Video: Planned Parenthood describes watching abortion ultrasound

I blogged about her story last week. Jill Stanek has found video of her describing the amazing story:

Brad Wilmouth at LifeNews has more.

You can bet Planned Parenthood is panicking. As they should.

Planned Parenthood President Attacks Catholics over Health Care

Memo to President Obama: Please tell your friend, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards, to stop attacking the leaders of the Catholic Church.

Planned Parenthood's most recent action alert reads in part:

"Don't let Catholic bishops and other anti-choice groups push Congress into passing anti-choice amendments to health care reform. Take action now to protect women's health."

Cecile goes on to write her Planned Parenthood supporters in an email plea for money and action:

One thing I know for sure — the bishops don't speak for all Catholics. From one Catholic Planned Parenthood supporter:

What bothers me most is this: Millions of people are uninsured and hundreds of thousands die every year as a result. And, to see my church sacrifice health care reform for the sake of this one issue is just going too far. They don't represent me, and they don't represent my beliefs. I'm speaking out, and I'm asking my Catholic friends and family to do the same.

If you're Catholic and you disagree with the bishops, please let your legislators know when you send your message. Your voice as a pro-choice Catholic needs to be heard NOW.

Make no mistake: Cecile Richards is smart. She knows who is fighting for pro-life health care reform: Catholic bishops, the faithful, and their allies. That's why she's targeting us as a community of believing Christians, and our Catholic leaders and bishops in particular.

Well, let's fight back. Visit http://www.usccb.org/action today, and invite 12 of your friends to do the same.

Catholics have a very good record of success when we pray for God's grace and roll up our own sleeves.

After all, we're still winning converts. And that should scare Cecile very much.

National News: TX Planned Parenthood director resigns after witnessing ultrasound, story drawing national attention (+video & inside details)

This news, currently highlighted on the Drudge Report, is quickly making national headlines.

Through AmP reader Marcel at Aggie Catholics, we have an inside loop into the situation, because she is friends with Shawn - the Coalition for Life director - who is pictured at left with Abby Johnson - the former director of the neighboring Planned Parenthood - who is at the center of this amazing tale.

Here is the video:

And here is the story (I've bolded some parts):

Planned Parenthood has been a part of Abby Johnson's life for the past eight years; that is until last month, when Abby resigned. Johnson said she realized she wanted to leave, after watching an ultrasound of an abortion procedure.

"I just thought I can't do this anymore, and it was just like a flash that hit me and I thought that's it," said Jonhson.

She handed in her resignation October 6. Johnson worked as the Bryan Planned Parenthood Director for two years.

According to Johnson, the non-profit was struggling under the weight of a tough economy, and changing it's business model from one that pushed prevention, to one that focused on abortion.

"It seemed like maybe that's not what a lot of people were believing any more because that's not where the money was. The money wasn't in family planning, the money wasn't in prevention, the money was in abortion and so I had a problem with that," said Johnson.

Johnson said she was told to bring in more women who wanted abortions, something the Episcopalian church goer recently became convicted about.

"I feel so pure in heart (since leaving). I don't have this guilt, I don't have this burden on me anymore that's how I know this conversion was a spiritual conversion."

Johnson now supports the Coalition For Life, the pro-life group with a building down the street from Planned Parenthood. Coalition volunteers can regularly be seen praying on the sidewalk in front of Planned Parenthood. Johnson has been meeting with the coalition's executive director, Shawn Carney, and has prayed with volunteers outside Planned Parenthood.

On Friday both Johnson and the Coalition For Life were issued temporary restraining orders filed by Planned Parenthood.

Rochelle Tafolla, a Planned Parenthood spokesperson issued the following statement: "We regret being forced to turn to the courts to protect the safety and confidentiality of our clients and staff, however, in this instance it is absolutely necessary."

The temporary restraining order contends that Planned Parenthood would be irreparably harmed by the disclosure of certain information, but does not bar Johnson or Coalition For Life volunteers from the premises.

Marcel writes:

I just got an email from Shawn. They are swamped, because the story has gone national and they are doing interviews with the big news agencies right now. Pray for them, that the pro-life message gets out.

Amen. Let's help!

Outrageous: Obama volunteer website promotes Planned Parenthood opportunities

If you're surprised, you haven't been watching who is President:

President Barack Obama promised when he was a presidential candidate in July 2007 that he would be a lapdog for the Planned Parenthood abortion business. Obama is now making good on that promise by promoting Planned Parenthood on his new volunteerism web site, Serve.gov. (LifeNews)

Ironically the search engine they use is called "All For Good". I typed in "Planned Parenthood" and "Washington DC" and found plenty of opportunities waiting for me.

Sure, this is bad. But of course I've come to expect this. President Obama believes in mainstreaming Planned Parenthood and its vision of "health care services" for women.

But let me take this new finding in a slightly different direction....

Ever notice how liberal Catholics who support the President are extremely vocal about any sort of charge made against the President which they think is unfair?

I think it is more revealing to observe their complete silence on other issues. Let's face it - the President supports the mission and organization of Planned Parenthood. That's the unavoidable conclusion to his political background, promises - and now - presidential administration.

So I probably won't be holding my breath waiting to see Catholics United, Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, Michael Sean Winters, and others of their ilk, hit the presses and airwaves with some sort of claim that the President isn't responsible for this sort of thing.

Well, maybe he isn't, but he sure is happy to see it happen on his watch. And he's less than silent about it.

"Condom Couture: Columbus designers get busy with colored condoms"

Keep it classy, Planned Parenthood:

Twelve students from the Columbus College of Art and Design have proven your health teachers wrong-there is more than one way to wear a condom.

