THE RYAN REPORT

STOPP’s founder exposes PP/Girl Scout links on O'Reilly Factor

The following is a transcript of the “Culture War” segment of the April 16, 2004 airing of the Fox News Network’s popular show, The O'Reilly Factor, which featured Jim Sedlak, the founder and executive director of American Life League’s STOPP International.

O'REILLY: In the "culture war" segment tonight, we have been telling you about the increasing battle between secular forces and traditional forces in America. There is no more secular group than Planned Parenthood. And it used to be that the Girl Scouts of America were a very traditional group.

But at least 17 Girl Scout councils in America have partnered up with Planned Parenthood. And the number could be much higher as many of the Girl Scout councils would not answer questions about this alliance.

Joining us now from Washington is Jim Sedlak, the executive director of the group STOPP International, a group trying to counter the influence of Planned Parenthood.

All right. Did you find out what the Girl Scouts are doing with Planned Parenthood? Why would they have anything in common at all?

JIM SEDLAK, STOPP INTERNATIONAL: Well, it ranges, Bill. We found three councils in Pennsylvania that sent their girls to Planned Parenthood for lessons to get Planned Parenthood sex education material, and then gave them a special badge called "becoming a teen" badge. We had other councils that were partnering with Planned Parenthood in preventing sex education conferences where the young people would go there and they would be handed out very offensive material from Planned Parenthood, what we would call pornographic information to fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth grade students. It went all the way from there to just some councils that have Planned Parenthood speakers at their annual conferences or give awards to the leaders of Planned Parenthood. So it was really across the board, various kinds of relationships.

O'REILLY: All right. Well, let's define what you think is pornographic. What kind of literature were they giving the little girls?

SEDLAK: Well, there is a book called "It's Perfectly Normal." That is a sex education book that is put out by a woman named Robie Harris. She is the author. And Planned Parenthood has been promoting that book. It has line drawings of men and women in bed together. It shows with line drawings of how to put on a condom. It gives descriptions on how boys can masturbate or how girls can masturbate. We're talking very specific stuff.

O'REILLY: And they were given this book, the Planned Parenthood, to girl scouts?

SEDLAK: Yes, at a girl scout -- well, actually, it was a Planned Parenthood conference in Texas. The Girl Scouts co-sponsored the conference and every attendee at the conference in the sixth through the ninth grade got a copy of this book.

O'REILLY: And where was this again?

SEDLAK: This is in Waco, Texas. But we've seen similar kinds of programs in other cities across the United States.

O'REILLY: I'm stunned. I mean -- I don't understand this. Why would the Girl Scouts be involved with sex education anyway?

SEDLAK: Well, that was a surprise to us also when we first found this out. And what kicked it off was the CEO of the Girl Scouts saying that girl scouts across the United States saw as their responsibility to give information-based sexuality education programs to their girls. Now, information-based means they dump a whole lot of information on the girls without ever telling them what's right and what's wrong. There are no values associated with it.

O'REILLY: Yes. They don't put a moral spin on it. But look, they are putting a spin on it just by letting Planned Parenthood come in because they are a pro-abortion group. They are going to get into that, I assume.

SEDLAK: Well, absolutely.

O'REILLY: Yes, that's one of their mainly -- but let me -- I have a couple more questions about this. Not every Girl Scout council does this, correct? This is just...

SEDLAK: That is absolutely correct. Of the ones that have answered so far, there are 61 councils who do not have any kind of relationship with Planned Parenthood, and 17 councils who do have a relationship. So right now of those that have answered, it's only about 25 percent of the councils, but that's a significant number.

O'REILLY: We're trying to get the Girl Scouts to come on next week. Maybe we will, maybe we won't, but are they being secretive about it when you try to investigate what's going on?

SEDLAK: Well, what happened yesterday is we got a message from a CEO who has been contacted by a lot of local parents, and she told us that they don't have a relationship with Planned Parenthood. And she said the reason they hadn't responded earlier is because they had received instructions from the national office not to respond to any of our questions.

O'REILLY: All right. The national office of the Girl Scouts is located in D.C., correct?

SEDLAK: Yes, it is.

O'REILLY: All right. Well, we're going to try to get them on. And we'll get to the bottom of it, Mr. Sedlak. We appreciate you bringing it to our attention.

