Planned Parenthood Doesn’t Like Us…
— Posted by John (October 23, 2006 at 6:15 pm)
Which means we must be doing something right.
Our recent “Contraception Is Not the Answer” conference certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed in the “pro-choice” world.
The nation’s leading abortion provider is the latest group to mention it, doing so in a recently launched e-mail campaign:
Dear [Planned Parenthood Supporter],
A few weeks ago, 250 anti-choice activists from around the nation converged on Rosemont, Illinois. They were there to attend a conference called “Contraception Is Not the Answer.” The Chicago Tribune reported that “experts at the gathering assailed contraception on the grounds that it devalues children, harms relationships between men and women, promotes sexual promiscuity, and leads to falling birth rates, among social ills.”
That conference was sponsored by the anti-choice Pro-Life Action League, whose extremist president, Joseph Scheidler, told the Tribune that “contraception is more the root cause of abortion than anything else.”
Here’s what we have to do to win the upper hand. We have to point out the glaring contradiction at the heart of the anti-choice movement:
The fact is, the same forces who oppose abortion also vigorously oppose expanding access to the information and services that prevent unintended pregnancy and reduce the need for abortion. [Emphasis in the original.]
It’s time for us to take charge of the debate and stop playing defense. And there’s no better place to start than by exposing the growing stridency of the anti-contraception movement in America. Read Planned Parenthood’s Strategy for Moving Forward and learn more. [Emphasis in the original.]
Our Strategy for Moving Forward: Read it. Share It.
Ninety-eight percent of American women use birth control at some point in their lives. Eighty-nine percent of Americans favor more access to information about birth control, and 81 percent think access to birth control is a good way to prevent abortions.
But extreme anti-choice groups are determined to paint birth control as evil, just as they’ve tried to do with abortion. They have attacked the pill and emergency contraception — they’ve even campaigned against condoms!
How many Americans do you think agree with anti-choice extremists like Judie Brown, president of the anti-choice group American Life League? Here’s what she said earlier this year in a New York Times Magazine cover story titled “Contra-Contraception — War on Contraception”: “The mind-set that invites a couple to use contraception is an antichild mind-set. We oppose all forms of contraception.”
We need to go on the offensive — and demand that anti-choice groups and their political sponsors try to explain their most indefensible anti-family planning positions.
Our Strategy for Moving Forward: Read it. Share It.
Most people in our country don’t want to live in a world where ideology trumps science . . . a world where mandated ignorance puts our young people’s lives at risk. . . a world where freedom means the freedom of anti-choice extremists to throw one barrier after another in the path of women seeking to make the most personal decisions of their lives.
The better people understand that this is where anti-choice groups want to take us, the sooner we can start to dismantle their political support.
Let’s go to work.
Sincerely,
Cecile Richards
President
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Today, we at the Pro-Life Action League — led by our “extremist” national director — Joe Scheidler, responded by issuing this press release:
Planned Parenthood Battles Scheidler over Contraception
CHICAGO, Oct. 23 — “I am not surprised that Planned Parenthood singled out the Pro-Life Action League in their so-called Strategy for Moving Forward,” said Joseph M. Scheidler, National Director of the Chicago-based activist group. “That shows they view us as a formidable opponent. I’m proud to be a thorn in Planned Parenthood’s side.”
In an October appeal, Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards made the Pro-Life Action League’s recent conference, “Contraception Is Not The Answer,” a call to arms for her supporters. She wrote:
“A few weeks ago, 250 anti-choice activists from around the nation converged on Rosemont, Illinois. They were there to attend a conference called ‘Contraception Is Not the Answer’.”
Richards went on to point the finger at the League’s director, Joe Scheidler:
“That conference was sponsored by the anti-choice Pro-Life Action League, whose extremist president, Joseph Scheidler, told the [Chicago] Tribune that ‘contraception is more the root cause of abortion than anything else’.”
“Richards is right to worry about our campaign to expose the truth about contraception,” commented Scheidler. “The evidence coming out from the medical and social sciences reveals a dark side to contraception. We think it’s time Americans look at that evidence, but Planned Parenthood wants to cover it up.”
“Richards is wrong,” Scheidler continued. “Contraception is not the answer to this nation’s high abortion rate. On the contrary, flooding our society with contraceptives has only encouraged the kind of irresponsible sexual behavior and anti-child mentality that directly leads to abortion.”
Scheidler, who was also singled out by the National Organization for Women in a twenty-year long federal racketeering lawsuit, views the attacks from pro-abortion organizations as confirmation that his activist tactics are effective in undermining their persistent anti-life agenda.
“I have always believed that one is known by his enemies,” said Scheidler, “I take it as a mark of our effectiveness that Planned Parenthood is worried. They should worry because we have truth on our side — a truth that threatens Planned Parenthood’s radical agenda of sexual promiscuity and abortion — and they have nothing but lies.
“Anyone who wants to understand the true impact of contraception should hear the evidence presented by our speakers at our ‘Contraception Is Not The Answer’ conference.”
Enough said.
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Sunnyday says:
Yay!! Congratulations for putting a major dent on anti-life efforts! You’re right — Planned Parenthood should worry because the truth about what they are doing continues to be exposed. I look forward to the next Pro-Life Action League activities that will empower more Americans with the truth. The tide is indeed turning in favor of life, love and truth =)
Comment posted October 23rd, 2006 at 7:42 pm
ProLifeBlogs says:
They Must be Doing Something Right…
Our friends at the Pro-Life Action League has issued the following press release: Planned Parenthood Battles Scheidler over Contraception CHICAGO, Oct. 23 I am not surprised that Planned Parenthood singled out the Pro-Life Action League in their so-…
Comment posted October 23rd, 2006 at 7:55 pm
lauren says:
Why shouldn’t Planned Parenthood be worried? Planned Parenthood is not some amorphous group made up of evil doers. It’s made up of people like myself that want access to contraception. We can go around in circles about abortion for three million years, and I dont really feel like doing that right now.