On Thursday, Oct. 1, CCAD put on their 2009 'Condom Couture' fashion show. This event, held at the Bar of Modern Art, was a celebration of Planned Parenthood's 77th anniversary.

Before the event, there was a reception for patrons featuring a live jazz band, swirling condom-shaped lights, and a slide show about Planned Parenthood.

The program began with a fashion show of designs students had created with condoms.

...  Although host Ali Barrett joked "cocktails, condoms, high fashion... typical Thursday night," 'Condom Couture' was anything but typical.

Despite being described as a celebration, it was also an inventive, fun way to raise money and increase awareness for Planned Parenthood of Central Ohio. (source)

These people get our money. The government gives Planned Parenthood our tax dollars.

Outrageous: "Planned Parenthood Gives George Tiller Top Award"

From the epically-bad-taste category, comes this story:

The International Federation of Planned Parenthood Foundation gave slain late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller its highest award over the weekend. The international abortion business honored Tiller posthumously in Washington months after he was shot and killed in his Kansas church.

Planned Parenthood gave Tiller its Medal of Honor for "outstanding individual contribution to sexual and reproductive health." (LifeNews)

Imagine for a moment the worldview the people who thought this would be a good idea must have.

Incredible.

Judge says SD doctors must say abortion ends life

An important development (sorry to be a few days late on the notice - this from the Associated Press:)

A federal judge upheld part of a South Dakota law that requires women to be told abortion ends a human life, but struck down disclosures that the procedure increases the likelihood of suicide and that they have an existing relationship with the fetus.

U.S. District Judge Karen Schreier's decision Thursday ends a lawsuit that Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota filed in response to a 2005 informed consent law that required several disclosures to women seeking an abortion.

She sided with the state in ruling that doctors must make the biological disclosure "that the abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being."

But Schreier said doctors can provide more information than the language in the statute, including that the term can be used in a biological sense and not ideological.

Schreier ruled in favor of Planned Parenthood by concluding that pregnant women do not need to be told abortion increases the likelihood of suicide or that they have an existing relationship with the fetus.

Both sides claimed victory.

Then again, Planned Parenthood has always been comfortable with the fact that abortion "will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being".

I'm not comfortable with that.

Planned Parenthood is also busy trying to sneak into schools under Obamacare.

Related:

• LifeNews: South Dakota Abortion Centers Must Tell Women Abortion Kills Children
• LifeSiteNews: Women in SD Must be Told Unborn Child is a Human Being: Federal Judge

Nope: ObamaCare would let Planned Parenthood into public schools

It gets worse and worse:

In Title V of H.R. 3200, Subtitle B, called School-Based Health Clinics, outlines a new federal program where the government would fund health clinics near or in the nation's public schools.

However, Section 399Z indicates that school officials won't be responsible for administering the clinics. Instead, that responsibility falls to the clinic sponsor, which could be Planned Parenthood -- the nation's largest abortion business which does more than 350,000 a year

... "The clinics would be funded by federal grants awarded by the Obama administration, which has made it clear that they expect Planned Parenthood to play an active role in their proposed health care system," he says.

Medina says he is not surprised that Planned Parenthood is included in the bill and could be given unprecedented access to teenagers and pre-teens to promote abortion.

The abortion business has had a close working relationship with the Obama administration since its beginning. (LifeNews)

At least teenagers have to figure out the bus route or have access to a car to visit a Planned Parenthood now.

This provision, however, allows Planned Parenthood to set up shop practically in the classroom, handing out condoms and contraceptives, and providing their full range of "reproductive services" to school-age children. And we know what those include.

Just say no!

Duh: PP President Cecile Richards in cozy with Obama

Barack and Cecile sitting in a tree, P-L-O-T-T-I-N-G. Seriously!

Barack and Cecile, you see, are buddies - they are, like, total BFFs (that means Best Friends Forever, if you're over 30).

Barack Obama is the President of the United States, and Cecile Richards is the president of Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the United States. So they have a lot in common. They're both really important. Barack likes Cecile so much he puts his arm around her, which he doesn't do for many people. Cecile likes Barack and gets to wear his cute baby-doll rhinestone "Obama" t-shirts.

Barack invites Cecile over to the White House a lot. Like, more than once. They pretty much get to hang out and stuff all the time. It's kind of sick how much fun they get to have.

Cecile even gets to twitter little things like this afterwards:

"Just left the White House meeting on women's health care - they appreciate all the might(y) pp [planned parenthood] supporters speaking up for reform in the states!"

Cecile and Barack are cool like that. He really appreciates her. She said so. They both really want health care reform. They're really smart. I'm pretty sure Cecile is on Barack's Fave Five.

Cecile gets to heart Obama on Facebook, telling all her friends important stuff like this:

"Women need affordable health care that covers OUR needs ... Geez, we represent more than half the population here!"

Yeah Cecile, like duh.

Some folks totally make stuff up about them, like, that Cecile and Barack are such good friends because they do business together. Like how Planned Parenthood and all their supporters gave lots of cash to Obama and campaigned for him and stuff, and how he's all, like, giving them lots of money to Planned Parenthood whenever he can now that he won and gets to be a President, too.

But, I mean, can't friends help each other out?

Oh, and most the people who say that kind of stuff are just crazy pro-lifers who are jealous they aren't Barack's friends. Well - *news flash*, people - Barack can pick his own friends, and he decided to pick Cecile. So deal. Maybe if you tried changing and were cooler you could be his friend, too. So hey, try working on that. Okay bye.

(Oh those photos at the top? Yeeaah ... I didn't take them. Nevada Advocates for Planned Parenthood did. My bad!)

