Behold the Lord, Jesus Christ, who tries so hard to get our attention
In this issue:
- Planned Parenthood spokesperson advocates blasphemous sex toy
- Planned Parenthood spreading political definition of conception and pregnancy
- Planned Parenthood organizational and facility changes
- Recent Planned Parenthood news item links
- STOPP speaking engagements
- Planned Parenthood "celebrates" Griswold v. Connecticut
- Indiana Planned Parenthood ordered to surrender minors' medical records
- Wisconsin begins serious effort to de-fund Planned Parenthood
- Missouri court orders Planned Parenthood to pay back state money
- Planned Parenthood steals souls
Planned Parenthood spokesperson advocates blasphemous sex toy
Alicia Fraser, a volunteer at Planned Parenthood of Rochester/Syracuse Region in New York State, writes a column for Planned Parenthood that appears in a publication called The Empty Closet. The publication describes itself as: New York State's Oldest Continuously-Published GLBT Newspaper, Published since 1973 by the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley.
You would imagine that we would not agree with most of what is printed in this publication or in the Planned Parenthood column. Incredibly, in the June 1, 2005 edition of the publication, Ms. Fraser's column was called "So many toys, so little time!" The article was about all the various sex toys used by lesbians. (In researching PP, we have to endure reading a lot of pornographic material like this article, so please pray for us as we try to bring you the accurate information on the utter depravity of this organization.)
What caught our attention in this column was Fraser's description of a particular sex toy as the "Virgin Mary." No, we thought, it must be just a name they use. It couldn't possibly refer to the Mother of God.
So, we had to do some further investigation. Much to our horror, we found that there does exist a sex toy with the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary on it. But that's not all, we found other sex toys with a crucifix and one of the Baby Jesus.
Finding it absolutely unbelievable that Planned Parenthood would actually authorize a story of this nature, we contacted Planned Parenthood Rochester/Syracuse Region and were told: "Alicia is a volunteer of ours that produces the column, so yes she does represent us in The Empty Closet … the column comes out of the Communications Department…"
So, there you have it. Planned Parenthood, the organization that is currently trying very hard to portray itself as a Christian organization, is promoting products that profane Jesus, His crucifixion and His mother. Tell me again why this organization is allowed anywhere near our children and operates with our tax money.
Planned Parenthood spreading political definition of conception and pregnancy
When does pregnancy begin? It may sound like an insignificant and obvious question, but the answer has misled American citizens for over 40 years.
The standard answer to that question in the first half of the 20th Century was in accord with the following definitions that can still be found on the internet today:
Conception - Formation of a viable zygote by the union of the male sperm and female ovum; fertilization. The entity formed by the union of the male sperm and female ovum; an embryo or zygote. Archaic. A beginning; a start. [Middle English concepcioun, from Old French conception, from Latin concepti?, concepti?n-, from conceptus.
Pregnancy - period of time between fertilization of the ovum (conception) and birth, during which mammals carry their developing young in the uterus (see embryo). The duration of pregnancy in humans is about 280 days, equal to 9 calendar months.
Thus, pregnancy always began from the beginning. When egg and sperm met and a new human life was created, pregnancy began.
In the early 1960s, this definition presented a problem for those who wanted to push birth control on our nation. As scientists tried to find ways to prevent pregnancy, they found it was much easier to prevent implantation than it was to prevent conception. Products like the IUD and the birth control pill were on the market, but worked all or some of the time by allowing conception to take place and prevented implantation. This was seen as an abortion and was illegal. The problem was "solved" in September 1965 when the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issued its very first Terminology Bulletin. In that bulletin, it defined conception and pregnancy as follows:
Conception - the implantation of a fertilized ovum.
Pregnancy - the state from conception to expulsion of the products of that conception.
There was no scientific reason for this change in definition. In the Terminology Bulletin itself, ACOG stated its reason for changing the definition of conception as: "This definition has been selected deliberately because union of sperm and ovum, cannot be detected clinically unless implantation has occurred." When the Bulletin was released, many members of ACOG resigned because of the unscientific and gratuitous nature of this definition change, but ACOG has never withdrawn its definitions.
As a result, Planned Parenthood and others can claim that its products (like the birth control pill, emergency contraception, etc.) prevent pregnancies because they prevent implantation. Never mind that a new human being was created at fertilization and dies when it cannot implant.
More and more people are finding out the truth about these political definitions of conception and pregnancy. They are demanding that the former and more accurate definitions be used. In an effort to shore-up its use of the political definitions and confuse the American public, on June 13 Planned Parenthood featured the political definitions of conception and pregnancy on the main page of its web site. You can find the PP propaganda online.
In addition to the scientifically inaccurate information on this web site, the near pornographic animation should be enough to convince any normal person that PP has no redeeming values and deserves to be STOPPed.
Planned Parenthood organizational and facility changes
New national chairperson for Planned Parenthood Federation of America is Esperanza Garcia Walters. She is a former member of the board of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte (San Jose, Calif.) and headed the national effort for PP that resulted in its 25-year plan (see STOPP's analysis of the plan). A full biography of Ms. Walters can be found online. (NOTE: Karen Pearl is still serving as the interim president of PPFA as PP searches for a new president.)
Recent Planned Parenthood news item links
We present here each month links to recent stories about Planned Parenthood. (Note that many newspapers move web pages. The links below were working at time this report was initially sent.)
STOPP speaking engagements
July 9, David Bereit will speak to the Catholic Family Heritage Retreat in Kennebunk, Maine-please say 'hello' if you attend.
