Abortion on demand in America turned 39 years old yesterday. In remembrance, our President released a celebratory statement, rejoicing in his continuing commitment to “protecting a woman’s right to choose” this “fundamental constitutional right.” Cecile Richards marked the day by announcing Planned Parenthood’s new campaign for 2012, called Women are Watching, declaring that “on the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, women are watching and they are angry at what they see.”
I will always remember the first time I took part in the March for Life in Washington, DC. I think it was 1986, and I can honestly say I had never seen so many people in one place before! We turned to go down Pennsylvania Avenue and the sight took my breath away: the entire street was jammed full of pro-lifers as far as the eyes could see. It was like a little taste of heaven!
And, I hate to shock Ms. Richards (who, by the way, is the President of Planned Parenthood) too much, but that massive crowd was primarily made up of women. They are also angry, but not at the fact that they are watching “women’s reproductive rights erode away.” Rather, they are determined that the real fundamental right of all Americans, female or male, has been denied for too long: the right to life!
Pro-abortion diatribes, like the one which Cecile Richards published on January 22, are sort of like real-estate advertisements: one has to know how to translate the terms to find out what is really being said. Just like “a handyman’s dream” actually means that a lot of repairs need to be done, phrases such as “attacks on women’s health” and “cutting women off from access to birth control and lifesaving cancer screenings” require interpretation. (In terms you might better understand, those two phrases actually translate to “stopping abortion” and “cutting off funding for Planned Parenthood.”)
Just for the fun of it, and because it provides a great outline for me to present you with some good things to be watching for this year, I am going to take you through Ms. Richards article point by point. (You can find it in its entirety here.) She begins by pointing out that in 2011, state legislatures passed a historic amount of pro-life legislation. When all was said and done, twenty-four states enacted 92 laws restricting abortion. That completely obliterated the old record of 34 passed in 2005.
Ms. Richards, of course, feels that this is a huge attack upon the women of this nation. She points out that some individuals will have to travel many miles in order to receive “safe, legal abortion care.” What she denies to mention are the women of Pennsylvania and Maryland who will, because of the concern of their state legislatures, be able to remain safe from the filthy, unsanitary conditions that left several women dead or maimed in the supposedly safe care of abortionist Kermit Gosnell. Or, the young girls who will be protected from being forced into an abortion by their pedophile coach or teacher as the result parental notification or consent laws. The list goes on and on of how women are protected by newly enacted laws which keep them from being coerced or deceived into destroying the life of their unborn child.
Ms. Richards goes on to point out the findings of a recent study which supposedly showed that the abortion rate is highest in countries where abortion is illegal. My blog of last Thursday (New Study States Unsafe Abortions are on the Rise) blows several large holes in that conclusion, which is not even substantiated by the report itself. Unfortunately, many people all too readily devour false conclusions that are handed to them without actually seeking the facts to back them up.
And then there is the old, obvious line that “the best way to reduce the need for abortion is to reduce unintended pregnancy.” To which Planned Parenthood only has one solution: more contraception. And with this comes the new accusation that the state legislatures, as well as the Republican nominees, are big, bad ogres trying to cut women off planning their own families, or even (gasp!) getting screened for breast or cervical cancer. How ridiculous! As I’ve already stated, this is her way of stating that various states and politicians are attempting to cut off government funding for her beloved organization. No one has any intention of keeping women from getting screened for cancer! In fact, I can name you several organizations in Omaha that will provide all the care a woman needs for much less than Planned Parenthood would charge!
After all these ridiculous, distorted claims comes the big news of the piece: the introduction of “Women are Watching,” Planned Parenthood’s campaign for 2012. Ms. Richards tells women that they are the ones who can turn the tide in this election! She warns: “With November in their sights, the crop of GOP presidential candidates have zeroed in on women’s health and rights.“ In fact, “it’s become a national race to the bottom to see who can be the worst possible president for women.”
Don’t you just love how she just clumps us all together, like women are all of one mind on this crucial issue? Someone should tell Ms. Richards that in the most recent Gallup poll, 49% of all women called themselves “pro-life,” while only 44% defined themselves as “pro-choice.” She might just want to be careful before she calls on American women to “watch” what is happening with the upcoming election and, then, to vote their convictions.
There was one statement that Ms. Richards made with which I am in full agreement. She states “As Roe heads into its 40th year…. women are standing by and taking note of who is supporting their best interests and who is playing politics with their health and lives.” Cecile, there are millions of us that are doing just that. However, we are looking out for the most helpless females (and males!) among us, as well as for their poor, victimized mothers.
We too will “continue to raise those voices and keep the pressure on.” Just like you: “every day, from now through November, we need to remind politicians that women (pro-life women!) are watching. We see what they are doing. We hear what they are saying. And we vote” However, watch out, Cecile, because we, the pro-life women of America, vote in bigger numbers than you!
Keeping it true! Barb
