First pro-life activism iPhone app launched – for National Pro-Life T-Shirt Week (which starts tomorrow!)
American Life League has just launched the pro-life activist movement’s first iPhone/iPod application, this one for National Pro-Life T-Shirt Week, which begins tomorrow, April 27, and runs through May 3….
The app jibes perfectly with ALL’s photo contest, wherein participants can earn points by submitting photos wearing their pro-life t-shirts (or special pro-life sticker) in over 200 suggested situations, such as getting off a school bus, eating an ice cream sundae, shaking a pastor’s hand, with an nun in her habit… or presenting Jill Stanek with a flower. (I wondered what that was about! Had several kids ask to have their photo taken giving me a flower at ALL’s March for Life Blog Awards event in January… lol… :)
The iPhone/iPod app will allow contest participants to upload and submit their photos, keep track of their tasks and scores, and view contest rankings.
Just uploaded it to my iPhone. A pro-life activism iPhone app. What a great idea!
And don’t forget to show your pro-life pride by participating in National Pro-Life T-Shirt Week! Read FAQs here.
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.
Counter post by @ShelbyKnox on Twitter just now:
80+ PA high school students wearing ‘Real Sex Ed Saves Lives’ shirts to counter “Pro-Life T-Shirt Day” http://ow.ly/1Dde3 #youthactivism
Real sex ed saves lives?
What does that even mean? More importantly……
Prove it.
Real sex ed saves Planned Parenthood jobs.
Is their “slogan” meant to refute the prolife message? It does not. I of course would love to see one of those students in their tshirts and ask them myself what it means. I imagine a lot of stuttering, stammering and a lot of “well, ya-know.”
Ordered my son a prolife shirt. :)
Those high school kids in PA have too much time on their hands. I’m calling their teachers.
There is an iPad app called Hello Baby! that shows stages of baby development that I think would be great for pro-life activism, especially on the larger iPad screen.
http://www.splendoroftruth.com/curtjester/2010/04/hello-baby/
That you even have to ask what “real sex ed saves lives” means is, well, laughable.
What is laughable is that you believe it.
abstinence saves a girl from a broken heart when a guy breaks up with her after using her for sex. Abstinence= no teen pregnancies. abstinence: less STDs
hmmm, that sounds MUCH better to me….
Liz,
I don’t disagree with you on any of your points about abstinence — it’s the only 100% effective way of preventing pregnancy and STDs, and being abstinent until you’re ready to take responsibility for your choices also prevents a lot of heartache for young people.
However, abstinence-only sex education leaves teenagers without the knowledge and tools to protect themselves if they aren’t abstinent, for whatever reason. It leaves them vulnerable and without defenses when they decide to be sexually active.
I have no problem with teaching abstinence, but I strongly believe that it needs to come alongside “real sex ed” that includes instruction on contraceptives, on how to use condoms, on the risks of STDs and how to protect yourself. We already know that a percentage of teenagers — whether they sign an abstinence pledge or not — are going to be sexually active. Teaching them how to protect themselves — in addition to strongly stressing the benefits of abstinence and giving students tools to say no to sex — reduces their risk of contracting STDs or getting pregnant. Both STDs and pregnancy can lead to death, and teaching teens how to protect themselves really does save lives.
You cannot on one hand tell students that it is safest to wait and then throw condoms at them because you believe they can’t or won’t. What a message! I see how well comprehensive sex ed has worked so far……
Abstinence education saves lives.
I do not trust my children’s lives to latex.
You are assuming Violet that those that practice abstinence know NOTHING about condom or STD’s. They do. They choose to respect themselves and their future spouse enough to wait.
Do you also believe that children should be shown what abortion does to a growing child?
It’s a nice idea to imagine that teaching nothing but abstinence results in generations of young people who will wait until marriage — or at least adulthood — to have sex. It’s a pretty picture. But the reality is that no matter what you do or don’t teach them, some teenagers are going to have sex.
Study after study has found that students in abstinence-only sex ed programs have just as much sex as kids in comprehensive sex ed. Some of the recent data also says that teens in abstinence programs not only have sex but do it without protection (condoms, birth control). Because they lack the knowledge and access that their peers get from comprehensive sex ed programs.
