I’m conservative and I support Planned Parenthood
By · Feb 22 2011Did you hear that the U.S. House of Representatives voted to bar Planned Parenthood health centers from all federal funding?
This is sad. Too often we associate one place for notoriety and don’t think about the good things. For example, when I go to Outback Steakhouse, I generally think about steak. But did you know that they have really amazing lobster stuffed shrimp? And the dressing on their Caesar salad — sometimes that dressing is my favorite part of the meal.
Without the rest of the ingredients in a chocolate chip cookie, there would be no cookie.
It isn’t the best analogy, but people often associate Planned Parenthood as a place for abortions. That is just a part of what they do. When we first moved to San Diego, I didn’t have a job and my birth control prescription was running out, I knew I could just walk into an office and get some help.
Yes, I am generally conservative when it comes to issues like this. I waffle between being pro-choice and pro-life, deciding that while I don’t think I would get an abortion myself, I can’t choose for someone else.
I support Planned Parenthood because they are more than what they are known for. They educate men, women and children about health. Provide free birth control. Provide prenatal and women’s care to people who might not otherwise see a doctor. Their services are provided on a sliding scale. Screenings for STDs and HIV help us all stay healthier.
They are trusted and they are clean. They provide high quality medical service to people who might not get it. It is often preventative care that could help keep people out of an emergency room situation that would be costly for taxpayers.
While I am not an advocate for abortion, I just don’t think cutting funding to a place that provides other good services is the right way to protest. This is why I signed the petition to support Planned Parenthood. And that’s why I think we need it, and places like it. If you want, you can sign a petition that supports Planned Parenthood too.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is a message that needs more publicity. As you say, Planned Parenthood is SO much more than what many people think!
Bravo!
I worked at Planned Parenthood for 2 years, and during that time I RARELY had to discuss pregnancy termination options. Instead, PP really focuses on making every child a wanted child, by providing women and their partners with education about birth control options, as well as comprehensive information about reproductive health, sexually transmitted infections. This is such a tremendously important service!
PP helped me out when I was broke and really needed to get a pelvic exam! Granted, they didn’t give me the best medical advice ever in the long run, but I don’t blame them for that.
I have mixed feelings about PP after I saw the video on http://www.liveaction.org and how the staff didn’t report suspected sex slave traders. BUT, I realize that is one person and not the principle’s of the organization.
I think the thing I don’t like about PP is that when I was in college they had a group called VOX and they positioned themselves as very pro-choice and in doing so came off as directly opposed to people’s who were religious. I have no problem with pro-choicers, but I don’t see a need to turn it into an anti-religion position. At the same time, I want pro-lifers to accept that people have different religious views than they do and respect that. It just makes me angry in general when people try to force one viewpoint on another and claim the other side is unethical, without being able to step back and say “I see where you are coming from.” So I guess that’s *sorta* my problem with Vox, but I had just as much of a problem with the pro-life views on campus.
I wrote a post a week or so ago about how I’m pro-life but that I tend to vote democratic. It makes me happy to see that you too are willing to step outside of traditional party boundaries and think for yourself!
I do like Planned Parenthood’s motto “every child wanted and loved.” I have different ideas about what it means, but I think pro-lifers and pro-choicers really have the same ideas. We love children, we want to see happy, well-taken care of, well-fed children. We want to see children born into loving homes or adopted. We want healthy women who have the ability to live life to their fullest potential. I think the common ground is where we need to start these discussions from, not from the differences.
Yes to finding common ground. I’m so with you. True, I’m not comfortable with everything that PP has done — but then again, I’m not comfortable with everything my own church has done in its tenure. I think I can support an organization without having to stand by everything they do. Bill and Melinda Gates donate to PP on the condition that the funds not be used for abortions… Warren Buffet does the opposite.
So while I don’t agree with everything they do, it makes me sad that they are at risk of losing a large portion of their funding.
I don’t really want to comment on the politics of this post, but I’m just curious how the LDS church feels about PP?
Not sure if they’ve ever taken a stance on PP as an organization.
This is the church’s stance on abortion – http://bit.ly/e7j3Ry — though I’ve heard that in cases of rape or incest or risk to the mother that the LDS faith will be supportive in an abortion…. which makes it difficult for me to believe that life begins at conception sometimes (if it is OK for one at all… how is it OK?) , but that is a deeper discussion!
FYI
“Now, is there hope for those who have so sinned without full understanding, who now suffer heartbreak? Yes. So far as is known, the Lord does not regard this transgression as murder. And “as far as has been revealed, a person may repent and be forgiven for the sin of abortion.” Gratefully, we know the Lord will help all who are truly repentant.”
http://lds.org/ensign/1985/05/reverence-for-life?lang=eng&query=abortion
While I’m not in a position where I consult with church doctrine, for those who might be I think this is interesting. It seems like church doctrine considers a fetus life, but not necessarily fully human or fully alive.
I was looking for this! I could only find the other link I shared. I actually think the LDS church has a more gray stance on abortion than other religions, you know? It isn’t cut and dry.
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Thank you for saying this! My parents went to Planned Parenthood to get help conceiving. If it didn’t exist, maybe I wouldn’t either. It’s an important organization which does so much more than abortions!
YES. Thank you.
There are many other extermely frightening things going on that are similar to this issue.
http://pol.moveon.org/waronwomen/?rc=fb
Republicans are trying to redefine rape, make rape victims labeled as “accusers” and not “victims” and in SD they wanted to push legislation that would make it legal to MURDER a doctor that performs abortions.
As women, I think it’s absolutely necessary we stand up for our rights. It frightens me that we’re having to fight for these things in this day and age.