Urgent: a chance to defund Planned Parenthood

update: 247-183 against the Pence Ammendment. I wonder if any congressmen who claim to be pro-life voted against the ammendment? Thank you for all your efforts. One of these times, we'll succeed.

Pro-life warrior Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) has given us a chance to have Planned Parenthood cut off from receiving federal funds through the Health and Human Services Department.

Pence has said (and written):

“The time has come to deny any and all federal funding to Planned Parenthood of America. The largest abortion provider in America should not also be the largest recipient of federal funds under Title X.”

He has offered a simple amendment which reads:

"None of the funds made available under this Act shall be available to Planned Parenthood for any purpose under Title X of the Public Health Services Act."

It's a miracle this amendment made it through the rules committee last night, making it eligible for a general floor vote today. This is a chance to defund Planned Parenthood and also a chance to see who is in their pocket.

Since this vote is happening so soon, the best thing to do is call your congressional office now and tell them "I want you to vote for the Pence Ammendment and defund Planned Parenthood!" The switchboard number is 202-224-3121 and they can direct you by state to the right office. Staffers are waiting to hear your voice. That's why they are there.

Let's defund Planned Parenthood and have something to celebrate this weekend.

update - Congressman Mike Pence makes his case on the floor:

Hillary Clinton to receive Margaret Sanger Award from Planned Parenthood

Honestly, I can think of few things more offensive than a "Margaret Sanger Award".

Glad to see our Secretary of State is bending over backwards to receive it:

Doing a rare domestic political event, and continuing the Obama administration's forceful, if understated alliance with abortion-rights groups, Hillary Clinton will receive an award from Planned Parenthood Friday night in Houston, the group says.

"The 2009 Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) Margaret Sanger Award, the organization’s highest honor, will be presented to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has been a champion of women’s health and rights throughout her public service career," according to the release.

Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards is an old Clinton ally, and women's health was a central issue for her in the Senate. Her appearance, though, suggests she's raising her profile a bit beyond what had been, to date, a determined effort to keep her focus entirely on her new portfolio. (Politico)

Family Research Council forcefully (and succinctly) makes the case that it's outrageous for Hillary to accept such an award even if you disagree about abortion. Planned Parenthood engages is many illegal practices, and Margaret Sanger - its founder - was an evil eugenicist. And yet because of Planned Parenthood's financial ties and sympathetic ideology, the organization remains on the inside track of this administration.

Send Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards a message

I don't like Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards. There - I've said it.

Sure, I pray for her conversion (sincerely), but in the meantime, she's hell-bent on killing little kids. And that's not cool.

In fact, it's time she quit doing it.

LifeSiteNews has a smart way of sending her a clear message.

Background from LSN:

You probably remember during the last election when an e-mail went around asking women to donate to Planned Parenthood in the name of Sarah Palin. PP raised quite a bit of money, and Palin received a hefty stack of thank you letters. Well, now it’s your turn.

By donating to LSN today, you're hitting two birds with one stone: helping support the world’s most widely read international pro-life and pro-family news service, and sending a strong message to Planned Parenthood about the sanctity of life.

Get the message, Cecile?

And I'm serious- please say a prayer for her, too. I just did.

PP president invited to White House Forum on Health Reform

Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood, makes Obama's short list, not surprisingly.

I wonder what sort of reforms she is in favor of? Here's what she's doing to her own organization.
Related: Pro-Life Groups Left Off Obama's Health Care Summit List, Abortion Advocates OK (LifeNews)

Planned Parenthood feels the pinch, lays of 20% of staff

Baby-killing isn't exempt from the ebb and flow of economics:

The Madoff fundraising scandal has had some beneficial fallout for the pro-life movement. Combined with the current economic downturn, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America is feeling the pinch and has laid off 20 percent of its staff.

The nation's largest abortion business, which does 25 percent of all abortions in the United States annually, laid off about 30 people this week. (LifeNews)

I wonder if PP was succored-in by Madoff's unrealistically-high promise of investment profit.

Couldn't have happened to a nicer $1 billion corporate sponsor of abortion in America.

Video: Planned Parenthood breaking laws to get 13yr-olds abortions

Not to upset your lunch, but this sort of thing should upset us.

Live Action Films has posted an undercover video of a Planned Parenthood nurse in Indiana violating about every law she can think of ... just to make sure a 13 year old girl can get her abortion. And when the nurse is told the young girl's "boyfriend" is 31? "Oh, don't tell me his age, I don't want to hear it."

LifeNews has more background.

Remind me, again, why Planned Parenthood continues to be the go-to organization of choice for Obama administration appointments? Including, yesterday, our new Secretary of Homeland Security? Why, with each year, does Planned Parenthood receive more and more government money?

Planned Parenthood of Indiana made the AmP radar last week for offering Gift Certificates for Abortions.

What other organization in the United States could get away with all of this?!

update: in a related vein, Jill posts about the amazing success of the 40 Days for Life campaign.

update 2: Planned Parenthood Suspends Employee After Statutory Rape Coverup Video

Evil Stocking Stuffer: Gift Certificates for Abortions

I'm not making this up:

Gift certificates have become a popular holiday gift option, but a controversial new one, already has people talking. For the first time, Planned Parenthood in Indiana is offering gift certificates.

.... asked if the gift certificates could be used towards abortions. The answer is yes. But, Planned Parenthood said that's not the purpose of the gift certificates. (Local 8)

Video:



PP of Indiana has made it onto the AmP radar before, back in February, where it offered to prepare students for their spring break with a "free emergency contraception day." PP of Indiana certainly appears to be innovative and pro-active when it comes to promoting their wide range of harmful services.