STOPP launches website listing Girl Scout councils that partner with PP

On April 12, 2004, American Life League's STOPP International, the nation's premier organization fighting Planned Parenthood's anti-life agenda, announced the results of its investigation of the Girl Scout Councils connections with Planned Parenthood. "We are astonished to find that of the councils that responded to our questions, 26% have relationships with Planned Parenthood," said Jim Sedlak, executive director of STOPP International, "but what is even more surprising is that 79% of Girl Scout councils have not disclosed their position on Planned Parenthood by failing to answer a simple question: Do you have any relationship with Planned Parenthood?"

STOPP International's investigation was sparked by a remark made by Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. CEO Kathy Cloninger, who told NBC News, "We have relationships…with Planned Parenthood organizations across the country, to bring information-based sex education programs to girls." During their investigation, one CEO of a Girl Scout council responded to STOPP International's inquiry, "I have been instructed to say 'no comment' to whatever you ask." "If the Girl Scouts believe that partnering with Planned Parenthood is a benefit to young girls, then why are the Girl Scouts reluctant to talk about the connection?" asked Sedlak. "Their failure to answer the question leads many to wonder if these councils, in fact, do work with the organization. If that is the case, their stonewalling may represent an attempt to hide a relationship they do not want parents and the public to know about."

STOPP has posted a web site that lists every council by state and shows the results of the investigation. By May 11, 2004, of the 315 councils in the U.S., 23 were identified as having a relationship with PPFA, and 76 were identified as not having any relationship. As of May 11, 31.6% of the total number of councils have been classified. The others (68.4%) have failed to respond thus far. STOPP will continue to update the information on its website as it becomes available.

"Some councils attempted to justify their partnership with Planned Parenthood by having parents sign permission slips," Sedlak explained. "We maintain that, as an organization that purports to provide the best for young girls, it is the Girl Scouts organization itself that should be saying NO to Planned Parenthood. We ask every parent of a Girl Scout in areas served by councils that did not respond to our inquiry to insist the councils tell the truth."

As parents find out about local councils, they can use a link on the web site to send corrections/comments to STOPP, and the site will be updated as new information is received. "It is important to understand," Sedlak said, "we are not at war with the Girl Scouts, but that we are trying to protect young girls from the evils of Planned Parenthood. We are simply asking that Girl Scout councils stop their partnership with Planned Parenthood."

STOPP’s special e-mail address for matters pertaining to the Planned Parenthood/Girl Scout issue is no2pp@all.org.

Please also see the Jim Sedlak’s column entitled, “Who can you trust?” It appeared in the Washington Dispatch on April 13, 2004.

Pro-Life Waco’s website chronicles media coverage of PP and Girl Scouts

The media coverage surrounding Planned Parenthood partnerships with the Girl Scouts has been enormous ever since John Piscotta, a Baylor University professor, exposed the relationship of his local Texas Girl Scout council with Planned Parenthood in February. It reached national proportions in March after a Today Show segment in which John appeared with the national CEO of the Girl Scouts who revealed that such relationships existed across the country. It was that statement that led to STOPP contacting Girl Scout councils across the country and compiling the results on the special web page. If you visit that STOPP page you will find a link entitled, “The Waco Story,” which takes you to a page created by Pro-Life Waco, of which John is the co-director. Here you will find links to newspaper articles and audio and video of various radio and television interviews conducted regarding this matter nationwide, including the one STOPP’s executive director, Jim Sedlak, had on the The O’Reilly Factor on April 16, 2004. (Note: if a pop-up box appears asking for a password, simply click “cancel” to proceed).

STOPP has worked closely with John throughout this campaign. Due to his efforts, his local Girl Scout council severed its ties with Planned Parenthood. We wish to thank him for the leadership he has shown in this matter and we hope that pro-life leaders in other regions of the country where Planned Parenthood is partnering with the Girl Scouts will follow his example and will rise up to oppose such relationships.

STOPP press conference blasts PP just before D.C. “Death March”

On Thursday morning, April 22, American Life League’s STOPP International held a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. April 22 was the first day of Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s (PPFA) annual convention. The event was held in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with the weekend’s so-called “March for Women’s Lives,” which PPFA co-sponsored. Entitled, “Exposing PPFA’s Evil Empire,” this press conference exposed how PPFA uses its pro-abortion, pro-contraception, pro-sex education agenda to destroy the moral fabric of our society.

“Planned Parenthood is systematically infiltrating our country’s most trusted institutions—such as the Girl Scouts and the YWCA—to peddle its pornographic propaganda, which robs our children of their innocence and undermines the Judeo-Christian values on which our country was founded,” said Jim Sedlak, director of STOPP International. “This weekend’s march and Planned Parenthood’s recent appointment of an official ‘chaplain’ are just two examples of Planned Parenthood’s perverted view of the truth.”

