Tag: abortion

A Small Victory in the War.

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Planned Parenthood has recently refused any Title X federal funds for family planning rather than be constrained from advising its clients about abortions or referrals to clinics who perform them. See here, here, and here. The sub-heading of the New York Times article linked to above said that, “Facing a Trump administration rule that forbids referrals for abortion, the organization decided to reject federal funds for family planning for low-income women.”

Well, all right, then. Planned Parenthood is standing on principle, rather than dollars. I can appreciate that. I have done the same. This raises some questions, though.

1. If Planned Parenthood (PP) can state that they would rather do without Federal dollars because that would restrict their ability to counsel for abortions, then what does that say about their core mission? Is it really about women’s health or more about referring women to abortion facilities? Is PP more concerned about women’s health in general or promoting a political viewpoint?

2. If PP can simply cut off that funding and state that they will do without it, then isn’t it apparent that they were overpaid to begin with?

3. What about the women who will suffer cutbacks and deprivations to their health as a result of this decision? Does PP care about them? Or is it more wedded to its primary objective—abortion on demand?

4. Why is PP using this issue as leverage to coerce taxpayers to subsidize something which they might find objectionable—if they had the choice? This is nothing more than guilt manipulation and it can be summed up as the selfish, childish demand–”If you don’t play the game my way, I’ll take my ball and go home.”

To be fair to Planned Parenthood, I am sympathetic to their stand on principle. If I were in their shoes, I would do the same thing. I have taken a stand on issues, right or wrong, in the past which cost me dearly. However, to be entirely consistent, they should simply stop taking any governmental funds and rely entirely on voluntary donations to support what they promote. If they can survive in the marketplace of ideas, then more power to them. My thought is, though, that they cannot and will not prosper unless the law supports and backs them up. Planned Parenthood needs to be very careful, because public opinion and the subsequent legal structure can change dramatically in a very short time, virtually overnight, if you will. What may be legal and prosperous today can be extremely problematic tomorrow.

Nevertheless, let’s take our victories where and when we can. This is one we can celebrate. Cheers!

Killing and the Question, Part 2

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(Editor’s Note: This article is not typical of the ones I usually post here, but it is extremely relevant to the abortion debate as it addresses the same issue–a callous disregard for human life.)

To add to the article I posted yesterday, if you are interested in researching the issue of mass shootings, why they happen, what we can learn from them, and what we can do in the future to prevent them, then check out the following links. Zero Hedge, Lew Rockwell, James Howard Kunstler, Michael Rozeff, Warren Farrel, WND.

Each one of these authors is level-headed and reasonable. You will not find any hysterics here nor any sense of trying to whip the public up into a froth emotionally. Some arguments I agree with wholeheartedly, about some I have my doubts, but I will consider all of them. As should you.

Feminists For Life have a saying that “Abortion is a reflection that we have not met the needs of women.” If this is true in the case of abortion on demand, then a paraphrased version of it would also be true. Mass shootings are a reflection that we have not met the needs of young men. As a society and a culture, we should consider that both these are linked in one inextricable way—both situations exhibit a callous disregard for innocent human life.

We have to figure out a way to meet the needs of both pregnant women and young men. Our world’s survival depends on it.

Unplanned–In a Theater near You. Go see it!

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Last Sunday afternoon, my wife and I went to a local theater and watched the movie, Unplanned, along with about forty other people. It was powerful. It has reinforced my determination to work for the day when the last legal abortion is performed in this country, at which point I will shift gears, change direction, and start focusing on the last illegal one. Since I only have twenty or so more years, I might see the first, but I’m not so deluded as to think I will see the second.

Aside from the pro-life message and the not-so-subtle Christian viewpoint, there was one thing which impressed me about this movie–the quality of its manufacture. Typically, Christian based movies trend toward B-grade or worse quality, but in my opinion, this one looked as if it was made by a top-flight studio with people who knew how to make a movie and had the money to produce it. They deserve to be congratulated and honored. Of course, I’m not a film critic, so my opinion won’t count for much, but I do know a good piece of work when I see it. Watch the trailer.

If you hold to a pro-life stance, you should see Unplanned. It will enhance your convictions. If you’re not sure where you stand on the issue of abortion, you should see this movie. It will probably answer questions you may have. If you are in favor of abortion, for any reason, you should see this movie. It will shine a light on the dark shadows that Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers would prefer to keep undercover and unseen. It may change the way you think.

The abortion industry, in general, and Planned Parenthood, in particular, have nothing with which to counter this movie. They will not produce one of their own. They can’t. If they tried, it would fail miserably and turn even more people against them. The only thing they can do is to put a brave face on it, knowing that the message about their heinous practice is getting out into the public consciousness.

Their days are numbered. It’s only a matter of time.

A Positive Message of Support

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Since starting this blog, To Make a Difference, I have been spending a lot of time online looking for information that I could use in the articles I write. I have to say that in just a few short months, I have learned a lot. In fact, the more I learn, the more I realize I don’t know much at all about the issue of abortion. The internet is a wonderful thing.

While doing some research last night, I came across the website of an organization I’d never heard of before—Feminists for Life. I spent a considerable amount of time there, reading various pages and information about the group, with my interest and admiration growing all the while. It ended with my subscription for a year and I made up my mind to promote them on these pages. You should check it out. This organization is for real. (Disclaimer: I have never been a feminist nor an advocate for radical feminism. I do believe that women can and should be considered as equal to men, but not at the expense of society nor the people who comprise it. Nobody should have to die so that women can be free.)

Right off the bat on their home page is the message that “Women Deserve better than Abortion” splashed across their header. The sub-title is more pointed—“Abortion is a reflection that we have not met the needs of women.”  How true! Why didn’t I think of that? And the quotes shown below just drove the message home that I could support this group without any reservation.

“When a man steals to satisfy hunger, we may safely conclude that there is something wrong in society — so when a woman destroys the life of her unborn child, it is an evidence that either by education or circumstances she has been greatly wronged.” —Mattie Brinkerhoff, The Revolution, 1860

“No woman should be forced to choose between sacrificing her education or career plans and suffering through a humiliating, invasive procedure and sacrificing her child. We refuse to choose®. Abortion represents a failure to listen and respond to the unmet needs of women. Why perpetuate failure? Pro-life feminists recognize abortion as a symptom of, not a solution to, the continuing struggles women face in the workplace, on campus, at home, and in the world at large.”—FFL, Question Abortion

So much of the abortion argument has been about one of two things—either “women’s rights” or the “right to life” and I am as guilty as anyone else in advocating for one side only. Feminists for Life simply refuses to make a choice between the pregnant woman and the unborn baby. They promote health and wellness for everyone involved, including husbands and fathers, employers, and victims of sexual violence.

The status quo of abortion on demand pits women against their unborn babies and those babies against their mothers. This needs to change. We have got to stop seeing this issue from a one-sided perspective and work toward a more wholesome approach which includes everyone involved.

I wish Feminists for Life the very best. I wish I could do more to help them.