I volunteer in a Planned Parenthood clinic as a patient advocate. I am the person that stays with a woman before, during and after a procedure. I am chief hand-holder, pillow plumper and sometimes confidante. About a year ago, I wrote a diary entitled "What happens in an abortion clinic". If you are interested in what happens within the clinic, please go back and read that diary.
I admire the mission of Planned Parenthood. The vast majority of funds raised are used for sex education, women's health exams and birth control. Abortion is really a small aspect of PP's mission.
I may admire Planned Parenthood, yet after the murder of Dr. Tiller, I see their actions (or lack thereof) as part of the problem. Let me explain why...
More below the fold.....
I work in a state and a clinic that believes in a woman's right to choose and we are not often bombarded with anti-choice pickets. Generally, when we are, it is during the Easter holiday (apparently because nothing says more about the resurrection of Jesus than waving a grotesque sign of a mutilated baby). Our clinic posts signs in the windows that say something to the effect of "Thank you for being here today. Your presence means donations to Planned Parenthood will increase by 30% this month".
For the longest time I have found this amusing but after the death of Dr. Tiller, it occurs to me that PP is using these crazy people to fundraise instead of trying to educate the public on the realities of women's lives and suggesting alternate versions of morality and sin.
It drives me absolutely insane that there is never any counter-argument to the sin of killing the sainted embryo. The crazies and nuts are allowed to scream in public UNCONTESTED most of the time or are countered with the weak argument "It's between a woman, her family and her doctor". All true of course but I have recently had occasion to talk to women, moments before they have the procedure, and discuss moral questions that go beyond this simple argument.
I have talked to women about the morality of bringing a child into the world when they are not physically, mentally, financially or emotionally ready to take on the responsibility. One woman, in deep anguish, said post-partum depression after the birth of her first two children floored her so completely she felt she owed it to them not to bring another child into her home, only to "abondon" them while she recovered. Another woman, who unfortunately had to run the gauntlet of protester's, was there for an abortion because her baby had died in-utero at 11 weeks. Many of these women are homeless, in abusive relationships or are drug and/or alcohol addicted. Is it moral to carry a child with likely little pre-natal care, give birth and try to raise a child in these circumstances? She could give the child up for adoption but many of these women are completely incapable of guarding their own health for the 9 months it takes to incubate a child for someone else. Is this moral?
If Planned Parenthood (or NARAL or any other women's group) really wanted to stop the madness, they would start educating the public. Insist that when Tweety talks abortion on Hardball, there is a knowledgeable woman present on the panel instead of 3 old men. Start blanketing the airwaves with women willing to tell their story. I would bet the 75% of the public does not know that late term abortion DOES NOT happen just for a woman's convenience. It happens to women who WANT the babies and are forced to abort because of intractable health issues on the part of the mother or gross fetal abnormalities that would not support life outside the womb.
Rachel Maddow has made a valiant effort this week to start telling the story of abortion in America. Unfortunately, she's preaching to the choir. Planned Parenthood and other women's organizations need to find a way to get the word out to the people who are mistaken in their assumptions, the misinformed and the ignorant. I'll put it bluntly:
They need to stop fundraising on the backs of women in pain and stop violence against women in it's tracks.
Update: Apparently a few readers feel I am unaware of Planned Parenthood's education services. I made this point in a comment:
"What I'm suggesting is that Planned Parenthood could educate the public about some of the reasons why a woman would want a legal abortion. Unfortunately just saying it's legal and no one's damn business doesn't work. It's too legalistic without addressing the emotions surrounding the issue. The protesters play on emotions, it wouldn't hurt if we who want choice play on emotions as well instead of relying solely on legal or logical arguments."