I can’t tell you how many posts I’ve tried to write about the redefining of rape language. I just get so angry that I’m even typing it that I can’t seem to form a coherant argument.
Rape is a crime like robbing a bank is a crime. But, there is a horrific assault is involved, and the evidence is on the victim’s body. No one questions whether a bank is robbed. And I think it is easier to rape someone than rob a bank and get away with it — so sad.
Ugh. I can’t even talk about the rape thing.
Okay, but I will. The whole idea behind allowing federal money for abortions for pregnancies caused by rape is the idea that the woman didn’t have a choice in getting pregnant, whereas if she hooked up with her boyfriend she did.
But to say that DATE RAPE isn’t rape?!?! That’s just implying that a woman had some sort of choice in getting raped. That if she really wanted to, she could have stopped it.
I just can’t even think about how backwards that is.
I agree with you both. It’s sad and frightening that people actually think these legislations are good enough ideas to try and make them law. Sick, just sick.
Right on, Natalie! You already know how I feel about this. I am also conservative when it comes to my religious beliefs, but I have strong feelings about imposing those beliefs on others. Also, has anyone not thought of the fact that people will still get abortions…just illegally? When we take away funding for organizations like Planned Parenthood, all that means is that healthcare providers are going to see a jump in the number of patients coming in with septic shock from a desperate, illegal abortions gone bad. As a healthcare provider, I’m probably going to opt not to do voluntary abortions, but you’d better believe I’m going to learn how, especially if correcting a botched abortion will save a person’s life. Anyway, stepping off the soapbox…
I wanted to write about that too but the post was getting too long! PP and other organizations provide a safe place for people to get abortions and other services — that are clean, legal and safe. The other options are very scary. I grew up hearing stories in high school of girls trying to terminate their own pregnancy so they didn’t have to tell their parents. They did unhealthy things to themselves and their fetus. If only they could have gotten safe counseling.
I find myself in the same camp. I find a republican effort to kill funding without even offering an alternative jaded and tired.
Worse than the politics is the net societal effect. For better or worse, as you mentioned, PP provides need/clean/relevant services to folks who otherwise might not receive care.
I feel the exact same way Natalie! I went to PP for free birth control due to the high cost of it without insurance and sometimes even with insurance. Planned Parenthood has educated me everytime I go about tests available, potential dangers to be aware of, and supplying free condoms to those sexually active because they know abstinence is a tough sell and safe sex is better than no protection at all. I am so glad you posted this and I hope Planned Parenthood gets the funding they need to continue their amazing services.
Did you see the movie “Freakonomics” on Netflix instant watch? In it, they demonstrate how in the 1970′s US abortions became legal… and later, in the 1990′s crime in the US went down. Whereas in Romania (I believe it was) abortions became outlawed around the same year – every woman was forced to have and keep their many children. Flash forward 20 years in both countries… Romania had a higher crime rate than ever and it was due to all the unwanted children born into poverty… whereas the United States crime rate had gone down because the poor, criminally inclined generation of unwanted children were simply not there to commit the crimes. This was spoken of in the most economical way – the researchers were neither for/against – they were simply speaking the factual data.
Similarly, I cannot judge anyone’s personal situation. I tend to lean pro-life. However, it says something that the crime rate goes down when abortion is legal – and sadly shows how many unwanted children are born to mothers who are not ready because it raises when abortions are not legal – meaning the mothers are not ready or able to have/care for their children. This is not the child’s fault of course. Therefore, I believe education is THE priority to avoid abortion all together – and clinics like Planned Parenthood are the go-to authority for birth control (with sliding scale fees and/or free, at that!).
To take funding away from this center it is likely America will see MORE unplanned pregnancies, less birth control availability to those who are younger and undereducated and, unfortunately, as per the Freakonomics study: more unplanned pregnancies will occur, leading to another improverished generation of unwanted babies – a high percentage of which will go on to become involved in crime/drugs, etc. And so it is fact that abortions create less crime. And while many people are all for lower crime rates – still, it’s all a VERY touchy moral situation. It’s very hard to think about and harder to help because of the domino effect. The entire situation is so sad to me, especially seeing how society is continuing to sexualize our youth and sex is in just about every TV show/movie/book, etc. It’s so glorified for the youth so much more so now than when I was in school and it was over-glorified even back then! I hope PP receives a higher than usual dose of charity this year to make up for the difference.
Amen! It’s wrong that they get a bad rap (and no gov’t funding) when they do so much good. I’ll definitely sign the petition!!
I’ve been thinking the same thing. Glad you wrote about this.
I know! I looked at my email Sunday and relaized that i missed it and i was upset cause i had ZERO plans! bummer
Thanks for this post- that’s where I went to get bc when we first moved here and I agree- they provide many valuable services. I definitely signed the petition!
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Thanks for writing this! You make some very good points about why Planned Parenthood is important and hopefully something can be done to get them some funding back.
Amen sister.
This is so informative as well as all the comments. Thank you for such another informative, well thought out post. Your analogy of Outback helped it make sense to me
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I think it’s so hard for people to separate issues from one another. Planned Parenthood helps out those who can’t get other medical help – and that’s a good thing!
Natalie I am having so much fun catching up on all of the blog posts I have missed while I was out of the country! I always love the things you write about and I totally agree with you. I too am in many ways conservative and I know that although I would not choose abortion for myself… I really don’t want to make that choice for others and I think its just so sad when the government starts making decisions for people when they are not in their shoes. Planned parenthood is a great resource and I think it has gotten a bad rep… truly how sad to see that it might something we can loose.
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