I’m not just making this stuff up. Here are a few things to read:
Summaries of recent research: http://www.openeducation.net/2009/01/05/abstinence-only-sex-education-statistics-final-nail-in-the-coffin/
Virginity Pledge study: http://ajph.aphapublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/96/6/1098
Impact of Abstinence-Only Programs study: http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/pdfs/impactabstinence.pdf
So given all of the relevant facts, that pretty picture of teens who abstain 100% of the time until marriage/adulthood gets pretty impossible. Don’t get me wrong, I agree with you completely that abstinence is the best option and that sex ed should include a significant amount of education on abstinence and teaching strategies for dealing with potentially sexual situations. However, we know for a fact that some kids will have sex. And we know that not teaching them about condoms and birth control and reproduction and sex leaves them frighteningly vulnerable to STDs and unwanted pregnancies (which logically leads to more abortions, just fyi). Wishing they would abstain won’t stop them from having sex.
And yes, you can tell teens that abstinence is safest, and spend a lot of time talking about why and teaching them skills that will help them stay abstinent — but also spend a little bit of time teaching them about condoms and birth control, if for no other reason than to make sure that they have that information when they do get married or decide to have sex. If we don’t teach them those things in sex ed, where do they learn them? From friends, TV, the internet — and how much of the information they get will be correct? If teens in abstinence programs really had that information, they would use protection/birth control at the same rate as their peers in comprehensive sex ed — and they DON’T.
Do you also believe that children should be shown what abortion does to a growing child?
I don’t think children — and by that I mean pre-teens — should be in sex ed, and I’m not sure where you got that idea. I’m talking about teenagers, in high school (maybe late middle school). And I’m guessing you’re referring to videos and images along the lines of “Silent Scream” — which are obviously not appropriate for children. So, no. (The only thing that children need to know, IMO, on the subject of sex is to teach them what inappropriate touching/contact is and make sure they know who they can talk to if abuse happens.)
I disagree. :)
I have been to dozens of weddings where both spouses were virgins. It can and does happen and should be encouraged. Unfortunately, Planned Parenthood makes money off of the promiscuity of teenagers!
I think young people should see photos of aborted babies. I wish I would have seen them. I never would have had one.
Abstinence also allows the young man or young woman to achieve their goals without having to worry about an STD or unexpected pregnancy. Sex is for two adults of the opposite sex that are in a deeply committed (read=with A RING on the FINGER) monogamous relationship and not for teenagers that can’t control their hormones.
The problem is that planned parenthood does not make $ off of abstintent teenagers and young adults. That’s why they HATE abstinence.
I really like the talk that Jason Evert gives to teens and young adults (I’ve listened to snippets on the True Love Waits site). His talk is also adjusted for public schools (meaning mentions of God and the bible are removed).
Also, promiscuity is disgusting! How many women are used by men for sex in our society today? How many babies are conceived in one night stands and then destroyed?
I didn’t say it never happens. It does happen, and should happen more — but abstinence obviously doesn’t work, for whatever reason, for a significant percentage of young people. Which is why we need to teach them how to protect themselves if and when they have sex. It is possible to give young people this essential, life-saving information without attaching a permissive context. We teach kids not to ingest poisons, but we also give them the phone number for poison control. I’ve never heard anyone argue that making poison control accessible encourages kids to drink Dran-o.
As far as Planned Parenthood, they don’t make money, at all; and besides, it took me all of five seconds to find their position on abstinence. A short excerpt, since the text is too long to paste in full: “Sexual relationships present risks. Abstinence is a very good way to postpone taking those risks until you are better able to handle them. …There are few disadvantages to abstinence.” (http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/abstinence-4215.htm)
They do oppose abstinence-only programs, but opposing such programs does NOT equate to “hating abstinence” — and Planned Parenthood is uniquely positioned to see the consequences of leaving young people without critical information, since they test or treat more than 3 million people for STDs every year. Opposing sex ed programs that have repeatedly been shown to be ineffective seems to me like common sense.
So I don’t disagree with you on the abstinence question, or that young people should receive plenty of education and support that helps them make a choice to abstain and to continue to abstain until marriage (or adulthood). But I also think we need to give young people who don’t choose abstinence the tools to stay safe and protect themselves. Abstinence-only programs don’t magically work because we wish they did. They just don’t work.