STOPP's directors, Jim Sedlak and David Bereit, regularly give talks around the country on Planned Parenthood. Our current schedule is always posted on our web site. To schedule a talk in your area, please call our offices at 540-659-4171 or e-mail us at STOPP@ALL.org.
Planned Parenthood "celebrates" Griswold v. Connecticut
On June 7, Planned Parenthood held a "celebration" of the U.S. Supreme Court's Griswold v. Connecticut ruling. Griswold was the decision that "found" the right-to-privacy in the Constitution and set the stage for the decriminalization of abortion in the United States.
At its event, Planned Parenthood had a person dressed up as a giant birth control pill and another as a birth control pill pack parading around Union Station near Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Despite sending out press releases, e-mails and calls to action, fewer than three-dozen people showed up for Planned Parenthood's event.
STOPP teamed up with American Life League's Rock for Life and mobilized a group of energetic young activists to peacefully disrupt Planned Parenthood's party, and spread the truth about Planned Parenthood and the harmful effect of the pill. Thirty minutes before the Planned Parenthood event, pro-lifers chalked all the sidewalks at the site where Planned Parenthood had its event permit with messages like: "The Pill Kills." Upon arrival, the Planned Parenthood people refused to stand in the area where they had their permit. As a result, the pro-lifers were then able to stand amongst the Planned Parenthood people on the public sidewalk and educate thousands of passers-by with signs and factual literature.
When TV cameras came out to interview Karen Pearl, interim president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, David Bereit (STOPP's national director) stood behind her with one of the "The Pill Kills" signs. The reporters then interviewed STOPP to get "the other side of the story."
You can see pictures of the chalking and other activities online.
You can also read the STOPP press release about the impact of the tragic Griswold v. Connecticut decision.
Indiana Planned Parenthood ordered to surrender minors' medical records
In our April 2005 Ryan Report, we told you how Planned Parenthood is trying to protect rapists by refusing to hand over children's medical records to the attorneys general in Kansas and Indiana.
A recent court ruling in Indiana handed Planned Parenthood a major defeat. Judge Kenneth Johnson ruled in late May that Planned Parenthood of Indiana must comply with the state's request for the medical records of 84 patients under the age of 14. Judge Johnson recognized the validity of Indiana law stating that anyone under 14 who is sexually active is considered a victim of sexual abuse, and health providers are required to report such cases to the state authorities.
"The great public interest in the reporting, investigation and prosecution of child abuse trumps even the patient's interest in privileged communication with her physician, because in the end, both the patient and the state are benefited by the disclosure," said Judge Johnson.
Planned Parenthood vowed to fight the decision and said it would not turn over the medical records. The Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled that state investigators cannot seize patient records from Planned Parenthood of Indiana clinics pending the appeal of Johnson's ruling.
In a related matter, Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline, who is fighting a similar battle with Planned Parenthood, is reportedly "encouraged by the Superior Court judge in Indiana's ruling, given that our case is very similar."
Wisconsin begins serious effort to de-fund Planned Parenthood
On June 9, Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin approved a measure that would shift state and federal family planning funds away from Planned Parenthood and other groups that support abortion rights. With an 11-5 majority, the Joint Finance Committee voted to give preference to local health departments - and not private agencies such as Planned Parenthood - in getting family planning funds that are administered by the state. Sen. Mary Lazich (R) of New Berlin, sponsored the measure, which still must be passed by the full legislature as part of the new state budget. Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle, who is pro-abortion, has not indicated yet whether he would veto the amendment.
Over the last few years, there have been efforts in a number of states to take money away from Planned Parenthood. The best STOPP can determine, the following states either give no money to PP or have passed legislation to stop the funding in the future: Missouri, North Dakota, Mississippi, Colorado, Ohio and Texas. In addition, PP receives only $150,000 in Massachusetts and we are checking to see if that is state or local money. We ask all STOPP supporters to check on the state funding of PP in your state and let us know what you find.
Missouri court orders Planned Parenthood to pay back state money
The battle over state funding of Planned Parenthood has been going on in Missouri for years. Pro-lifers have been steadfast in fighting and succeeded in ending all funding. In fact, last year Missouri stopped giving any family planning grants.
As part of the fight, Planned Parenthood is being sued to return state funds previously given to it. On June 8, Ray County Circuit Judge Werner Moentmann ruled in favor of upholding a prohibition on state money going to the affiliates of abortion providers and ordered two Planned Parenthood branches to give back nearly $700,000 in state funding.
Planned Parenthood has said, of course, that it will appeal the order. Let's keep the pressure to end state funding of PP all across the country. If you want to end PP funding in your state, we suggest you start by obtaining a copy of our booklet: Defeating government funding of Planned Parenthood (click link or call 866-LET-LIVE to order).
Planned Parenthood steals souls
On February 13, 2003, Pope Benedict XVI (then Cardinal Ratzinger) stated that one of the great errors of believers today is to 'feel at ease with sin.' As a result, the heart "becomes blind, ceases to seek God, does not desire grace and does not feel any repentance."
Planned Parenthood's agenda is to get its own people as well as our children to "feel at ease with sin." Whether it is abortion or premarital sex or deviant sexual practices, Planned Parenthood pushes it all as normal and as a so-called right. We must educate people about Planned Parenthood, protect the souls of our children from PP, and pray for those adults and children already caught in PP's web. It is God who can open their eyes to the evil they are doing.
