America Can Do Better Than Abortion: The Case Against Planned Parenthood
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Parents Agree: Abstinence education is the best health message for teens. A nationwide Zogby poll conducted in 2007 showed that parents prefer abstinence education 2 to 1 over comprehensive sex education. Among other findings from the poll:
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9 out of 10 parents agree that being sexually abstinent is best for their child’s health and future.
8 in 10 parents support public schools promoting abstinence vs. encouraging contraceptive use.
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2 out of 3 parents think the importance of the “wait to have sex” message ends up being lost when programs demonstrate and encourage the use of contraception.
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Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the lobbying arm of America’s largest abortion provider, once again is pouring millions into elections this fall. This election year, they will set new records, spending an unprecedented $10 million to back pro-abortion candidates at all levels. (1) Their lobbying partner, NARAL Pro-Choice America, also plans to spend $10 million. (2) Planned Parenthood is a non-profit organization with a 20 year history of receiving hundreds of millions in tax dollars yearly. With their multi-billion dollar cash reserve, Planned Parenthood can leverage incredible financial influence in the American political process.
The nation’s largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood Federation of America reports $1 billion in income on its 2006-07 annual financial disclosure, with $114.8 million in profit and $1.12 billion in total assets. (3) During the 2006-07 reporting period, Planned Parenthood enjoyed $336.7 million in government grants and contracts, representing one-third of their annual budget. (4) Since 2001, Planned Parenthood has received nearly $2 billion from U.S. taxpayers. (5)(6)(7)
As the national number of abortions drops, Planned Parenthood abortion numbers continue to increase. According to Planned Parenthood 2006-07 Annual Report, the corporation hit a record high of 289,943 abortions that resulted in $112.6 million in abortion revenue. Total profits for the organization are almost identical to the income from abortions. (8)
Although a significant majority of the American people believes that there should be restrictions on abortion, Planned Parenthood fights any law that places reasonable restrictions on abortion. This includes both informed medical consent and parental consent. Planned Parenthood even continues to fight against legislation passed by a majority in Congress and signed into law.
For example, last year in Ohio, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards, who receives almost $1 million in annual compensation, (9) spoke out against the U.S. Supreme Court decision to uphold the Congressional ban on the heinous partial birth abortion procedure. (10)
“The Supreme Court has overturned more than three decades of protecting women’s health,” according to Richards in an address to the Cleveland City Club last year. “The Supreme Court has sanctioned politicians practicing medicine.” (11)
Most Americans agree with the High Court’s decision to uphold the ban on this ghastly procedure where a doctor forces the partial birth of a baby and then destroys the newborn’s head while still inside the birth canal, yet Richards continues to say this procedure is necessary.
Increasing scientific evidence shows that abortion hurts women and families. These facts contradict Planned Parenthood’s claim that abortion sustains women’s health and well being and therefore should be available for any up until the moment of birth.
Planned Parenthood actually targets teens with messages of sex without love and instant gratification without consequences or responsibility through a web site designed for adolescents that promotes porn and risky sexual behavior. (12) (13) After investigating Planned Parenthood’s teen web site, TeenWire.com, three U.S. Congressmen, Doug Lamborn(R-CO),Steve King (R-IA), and Joe Pitts(R-PA),are considering legislation to defund Planned Parenthood. (14)
Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) is proposing an amendment to the appropriations bill that funds the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services to prohibit federal funding for Planned Parenthood. (15)
"I just think it’s wrong that the largest abortion provider in America is the largest recipient of non-abortion funding under Title X," Pence told Cybercast News Service.
Ironically, at a time when the Centers for Disease Control reports that one in four teen girls has an STD (16), Planned Parenthood President Richards is demanding the defunding of abstinence until marriage programs. (17)
Abusive practices by Planned Parenthood are coming to light around the country in criminal and civil court cases. An increasing number of undercover reporting and media exposés are also revealing Planned Parenthood abuses despite media bias in favor of abortion. More than 95% of reporters and editors of national publications and wire services are pro-abortion (18), and this influences their coverage or under reporting of the cases against Planned Parenthood.