“As far as Planned Parenthood, they don’t make money, at all”
WHAT?? They prey on young people. They give out low grade condoms and birth control pills, they encourage promiscuity(Take Care Down There)and absolutely make $$$$$$$$$$ on recurring STD’s and the abortions of teenage girls!!
Where have you been, Violet??
Abstinence is 100% effective and avoids all of the above!!
My children do not know the number for poison control. I do. I am the parent. It is my job to protect every aspect of their lives, including their sexuality.
Stay away from my children.
I agree, abstinence is 100% effective and avoids STDs and pregnancy. No argument there. As far as Planned Parenthood is concerned, all of their financial records are publicly available. It costs them more then twice what they take in to run their clinics and provide services — there’s no profit to be seen. You can keep insisting that they make money from abortions and clinic services, but you’ll still be wrong.
And you’re welcome to make whatever parenting decisions you want (with some limits, like laws) — that’s none of my business. Personally, I see making sure older kids know where to find the number for poison control if I’m not there to make the call just part and parcel of protecting them. But again, that’s just my opinion. If you think restricting your kids’ access to lifesaving information is the best choice then… well, feel free to put your faith in abstinence-only programs. At least where your own kids are concerned. Mine are getting comprehensive sex ed when they’re ready for it. Give it a few years (I don’t know how old your kids are) and let’s see which approach is successful. Best of luck.
My oldest just received a purity ring for his 13th birthday and knows and understands that he is worth the wait.
PP makes no profit huh? LOL
I’m glad there are kids like your son out there — I hope that someday we’ll live in a world where all kids really understand that, and where all parents teach that.
And if you think I’m wrong about Planned Parenthood, prove it. Show me the profits. If you can prove me wrong, I’m happy to concede the point.
I am not as savvy at finding the links you are requesting, Violet. Perhaps someone else here can find something. You stated that PP makes no profits at all.
Anyway, please know that the kind of abstinence education I am talking about comes from our shared family values and faith not from 6th period Health and a pledge signed during class.
I believe the state I live in might have passed legislation that Planned Parenthood will come in and do its thing in public schools. My children will be yanked faster than you can say Take Care Down There.
Abortion is a business. Abortions are sold. I bought one.
Profit is more than just taking money for services. Profit is what you take in minus what it costs you to provide those services. Planned Parenthood charges for their clinic services, including abortion, about 50% of what those services cost them to provide. That leaves them with a net loss.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/mar/08032802.html
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/jun/07060811.html
http://www.lifeissues.org/pp/
“As far as Planned Parenthood is concerned, all of their financial records are publicly available. It costs them more then twice what they take in to run their clinics and provide services — there’s no profit to be seen.”
Violet,
From the Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s Annual Report for 2007-2008.
****Revenue Over Expenses was $73,900,000.
****Total Net Assets were $923,600,000. That’s no small change.
As far as Abortion being 3% of their services…you have to look at what else is considered a service and weigh the difference. For example, one pregnancy kit sold is the equivalent of one abortion.
Another interesting itemization is the “Reversible Contraception Client, Woman” which is 23% of services.
This would include the following:
** reversible contraceptive methods chosen by planned parenthood clients: oral, 45.7 percent; non-prescription barrier, 17.9 percent; no method,
9.4 percent; progestin-only injectables, 9.3 percent; other/unknown, 6.4 percent; combined hormone ring, 5.5 percent; combined hormone patch, 3.6 percent; iUd, 1.9 percent; prescription barrier, 0.1 percent; fertility awareness-based methods, 0.2 percent.
(I’m not sure how they can count “no method” and “other/unknown” as 18.7% for the Reversible Contraceptive category.) Perhaps if a woman came in but didn’t buy anything??
If they make no profit, how can they afford to make contributions to other organizations? A list of these can be obtained from PPFA.
Do you see how it’s a bit more complicated than you make it out to be?
Source:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/AR08_vFinal.pdf
* * * *
Carla,
I just checked your links at Lifeissues and the numbers here vary, but not significantly.
Disclaimer: I’m not an accountant, but these numbers pretty much speak for themselves.
Note:
“Another interesting itemization is the “Reversible Contraception Client, Woman” which is 23% of services.”
(23% was by 2006 figures.)
The 2007 figure comes to 22% of total services.