Related: "Planned Parenthood Issues Christmas Gift Certificates: Give the Gift of Abortion" (LifeNews)

Cardinal DiNardo leads procession from PP to death row

Not a coincidence:

Saying they want to promote the sanctity of life, several hundred people traveled to Huntsville Monday morning. The group was made up mostly of Catholics, including one very prominent one - Cardinal Daniel DiNardo.

They said their protest was to call attention to the value of life, whether unborn or condemned, which is why the group ended their procession at TDCJ's death row.

The prayers were as constant as the step. The procession moved forward at a steady clip as over 300 people walked quietly through the heart of Huntsville from the Planned Parenthood offices traveling north of the Walls Unit. It was a chance, many say, to protest against abortion and state executions of convicted criminals. (ABC 13)

And on a related note, Corpus Christi is refusing to give money to Planned Parenthood (at least for now). Would that other cities would follow its lead.

Ph/t: Dawn.

Cecile Richards attemps to snooker Catholic voters

(Before we get any further, let's get the definition of "snooker" clear.)

Cecile Richards is the president of Planned Parenthood. Now that Obama is president-elect, her organization is set to profit handsomely from windfall pro-abortion initiatives. "We have been communicating with [Obama's] transition staff almost daily", Richards boasts. "We expect to see a real change."

Such words give me cause for alarm. Richards is already working, for instance, to get UNFPA re-funded by American dollars. This is an organization complicit in China's horrific, compulsory one-child policy, which remains a problem.

Today in the Huffington Post, Richards decides to add "rewriting history" to her resume:

"With all the post-election polling analysis, there are many interesting outcomes that merit some soul-searching -- and not just within the political parties.

Exit polls reveal that 54 percent of Catholic voters supported President-elect Barack Obama, despite entreaties from Catholic leadership to vote against Senator Obama because of his support for abortion rights."

Soul-searching? Please. As if Richards has ever reconsidered her passionate pursuit of abortion-on-demand, ever.

She certainly has shown no willingness to debate her positions in free public forums.

Next, I'm aware of no one who can seriously claim that Catholics voted for Obama slightly more than McCain because they preferred Obama's position on abortion to McCain's. How stupid must Richards think Catholics are to believe that? Poll after poll shows that Americans voted based on the economy, and a whole host of issues, with abortion far down on the list. And that's sad, because if they had given abortion more consideration, they would have reconsidered voting for Obama. As Steven Erthelt says, "the only plausible conclusion is that some Catholic voters backed Obama despite their disagreement with him on abortion."

Richard goes into full-boar snookering at this point:

"While this may come as a surprise to Catholic bishops who are meeting this week to discuss the election, it is consistent with what we know about the attitudes of Catholic voters.

In a poll commissioned by Planned Parenthood last year, Catholic voters were asked to name their largest concerns around the issues of abortion and family planning."

What do you know, Richards? The results of a self-commissioned poll asking people what they don't like about abortion? That's like Coca-Cola commissioning a poll to ask people "what three things do you most dislike about Pepsi?" Would anyone be surprised that they can think of something?

I'll wrap this up with one more observation. Richards says:

"At Planned Parenthood, we work to prevent unintended and teen pregnancy. We provide more than 2.4 million women each year with family planning services -- but nearly another 15 million go unserved due to lack of affordable access."

Come again? That's just rich. Richards is trying to somehow imply that Planned Parenthood is prevented from carrying out its mission of mercy because - wouldn't ya know it? - they just don't have enough money....

In fact, see: "Planned Parenthood's Obscene Profits":

"In April, the annual report for Planned Parenthood Federation of America revealed that the abortion giant had a total income of $1.02 billion -- with reported profits of nearly $115 million. Taxpayers kick in more than $336 million worth of government grants and contracts at both the state and federal levels. That's a third of Planned Parenthood's budget."

Forgive me if I hold back the tears. Evidently in this underdeveloped economic corner of the healthcare market, despite desiring so sincerely to serve more marginalized individuals, Planned Parenthood has still managed to make huge profits, with taxpayers eventually footing a third of the bill.

The hubris and deceptiveness required to pen an editorial like this really takes my breath away. But as you can see, demolishing Richards' arguments takes only about as much effort as blowing down a house of cards.

P.S. That goes for you, too, Vanessa.

[photo credit: Nevada Advocates for Planned Parenthood]

It begins: ESCR Bans & The Mexico City policy first to go in Obama administration

Get used to photo-ops like this one:

Barack Obama with Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards.

CNA reports:

"President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team is preparing the first actions of his presidency, planning to lift embryonic stem cell research funding restrictions and rules which prevent international organizations that receive U.S. aid from counseling women about the availability of abortion."

Okay, Kmiec et al., explain to me how proliferating the human-destroying procedure of embryonic stem cell research + providing funding to pro-abortion international groups ... builds up a culture of life.

PP v. Our Money

LifeNews:

The head of a pro-life philanthropic firm is calling for a federal government probe of Planned Parenthood. The call for an investigation comes after Planned Parenthood affiliates in California were accused of overcharging the state by millions for birth control.

The accusation came in March, when P. Victor Gonzalez, a former Planned Parenthood official, filed a lawsuit against its affiliates in California saying they overcharged the state hundreds of millions of dollars on birth control.

Gonzalez says his own internal audit estimates that Planned Parenthood overcharged California taxpayers for purchasing birth control by at least $180 million.

Gonzalez says the abortion business fired him because he raised concerns about the illegal practices.

Not surprised.

