Snapping picture peeves Planned Parenthood peddlers
I asked Jenani why they were collecting signatures. “We’re not.” She said. “We’re collecting donations. Planned Parenthood has lost $19 million in government funding.”
“Good.” I thought.
A customer walked out of the store and said to me, “I think I probably agree with you.” She then began to speak her mind to Jenani regarding the terrible wrong that is abortion.
Amanda and I stood quietly and listened. Then it dawned on me. I was in a public place where there is no expectation of privacy. And I was under no obligation to adhere to PP’s policies regarding “media contact” with their minions.
So, I pulled my camera out of my bag and readied to take a picture of the supervisor. Had you seen her reaction, you would have thought I was about to throw a bucket of water on the Wicked Witch of the West (cue memorable old movie scene).
Although Jenani reacted by trying to hold her clipboard in front of my camera, she was slower than my trigger finger….
~ Great little story on making a small but significant difference for Life in the moment and in the world in which you live, from On the Box, April 29
[HT: David Schmidt at LiveAction.org]
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
PP reduced to street begging – Definitely a “Kodak moment”
How is this anything but intended harassment and intimidation? What purpose could this person possibly have for taking and uploading a picture of someone peacefully collecting donations?
It’s Planned Parenthood’s problem if it doesn’t want publicity for collecting donations. A Cub Scout wouldn’t mind.
I don’t think a cub scout would be thrilled to have some creep accosting them and taking their picture in order to share online either. I’d really like to know what this accomplishes. The girl isn’t trying to hide who she is or what she’s doing; she identifies herself by name and is up-front about the cause she is collecting donations for. What’s the message this sends to people? Not only do we not want this organization to receive federal money, but we don’t want them collecting private donations either. And if they try to, we’re going to go out of our way to intimidate their volunteers.
I too have been approached by Planned Parenthood volunteers. I do think that taking a photo was a bit much. What was the point of this action? I just smile and say “no thank you I’m prolife.”
Pissing off the other side for no reason isn’t gonna do anything for abortion.
Perhaps a bake sale?
Those pink PP buses, birth control pills and fetus cookies might be big sellers!!
Losing funding??? GOOOOD!
I don’t get it. If you don’t want to risk having your picture taken for some reason, then PP should stick to soliciting donations by mail or phone or whatever. You put yourself in a public location on an extremely friction inducing issue and there’s a high liklihood that friction will develop and someone will snap a picture a of it, as they have a perfect right to do. Hell, you have the store asking them to leave and the police being called. I wouldn’t be surprised if it got featured in a local news story. What would these PP people have done then? In this day and age, where so many people have blogs, you can expect to be photographed in a public place if you’re doing anything remotely interesting or newsworthy. I did a witness for life with our diocese and though I knew the regular media would never be interested, I figured local pro-life and pro-choice bloggers would probably write something on it (which they did – with pictures).
In this day and age, it doesn’t pass the laugh test to think that you are going to do anything (community events, community service), let alone highly controversial activities, without someone taking a picture and high liklihood of it ending up in some internet story or newsletter or blog.
The Planned Parenthood volunteer, of course, assumed the risk that her picture would be taken and used for whatever purpose, simply by virtue of standing in a public place. That’s a given, and under some circumstances, it would not be inappropriate or abusive to do so. The point, however, is that there is no (legitimate) point here at all in taking her picture; David Schmidt is not a citizen journalist covering local events. He’s not even a blogger writing an article with any kind of discernible reason beyond expressing his utter contempt for abortion; he’s a gadfly who has nothing better to do with his time than harass someone who is peacefully and lawfully trying to do what people on this site have spent months saying Planned Parenthood should do: fund itself by private means. He makes it explicitly clear that he took her picture simply because (a) he could, and (b) he wanted to strike back at a “minion” of Planned Parenthood. Of course, just because you can do something, doesn’t mean that you should. This would be a good lesson for any person to learn and take to heart, regardless of their beliefs.
I dont see any big deal with snapping a picture to put up and say, hey look out, this is one group that I wouldn’t want to donate to, or one petition I wouldn’t sign. I throw my change in for many causes just because I want to help and because they’ve put themselves out to collect for a cause. I’ll be a little more careful now.