What is the average yearly salary for an abortionist at PP? Maybe they could donate their time like prolifers are continually told we should do? Volunteers make no profit.
Re: sex ed Violet says, “Give it a few years (I don’t know how old your kids are) and let’s see which approach is successful.”
Would you be OK if your child had an abortion or supported a girlfriend/wife in the decision to abort? She is then no longer pregnant but two more people are parents to a dead child.
If abortion is part of what you believe successful sex ed should entail, I say you will win hands down no matter what! Congrats!
Janet,
I’ll have to address this in more detail because I’m up against a deadline, but here are a few notes.
I’m talking only about the clinic operations, since the point we’re debating is whether PP profits from the clinic services (abortion, STD testing and treatment, etc). Both the assets and revenue-over-expenses exist because of donations, grants, and fundraising — NOT because of money paid to PP for services or goods through the clinics. It’s right there in the same document you linked:
Revenue – health center income: 374.7
Expenses – medical services: 635.1
I should correct one thing I said earlier, now that I’m looking at the numbers — PP spends just *under* twice what they take in to operate their clinics. I mistakenly said it was just over double.
The asset and revenue numbers you cite are of course correct, but whether they have assets or had greater revenue than expenses due to fundraising, donations, investments, etc is immaterial to this particular conversation because we’re talking about whether they profit directly from providing clinic services.
Praxades,
I don’t know what they pay clinicians and medical staff. And every day volunteers all over the country and the world work in and outside of clinics — not just PP’s, helping patients weather crowds of abusive protesters so they can access medical care that often has nothing to do with abortion. The pro-choice movement is just as volunteer-based as the anti-choice/anti-abortion movement is.
Would it be OK with me if my child or their partner had an abortion? It’s a complex question, as it probably is for just about everyone. If my child or their partner had an abortion, I’d want it to be only after looking at all of the other options and after talking to me and other close friends and family and determining it was the best choice for them. I’d like to think that it wouldn’t happen at all because my kids knew what they needed to know about contraceptives and sex and staying safe and preventing pregnancy — especially because they waited to have sex until they were ready to take responsibility for a pregnancy and a child. The bottom line is that it’s their decision, not mine, and I will always support my children including if they have an abortion, regardless of my feelings on their choices. If that means I win the sex ed competition, go me.
Hey Violet,
It really was just a yes or no question. No need to skirt and rationalize.
My answer would be a simple, ‘No’.
After all, how could I possibly be OK with the killing of my grandchildren?
Go you.
Isn’t it great we live in a country where we each get to make these choices for ourselves?
Violet @ 5:03,
Looking forward to your detailed explanation.
What a wonderfully positive way to encourage our kids to not be afraid to be pro-life. There is intolerance to wholesomeness in our country. Yeah for ALL, and other pro-life groups.
Violet,
As this is a prolife blog I edited your comment about looking for volunteers for PP. We don’t advertise for them. I am sure you understand.
Oh,
but we are always on the lookout for videos of the crowds of abusive protesters. Please pass that footage along. Thanks.
Carla — It wasn’t a solicitation, it was a response to a question about why pro-choicers don’t volunteer. I was simply saying that we do.
And noted, I’ll be sure to pass on anything that I find from now on. Though I suspect you’re asking because you’re sure it doesn’t happen.
I have heard about all of the angry, abusive protesters screaming about baby killers and sluts and whores going to hell and I have yet to see any of it. I would like to see it for myself and denounce it.
I don’t have time right now to do any real search, but I will give you the first thing I came across — the video attached to this news article: http://www.whas11.com/news/Battle-over-abortion-is-once-again-igniting-69332627.html
Apparently if you want to access health care, whether or not you’re coming for an abortion, at the only clinic providing abortion services in Kentucky, it takes what looks like 20-30 clinic escorts just to get you in the door. It’s not the best video I’ve seen as far as showing the abusive tactics of clinic protesters, but I’ll have to wait til later tonight or tomorrow to do a real search. I’ll be sure to post what I find.
What I was hoping for was footage of the crowds of abusive protesters out in front of the clinics you volunteer for, Violet. You made it sound like that is what is going on at the PP nearest you.
My only problem with Planned Parenthood’s form of sex ed is that it actively encourages
1)early sexual activity because it makes sex a ‘right’ and it makes non-active kids think there is something wrong with them
2)it pushes contraceptives and condom on kids too young to use them responsibly, as a means of increasing their abortion business.