Shame, or something unlike it

It appears that "Take Care Down There", the most offensive Planned Parenthood online initiative to date, has removed the most offensive content from the website since I first noted it in July. This decisions follows an outcry that went up once the story made it into mainstream news outlets.

If I had to guess, the Dawn Patrol or American Life League might have more details for us soon.

Once again, let's all remember that PP received 336.7 million dollars of our taxpayer money last year. So we can be happy in knowing we probably helped pay to create, then take down, this offensive material.

update: Mike Hitchborn of ALL adds:

"Score one for the Good Guys!!! Because of the wide-spread attention you gave our ALL Report on Planned Parenthood's DISGUSTING website, the story made its way onto the main-stream media. You can see our ALL report on it here or here.

The resulting bad publicity forced Planned Parenthood to remove ALL of the offensive videos!This is the New Media in action! When you draw as much attention as you did to the nastiness of Planned Parenthood, the drive-by media can no longer ignore what's going on."

A press release should be forthcoming. Keep it up!

Commentary: Abortion and the New Democratic Platform

Michael Sean Winters of the America Magazine election blog has an interesting post today entitled "Note to Dems: Shut Up!"

I agree in substance with his first part:

First, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi demonstrated that she wasn’t paying attention during theology classes when she matriculated at Trinity College. Now, Sen. Joe Biden has managed to wade into the treacherous waters of making pronouncements on what the Church does, and does not, teach about when human life begins. The Democrats’ vice-presidential candidate, who has a mixed record on pro-life issues, went further than he needed to go on "Meet the Press" yesterday, mentioning Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologica as if he were an expert, but quickly demonstrating that he is no theologian.

Note to Democratic candidates: You are not running to become theologian-in-chief.

I want to believe, but remain wary, of his next claim:

And, in the event, the platform you just adopted has something genuinely new and important to say about abortion, and theological speculation is just going to step on that platform.

The Democrats, for the first time, called for policies that will reduce the number of abortions by preventing crisis pregnancies in the first place and by providing assistance to women facing crisis pregnancies so that they can carry their child to term. The GOP removed similar language from their platform, keeping their traditional but so far unsuccessful call for overturning Roe v. Wade.

Winters' sets out perhaps the best argument the DNC has going for them right now when it comes to attacting pro-life voters (otherwise known as "practicing Catholics"). But let's follow the strands.

Steve Waldman, editor-in-chief of Beliefnet, agrees and disagrees with Winters:

The Obama campaign had been arguing that the candidate was charting a third-way approach to abortion: supporting abortion rights but promoting policies that would reduce the number of abortions.

Pro-life liberals were therefore deeply disappointed to hear that after the Palin announcement, the Democrats started running a radio ad [MP3 file] about abortion that made no mention of abortion reduction, instead just stating the Democrats' support for abortion rights. "Unless the Obama campaign will stop emphasizing abortion rights and strongly address the major common cause issues with a spirited vision and practical details, the Republicans can continue to scoop up a ton of votes," said Joel Hunter, a moderate evangelical who gave a benediction at the Democratic convention.

Waldman goes on to claim that Biden and Obama are both re-adjusting their language:

This Sunday, the Democratic ticket seemed to emphasize a new approach. On Meet the Press, Joe Biden went farther than the platform or Obama had gone before: "what we're going to be spending our time doing is making sure that we reduce considerably the amount of abortions that take place by providing the care, the assistance and the encouragement for people to be able to carry to term and to raise their children."

A Democratic candidate pledging to "reduce considerably the amount of abortions" -- that's the phrase that pro-life liberals have been yearning for.

On This Week with George Stephanopolous, Obama returned to talking about abortion reduction (and also clarified his above-my-paygrade gaffe [watch video]). He said his paygrade line was "too flip" and that "as a Christian I have a lot of humility about understanding about when does the soul enter. All I meant to communicate was that I don't presume to be able to answer these kinds of theological questions."

Now I wish these words could be taken at their face value (would that the democrat party did become truly pro-life!), but the simple fact of the matter is that Biden receives a 0% rating from the National Right to Life Committee, and Obama was "Rated 100% by NARAL on pro-choice votes in 2005, 2006 & 2007." Have they had a change of heart since they earned these ratings?

In 2007, Obama promised NARAL that his first act as President would be to "sign the Freedom of Choice Act." On the 35th Anniversary of Roe V. Wade, Barack Obama on his campaign website still says:

"Thirty-five years after the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade, it's never been more important to protect a woman's right to choose...With one more vacancy on the Supreme Court, we could be looking at a majority hostile to a women's fundamental right to choose for the first time since Roe v. Wade. The next president may be asked to nominate that Supreme Court justice. That is what is at stake in this election."

"Throughout my career, I've been a consistent and strong supporter of reproductive justice, and have consistently had a 100% pro-choice rating with Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America.

"When South Dakota passed a law banning all abortions in a direct effort to have Roe overruled, I was the only candidate for President to raise money to help the citizens of South Dakota repeal that law. When anti-choice protesters blocked the opening of an Illinois Planned Parenthood clinic in a community where affordable health care is in short supply, I was the only candidate for President who spoke out against it. And I will continue to defend this right by passing the Freedom of Choice Act as president."

And where does Joe Biden stand on this issue? He co-sponsored the Freedom of Choice Act in the 102nd and 103rd congresses. "FOCA would overturn hundreds of state laws on the books that limit abortion."

Here's what I'm seeing: when Obama or Biden (or Pelosi, for that matter) are addressing a general audience, they talk about wishing to bring down the number of abortions, provide alternatives, etc. They also "helpfully" suggest expanding access to contraceptives, but we'll leave that aside for now.

