THE WEDNESDAY STOPP REPORT

Planned Parenthood, life and personhood

The following question and answer are taken from the Planned Parenthood Federation of America website. Planned Parenthood notes that it originally gave the answer in 2003, but updated it this month.

Ask Dr. Cullins

(Dr. Vanessa Cullins is a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist and vice president for medical affairs at Planned ParenthoodŽ Federation of America.)

Q. My friend says that life begins when the egg and sperm join together. I say that it begins when a baby takes its first breath. Which of us is right?

A. All kinds of people - theologians, philosophers, scientists, lawyers, legislators, and many others - hold very different views about when life begins. In fact, both the egg and the sperm are living things before they meet and join. There's no real argument there.

The really hot question is, "When does being a person begin?" Most medical authorities and Planned Parenthood agree that it starts when a baby takes its first breath.

Some of our oldest religions have changed their views about this question many times over the centuries. Today, some people sincerely believe that being a person begins when the egg is fertilized. Some, just as sincerely, believe that it begins with birth. And lots of others believe it begins somewhere in between.

What we are all sure about is that a pregnant woman is a person. We know for sure that she has morals, feelings, human needs, and a conscience. Because of this, we know that she is the only one able to make a decision about her pregnancy options. She does it based on her own needs, ethics, and religious belief about when being a person begins. It would be wrong to force her to observe someone else's religious belief.

This, of course, is rubbish. Every unique human life begins at the beginning, when the sperm and egg join to form a human being that is unique and defined at that moment. There is nothing added after that point - only growth and development.

But that scientific fact, know by anyone who has ever taken Biology 101, is not convenient for Planned Parenthood. So they use the obfuscating language of Dr. Cullins' answer to convince girls that abortion is no big deal.

Planned Parenthood being seen as controversial

An article in the Missourian News (http://columbiamissourian.com/news/story.php?ID=20788) contained several statements that show that Planned Parenthood is being more and more seen as a controversial organization. The article profiled a Planned Parenthood sex education instructor and lobbyist, Elsie Link-Taylor. Here are the excerpts of interest:

• In discussing the general reaction of people when they find out that Elsie works for Planned Parenthood, the article says: "Usually, the mere mention of her job evokes feelings ranging from hesitant to hostile."

• The article goes on to say: "In her two years at Planned Parenthood, Elsie said, she's often felt slighted or maligned by other groups who either question the organization's goals to decrease teen sex, unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases or don't want their names associated with the attention that surrounds Planned Parenthood."

• In regards to her ability to speak in Columbia, Missouri schools, the article says: "Already, Elsie's work in Columbia is limited to after-school programs. Although there is no official ban on Planned Parenthood in the Columbia Public School District, the organization has not been invited to speak in health classes for several years." A spokesperson for the school district explained that Planned Parenthood has failed the screening process for guest speakers several times.

So, Planned Parenthood is having an image problem and we know the cause. It is YOU, the readers of this WSR, who are telling the truth about Planned Parenthood and causing these problems. And what is the impact on Planned Parenthood? Well, the article notes that Elsie's predecessor as the education coordinator left the position after only nine months on the job. Elsie, who has been the education coordinator for just over a year, will be leaving her job next week.

Congratulations! By consistently telling the truth about Planned Parenthood, you are educating the general public and causing them to see PP for what it really is. Keep up your great work!

Planned Parenthood's semantic gymnastics

In talks across the country, we have been pointing out for years Planned Parenthood's attempt at semantic gymnastics. It is the organization's insistence on using the term Sexually Transmitted Infections, rather than Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

It was interesting that this subject came up in the Missourian article quoted above. In that article, it stated: "Elsie, by the way, calls them [STDs] sexually transmitted infections, because she thinks 'diseases' calls up an image of someone who is weak and permanently impaired."

Just as Planned Parenthood seeks, in the first item above, to redefine personhood as "taking your first breath," it also seeks to redefine STDs as STIs. The former is done to allow for the killing of babies in the womb. The latter is done to downplay the devastating results of Planned Parenthood's programs.

Planned Parenthood pushing sex in Missouri, Texas and everywhere

Those who are familiar with Planned Parenthood know that its number one goal, as stated in its Vision for 2025 document, is to ensure that sex is celebrated. Two recent happenings brought this goal to mind.

• In a supposed education program at the Activities and Recreation Center in Columbia, Missouri, the Planned Parenthood educator played a game of "sex jeopardy" with the young people. Later in the program, the educator asked "Are kids having sex?" The answer from the young people was "Yes." The educator used that question and answer to show that sex is part of the teen culture.

• In Waco, Texas, Planned Parenthood of Central Texas held its 17th annual Nobody's Fool conference for children in grades 5-9. Once again, Planned Parenthood handed out the offensive It's Perfectly Normal book to children in grades 7-9, and the equally offensive It's So Amazing book to those in grades 5-6.

Planned Parenthood depends on sex programs such as these to get our children involved in sinful sexual lifestyles that will ensure customers for Planned Parenthood in the future. That is why it has spent over $500 million on sex education since 1988.

We must fight these programs wherever they appear. For more information on fighting Planned Parenthood sex education programs, you can obtain a copy of our book, Parent Power!! from our resource department - toll-free at 866-538-5483 - or online at http://americanlifeleague.stores.yahoo.net/planpar.html.

Help still needed

We thank all of you who responded to our emergency appeal for funds last week. We are still tens of thousands of dollars short, so please consider making your maximum gift at, https://secure.entango.com/donate/P3u66YFEkGJ or by calling 540-659-4171 and asking for Becky.

Thank you.

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