3) it tells kids it is OK to withhold info on STD from prospective sexual partners
4) all of the above action contribute to the dehumanization of partners as they become simply sexual objects, and this contributes to failed relationships.
All in all PP sex ed sets kids up for serial failure in relationships, and, in the case of 3) above, potential criminal charges.
Amen, Katie.
If any one is interested, there is a great program called “Theology of the Body for Teens” that I have begun to researcg and study. It is great program based on God’s plan for Love and Life.
I work with teens and they are sponges waiting and ready to learn more healthy, positive ways to live and love than PP could ever teach them.
Katie,
I’m not an authority on the subject, but in my reading and experience the kind of teachings you describe aren’t part of the comprehensive sex ed curriculum that is taught in most public schools. Growing up in Seattle, basic sex ed started in 4th or 5th grade, and from middle school on was a part of the science curriculum and/or health classes, going into greater detail as we went up in grade.
I never got the idea from sex ed that kids who weren’t having sex (like me) had something wrong with them — rather, the overwhelming message was don’t do it, that even if you used condoms you could still easily get an STD or start a pregnancy, and that we should all be waiting until we were ready to take responsibility for all of the consequences. Parents always had the opportunity to opt out of sex ed for their kids, and I had a few friends whose parents did just that. Some of the most effective sex ed that I had was in a high school genetics class, where we did extensive, detailed study of fetal development as well as going through what had become an infamous presentation: a long set of slides showing graphically what the effects of different STDs looked like and how they affected people. Because different teachers taught different curriculums, and some were more comfortable with the subject than others, the quality of the teaching varied. But again, though we did learn about condoms and contraceptives, no one ever came even close to implying in any way that we should all get out there and start having sex. The sex ed teaching actually seemed to be designed to show us all how immature we were and how NOT ready for sex we were.
I’m not sure where all your points come from, but yeah, they make great headlines and talking points, but they don’t really have a relationship to the kind of comprehensive sex ed that’s actually taught in most places. Also, Planned Parenthood doesn’t have any control or influence over the sex ed curriculum taught to the vast majority of students. Just because some chapter puts something in a pamphlet does not translate into those things being taught to kids or teenagers.
And as I seem to constantly have to remind people, just because Planned Parenthood may say something at the local or national level does NOT mean that I — or most pro-choice people — agree with it.
On the other hand, I think that young people — as well as the rest of us — are seeing those messages constantly, through the media. Girls and young women get some of the worst messages — that they have to be beautiful and skinny to be loved (or liked, or just to matter at all); that their primary value is as a sex object; and I could go on and on. Young men are learning that objectifying and sexually using young women is not just acceptable but the norm; that they don’t have to take responsibility when they get a girl pregnant; that their worth as a human being is measured in penis size and sexual prowess. It seems like every day there’s some new story about a hugely popular celebrity being arrested, or charged, or acquitted, or convicted (with a token sentence, of course) of rape or sexual assault or domestic violence against women — and these are the people that kids see as role models, whose lives are what young boys grow up dreaming about someday living.
So when it comes to the kinds of things our kids are learning, no matter how much we work to protect them from it, our media, and the larger culture that drives it, carries the lion’s share of the blame. To point the finger at comprehensive sex ed for these things is to miss the core issues completely.
Janet,
Sorry it took me until today to get this finished and posted. I ran out of steam last night before I could finish my thoughts on your comment.
I’ve already covered the revenue and assets numbers in my short comment, but just to reiterate — I’m talking only about the clinic operations, since the point we’re debating is whether PP profits from the clinic services (abortion, STD testing and treatment, etc). Both the assets and revenue-over-expenses exist because of donations, grants, and fundraising — NOT because of money paid to PP for services or goods through the clinics. I’m interested in your response to my short comment, too, so scroll up if you want to reread.
As far as Abortion being 3% of their services…you have to look at what else is considered a service and weigh the difference. For example, one pregnancy kit sold is the equivalent of one abortion.
I didn’t see anything in the annual report about “pregnancy kits” (what is a “pregnancy kit”?) — are you talking about emergency contraception kits?