When, however, Obama or Biden have a pro-choice audience, they are unabashed in their support for abortion-on-demand. (Can you imagine, for instance, Barack Obama or Joe Biden telling Planned Parenthood - which receives huge amounts of federal funding - that they should begin encouraging their patients to carry their children to term?)

Nor is this double-talk confined to the democrat higher ups (though even their practice of it should give us pause), the specter of Roe v. Wade being repealed is regularly used, up and down the party line, to intimidate people - and women especially - into voting for a democratic candidate. I showcased a classic example of these scare tactics a week or so ago at the DNC convention itself.

Back to my main point: in order to truly make a case before the entire American people that the DNC has changed its views on abortion, their Presidential candidate must be willing to repudiate the support of radical pro-abortion lobbies and interests. If he cannot do that, then this change in the DNC platform remains a classical case of politicians and political party wanting to have it both ways.

Sadly, it's all the same for the present and future victims of abortion.

Planned Parenthood's latest teen web site most offensive yet

Dawn peers into the lion's den (again):

American Life League reports on Planned Parenthood's latest teen Web site, TakeCareDownThere.org (see video here).

As usual, ALL errs on the side of restraint, demurring from showing the most offensive material on the site. In plain fact, TakeCareDownThere.org, which is run by Planned Parenthood's Pacific Northwest chapter Planned Parenthood Columbia Williamette, is so gratuitously exploitative of underage teenagers that it makes the national organization's Teenwire look like Abstinence Clearinghouse by comparison.

I am sorry to be in the position of recommending you view the site. It is especially not for those who practice what Christians call "custody of the eyes" (and ears). But, because TakeCareDownThere is a taxpayer-funded site that targets children, I believe it is important to have an idea of just what Planned Parenthood is promoting. The site's pro-promiscuity agenda is truly degrading to human beings in general and children in particular.

[Continue reading.]

PP received 336.7 million dollars of our taxpayer money last year.

The ugly side of Feminist blogging

Regular readers know that I occasionally read some of the more popular "feminist" blogs, to see what the other side is saying. Sometimes they make good points or valid observations.

Other times, however, you realize what a gulf separates you. For instance, when a regular contributor starts offering her personal "feminist porn" picks, and begins her post with the following disclaimer:

Warning: May not be safe for work…unless you are like me and work at Planned Parenthood. :)

Doesn't that just speak volumes?

Needless to say, I knew there was nothing to be gleaned from the rest of that post. I had learned my lesson.

Jill Stanek asks pro-lifers to "Stand with Phill"

And I join her:

The KS primary election is in less than 3 weeks.

The most watched and important race is for Johnson Co. District Attorney Republican nominee: Phill Kline vs. the establishment opponent who will drop the only criminal case in the U.S. against Planned Parenthood.

As many of you have followed, Kline filed 107 charges against Comprehensive Health of PP of KS and Mid-MO in October 2007.

Since then PP has wielded all its influence in a state run under pro-abortion Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to delay the evidence from ever getting before a jury. PP's plan: run out the clock on Kline's term in office. Kline has courageously fought against overwhelming odds to enforce the law against this $1 billion abortion cartel.

Now, Kline needs the help of the nationwide pro-life community. There is no one else but us. The only way Kline can get his message of truth out is to go around the Kansas City Star with a final days, aggressive, multi-faceted ad campaign. (Recall KCS has pounded Kline since the day he took office, reearning the "Maggie Award" PP gave it in 2006 for helping unseat Kline in the Attorney General's race.)

Phill needs to raise $300,000 in a week. To reach that goal, StandwithPhill.com has launched a "$50 for Phill" campaign. 6,000 people or families must contribute. Please be one. View this inspiring video of Kline's long battle to bring PP to justice and then participate in the "$50 for Phill" campaign to help him get his word out around the liberal media. If Kline doesn't win on August 5, the 5 year battle to get the only criminal case against PP will be lost forever.

There are encouraging signs. [Read about them here.]

Breaking: Abortion clinic dumpster yields incriminating evidence

God Bless the Dumpster Divers.

Jill Stanek has the coverage.

Dr. Monica Migliorino Miller ("triple-M", for short) has long been active in MI pro-life.

Where she goes, the right kind of trouble follows.

update: related from LifeNews:

A former Planned Parenthood official has filed a lawsuit against affiliates in California saying they overcharged the state hundreds of millions of dollars on birth control. P. Victor Gonzalez says the abortion business fired him because he raised concerns about the illegal practices.

Gonzalez says his own internal audit estimates that Planned parenthood overcharged California taxpayers for purchasing birth control by at least $180 million.

The radical feminists are complaining that this is "another headline that fits squarely with [pro-life] talking points". Well, how many headlines will it take before people admit that abortion clinics are ruthless, predatory organizations?

When the talking points line up with reality, maybe they are more than talking points.

Video: Planned Parenthood Racism Investigation

Because it's always more effective to hear it and see it:



Previous and related posts on Planned Parenthood here.

[ph/t: Hot Air.]

Keep Planned Parenthood funding in VA cut off!

This is an important story. I don't have time at present to pursue it fully, but briefly:

• The Virginia Senate voted yesterday to cut off state aid to Planned Parenthood
• PP, in response, is now mobilizing their significant resources to fight the decision
• LifeSiteNews reports and points to this site in Virginia: http://familyfoundation.org
• ProLifeBlogs has coverage, and notes that PP has sent an action notice to its supporters
• An example of the misinformation being spread available in this post at RH Reality Check

People more directly connected to this situation than I are welcome to continue coverage in the comment box.

Kansas D.A. Phill Kline wins victory over Planned Parenthood cover-up

The AP reports:

A Planned Parenthood clinic in suburban Kansas City will turn over a limited number of patient records to a grand jury investigating abortions there, a clinic attorney said Friday.