In addition to featuring STOPP’s Jim Sedlak (see picture) and Ed Szymkowiak, the press conference included anti-Planned Parenthood presentations by Mickey Inthavongdy of American Life League’s Rock for Life, and Astrid Bennett of Hispanics for Life and Human Rights.

STOPP directors obtain “Post-Roe” plan document from PPFA’s annual conference

STOPP’s executive director, Jim Sedlak, and STOPP’s national director, Ed Szymkowiak, stayed at the same Washington, D.C., hotel at which Planned Parenthood Federation of America held it annual conference just before the so-called “March for Women's Lives” in April. The conference included the awarding of the PPFA’s Margaret Sanger Award to Ted Turner, who PPFA said has given $1 billion dollars to the UN Foundation to support United Nations programs, and has contributed more than $3.5 million to PPFA.

Although Jim and Ed were not registered conference attendees, they were able to mingle among the attendees and obtain PPFA documents from areas set up for registered attendees without anyone even asking them for conference credentials. They even managed to visit the main conference room and take pictures of each other in front of the PPFA stage (see pictures of Jim and Ed). The most interesting of the documents they obtained was a flyer announcing a special meeting on April 23 in the hotel sponsored by the Western Region Post-Roe Task Force. The flyer, entitled, “A Special Joint Regional Session: Effective Service Delivery in a Post-Roe World: A Wake Up Call,” said:

For over six months a group of 15+ Western Region CEOs, staff and volunteers have been meeting in person and by conference call to prepare a Post-Roe Services Strategy. Countless hours have been dedicated to developing a Board Discussion Guide on “Planned Parenthood’s role in Preserving Access” (with tips for facilitators). A communication plan has been started for when and if Roe is overturned and the committee are eager for new voices to complete this plan.

Our current Congress could enact legislation that would quickly make abortion illegal all over the United States. If Roe is overturned there will be no constitutional right to abortion. Congress could act immediately to create a Right to Life law and our current “safe states” could very well not exist for much longer. The task force plans to create a liability study between partnering of safe and non-safe affiliates and hopes to include other groups such as CAPS and AGI in a cash-based abortion services pricing study.

With this important work underway there’s still more to do. We need your input. Join the Western Region Post-Roe Task Force on Friday, April 23 at 2:30 in Congressional Hall A/B to get down and dirty about living in a Post-Roe environment and to talk about how affiliates can start making preparations proactively to various scenarios in a Post-Roe world. There will be an interactive dialog and Q&A about:

• Legalities: Everything You Need to Know Now
• Communications in a Post-Roe Environment
• Abortion Supplies: How Available?
• Abortion around the World: Stories of Success and Danger
• Financial Implications of a Post Roe World

The Board Discussion Guide: Planned Parenthood's Role in Preserving Access will also be available.”

While mingling among the conference attendees, Ed approached Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s president, Gloria Feldt, and asked to take her picture. Eager to pose for the camera, she interrupted her discussion with some other people and broke into her seemingly well-practiced smile (see picture).

While patrolling for information in the PPFA conference area, Ed was given a ticket by an unsuspecting Planned Parenthood representative to attend a special rally that Planned Parenthood’s Action Fund (PPFA’s political action committee) held on April 23, 2004. There, Feldt, who conveniently also is the president of Planned Parenthood’s Action Fund, announced that it would be endorsing John Kerry for president. Kerry also spoke at the rally. See www.ppaction.org/ppvotes. During the rally Ed spoke at length with the head of Planned Parenthood of Alabama. Later, as Ed was leaving the rally, he revealed to the PP director who he was by handing the director his STOPP card and telling the director that he (Ed) would pray for him (the director).

Other documents obtained by STOPP at the PPFA conference included PPFA’s legislative agenda for the upcoming year. STOPP plans to detail this agenda in next month’s Ryan Report. STOPP’s directors also left a few documents of their own for PPFA’s conference attendees. Just before Ed and Jim left, STOPP’s “Why do we oppose Planned Parenthood,” and “Who was Margaret Sanger,” brochures were placed on hallway tables on various floors in the hotel. (To obtain these brochures for yourself, call toll free 866-LET LIVE).

Oh Saratoga! event to protest Planned Parenthood in NY, Aug. 15 – 19, 2004

Longtime Planned Parenthood fighter Father Francis McCloskey, of Upstate New York, sent STOPP the following announcement to share with Ryan Report readers with hopes that they will be able to attend.