I did a little searching on this, and couldn’t find a clear answer, but I suspect that to get emergency contraception kits from Planned Parenthood, you have to at least meet briefly with a medical professional to ensure you can safely take it and that it’s appropriate. Similar to what a Pharmacist does (or should do) if you get it from a pharmacy. but even if you subtract the emergency contraception kit numbers from the total, we’re still talking about abortion being 3.2% of the total services (305,310 out of 9,498,460).
(I’m not sure how they can count “no method” and “other/unknown” as 18.7% for the Reversible Contraceptive category.) Perhaps if a woman came in but didn’t buy anything??
I have some ideas but I really don’t know the answer to this one, and they don’t explain it in the report that I could find. I think it probably is those women who came in and talked with their doctor about contraception but didn’t commit to any method, didn’t get a prescription, or didn’t buy/receive anything from Planned Parenthood. But even if we subtract all of the reversible contraception services, abortion makes up only 4.2% of the remainder.
If they make no profit, how can they afford to make contributions to other organizations? A list of these can be obtained from PPFA.
Again, when I say they make no profit from providing abortion services, or from the clinics, I’m looking at what it costs them to run the clinics versus what they take in through the clinics in fees. That is the definition of profit: what’s left over from revenue after you take out the costs. Where the PP clinics are concerned, they operate at an almost 50% net loss, meaning that their patients pay only about half of what the services actually cost just to provide. Thus, no profit.
The organization as a whole receives grants and donations, some of which are passed on to other groups and causes all over the world. As you pointed out, over the years they have also developed a portfolio of assets, which also allow them to provide grants and donations to other groups. On the question of whether or not they profit from abortions or any of the services they provide in the clinics, whether PPFA or their affiliates has assets or received more in donations than was spent as a whole is immaterial.
Violet,
How long since you graduated from public high school?
I know public sex ed varies some from district to district but what I have seen in the past 5 years regarding sex ed. makes me nauseous. Yes, I am in the trenches.
One example alone: I heard a health teacher tell a self-proclaimed heterosexual HS student that he could not know yet whether he was straight or gay. She said the only way to know was to try both and she recommended he do so. This is an example of a far left liberal that schools are hiring so many of.
“and the larger culture that drives it, carries the lion’s share of the blame” I agree with this. However, we are all a part of this larger culture and so are the public school board members, administrators, teachers, etc. which is a very large group alone. When a few kids’ parents have them opt out of these classes, these students are then ostrasized and the majority of kids further believes that what they are learning is appropriate sex ed. Many students are sick of the sex-saturated culture and are willing to learn a new way (which is actually the old way). However, adults have to lead and unfortunately many adults are more about money rather than about morality.
What is happening in our world (your second to last paragraph) was predicted by wise men and women before abortion was legalized. There is a correlation between where our culture currently finds itself and the use of contraceptions and legalized abortion. In order to realize this, you need to think outside of the box a bit, do some research and many are unfortunately not willing to do that either.
Posted by: Violet at April 29, 2010 3:55 PM
First, to answer your question in the separate “short comment” (would that be the one about the Kentucky clinic?), I’d have to say that IMHO what goes on there on Saturday mornings is not abusive by any means. The pro-lifers are desperate to save the babies lives and let the women know there is help available for them to choose other options. If you think that’s a horrible thing, well I don’t know what I can say to convince you otherwise.
Regarding the pregnancy kits… there are three (at least) different financial reports on the PPFA site I linked to and I’m sure you’ll find them if you look again. Maybe on the last one? I’m not sure what the kits consist of, but that’s the whole point I’m trying to make. That they are not always clear about what the line items really mean…
A more detailed report might show it. I don’t think it’s accessible on line.
“On the question of whether or not they profit from abortions or any of the services they provide in the clinics, whether PPFA or their affiliates has assets or received more in donations than was spent as a whole is immaterial.”
Not really, but that’s enough on that topic for now.
When our oldest daughter (now 17) was 4, the schools in Beaverton OR began sex education in kindergarten by mandating that all kindergarten classes read Heather Has Two Mommies and have a discussion about how normal homosexuality is.
Second graders were given condoms and instructions on how to use them and were sent home with them. (I found this out at a neighborhood play date when the school aged siblings came home WITH the condoms.) This was in a mixed gender class.
I know that not all areas are like this, but some are.