The argument is on contraception. The Schiedlers are Catholic are they not? Catholic theology teaches them not to take contraception. That’s called religious freedom. Imposing those beliefs on others who vehemently disagree is really unfair. Forbidding access to information on contraception because a group of people thinks it’s “wrong” and “anti-child” is simply and utterly unjust. This is what got me started in this battle. It’s not your right to impose personal sexual morality on others. I’m all for a discussion on contraception. Tell me what’s wrong with it, tell me why I shouldn’t take it. But dont forbid me from taking it. Believe it or not, I am smart enough to make those sorts of decisions for myself.
Unless of course Joe Schiedler would like to come to my Doctor’s appointments with me? Anyone here want to come with me?
Comment posted October 23rd, 2006 at 10:04 pm
Sunnyday says:
If everybody had access to ACCURATE and COMPLETE information about contraceptives and abortifacients, a lot of pharmaceutical companies would most likely go out of business.
Unless people (we women especially) — despite knowledge of this accurate and complete information — insisted on turning a blind eye to the facts and continued using birth control instead of self-control, which is what has been happening as far as many women are concerned.
But more than the products themselves, it’s really the contraceptive mindset that needs to be addressed. It really is at the root of turning to abortion.
Comment posted October 24th, 2006 at 4:25 am
Sunnyday says:
By the way, how did the GFL Youth Conference go? I sure would love to hear some anecdotes about what went on there! Hope it was well-attended and that the participants left thoroughly empowered. =)
Comment posted October 24th, 2006 at 4:27 am
mary kay says:
Forbidding access to information on contraception because a group of people thinks it’s “wrong” and “anti-child” is simply and utterly unjust.
Lauren,
It’s not that we don’t want information on contraception, it’s that we want FULL DISCLOSUE. We want the truth. Planned parenthood wants everyone to think that artificial birth control is harmless. But that’s a lie.
We’ve been over alot of this already:
Condoms DO NOT protect against HIV. People who are led to believe that they do will then participate in homosexual activity falsely believing that they are protected. Then they end up with AIDS and don’t understand why.
The pill is a hormone. Messing with hormones is dangerous. It leads to strokes, heart attacks, blood clots, etc.
The IUD is an abortificant. It does not allow the baby to implant.
But mostly, artificial birth control, leads to an anti-life, anti-marriage, antil-life mentality. Look at the population of European contries. 0 growth. No babies.
Look at marriage. 50% divorce rate. Homosexual marriages. 1 in 4 babies aborted. 80% of Downs Syndrome babies aborted. And if they ever find a gene for homosexuality, you can bet 80% of homosexual children will be aborted too. (Remember, we are not against homosexual individuals, only against the irresponsible sexual act itself, just like we are against any sexual act outside of a valid marriage…by valid I mean between a man and a woman.)
And we do believe that women are smart enough to make their own choices. But only if they have ALL of the information. Otherwise, they are being manipulated by the planned parenthoods of the world, much like you believe we are manipulating them. What is so wrong with the truth? Have you seen the pictures of those aborted babies? They show the TRUTH. If women saw these pictures and understood what abortion really is, I think most women WOULD BE smart enough to realize that they don’t want this.
Unless women have access to the WHOLE TRUTH, they are just pawns in Planned Parenthoods hands…
I’m sure John will cite more studies than I can. But you must remember that we have nothing to gain by these studies, except protecting women. Planned Parenthood is a business, so they have tons (and I do mean TONS) of money to lose. So when we cite a source that is pro-life, don’t just dismiss it. These studies are valid and they are there to PROTECT women. Something planned parenthood does NOT do. Planned Parenthood claims to protect a woman’s RIGHTS…but in actuality Planned Parenthood protects it’s wallet. Not women.
MK
Comment posted October 24th, 2006 at 6:12 am
mary kay says:
And I’d love to go with you to your doctors appointments…just let me know when and where…
mk
Comment posted October 24th, 2006 at 6:14 am
John says:
Sunnyday asked: “By the way, how did the GFL Youth Conference go?”
Actually, the conference has been postponed to enable even more kids to attend. The new conference date is Saturday, February 3, 2007. It will be held in conjunction with SpeakOut Illinois, a statewide pro-life conference co-sponsored by several dozen pro-life and pro-family organizations.
We’ll be posting more information about it in the near future.
Comment posted October 24th, 2006 at 10:05 am
John says:
Lauren said: “I’m all for a discussion on contraception. Tell me what’s wrong with it, tell me why I shouldn’t take it.”
Lauren,
The sexual act is a great gift because it allows spouses to express complete and total self-sacrificing, self-donating mutual love in a way that uniquely allows human beings to reflect the inner life of God, who is a Trinity of Persons.
Quite simply, spouses cannot make a gift of themselves by holding back their fertility.
In another post, you asked about the distinction between natural family planning (often referred to inaccurately as the “rhythm method”) and contraception.
For more on this, I’d suggest the article, “God, Sex, and Babies: What the Church Really Teaches About Responsible Parenthood” by Christopher West.
I’d write more myself, but I could scarcely improve upon on what he’s already written.
Other articles of his are listed here.
Comment posted October 24th, 2006 at 10:06 am
mary kay says:
John,
I knew you’d come through…
MK
Comment posted October 24th, 2006 at 3:31 pm
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Comment posted May 31st, 2007 at 3:50 pm