A grand jury issued a subpoena to the Comprehensive Health in Overland Park clinic last month demanding the records of 16 patients. The clinic has been battling Johnson County District Attorney Phill Kline, an anti-abortion crusader, over whether the subpoena should be enforced.

After a hearing over the dispute Friday in Johnson County District Court, an attorney for the clinic, Pedro Irigonegaray, said it would turn over records for 16 patients that pertain to two restrictions on abortions under Kansas law.

I heard Phill Kline speak at the 2008 Blogs for Life conference hosted by the Family Research Council on January 22nd and here is a video of his presentation. Jill Stanek has a report:

10:45a, EST: KS District Attorney Phill Kline is up. What a guy. You'll recall I've been blogging lately about AG Paul Morrison, who recently had to resign in disgrace due to revelations of an affair with a subordinate. Morrison replaced Kline.

Kline is discussing a new frontier in the pro-life movement, prosecuting abortion clinics for underage abortions. Every underage abortion is evidence of rape or incest. Every state has laws against this. Yet abortion has become a haven for rapists. PP and the ACLU strive to protect minor "rights of privacy".

Kline says we bloggers have tools at hand to uncover complicit abortion mills by finding out the number of underage abortions facilities have reported compared to grant requests, etc.

Jill has been covering the Kansas situation at-length for some time. Dawn Eden as well.

I'm crossing my fingers that this is the first of many more legal victories against Planned Parenthood.

Backstory:

• Excellent case history by Ericka Andersen posted here at Human Events
• Operation Rescue links the an 80-page court document (PDF). Their related posts here.
• LifeNews: Women's Group Worries Kansas Abortion Centers Hiding Statutory Rape

Related:

• WaPo: A Kansan With Conviction
• Wikipedia's Phill Kline entry for general information
• I believe the 40 Days for Life blog has coverage, but right now it appears to be down

[ph/t: Hot Air]

update: Colin Mason of Population Research International writes: "In Defense of Phill Kline."

Planned Parenthood prepares students for spring break with "Free EC Day"

What better way to prepare for spring break than stocking up on massive doses of artificial hormones?

"Emergency Contraception Giveaway Called 'Irresponsible" in today's Christian Post reports that Planned Parenthood of Indiana has announced a "Free EC (= emergency contraception) Day" at its various clinics.

Mike Fichter of local Indiana Right to Life observes:

"This is all about Planned Parenthood gaining free advertising to build its customer base among sexually active teens," Fichter stated. "When Planned Parenthood's message of sex without consequences results in a new life that is not terminated by the EC drug, the next step is the selling of more profitable surgical abortions at one of Planned Parenthood's three abortion clinics in Indiana."

Local reporting on the protests being organized against "Free EC Day" here and here.

On the PP of Indiana website, "Every woman deserves the chance to prevent an unintended pregnancy!"

What else is on the upcoming Indiana PP event calendar?

Their 5th Annual “Gathering of Goddesses and Gods”, an "evening of pampering, purchasing and partying" where attendees "Relax, rejuvenate and enjoy spa treatments, psychic readings and much more while [they] pamper your palate with wine and Greek hors d'oeuvres." They even had dancing girls last year, as you can see.

The proceeds of the revelry go towards the good cause of assisting "low-income women with critical reproductive health services".

Those pagans sure know how throw a great party.

And I do mean pagans.

[photos: ppin.org]

YouTube reverses ALL decision, claims "technical malfunction"

As reported on Tuesday, YouTube pulled an American Life League video for being offensive when the all it did was excerpt various Planned Parenthood TV ad segments (the PP advert, meanwhile, was not removed).

I just got an email from ALL saying that YouTube has reversed its decision:

After numerous articles and pressure from Catholic and online media, Google-sponsored YouTube cited a “technical malfunction” as the reason American Life League’s pro-life video was censored by YouTube staff.

... Praising the YouTube decision, Sedlak commented “We are pleased that YouTube has reversed their decision to remove our video. Our ALL News Report was neither objectionable nor inappropriate. While it is unfortunate that YouTube chose this tactic in the first place, it is encouraging to note that they corrected their poor decision in a timely fashion.”

I agree with that sentiment: don't give YouTube a hard time for making the right decision (eventually).

YouTube double standard: ALL video yanked, PP video remains

"On Monday morning, American Life League (ALL) was informed by YouTube that one of its exposé videos on Planned Parenthood was evicted from their for its “inappropriate nature.” Strangely enough, the ad that the ALL was criticizing remains on YouTube."

“All we did in our video report was show a couple of clips from Planned Parenthood’s ‘Mile High’ ad (...)" said Jim Sedlak, vice president of American Life League. “If there was anything inappropriate in our report, it came from Planned Parenthood’s ad, and yet their ad remains while ours is removed.” - CNA

YouTube employee: "I am shocked, shocked, to find that inappropriate material is on YouTube!"

Repulsive: Planned Parenthood ads in developing countries

Dawn Eden exposes the deceptive advertisements Planned Parenthood runs around the world.

A sample:

Sorry to upset your Sunday, but this gives us something extra to pray about.

Sierra Club joins PP to offer conferences on "Sex and the Environment"

Thanks CNA, I think I've lost my appetite for lunch:

During the first week of November, members of the Sierra Club traversed one end of California to the other for a series of conferences called “Sex and the Environment.” Accompanying them at most of their stops were representatives of Planned Parenthood.

... The 115-year-old Sierra Club, based in San Francisco and founded by California environmentalist John Muir in 1892 to “explore, enjoy and protect the planet,” now declares on its web site: “Sierra Club is a pro-choice organization.”