Umbert the Unborn cartoon creator Gary Cangemi will join the bravest and best sidewalk counselors and baby-saving activists from around the country in Saratoga Springs, NY from August 15-19 for the second annual Oh Saratoga! First held last summer in the Capital Region of New York State, the Big Oh! draws the parallel between the war for American Independence and the raging war today against the Sanctity of Human Life.

The Battle of Saratoga was the turning point in the American Revolutionary War; Oh Saratoga! looks to be a turning point for Holy Spirit strength for the restoration of the republic. Last year Oh Saratoga! brought reverberating spiritual firepower to Glens Falls, Saratoga Springs and Schenectady. This year the state capital of Albany is being added to receive a visitation complete with a formally convened Ecclesiastical Court at the Federal Court House. Local priests and pastors at the sound of the shofar will bring formal charges of violating God's law against the Supreme Court of the United States.

Under God's blue skies the Reverend Associate Justices Flip Benham and Rusty Thomas will preside as the Church of Jesus Christ declares the following decisions no longer relevant or binding upon us, our children, or our nation as each document is ceremonially burned. As flames rise from the burning court rulings, may all who follow Jesus imitate the boldness of His first followers and ignite the world with Pentecostal fire:

1. Engle v Vitale (1962). Silenced the prayers of our children in public schools.
2. Abington v Schempp (1963). Removed the Bible from the education of our children.
3. Roe v Wade (1973). Killed over 45 million children in its horrible wake.
4. Stone v Graham (1980). Stripped the Ten Commandments from the walls of our schools.
5. Planned Parenthood v Casey (1992). Declared that man can be a god unto himself.
6. Lawrence v Texas (2003). Declared sodomy to be a constitutional right.

Oh Saratoga! opens Sunday evening, August 15, with a Solemn Assembly of Repentance at Saratoga's Pine Grove Campground. For the next four days Christians will bring the Gospel to the streets in front of abortuaries, including those of Planned Parenthood in Albany and Schenectady, and abortionists' offices as well as the Federal Court House. There will also be a major convocation on Broadway in Saratoga complete with jumbo "face the truth" signs.

Protestant and Catholic worship will be accommodated. Meals and rustic lodging at the camp with an option of plushy discount rooms at Howard Johnson's. The Big Oh! concludes on Thursday morning August 19th with a prayer service on the Saratoga Battlefield.

Last year's saints experienced songs composed exclusively for Oh Saratoga! and other front line ditties including the song For Our Mothers as she carried you in her womb. Two Paul and Silas Nights have been added with open mike as young and old take trips down Rescue's memory lane and other exploits for the babies.

The recorded message line for the Big Oh! is 518-219-0315. You will want the color brochure on this historic Housetops Teruah Event. Send a #10 SASE to Oh Saratoga! P.O. Box 11057, Albany, NY 12211-0057 in order to exalt Jesus Christ for the saving of the unborn child and the restoration of the republic.

For more information see www.ohsaratoga.com/.

Rep. Jo Ann Davis slams Planned Parenthood on House floor

Jo Ann Davis, a United States Representative from Virginia, gave the following speech on the House flooron May 4, 2004.

Mr. Speaker, last week, several Members of this body issued statements criticizing Presidential adviser Karen Hughes, demanding an apology for comments she made on April 25, 2004. Unfortunately, my colleagues have distorted her remarks into a misrepresentation of her actual sentiment, which I fully support.

In a live interview on CNN on April 25, Ms. Hughes is quoted as saying, ``I think after September 11 the American people are valuing life more and realizing that we need policies to value the dignity and worth of every life.

``And President Bush has worked to say, let's be reasonable, let's work to value life, let's try to reduce the number of abortions, let's increase adoptions.''

She goes on to say, ``Unfortunately our enemies in the terror network, as we're seeing repeatedly in the headlines these days, don't value any life, not even the innocent and not even their own.'' That was on CNN ``Late Edition,'' April 25, 2004.

In response to her words, some of my colleagues have accused Hughes of equating those who support abortion with terrorists. They have requested an apology for this alleged use of ``cheap and distasteful politics.'' I find this gross misrepresentation of Ms. Hughes' comments disgusting and firmly stand behind her words.

Mr. Speaker, this demand for an apology is simply a political ploy designed to damage the pro-life movement and to promote the abortion industry and their pursuit of increased abortions. Abortion is a money-making business, and the pro-abortion movement will take any chance they can to derail those who promote life.

Planned Parenthood's budget for fiscal year ending June of 2002 showed total revenue of $692.5 million, and they had a profit of $12.2 million for that 1-year period alone.