Comprehensive Health of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri has been charged with a 107-count criminal complaint filed by Johnson County (Kansas) District Attorney Phill Kline charging Planned Parenthood with “unlawful failure to determine viability for late-term abortion,” “unlawful late term abortion,” “making false information,” and “unlawful failure to maintain records.” (19) Kansas law, as well as the laws of 40 other states, prohibits aborting a viable fetus, a baby at 23 weeks gestation. (20) District Court Judge Stephen Tatum has decided to postpone the preliminary hearing in this Kansas case until May 27, 2008.
Kline, former Kansas Attorney General, was unseated by Republican-turned-Democrat Paul Morrison, a candidate backed by the abortion industry. The industry spent an estimated $1.5 million to help Morrison defeat Kline. Kansas late-term abortionist George Tiller (21) spent more than $100,000 and his political action committee spent more than $300,000 targeting Kline. (22)
Kansas Attorney General Morrison resigned in December when a former employee went public with their extramarital affair accusing him of sexual harassment. (23)
The Ohio Supreme Court is currently reviewing John and June Roe v. Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio, a case alleging wide-spread availability of abortion to teens without parental consent. The court will decide if redacted (patient name deleted) records from Planned Parenthood should be released to attorneys prosecuting a civil suit to determine if aborting a teen pregnancy without parental consent was standard operating procedure or an isolated incident. (24)
In California, Planned Parenthood affiliates are being sued after allegedly overcharging the state and federal governments by $180 million for birth control pills. (25) Victor Gonzalez, former vice president of finance and administration of the Los Angeles affiliate, filed the lawsuit and said he was fired for questioning Planned Parenthood’s “illegal accounting, billing and donations practices.”
According to Gonzalez, Planned Parenthood would buy contraceptives at a discounted rate and then bill the state Medi-Cal program for 12 or more times the purchase price. An audit of the San Diego/Riverside Planned Parenthood clinic found $5 million in over billing charges in just two years. (26)
Every day Planned Parenthood profits from mothers who submit to abortion with the misunderstanding that abortion is their only choice. That amounts to 849 abortion procedures each business day, including Saturday. (27) In an effort to increase profitability, Planned Parenthood’s current business plan calls for growth through mega abortion clinics.
In Aurora, IL, Planned Parenthood falsified documents to avoid public opposition while building a massive clinic. Using a shell corporation, Gemini Office Development, Planned Parenthood submitted a building permit in Aurora falsely listing the facility tenant as "unknown at this time." (28)
Fox News reporter Ainsley Earhardt reported this deception in Aurora. (29) Planned Parenthood continues with its aggressive plan to expand through mega clinics and is currently planning to build large clinics in Denver, CO, and Portland, OR, and renovate a mammoth six-story, 78,000-square-foot building in Houston. (30)
Yet another investigation was carried out by UCLA student magazine The Advocate. (31) In this case, an actor posed as a racist donor and called Planned Parenthood in Idaho, Ohio, and five other states. (32) He asked that his money be used to abort African American babies. All development staffers agreed to accept a donation to “lower the number of black people.” (33) None expressed concern about racist comments. Approval of the donor's racist agenda prompted students to begin a petition to request that UCLA administrators cut programs and affiliations with Planned Parenthood. Pro-life advocates are speaking out against Planned Parenthood.
According to Dr. Johnny Hunter, president of the Life Education And Resource Network, the number of black babies currently lost to abortion in just three days surpasses the total number of African Americans who were lynched. From 1882 to 1968, 3,446 lost their lives to lynching. (34) LEARN is the largest African American pro-life organization.
- Blacks make up 13% of the population
- Hispanics make up 12% of the population
- 50% of abortions are performed on Blacks and Hispanics (35)(36)
- More than 75% of abortion clinics are located in minority communities (37)(38)
America can do better than abortion. Heartbeat’s pregnancy center network provides positive alternatives to abortion and promotes sexual integrity, living a life according to God’s plan for our sexuality.
Understanding the Opposition: Resources
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[Editor’s note on citations: These websites were accessed from April 1-10, 2008.]