The November tour was part of the Sierra Club’s Global Population and Environment Program, which states as its mission: “to protect the global environment and preserve natural resources for future generations by advancing global reproductive health and sustainable development initiatives.”

The term “reproductive health” has long been understood as a code word for “abortion,” especially in Third World countries where the outright use of the word “abortion” would be politically unwise.

The plan:

In a question-and-answer section on the Sierra Club’s web site discussing the Population and Environment Program, the group says it has endorsed a 1970 resolution drafted by the group Zero Population Growth. Among the provisions of the resolution: “families should not have more than two natural children,” “state and federal laws should be changed to encourage small families and to discourage large families,” “policies, and attitudes that foster population growth or big families, or that restrict abortion and contraception, or that attempt to constrict the roles of men and women, should be abandoned.”

Story originally reported by the California Catholic Daily: "Save the Planet, Kill a Baby!"

Pro-Life counter-gathering for Holy Cross a success!

Dawn Eden, the featured speaker of the evening, reports that things went wonderfully well.

Previous AmP coverage here: "Emptying the power of Holy Cross College."

Emptying the power of Holy Cross College

"For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." - 1 Cor 1:17.

Apologies for not reporting about this story sooner. It's important.

The fight to promote the culture of life in America - and specifically in colleges and universities which respresent the bastions of liberal influence - is upon us once again.

The backstory:

• Jesuit-run College of the Holy Cross is renting meeting space for a conference entitled "Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy's Teen Pregnancy Institute" that includes workshops conducted by Planned Parenthood and NARAL.
• Hunreds of complaints were sent in to the competant authorities from around the country.
• Bishop Robert J. McManus of Worcester, MA appealed to the President of Holy Cross College, Fr. Michael McFarland, to revoke the invitation. Good for him.
• And here's the rub: Fr. McFarland has refused to do so.
• In response, Bp. McManus issued a firm statement (which you should read), in which he warned that Holy Cross Catholic may lose its ability to call itself Catholic for its refusal. Double good for him!
• Even better: The Cardinal Newman Society is hosting a counter-conference entitled "Preventing Teen Pregnancy: The Catholic Approach" featuring chastity speaker, blogger and writer Dawn Eden.

Please collaborate with the Cardinal Newman Society event. They are asking for there to be "strong showing of support for Bishop McManus’s principled stand" by attending if you are able:

• CNS website with more information including a flyer in PDF format.
• Visit Dawn Eden's blog to get more information. She is the keynote speaker.

Prominant contributs to the blogosphere have lauded the Bishop's actions and that of CNS. Diogenes says he is acting like a bishop. RC proclaims "Ad multos annos!" (and mentions that the previous ordinary of Worcester, has acted in a similar vein in regards to HC). AMDG lets us know that Fr. Euteneuer of Human Life International whole-heartedly applauds the Bishop's actions. Amy Welborn says about CNS that this is "exactly the kind of response of which we need much, much more." I would humbly like to add my praise to theirs.

See? We're not out to get bishops. We're out for the truth.

Catholic news coverage:

• CNA: College's Catholic status threatened for hosting pro-abortion groups at conference
• CWNews: Massachusetts bishop issues warning to Jesuit college
• LSN: Bishop Warns College May Lose Catholic Name for Not Cancelling Pro-Abortion Groups in Conference

For more information on the conference you can look at it's brocure here (PDF file).

Update: Via a reader and alumnus of Holy Cross, a website has been setup to address this situation: http://www.holycrossalumni.org/.

Update 2: In fairness, Fr. McFarland is responding to criticism here at the HC website.

Aurora opens largest abortion clinic in US as planned

AP:

A suburban Planned Parenthood clinic opened Tuesday, two weeks later than planned, after anti-abortion activists raised questions about how it received its building permits.

On Monday, Mayor Tom Weisner said that Planned Parenthood was "less than forthcoming" when it used a subsidiary to build a clinic in this Chicago suburb, but attorney reviews found no legal basis to deny an occupancy permit.

Weisner said the city received thousands of letters and phone calls from people voicing passionate opinions about abortion while the legal reviews were pending.

Pray on.

Update: It's sadly revealing that Reuters chose as its photo for this story not one that showcases the hundreds of pro-life folks that have been rallying in Aurora but instead a file photo of a lone pro-choice protester with a "keep abortion legal" sign taken back in 2004 at a planned parenthood-sponsored event.

It's also untrue to claim in the caption that Aurora is an example of a "growing political battle over reproductive health services such as abortion." Such as abortion? No, Aurora is exclusively about abortion. And remember, embryos need health services, too.

Related: "Are you guys really going to be out here for 40 days?" by Wynette Sills.

Unmasking Planned Parenthood, as often as it takes

LifeSiteNews: Planned Parenthood Caught on Tape Covering Up Statutory Rape – Threatens Lawsuit to Hide Evidence

Dom ellaborates:

The worst thing Planned Parenthood could do here is file a lawsuit against someone who has no assets. All it does is provide the David in the David & Goliath scenario with much needed publicity.

PPLA’s self-justification is just too precious as well: “Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California President Kathy Kneer criticized the undercover investigation as ‘manipulative,’ …” Not unlike Planned Parenthood itself. Pot, meet the kettle. It’s black.

It's amazing how many guys I've met who think Planned Parenthood is their greatest friend, just because it gives free STD exams, condoms ... and cleans up the "mistakes" of their lifestyle. Honestly, what guy can be at peace with letting his girlfriend be seen to by these people?

Update: Oh, another story of Planned Parenthood crimes.