When our oldest daughter (now 17) was 4, the schools in Beaverton OR began sex education in kindergarten by mandating that all kindergarten classes read Heather Has Two Mommies and have a discussion about how normal homosexuality is.
Teaching kids tolerance? That being different is okay? Or even sending them the message that when they meet a kid with gay parents, they should respond with tolerance instead of ridicule, friendship and not bullying?
Wow. Horrifying.
Tolerance. Kindness. Loving your neighbor. Hate the sin, not the sinner even. Certainly not lessons we want out children to learn, apparently.
I’d have to say that IMHO what goes on there on Saturday mornings is not abusive by any means. The pro-lifers are desperate to save the babies lives and let the women know there is help available for them to choose other options. If you think that’s a horrible thing, well I don’t know what I can say to convince you otherwise.
After I posted that link I found a number of other videos from the same clinic, which seems to be one of the bigger local battlegrounds between protesters and clinic volunteers. To me they show that what’s going on is more than just “letting the women know there is help available for them to choose other options”. For example, this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1prCdEyGG2o — showing a protester trying to physically stop a woman from leaving her car, then hounding them abusively as she and her family, including a small child, try to get to the clinic. He talks about a CPC down the street, offers literature, and gets his message across right away. There are plenty of chances for the woman or her husband to say, “You know, we’re not sure about this, let’s talk,” or to just take a pamphlet. But they don’t want to talk, or take literature, and they repeatedly ask to be left alone. How is that not harassment? How is that not abusive?
Just because you think your opinions and beliefs are important, no matter how strongly you feel that, it doesn’t magically make your conduct not abusive. It doesn’t excuse anyone from the laws that in many states prevent this kind of harassment.
There are plenty more videos on that user’s channel that show this kind of behaviour, and worse. It happens, all over this country and the world. Probably every single day. And if this is the kind of stuff you feel just fine about, how would you feel if a bunch of people showed up every single day at your local CPC and tried to prevent women from going in — or even just made sure that every woman who pulls up knows that she’s going into a CPC and not a clinic? Would this kind of behaviour be okay? Of course not.
“Hate the sin, not the sinner even.” Violet, do you think homosexuality is a sin?
“And if this is the kind of stuff you feel just fine about, how would you feel if a bunch of people showed up every single day at your local CPC and tried to prevent women from going in –”
Why aren’t people doing this Violet? Why don’t you get a group together and give up your free time to do this if you are so against CPCs!
If you can’t figure out why no one is protesting outside CPCs, let me be the first to spell it out for you.
The – killing – of – innocents – is – not – happening – behind – closed – doors – at – CPCs.
Comprehend now? Good.
Violet @ 12:13,
Harassment? Abuse?
Sorry, but did you actually watch the video you linked to? We couldn’t have a more opposite opinion of it. While difficult to see at times, I saw two men who are calmly speaking (almost whispering) to the women who is entering an abortion clinic with her husband/boyfriend and her other child. A clinic escort says that the baby in her womb is not the same as her child walking with them…. You can’t sense the love that the counselors have for this unborn baby??
I don’t understand the abortion mentality that sees life as disposable. But then, look at all the violence we encounter every day… How can we respect the life of the unborn when we don’t respect those people that we can SEE?
Violet, do you think homosexuality is a sin?
No, I don’t.
Why aren’t people doing this Violet? Why don’t you get a group together and give up your free time to do this if you are so against CPCs!
I am actually in the process of doing this. The group that runs the CPC watch website also assists people with putting local CPC protests together.
If you can’t figure out why no one is protesting outside CPCs, let me be the first to spell it out for you.
There may not be abortions happening at CPCs, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t abuses happening in CPCs across the country every day. Read some of the stories at cpcwatch.org. The lengths some CPCs will go to to deceive women are incredible, and are well-known and widely used tactics to try and prevent women from accessing legal abortion services.
These kinds of deceptions and abuses would never be allowed in the case of any other legal medical procedure. Imaging a “clinic” was set up that looked just like a cancer treatment center, and when people came in and tried to access the treatment, every possible tactic was used to keep them from being treated. By the time patients realized there was no cancer treatment offered by the “clinic”, the cancer has spread and some of them can no longer be treated at all and die. As soon as the abuses were reported to authorities, you can bet that the “clinic” would be closed and its operators prosecuted.
