fetuses and did not experience any sense of being judged because of our personal views. I was impressed with the level of caring and professionalism which we experienced. It is interesting to note that as a result of this contact with the crisis pregnancy center I was called into my supervisors office to address a complaint which had been registered against me by a social worker who also worked for the agency. She felt that it was inappropriate for me to allow this young gal, a resident of the group home that I administered, to go to "one of those places" (the crisis pregnancy center).

If you are truly "pro-choice" why wouldn't you be open to other perspectives on the best approach to managing an unplanned pregnancy. The way I look at it is- if you are not open to allowing women experiencing this type of crisis to hear from those that do not believe abortion is a "neutral option", you are not really pro-choice and may actually be guilty of exactly what you are accusing crisis pregnancy centers of- promoting your own political agenda.

Most women who choose to have an abortion do so because they believe that they do not have other options. According to Sharon L. Camp, president and CEO of the Guttmacher Institute (the Guttmacher Institute is reportedly the scientific research division of Planned Parenthood), “Behind almost every abortion in the United States is an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy. Abortion is not an isolated event in a woman’s life. It is a last resort for a woman who is faced with a crisis pregnancy she did not want or plan for.”

Lois’ Lodge often works with crisis pregnancy centers to offer women experiencing an unplanned pregnancy the resources needed to sustain their pregnancy and to develop a plan for their own future and future of their child. Unplanned and unwanted pregnancies do not need to result in an abortion in order to terminate the child’s life. There are other options. Abortion is not a woman’s last resort.

As long as Roe vs Wade is still in effect I personally would never advocate for eliminating Planned Parenthood as a resource for women in need of birth control or an abortion resource. I am unapologetically pro-life because of my religious convictions but I recognize that not everyone has the same beliefs as I do. For me it is more important to help others understand the source of my convictions than to try to convince them that abortion itself is a bad choice. Actually, I believe that it is usually futile to try to help others to value preserving life and/or sexual purity when these values are not a part of their spiritual beliefs. Sometimes I think I am more "pro-choice" than those that define themselves as such. Women need to be able to make informed decisions. That is why they also should have an opportunity to visit a crisis pregnancy center in order to hear another perspective, a perspective which says that abortion is not a "neutral option". How is that not offering women "a choice"? Debbie

THIS IS THE EMAIL WHICH WAS SENT OUT BY PLANNED PARENTHOOD. IF YOU VALUE THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTERS PLEASE LET YOUR LEGISLATOR KNOW THAT YOU SUPPORT THE "CHOOSE LIFE LICENSE PLATE":

Dear

The North Carolina House Transportation committee is considering a bill TODAY that would bring "Choose Life" license plates to North Carolina.

If you are receiving this email, YOUR legislator is on the House Transportation committee and needs to hear from you. PLEASE TAKE ACTION RIGHT NOW -- this hearing is TODAY!

These license plates are specialty plates that bear an anti-choice message. Individuals who wish to purchase the plate pay a fee above the cost of a standard license plate.

The revenue generated from the sale would then be funneled to non-profit, anti-choice organizations, including so called "crisis pregnancy centers" that promise comprehensive medical advice and services but deliver anti-choice propaganda. Any organization that mentions abortion as a neutral option - including counseling or referrals - is prohibited from receiving any of the funds.

Let your legislator know that you believe the state has no business sanctioning only certain political views of its citizens and supporting organizations that deny women information, counseling or referrals to the full range of reproductive options!
Please take immediate action by writing to YOUR legislator!