On the other hand I’m not so supportive of your friend who was haranguing the volunteer. We need to respect those we disagree with. I’m with phylimiss, just say you can’t donate because your prolife, or you think abortion is wrong. Make your point and move on.
I’m confused- why did he take her picture?
Weird how many of the arguments here seem to strongly imply that the only thing bad about Planned Parenthood is that they accept public funding. THEY KILL BABIES!!!!
I think this lovely young lady’s photo was taken (at least as I see it), to convey to her that it is public record that she works for an organization that KILLS BABIES. How does having one’s photo taken, in and of itself, constitute harassment? It doesn’t. If you don’t want it to be documented wearing an organizational t-shirt and collecting money for that organization, then don’t do it in public! She’s obviously, willfully and conscientiously publicly representing Planned Parenthood.
The shame was its own natural consequence here. Genius. People who work for organizations that KILL BABIES AND EXPLOIT WOMEN deserve to be publicly ostracized and made uncomfortable. It’s actually charitable when you look at the big picture.
I recommend clicking the link that leads to the On The Box blog that Jill provided at the end and reading the whole story. It made a lot more sense to me after I did that. Thanks Jill!
Well -Planned Parenthood is NOT ABOVE taking pictures of us – even their employees used to come out to the sidewalk, stand 4 feet away and take our pictures. This was an intimidation tactic – but after a while – we just posed and made sure our pro-life pictures were front and center for them.
Now, with the sting of Live Action films, Planned Parenthood has posted signs that picture taking (still or video) or audio recording is forbidden by state and federal law (not totally true). But it seem like it’s AOK for Them to pictures of Us. more double-standards…
Totally one-sided, as usual. In fact – yesterday they complained of our signs leaning (not on their property) while their employees used permit-parking spots only (that they do not have permits for). So much for following the rules. For them – they can do anything to try to shut people down, while holding themselves above scrutiny. Same-old, same-old.
We can and will be using saw-horses or some other device to hold our signs. We follow the rules and do not purposely disobey (if we don’t know something, we learn fast). But for them – well – another story. What ever they can get away with, they will. I’ve seen it first hand.
oh – and did I mention that one of their employees were standing inside their building, noting the exact wording of our signs so that if they ever see them propped up again, they can make a quick complaint to the police? I will instruct our people to continually hold their signs, and this becomes a non-issue.
Tax payers’ money hard at work…
Joan, you’re arguing against an article without having read it, an unwise start. David Schmidt did not take the photo.
The article answered many questions.
Why aren’t they proud to work for PP? Be proud that you whack babies for a living. Why not? Oh yeah, whacking babies is nothing to be proud of.
If I was working or volunteering for a group, then I would be proud to have someone take my photo, why aren’t they? Why don’t they want people to take their photo then.
Media people take pictures of interesting and controversial activity — all the time. It’s called “Freedom of the Press.” It’s an American virtue.
The writer identified herself as a member of the media. PP continued to engage the public. A picture was taken. The blogger wrote her story.
There is nothing in this process worthy of protest.
Concerning the article: It appears that PP has no clue as to why they were defunded. They probably think that they are the victims of a “right-wing conspiracy.” PP does not yet realize that the general public has lost confidence in them.
Joan, I’m with you 100%. Can you imagine if the mainstream media went to Tea Party rallies, videotaped them, selectively edited them and even broadcast footage of leftwing plants posing as TP members doing bad things just to humiliate conservatives? And did this every night for two years straight?
What I find interesting is the PP supervisor’s shrieks of “We can’t be in the media!!” — when PP has done nothing but seek media attention for the past few months.
I think what she really meant was “We can’t be in the media when we can’t control it!” In other words, they want to have their little lapdogs in the MSM wag their tails and do just what PP wants. Let’s hope those days will soon be over.
I will say though, that I find it somewhat disturbing that once Janina agreed to talk with the blogger only as a private conversation and not for the record, he ends up posting it on his blog anyway. Not very ethical to my mind.
Joan,
if Jenani has nothing to ‘worry about’ then she’s got nothing to worry about. I don’t see Pro life people hiding or being upset about being pictured… common sense, she obviously doesn’t feel fully right doing what she doing
Reading the whole article was more helpful than just the quotes.