There is definitely a place for CPCs, but when they use deceptive and dishonest tactics, they should be reported and treated just like a fake cancer “clinic” would be.
I’ll be sure to share some photo and video when we start protesting at CPCs.
Violet,
I think the protesting of a WRC is despicable, but do as you wish.
If you must, before you protest go into the Women’s Resource Center and meet with the Manager. Tell him/her your concerns. You may be pleasantly surprised. I think the dishonest tactics you hear about have been way overblown.
Wouldn’t you feel horrible if your misrepresentation of a WRC caused a woman to abort when she was not planning to? Besides feeling bad, you would be morally complicit in the act of killing her baby through abortion.
What are the abuses? Specifically?
What is the deception? Specifically?
I am on the board of a CPC. Please let me know what we are doing wrong. Haven’t had one woman yet come back and say she regretted not having killed her baby.
God bless you Carla for being a light in the darkness.
:)
Love you Janet!
God bless you!
I think the protesting of a WRC is despicable, but do as you wish.
And I think the protesting of clinics that provide abortion services is despicable. We’ll just have to agree to disagree on this one.
I have no problem with CPCs that don’t use deceptive tactics. Some specifics, for Carla:
— advertising, often with full-page full-color ads, under “Abortion Providers” in the yellow pages, with ads created to look like the CPC is a medical clinic that provides abortion and family planning services
— intentionally delaying women who call or come in looking for emergency contraception so that by the time they realize they are in the wrong place, it’s too late to use EC (by telling them there are no appointments until the next week, or cancelling and pushing appointments, or telling women there’s a “waiting period” before you can get it) — not to mention never telling women who ask about EC that it is not available there
— using similar delay tactics with women who are close to the time limit for medical abortions, making a more expensive and complex surgical abortion necessary
— giving women incorrect medical information about abortion, usually in the most frightening way possible (for example: abortion always causes infertility, later children will have birth defects, that women are too far along to have an abortion when they aren’t, that women frequently bleed to death after abortions)
— telling rape victims who come in looking for abortion services that they have to consider the wishes of the baby’s father
These are just some of the tactics that are documented as being used by CPCs. If your CPC doesn’t use these kinds of tactics, Carla, that’s great. Like I said, there’s a place for CPCs, and I know they help a lot of people and families. It’s these tactics that we will be protesting, and only at CPCs that use them.
“Imaging a “clinic” was set up that looked just like a cancer treatment center, and when people came in and tried to access the treatment, every possible tactic was used to keep them from being treated. ”
The analogy doesn’t work. According to your logic, it would follow that people should avoid ALL cancer clinics. WRC’s and CPC’s consist of caring people who provide valuable services. The public shouldn’t be deceived by sites like CPCwatch which sensationalize.
This is what it says in my yellow pages, Violet
Abortion Alternatives
Businesses appearing at this heading provide assistance and/or information on abortion alternatives. They do not provide abortion services or information on obtaining an abortion.
Where are all of these deceptive practices documented? Is this like an undercover sting of CPC’s? Kind of like live Action?
One more question, Violet.
Why do you support abortion?
Violet,
If schools are allowing teachers to condone controversial subjects such as homosexuality and abortion through books and classes, they also have to allow the opposite view, that being that many people also believe these behaviors to be destructive and immoral to self and others. And no, this does not mean violence or bullying of either side is OK.
I have every right to tell others what I believe regarding controversial topics without being told I am a hater or intolerant or that I cannot express these views. Yes, prolifers and straight students and adults are bullied in the public schools for their beliefs as well. But you probably are not interested in what is happening to them.
Tolerance MUST go both ways or it is not tolerance at all. You even said yourself, “Hate the sin, not the sinner.”
As far as CPCs go, what happened to the mantra “Trust Women”? Any female over 12 (who is not special needs) already knows that abortion is a legal option in our country. Violet, why are you not trusting women to make the Choice that is best for them? Women have been lied to and manipulated by the abortion industry for years and this was OK by the proaborts, but now you don’t trust women enough to figure out CPCs. Kinda hypocritical, isn’t it? Protesting the CPCs will only show that you don’t trust we women to make the Choice that is best for us.
You really are running out of ways to have it both ways. (:
Thanks for continuing to love me in spite of my sins. I will continue to love you in spite of yours.