The heat turned up on Planned Parenthood

It seems that I spend a great deal of time linking to the Family Research Council (FRC) web site these days. There is good reason. They are putting a lot of energy into talking about abstinence related topics. Those of you who have been following this blog for a while, know that, in the early days, I spent a great deal of time arguing against federal funding for Planned Parenthood. The fact that the organization’s profits are so intertwined with abortion disqualifies them as an unbiased party when it comes to advising young people what to do with an unplanned pregnancy. You can read that post and download the paper, I wrote on that, Planned Parenthood: Federalizing an Ideology, by clicking here.

FRC is raising the temperature on the issue by circulating a petition calling for a halt to any Title X federal funding for Planned Parenthood, the nation’s (and world’s) largest abortion provider. You can read about that by clicking here.

What Planned Parenthood thinks kids should know

If you’ve never checked out the Planned Parenthood web site for teens, you should take a look. It will give you a jolt of a wake up call in regards to what this organization and supporters of “Comprehensive Sexuality Education” (CSE) think our school-aged children need to know. Click here to do some investigating on Teenwire. Just be warned that the content if very explicit.

Planned Parenthood: Federalizing an Ideology

As I’ve worked to stay up-to-date on what’s happening with Abstinence Education in North Carolina and beyond, I have found that I keep running into references to Planned Parenthood. As you know, Planned Parenthood is a very vocal opponent of Abstinence Education. I thought a more thorough look was in order. Click here, Planned Parenthood: Federalizing an Ideology, to read the entire analysis, or see below for a synopsis of my findings.

Planned Parenthood attacks abstinence funding

Once again, I am amazed at the audacity of Planned Parenthood in watching out for its own interests. In response to the Point of View article which ran in the Raleigh News and Observer recently (November 28), I will simply list some facts that may shed some light on this debate.

Planned Parenthood monopoly

The state of Virginia has become the 14th state to reject federal abstinence education funds—creating a “virtual monopoly for Planned Parenthood”, according to a report from the Family Research Council today.

Let’s talk—Federal funding used to oppose U.S. policy

Should organizations that receive sizable grants from the federal government be permitted to use those grants to undermine and oppose United States policy abroad?Would you consider this offense to be even more egregious if this opposition coincided with a drive for increased profits? To exacerbate matters, the worldwide expansion of Internet access and globalization amplify the influence of these organizations as they work counter to official U.S. policy.

The actions of Planned Parenthood are a good case in point. The organization’s 2005-2006 Annual Report shows it received $305-million in government contracts and grants. While accepting these funds, Planned Parenthood has actively opposed the ABC program in Africa that promotes abstinence first in fighting HIV/AIDS. This opposition flies directly in the face of official U.S. policy in this area.

The Best and Worst—Take 3

Recommendations for web sites and blogs

BEST: Sex and Relationships for Teens by LifeCare. This is a good example of a local web site that hits the target. It’s intelligent and fact-based, in addition to using graphics and language that appeal to teens. However, the web site would benefit from more citations and/or links to supporting research in the STD section and with an expanded discussion on the effectiveness of condoms and birth control.

WORST: Teenwire is Planned Parenthood’s teen web site and provides some enlightening information on exactly what this federally-funded organization believes is appropriate educational material for America’s teens. School-aged children can get the facts on everything from “What is the proper way to feel my girlfriends boobs?” to “Does swallowing sperm make you fat?” to “Is it true that sex is more pleasurable if the girl is on top?” In 2006, Planned Parenthood received $300-million from federal grants and contracts—about one-third of its annual income. Of course, much of the organization’s 2006 income came from the nearly 265,000 abortions performed in its clinics. Planned Parenthood is the nation’s largest abortion provider. (Stats from Concerned Women For America.)