Personally, I would like to thank Karen Hughes for her words because she was right; and, no, I will not apologize.

Although Mrs. Hughes did not insinuate that these groups were terrorists, I find it amazing that these pro-abortion groups, like Planned Parenthood, have the gall to claim that they are ``offended'' at this accusation.

Offended? Let me read to you some of the signs that were displayed at the pro-abortion rally in DC a few weeks ago. These were signs that did not make it to the mainstream newspaper. From World Magazine, May 8 edition, their signs read, ``Abort Bush. We are pro-choice and we riot. Keep Bush's hands out of my pants.''

Offended? I am personally offended as every American should be. And these groups claim to speak for all women. It is these very same groups that have repeatedly called pro-life groups like Concerned Women for America ``terrorists.'' Yes, Planned Parenthood likes to use the word ``terrorist'' any time they deem it politically useful.

Recently, I saw on Planned Parenthood Federation's Web site a page entitled ``Eye on Extremism,'' and under the heading titled ``Terrorists and Extremist Organizations'' was a detailed listing of 14 leading pro-life organizations.

I am familiar with the majority over these groups and it is clear that Planned Parenthood is simply working on a smear campaign.

So I have a question for Planned Parenthood: How can such a claim be made against Hughes, an unsubstantiated claim I might add, when groups advocating family and pro-life policies are branded as extremists and terrorists? Planned Parenthood, are you going to apologize for these groups for, as you put it, ``cheap and distasteful politics.''

A national Right to Life poll has indicated growing opposition to abortion; 56 percent of women, 62 percent of African Americans, 79 percent of Hispanics, 61 percent of 18 to 29 year olds reject abortion in most circumstances. Americans recognize the value of life.

As Mrs. Hughes stated, in the post-9-11 world, we as Americans have placed a greater emphasis on the value of life. We grieve for the loss of every soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan, cling tighter to our close friends and family, and are more conscientious of our personal and national security. Additionally, we celebrate the birth of every baby and adoption of every child into a loving family because we value each life.

Mrs. Hughes' comments in the April 25th interview were right on target. The demand for an apology is absurd, and I would like to know if Planned Parenthood is going to apologize to the groups that they list as terrorists on their Web site. I doubt it, because each child saved from an abortion is money that the abortion industry will not get. And that, unfortunately, is what this is all about.

From http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2004_record&page=H2522&position=all

Austin Bishop Aymond will ban scout troops linked to Planned Parenthood

The May 9-15, 2004, issue of the National Catholic Register focused upon the links between Planned Parenthood and the Girl Scouts (p.2). The article included quotes from STOPP’s executive director, Jim Sedlak, and a summary of STOPP’s investigation into the matter.

The Register article also included excerpts from an April 20, 2004 statement of Bishop Gregory Aymond of the Diocese of Austin, Texas to Catholic school principals and pastors in his diocese. STOPP obtained a copy of the same letter in which Bishop Aymond said:

As you may already be aware, there recently has been a great deal of publicity and controversy surrounding the Bluebonnet Council of the Girl Scouts and Planned Parenthood.

I have written personally to the Girl Scouts of America to express my concerns. We hope that they will hear our disapproval of their association with Planned Parenthood as well as the inadequacy of the Nobody’s Fool sexuality education program.

The Catholic Diocese of Austin, and all associated programs and organizations, will continue to uphold the greatest respect for human life from the moment of conception to natural death. As such, scouting units associated with Catholic parishes or schools throughout the Diocese will maintain the same level of respect for human life. Scouting troops associated with diocesan entities will not support, encourage, or in any way endorse the activities and programs of Planned Parenthood or any other organization espousing similar beliefs and practices.

Additionally, the Nobody’s Fool sexuality education program may not be used in any of the scouting programs associated with Catholic parishes or schools. I have reviewed the materials and found them to be most inadequate. The program gives many facts but has nothing to do with faith or Christian morals regarding sexuality. This could do a great deal of harm to the Catholic formation of our young people.

Any scouting unit or troop not embracing the above directives shall not be permitted use of parish or school facilities and may not, in any way, indicate association with the Catholic Diocese of Austin.

Whether or not we will be able to continue our association with Girl Scouts of America is still questionable.

Readers are urged to share these statements with their own bishop and to ask him to follow Bishop Aymond’s good example by issuing a similar ban. Those wishing to thank Bishop Aymond can write to him by e-mail or at P.O. Box 13327, Austin, TX 78701.

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