First, these weren’t volunteers. They were hired to get donations, and I believe they may have answered those Craigslist ads that PP was posting recently. Second, they weren’t peacefully collecting donations. The store management had tried to have them removed and they refused. Third, the donations they wanted to collect are for the murder of pre-born babies. They were collecting money for murder, which makes it anything but peaceful. Finally, the blogger didn’t only write about the conversation with one PP employee, but described the entire episode including the words and actions of the “supervisor.” They didn’t want to be in the media because PP’s little training manual told them not to. Sorry, but if you want to come onto ANOTHER BUSINESS’ property to collect money to kill American children, maybe you shouldn’t be so surprised to meet a little resistance.
They weren’t selling cookies. They weren’t trying to help the homeless. They’re collecting money because poor Cece is afraid she might have to shop at Payless because not enough people want to pay her to murder their children and grandchildren. Poor Cece. Someday soon she might have to get a real job.
I think that whether it’s legally acceptable or not, there is something aggressive and invasive about taking someone’s picture if they don’t want it taken. It’s not always about being ashamed. Sometimes it feels simply feels like a violation to have someone take your picture without asking, or take your picture when you’ve asked them not to.
Sometimes I work in a very famous venue, and there are tours of the place every thirty minutes or so that happen whether anyone is working there or not. People come in and sit down and listen to their tour guide talk, and snap photos, and all the while I’m just doing my job – a job I enjoy and am proud of, for the record. But I always find it somewhat disconcerting. I must be in so many pictures of other people’s vacations and sometimes it makes me feel weird. When I remember, I often try to stand with my face away from the cameras or something – it’s just not something that makes me entirely comfortable.
I feel the same when I come out the stage door after a show. Lots of people cluster around taking pictures of anyone who comes outside. I’m not in the show – I just work on it – but every time I leave work a few people are waiting there with a camera to take my picture, and it feels somewhat invasive. Like, to not be asked. Impolite.
Let me get this straight – these people are asking for donations to fund abortion, and you’re upset because taking a picture is… impolite? You have got to be kidding me. Please remember, nowhere in the Constitution does it say anything about a right not to be annoyed or offended. (It does, however, mention life… you know, the thing abortions take away.)
Where did I say I was upset? I don’t necessarily think it’s the awesomest thing ever to take someone’s picture unsolicited, much less when they’ve asked you not to, is all I said.
I personally don’t like having my picture taken without my permission. I’ve had a creep take pictures of me nursing (discretely) in a doctor’s waiting room. Sure I was in a public place and I wasn’t ashamed of what I was doing, but that doesn’t mean I welcomed pictures.
It would really unnerve me if someone took pictures of me or my children while grocery shopping.
I wouldn’t like it even if I was soliciting donations for the local PCP. When asked, however, I’ve allowed even strangers that were sympathetic to whatever cause I was promoting to take my picture at various events, in fact I did so tonight at fundraiser for special needs children. I simply do not like having my picture taken without my permission.
I HATE abortion, but I don’t like this tactic. In the same vein, but obviously not as strongly as I hate abortion, but don’t like the tactic of firebombing local clinics.
“Although Jenani reacted by trying to hold her clipboard in front of my camera, she was slower than my trigger finger….”
So was Dr. Tiller…. Twice…. So was his Kevlar vest and bullet proof car….. But that “LIFE” I guess…
This false equivalence business needs to stop. I don’t care if you don’t like the tactic of taking pictures, that’s on you and it’s just your opinion. There’s nothing at all wrong with it. If someone is publicly soliciting funds, they have no expectation of privacy. Period. If you don’t want your picture taken, then get out of the public square.
And sure, we can debate the civility if you want, but equating it with firebombing or even mentioning it in the same breath with Dr. Tiller is just lame. So very, very lame. Or Leftist, depending on your point of view; false equivalence is a classic Alinsky method used by concern trolls all over the Intertubes.
In my opinion, this is a war for the unborn. There’s no fence sitting position available, any more than you can be “sort of” pregnant. If you really think taking pictures of people soliciting funds for baby murder is somehow wrong because it makes you feel “uncomfortable”, then you have your priorities messed up. I have more respect for someone who bluntly states that the morning-after pill is okay because it’s not a baby yet, than I do for people who profess to HATE abortion but don’t want to act because they’re uncomfortable.